بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Allah Ta’ala said, “Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope…” {As-Sajdah:16}
Allah Ta’ala also said, “They used to sleep but little of the night.” {Ad-dhariyat: 17}
Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه said that these two verses were revealed concerning the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم who used to remain awake between Maghrib and Esha to perform Salah.[1] In the era of the Prophet ﷺ, the Esha Salah used to be delayed until one third of the night had passed.[2] Therefore, there was an extended period between these two prayers, so the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم would revive it with Salah.
Muhammad ibnul Munkadir رحمه الله narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Who will perform salah between Maghrib and Esha, because it is the Salah of the Awwaabeen (Those who constantly turn to Allah).”
- Collected by Ibnul Mubarak رحمه الله in ‘Az-Zuhd’. [3]
Abdullah ibnul Amr رضي الله عنهما said, “Salatul Awwaabeen is from when the people of Maghrib turn to home until they return for Esha.”
- Collected by Ibn Abi Shaibah رحمه الله in ‘Al-Musannaf’[4].
N.B.- The Dhuhaa prayer was also named ‘Salatul Awwaabeen’ by the Messenger ﷺ in a narration of Sahih Muslim. Allamah Shawkani رحمه الله said that there is nothing wrong in calling both prayers ‘Salatul Awwabeen’.
Awwaab is the one who if he commits a sin hastens to repentance.[5]
Huzaifah رضي الله عنه said, “I came to the Prophet ﷺ and performed Maghrib with him. When he completed the (Maghrib) salah, he stood to perform (optional) salah. He continued to perform salah until he performed Esha and then he left.”
- Collected by Ahmed رحمه الله in ‘Musnad’ and Nasai رحمه الله in ‘Kubra’[6]. Hafidh Munziri رحمه الله graded its chain as good.[7]
Aswad ibn Yazid رحمه الله narrates from Ibn Masud رضي الله عنه that he said, “Good is the time of negligence between Maghrib and Esha (for performing Salah).”
- Collected by Abdur Razzaq رحمه الله in ‘Al-Musannaf’[8]
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever performs six Rak’ah after the Maghrib and does not say anything bad in between them, will have a reward equal to the worship of twelve years.”
- Collected by Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Ibn Khuzaimah رحمهم الله in his ‘Sahih’.[9]
It was narrated that Aishah رضي الله عنها said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Whoever prays twenty Rak’ah between Maghrib and Esha, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise.’”
After mentioning many other narrations on the virtues of performing optional salah between Maghrib and Esha, Allamah Shawkani رحمه الله said, “The verses and ahadith mentioned in this chapter indicate to the legislation of performing many salahs between Maghrib and Esha. Even though most of the ahadith are weak, they are elevated, due to their total amount, especially since they pertain to Fadhail-ul-A’amaal (virtues of good deeds).” Allamah Mubarakpuri رحمه الله agreed with him in his commentary on ‘Jame’ Tirmidhi’, ‘Tuhfatul Ahwadhi’.[12]
Many of the righteous servants of Allah from the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم till our times have made it a habit to perform many salahs at this time. Hafidh Iraqi named a few. From amongst the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم, he listed Abdullah ibn Masud, Abdullah ibn Amr, Salman Al-Farsi, Ibn Umar, Anas ibn Malik and a group of Ansaar رضي الله عنهم. From amongst the Tabi’un, he named Al-Aswad ibn Yazid, Abu Uthman An-Nahdi, Ibn Abi Mulaikah, Saeed ibn Jubair, Muhammad ibnul Munkadir, Abu hatim, Abdullah ibn Sakhbarah, Ali ibnul Husain, Abu Abdir Rahman Al-Hubla, Shuraih Al-Qaadhi, Abdullah ibn Mughaffal and others رحمهم الله. Sufyan Ath-Thawri رحمه الله had also made this one of his optional prayers.
Allamah Binnuri رحمه الله said, “The practice of the [first] generations, whom the testimony of good was made for [by the Prophet ﷺ], is one of the strong evidences.”[13]
Based on the above, the scholars of the four madhahibs (schools of though) have encouraged preforming the Awaabeen prayers after Maghrib. See for instance ‘Maraqil Falaah’[14] by Shurunbulali Hanafi, ‘Al-Fawakih Ad-Dawani’[15] by An-Nafrawi Maliki, ‘Al-Hawi Al-Kabir’[16] by Al-Mawardi Shafi’ee and ‘Kashshaful Qinaa’’[17] by Al-Bahuti Hanbali. رحمهم الله
May Allah grant us the tawfeeq and ability to exert ourselves in His ebadah and worship.
[1] Collected by Abu Dawud in ‘Sunan’ #1321, #1322 and Tirmidhi #3473. He said, “This is sound, authentic, gharib hadith.” Hafiz Iraqi authenticated its chain. See ‘Nailul Awtaar’ Vol.3 Pg.63 The verses also have other interpretations.
[2] See Fathul Mulhim Vol.4 Pg.270
[3] #1259 The chain to Muhammad ibnul Munkadir is established. ‘Ma’arifus Sunan’ Vol.4 Pg.114 However, Shawkani pointed out that the chain is mursal in ‘Nailul Awtaar’ Vol.3 Pg.63.
[4] #5973 Vol.4 Pg.267 Shaikh Awwamah graded the narrator Musa ibn Ubaidah weak.
[5] Sahih Muslim #748, Shawkani in ‘Nailul Awtaar’ Vol.3 Pg.63, Definition of Awwaab from ‘Maraqil Falah’ Pg.390
[6] Ahmed Vol.5 Pg.404, Nasai in Kubra #379
[7] See ‘Tafgheeb wat Tarheeb’ #875
[8] #4725 Vol.3 Pg.44
[9] Tirmidhi #437 Ibn Majah #1167, Ibn Khuzaimah #1195 After narrating this hadith, Tirmidhi quotes Bukhari’s harsh criticism on the narrator Umar ibn Abdillah ibn Abi Khath’am
[10] Tirmidhi after the hadith #437, Ibn Majah #1373 Hafidh Mundhiri said that Ahmed and others has considered the narrator Yaqub ibnul Walid Al-Madaaini a liar. See ‘Targheeb wat Tarheeb’ Pg.139
[11] After the hadith #437 under the Chapter: What Has Been Related About The Virtue Of Six Voluntary Rak’ah After Al-Maghrib
[12] ‘Nailul Awtaar’ Vol.3 Pg.64, Tuhfatul Ahwadhi Vol.2 Pg.422
[13] See ‘Nailul Awtaar’ Vol.3 Pg.64, ‘Ma’arifus Sunan’ Vol.4 Pg.114
[14] Pg.390
[15] Vol.1 Pg.306
[16] Vol.2 Pg.287
[17] Vol.1 Pg.400
