It is truly different from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala with His creatures. He is Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Look at humans, when someone asks for something from him he feels annoyed and heavy-hearted. While Allah Ta’ala loves servants who ask Him. As the words of a poet:
الله يغضب إن تركت سؤاله وبني آدم حين يسأل يغضب
“God is angry at people who are reluctant to ask Him, while humans when asked he is angry.”
Yes, God loves servants who pray to Him, even because of His love Allah gives ‘bonus’ in the form of forgiveness of sins to His servants who pray. Allah Ta’ala said in a Qudsi hadith:
يا ابن آدم إنك ما دعوتني ورجوتني غفرت لك على ما كان منك ولا أبالي
“O people, while you pray and hope for Me, I forgive your sins and I do not care about your sins anymore.” (Narrated by Ayt Tirmidzi, he said: ‘Hadith Hasan Saheeh)
God Understands the Condition of Weak Humans
Indeed, Allah understands the condition of humans who are weak and always in need of His Grace. Humans are never free from desires, both good and bad. Even if someone writes all his wishes in the paper, how many sheets will be used?
So we need not be surprised if Allah Ta’ala cursed people who were reluctant to pray to Him. Such a person by Allah za Azza Wa Jalla is called an arrogant servant and threatened with Hell’s hell. Allah Ta’ala said:
ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ
“Pray to Me, I will grant your prayers. Indeed, those who brag about being reluctant to worship Me, will be put into Hell, in a state of contempt.” (Surah Ghafir: 60)
This verse also shows that Allah is gracious towards His servants because His servants are commanded to pray directly to Allah without going through intermediaries and guaranteed to be granted. Indeed, You are the Most Gracious, Rabb.
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Pray at the Right Time
Among the efforts that we can strive for so that our prayers are granted by Allah Ta’ala is to take advantage of certain times promised by God that prayer when these times are granted. Among these times are:
- Sahur Time
From Abu Hurairah Radhi Allahu ‘anhu, the Prophet Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam said, about the obligatory prayer at the time of sahur.
ينزل ربنا تبارك وتعالى كل ليلة إلى السماء الدنيا حين يبقى ثلث الليل الآخر يقول من يدعونى فأستجيب له من يسألنى فأعطيه من يستغفرنى فأغفر له
“Our Rabb tabaraka wa ta’ala descends into the heavens of the world when a third of the last night remains. Then Allah said, “Whoever prays to Me, then I will grant. Whoever asks me, I give. Whoever asks forgiveness of Me, I will forgive.” (Narrated by Bukhari, no. 1145 and Muslim, no. 758). Ibn Hajar also explained the hadith above by saying, “Dua and istighfar at the time of sahur are easily granted.” (Fath Al-Bari, 3: 32)
- When Fasting
From Abu Hurairah Radhi Allahu ‘anhu, the Prophet Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam said, tips for fasting smoothly while breastfeeding you can read.
لاَثَةٌ لاَ تُرَدُّ دَعْوَتُهُمُ الصَّائِمُ حَتَّى يُفْطِرَ وَالإِمَامُ الْعَادِلُ وَدَعْوَةُ الْمَظْلُومِ
“Three people whose the dua are not rejected: People who fast until they break their fast, fair leaders, and those who are wronged.” (Narrated by Ahmad 2: 305. Syaikh Syu’aib Al Arnauth said that this hadith is authentic with various roads and amplifiers)
(Also read: 10 Miraculous Dua For the Last 10 Days of Ramadan)
Imam Nawawi rahimahullah said, “People who fast are encouraged to multiply prayer for the sake of the afterlife and his world, also he may pray for the sake he wants, so do not forget the good prayer for the Muslims in general.” (Al -Majmu ‘, 6: 273)
- When Breaking the Fast
The Prophet Sallallahu aih alaihi wa Sallam said about the sunnah when breaking the fast.
لاة لاَ تُرَدُّ دَعْوَتُهُمُ الإِمَامُ الْعَادِلُ وَالصَّائِمُ حِينَ يُفْطِرُ وَدَعْوَةُ الْمَظْلُومِ
“There are three people whose prayers are not rejected: (1) A fair leader, (2) A person who fasts when he breaks the fast, (3) Prayers who are wronged.” (Narrated by Tirmidhi no. 2526, 3598 and Ibnu Majah no. 1752. Al-Hafizh Abu Thahir said that this hadith is Hasan). In Tuhfah Al-Ahwadzi (7: 278) it is stated that why prayer is easily granted when breaking the fast because, at that time, people who fasted have completed their worship in a submissive state and humbled themselves.
- When the Third Last Night
Allah Ta’ala loves His servants who pray in the last three nights. Allah Ta’ala said about the characteristics of devout people, one of them: Good prayer times.
وَبِالْأَسْحَارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُون
“When the time of sahur (late at night), they pray for forgiveness.” (Surah Adz Dhariyat: 18)
One-third of the last night was a time full of blessings because at that time our Rabb Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala descended into the heavens of the world and granted every prayer of His servants who prayed at that time. Rasulullah Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam:
ينزل ربنا تبارك وتعالى كل ليلة إلى السماء الدنيا ، حين يبقى ثلث الليل الآخر ، يقول: من يدعوني فأستجيب له ، من يسألني فأعطيه ، من يستغفرني فأغفر له
“Our Rabb descends to the heavens of the world in the last third of the night every night. Then said: The one who prays to Me will I grant, the one who asks for something I will give, the one who asks for forgiveness from Me will be Forgiven.”(Narrated by Bukhari no.1145, Muslim no. 758)
But it should be noted, the ‘down’ character in this hadith should not make us imagine Allah Ta’ala going down as humans descend from one place to another because it is certainly different. The important thing is that we believe that Allah Ta’ala descends into the heavens of the world because those who say so are the Messenger of Allah, Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam, who is nicknamed Ash Shadiqul Mashduq (an honest person authenticated by God) without questioning and imagining how.
From this hadith, it is clear that the final third of the night is the recommended time to multiply prayer. Even more so in Ramadan, waking up in the final third of the night is not a hard thing anymore. Therefore, make the best use of the time to pray.
- When Breaking the Fast
When breaking the fast is a time full of blessing, because at this time humans feel one of the happiness of fasting, which is allowed to eat and drink after a day of holding it, as hadith: The virtue of breaking the fast.
للصائم فرحتان: فرحة عند فطره و فرحة عند لقاء ربه
“The person who fasts has 2 happiness: Happiness when breaking the fast and happiness when meeting with His Rabb later.” (Narrated by Muslim, no.1151)
Another blessing at the time of breaking the fast is the prayer granted by people who have fasted, as said by the Prophet Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam:
ثلاث لا ترد دعوتهم الصائم حتى يفطر والإمام العادل و المظلوم
“There are three prayers that are not rejected. Prayers for those who fast when breaking the fast, prayers for a fair leader, and prayers for those who are wronged.” (Narrated by Tirmidhi no.2528, Ibnu Majah no.1752, Ibnu Hibban no.2405)
Therefore, do not miss this good opportunity to ask for anything that includes the goodness of the world and the goodness of the hereafter. But keep in mind, there is a recommended prayer to say when breaking the fast, which is a prayer of breaking the fast. Like the hadith,
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا أفطر قال ذهب الظمأ وابتلت العروق وثبت الأجر إن شاء الله
“Usually the Prophet Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam when breaking the fast reads the prayer:
ذهب الظمأ وابتلت العروق وثبت الأجر إن شاء الله
/ Dzahabaz zhamaa-u wabtalatil ‘uruqu wa tsabatal ajru insyaa Allah /
(‘Thirst has disappeared, the esophagus has been wet. Hopefully, the reward is obtained. God willing,’)” (Narrated by Abu Daud no.2357, Ad Daruquthni 2/401, celebrated by Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani in Hidayatur Ruwah, 2/232)
The prayers spread in the community with the following lafazh:
اللهم لك صمت و بك امنت و على رزقك افطرت برحمتك يا ارحم الراحمين
It is a false hadith, or in other words, this is not a hadith. Not in any hadith book so that we should not believe this prayer as the hadith of the Prophet Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam.
Therefore, this prayer with lafazh is punished just like the words of ordinary people like me and you. It is the same position as we pray in our own words. So this prayer should not be popularized especially patented as a prayer of breaking the fast.
Indeed there are hadiths about the prayer of breaking the fast with lafazh which is similar to the prayer, for example:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا أفطر قال: اللهم لك صمت وعلى رزقك أفطرت فتقبل مني إنك أنت السميع العليم
“Usually the Messenger of Allah Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam when breaking the prayer reading: Allahumma laka wa wa ‘ala rizqika afthartu fataqabbal minni, innaka antas samii’ul ‘aliim.”
In Al Futuhat Ar Rabbaniyyah (4/341), quoted by the words of Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani: “This hadith is Gharib, and the sanad is very weak.” This hadith was also despised by Al Albani in Dhaif Al Jami (4350). Or the prayers that are lafazh such as this hadith all revolve around the hadith of dhaif or munkar.
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- Night of Lailatul Qadar
The night of lailatul qadar is the night the Qur’an was revealed. Tonight is more than 1,000 months. As the word of Allah Ta’ala:
لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ
“The night of Lailatul Qadr is better than 1,000 months.” (Surah Al-Qadr: 3)
This evening it is recommended to multiple worship including increasing prayer. As told by Umm Mu’minin Aisyah Radhi Allahu Anha:
قلت يا رسول الله أرأيت إن علمت أي ليلة فيلة القدر ما أقول فيها إنك عفوتحب العفو فاعف عني
“I asked the Messenger of Allah: O Messenger of Allah, what do you think I should say if I find the night of Lailatul Qadar? He said: Pray:
اللهم إنك عفو تحب العفو فاعف عني
Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘anni [‘O Allah, indeed you are Forgiving and like forgiveness, so forgive me.”]” (Narrated by Tirmidhi, 3513, Ibn Majah, 3119, At Tirmidzi said: “Hasan Sahih”)
In this hadith, Umul Mu’minin is Aisyah Radhi Allahu Anha asked to be taught the words that should be practiced when the night of Lailatul Qadar. But it turns out that the Prophet Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam taught the prayer lafadz. This shows that on the eve of Lailatul Qadar, it is recommended to increase prayer, especially with the lafadz taught.
- When Adhan Reverberates
Besides being advised to answer the adhan with the same lafazh, when the call to prayer is echoed, it also includes a worthwhile time to pray. Rasulullah Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam said:
ثنتان لا تردان أو قلما تردان الدعاء عند النداء وعند البأس حين يلحم بعضهم بعضا
“Prayer is not rejected at two times, or at least less likely to be rejected. That is when the call to prayer echoed and when the war raged when the two sides attacked each other.” (Narrated by Abu Daud, 2540, Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani in Nata-ijul Afkar, 1/369, said: “Hasan Sahih”)
(Also read: The Law to Carry the Adhan to the Body in Islam and Its Proposition)