WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.779 Our Mother ‘Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her. 00:00:09.779 --> 00:00:16.839 "O ‘Aishah, get up and pray the Witr." 00:00:16.839 --> 00:00:23.199 The night prayer (qiyam al-layl) is among the most noble of voluntary acts of worship by which a servant draws near to their Lord. 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:26.800 The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said regarding it: 00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:30.949 "And know that the honor of the believer is their standing in prayer at night." 00:00:30.949 --> 00:00:34.630 Just as the Prophet, peace be upon him, informed us about it: 00:00:34.750 --> 00:00:38.070 That it was the habit of the righteous before us. 00:00:38.070 --> 00:00:42.270 It is the Muslim’s private retreat with their Lord, Glorified and Exalted be He. 00:00:42.270 --> 00:00:46.149 In it, they whisper to Him and pour out their complaints. 00:00:46.149 --> 00:00:50.109 It is an individual act of worship between the servant and their Lord. 00:00:50.109 --> 00:00:53.630 However, in Ramadan, it is performed in congregation. 00:00:53.630 --> 00:00:58.189 Thus, the Muslim trains themselves to perform the night prayer for the duration of one month. 00:00:58.189 --> 00:01:00.509 Perhaps it will continue with them thereafter, 00:01:00.549 --> 00:01:05.709 having tasted its delight and sweetness during this blessed month. 00:01:05.709 --> 00:01:07.750 The minimum of the night prayer 00:01:07.750 --> 00:01:10.909 is for the Muslim to maintain the Witr prayer. 00:01:10.909 --> 00:01:14.150 They may pray it immediately after the Isha prayer, 00:01:14.150 --> 00:01:18.500 or delay it until the end of the night before they sleep. 00:01:18.500 --> 00:01:24.099 As for the Witr prayer, the least that can be said is that it is a confirmed Sunnah. 00:01:24.099 --> 00:01:29.099 The Prophet, peace be upon him, never abandoned it, whether traveling or at home. 00:01:29.140 --> 00:01:32.739 He urged the Muslims to maintain it. 00:01:32.739 --> 00:01:37.180 For this reason, the scholars disliked for a Muslim to abandon the Witr prayer, 00:01:37.180 --> 00:01:40.790 praying it only during Ramadan. 00:01:40.790 --> 00:01:44.430 It was part of the upbringing provided by the Prophet, peace be upon him, 00:01:44.430 --> 00:01:47.030 to ‘Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, 00:01:47.030 --> 00:01:51.900 that he would wake her to pray Witr at the end of the night. 00:01:51.900 --> 00:01:54.900 ‘Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, says: 00:01:54.939 --> 00:01:59.900 "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, would pray at night, 00:01:59.900 --> 00:02:05.140 and when he reached the Witr, he would say, 'Get up and pray Witr, O ‘Aishah.'" 00:02:05.140 --> 00:02:07.280 Narrated by Muslim. 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:12.120 Educating one’s spouse to perform acts of obedience through voluntary worship 00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:14.280 is among the husband’s responsibilities, 00:02:14.280 --> 00:02:17.840 especially if Allah has guided him and granted him success 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:20.639 in such righteous deeds, 00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:24.080 and he has preceded his spouse in that regard. 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:27.000 This is among her rights upon him. 00:02:27.539 --> 00:02:31.099 Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, has commanded the Muslims 00:02:31.099 --> 00:02:34.500 to protect themselves and their families from the Fire. 00:02:34.500 --> 00:02:36.620 He, the Exalted, said: 00:02:36.620 --> 00:02:45.360 "O you who have believed, protect yourselves..." 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:51.280 "...protect yourselves and your families from a Fire..." 00:02:51.280 --> 00:03:14.759 "...whose fuel is people and stones, over which are [appointed] angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded." 00:03:15.939 --> 00:03:21.419 Part of a man’s protection of his spouse from the Fire is to nurture her in the obedience of Allah. 00:03:21.979 --> 00:03:27.419 Maintaining the performance of the rituals of Allah is something that is obligatory upon the Muslims, 00:03:27.900 --> 00:03:32.340 or it is an act of devotion by which Muslims draw near to Allah, the Exalted. 00:03:33.060 --> 00:03:38.219 In the action of the Prophet, peace be upon him, with ‘Aishah in this hadith, 00:03:38.699 --> 00:03:44.419 there is an education for us, the community of Muslim husbands, in several aspects. 00:03:45.099 --> 00:03:45.979 First: 00:03:46.539 --> 00:03:52.340 If Allah has granted a husband success in a righteous deed and he has excelled in it, 00:03:52.819 --> 00:03:57.259 it is not appropriate for him to demand that his spouse reach the same level he has attained. 00:03:57.780 --> 00:03:59.939 For the wife is a human soul; 00:04:00.460 --> 00:04:05.780 she may be predisposed to a different righteous deed than the one in which the husband excels. 00:04:06.419 --> 00:04:10.819 Therefore, the husband should not demand that she perform the same righteous deeds he does, 00:04:11.340 --> 00:04:13.699 such as if he is granted success in frequent fasting, 00:04:14.180 --> 00:04:15.580 or long standing in prayer, 00:04:15.939 --> 00:04:17.459 or frequent charity, 00:04:17.860 --> 00:04:20.019 or frequent recitation of the Qur’an. 00:04:20.660 --> 00:04:27.899 It is not appropriate here for the husband to demand that his wife reach the same level he maintains in such deeds. 00:04:28.930 --> 00:04:29.649 Second: 00:04:30.329 --> 00:04:33.889 That the husband, in nurturing his wife toward righteous deeds, 00:04:34.449 --> 00:04:39.329 must encourage and assist her in performing these good works, 00:04:39.810 --> 00:04:42.889 at a minimum level, as much as possible. 00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:44.800 Third: 00:04:45.480 --> 00:04:48.839 That the husband should consider his wife’s inclinations toward righteous deeds 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:50.519 and assist her in them. 00:04:51.199 --> 00:04:54.839 For human souls have different temperaments and inclinations. 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:59.800 Some people are inclined toward a deed other than what others are inclined toward, 00:05:00.199 --> 00:05:02.000 and both are upon goodness. 00:05:02.829 --> 00:05:03.589 Fourth: 00:05:04.189 --> 00:05:07.310 That cooperation between spouses in righteous deeds 00:05:07.790 --> 00:05:10.230 has been indicated by many hadiths. 00:05:10.709 --> 00:05:13.550 Among them is his saying, peace be upon him: 00:05:14.110 --> 00:05:17.550 "May Allah have mercy on a man who gets up at night and prays, 00:05:17.949 --> 00:05:19.269 and wakes his wife; 00:05:19.870 --> 00:05:20.750 and if she refuses, 00:05:21.069 --> 00:05:22.829 he sprinkles water on her face. 00:05:23.589 --> 00:05:27.069 May Allah have mercy on a woman who gets up at night and prays, 00:05:27.550 --> 00:05:29.029 and wakes her husband; 00:05:29.629 --> 00:05:30.550 and if he refuses, 00:05:30.910 --> 00:05:32.910 she sprinkles water on his face." 00:05:33.629 --> 00:05:35.269 Narrated by Abu Dawud. 00:05:36.230 --> 00:05:38.670 This cooperation in the night prayer 00:05:39.149 --> 00:05:42.310 was praised by the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 00:05:42.310 --> 00:05:44.829 for whichever spouse initiates it, 00:05:45.230 --> 00:05:46.949 and he prayed for mercy upon them. 00:05:47.839 --> 00:05:48.639 Fifth: 00:05:49.319 --> 00:05:50.759 The righteous wife 00:05:51.240 --> 00:05:53.399 is the one who responds to her husband 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:56.800 when he calls her to that which is for her benefit and righteousness. 00:05:57.480 --> 00:06:00.800 This response will leave its mark on the husband, 00:06:01.319 --> 00:06:03.920 just as it leaves its mark on herself. 00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:06.279 As for its effect on the husband: 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:10.439 When the husband finds responsiveness from his wife, 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:15.240 it encourages him to continue assisting her in righteous deeds 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:18.120 and to diversify these deeds for her, 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:21.360 and the wife’s status in his heart increases. 00:06:22.220 --> 00:06:24.339 As for its effect on herself: 00:06:24.860 --> 00:06:28.899 This is a preparation for her to persevere in righteous deeds 00:06:29.139 --> 00:06:30.420 and to increase in them, 00:06:30.860 --> 00:06:34.740 just as it happened for our Mother ‘Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, 00:06:35.259 --> 00:06:38.819 for she became one who would consistently perform the night prayer 00:06:39.019 --> 00:06:40.620 and prolong her standing. 00:06:41.500 --> 00:06:42.500 Sixth: 00:06:43.019 --> 00:06:45.579 We also benefit from this story regarding 00:06:46.100 --> 00:06:49.379 the humanity of the Companions, both men and women. 00:06:49.980 --> 00:06:52.459 For ‘Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, 00:06:52.740 --> 00:06:55.620 was a human who would get tired, exhausted, and sleep, 00:06:56.019 --> 00:06:58.740 and she needed someone to wake her for prayer. 00:06:59.300 --> 00:07:04.620 So, it should not be imagined that we can create a righteous society devoid of human characteristics. 00:07:05.300 --> 00:07:08.819 A husband might strive to wake his wife for the night prayer, 00:07:09.220 --> 00:07:12.579 but she may be unable and apologize to him, 00:07:13.220 --> 00:07:16.180 or he may invite her to fast on a certain day, 00:07:16.620 --> 00:07:20.019 and she may apologize to him due to her inability and weakness. 00:07:20.699 --> 00:07:23.060 It is not appropriate in such a situation 00:07:23.540 --> 00:07:27.740 for the man to be annoyed with his wife because she did not respond to him. 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:29.519 Finally: 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:35.040 We are in a time where trials and pressures on the family to corrupt it have multiplied, 00:07:35.560 --> 00:07:39.040 and pressures on the man to break him before the woman have multiplied, 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:43.720 and pressures on the woman to rebel against the husband in particular, 00:07:44.199 --> 00:07:45.800 and against men in general, have multiplied. 00:07:46.550 --> 00:07:48.470 Nothing saves one from these pressures 00:07:48.870 --> 00:07:51.870 except holding fast to Allah and His firm rope. 00:07:52.550 --> 00:07:57.149 If a husband is granted a righteous wife who assists him in the obedience of Allah, 00:07:57.470 --> 00:07:58.550 then he is the successful one, 00:07:59.189 --> 00:08:01.069 and the world has been gathered for him. 00:08:01.709 --> 00:08:06.269 And if a woman is granted a righteous husband who assists her in the obedience of Allah, 00:08:06.870 --> 00:08:08.110 then she is the successful one. 00:08:08.829 --> 00:08:12.829 So, let them cooperate and obey one another in the obedience of Allah; 00:08:13.430 --> 00:08:18.790 otherwise, this is a loss of an opportunity presented to them on a silver platter, 00:08:19.430 --> 00:08:22.709 in a time when such opportunities have become scarce. 00:08:23.540 --> 00:08:27.379 O Allah, rectify our souls and rectify our spouses for us. 00:08:28.500 --> 00:08:31.459 We will continue in a future meeting, if Allah wills. 00:08:31.980 --> 00:08:34.460 And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. 00:08:37.960 --> 00:08:41.360 Our Mother ‘Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her.