Transliteration:( Wa minal laili fasabbih hu wa adbaaras sujood )
"And glorify Him in the night [68] and after prostrations [69]."
The verse directs the believers to glorify Allah during the night. This refers to the times of Maghrib, Isha, and Tahajjud prayers.
Tahajjud prayer was obligatory upon the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), but for the followers, it is Sunnat-ul-Mu’akkadah ala Kifayah. This means that it is a highly encouraged practice, and if no one in the community offers it, the whole community is guilty of neglecting this Sunnah. However, if some people perform it, then the entire community is absolved of this responsibility. It is similar to Salat-ul-Janazah, which is also Fard Kifayah (a collective duty).
This part of the verse refers to the glorification of Allah after completing Salaah (prayer), specifically after the prostrations. Reciting the glorification of Allah after prayer is considered an excellent act.
After completing congregational prayer, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Noble Companions used to recite Zikr (remembrance of Allah) so loudly that it could be heard throughout the locality, setting an example for others.
The Prophet (PBUH) recommended the following dhikr after every prayer:
SubhanAllah 33 times
Alhamdulillah 33 times
Allahu Akbar 34 times
La ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lahu lahu wa lahu wa lahu wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer once.
This practice has immense spiritual benefit, and the Prophet (PBUH) said that anyone who performs this will have all their sins forgiven, even if they are as numerous as the foam of the ocean (Muslim Shareef, Khazainul Irfaan).
The tafsir of Surah Qaf verse 40 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Qaf ayat 36 which provides the complete commentary from verse 36 through 40.
(50:40) and in the night, too, celebrate His glory, in the wake of prostration.[51]
51. This is the means by which man gets the power and energy to continue his struggle to raise the word of the truth and to call the people towards righteousness throughout life with full determination even though he may have to pass through heart-breaking and soul-destroying conditions and his efforts may seem to be bearing no fruit. Praising and glorifying the Lord implies the Prayer here, and wherever in the Quran the praise and glorification has been associated with specific times, it implies the Prayer. The Prayer before sunrise is the Fajr Prayer, and the Prayers before sunset are the Asr and the Zuhr Prayers. The Prayers in the night are the Maghrib and the Isha Prayers, and the third, the Tahajjud Prayer, is also included in the glorification of the night. For explanation, see (Surah TaHa, ayat 130) note 111; (Surah Ar-Room, ayat 17-18) note 23,24. As for the glorification that has been commanded after being free from prostrations, it may imply the after-Prayer devotions as well as the offering of the voluntary prayers at the end of the prescribed obligatory Prayers. Umar, Ali, Hasan bin Ali, Abu Hurairah, Ibn Abbas, Shabi, Mujahid, Ikrimah, Hasan Basri, Qatadah, Ibrahim Nakhai and Auzai say that it implies the two rakats after the Maghrib Prayer. Abdullah bin Amr bin Aas, and according to a tradition, Abdullah bin Abbas also, held the opinion that it implies the after-Prayer devotions, and Ibn Zaid says that the object of this command is that voluntary Prayers should also be offered after the prescribed obligatory Prayers.
According to a tradition reported in Bukhari and Muslim, on the authority of Abu Hurairah, once the poor emigrants from Makkah came before the Prophet (peace be upon him), and said: O Messenger of Allah, the rich people have attained high ranks for themselves. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked: What has happened? They said: They offer the Prayers as we offer, and they observe the fasts as we observe; but they practice charity, which we cannot, and they set the slaves free which we cannot. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Should I tell you a thing which if you practiced, you would surpass all others, except those who practiced the same that you practiced? It is this that you should pronounce Subhan-Allah, Al-Hamdu-lillah and Allahu-Akbar, 33 times each after every Prayer. After some time, the same people came and said: Our rich brothers also have heard this and they too have started practicing, it. Thereupon the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: This is Allah’s bounty and He bestows it on whomever He wills. According to a tradition these devotional words have to be repeated ten times each instead of 33 times each. Zaid bin Thabit has reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed his companions that they should pronounce Subhan-Allah and AlHamdu-lillah 33 times each and Allahu-Akbar 34 times after every Prayer. Afterwards, an Ansar companion submitted: I have seen in a vision that somebody was telling me that it would be better if I pronounced these three devotional words 25 times each and then Lailaha illAllah 25 times. The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: Well, you may do likewise. (Ahmad, Nasai, Darimi).
Abu Saeed Khudri says: I have heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) pronounce the following words when he would return after the Prayers were over: Subhana Rabbika Rabbil-izzati anima yasifun wasalam-un alal-mursalin, walhamdu lillahi Rabb-il alamin. (Jassas Ahkam al-Quran).
Besides these, several other forms of the after-Prayer devotional pronouncements also have been reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him). Those who wish to act on this instruction of the Quran may select the one they find suitable from Mishkat. Bab adh-dhik-as-Salat, commit it to memory and practice it. Nothing can be better than what the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself has taught in this regard. But what one should bear in mind is that the real object of the devotional pronouncements is not to utter these words only as a matter of course but to refresh and fix their meaning in the mind. Therefore, the meaning of whatever devotions one pronounces should be understood well and then practiced with full consciousness of the meaning.
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