Are you frustrated by an Alarm clock?
Pressing the snooze button too often?
Sleeping in?
If so, Carry on reading…
It happens to all of us, you set your alarm for Tahajjud excited to wake up and reap its benefits. The next morning you wake up by the rays of sunlight hitting your eyes and that deep sense of regret sinks in. You’ve missed Tahjjud and more importantly you are 4 hours late for Fajr !
Here are 13 effective ways taken from the original 13 methods devised by Khalifatul Masih 2nd , Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad (May God be pleased with him) to wake up for Tahjjud without an Alarm Clock.
Khalifatul Masih 2nd said the following regarding Tahajjud:
“One way—not very useful in my opinion—is to use the alarm clock. It creates dependency, and fails to produce the resolute will. If you go to sleep having resolved to get up for Tahajjud, you will be in a state of worship all night. Being determined, you will get up. Those depending on the alarm clock, but lacking determination, will often shut the alarm clock to go back to sleep.”
So here they are 13 effective methods – Enjoy :
1. Stay put: “Perform Zikr (remembrance) for a while after Isha Prayers. The more you perform, the earlier you will get up for Zikr before the morning.”
2. No talking! “Do not talk to anybody after Isha Prayers. Although sometimes the Holy Prophet(saw) continued his conversation after Isha, as a general rule he had forbidden it. There are two reasons: a) If you start talking, you will sleep late and will not be able to get up early in the morning. b) If the conversation concerns things other than faith, your attention will be diverted. It is not forbidden to carry out office work or other important assignments after Isha. … In that case it is better to spend some time in Zikr before going to sleep”
3. Let’s freshen up: “Perform Wudu before going to bed, even if you are already in a state of ablution. It affects the heart and creates a special kind of freshness. If you go to sleep in that state of freshness, you will get up in the same condition. Someone smiling at bedtime is generally smiling when he gets up; one, who is crying, will wake up crying. With ablution you will be fresh at the time of sleep and fresh when you wake up.”
4. Lights out: “Recite some Zikr before falling asleep; this will cause you to wake up again for Zikr during the night. The Holy Prophetsaw used to perform Zikr in the following manner before going to sleep:
a) He recited Ayatul-Kursi (verse 2:256)
b) The last three chapters of the Holy Qur’an.
c) He then gently blew upon his hands and lightly passed them over his body three times.
d) Then he turned towards his right and said:
“O Allah, I put myself in Thy protection, and turn my face towards Thee and assign all my affairs to Thee, with complete inclination and fear of Thee. There is no refuge or protection from Thee except towards thyself. I believe in Thy Book, which Thou hast revealed, and Thy Prophet that Thou hast sent.”
5. Mind power: “ Resolve firmly at bedtime to get up for Tahajjud. God Almighty has given man the power to make his mind obey his will … Decide firmly that you will get up for Tahajjud. While your body sleeps, your mind will be alert. It will wake you up exactly at the desired time.”
6. True grit: “The sixth method is only for those who are really strong in faith. Instead of performing Vitr (three Raka’at prescribed as essential) after Isha, leave Vitr for Tahajjud time … if the Vitr are still due, the soul will be restless and will awaken him. Only the strong in faith should practice this method; the weak ones may deprive themselves even of the Vitr.”
Congregational Tahajjud takes place everyday during Jalsa
7. Spiritual workout: “The seventh method is also for those who have excelled in spirituality. They should start offering Nawafil after Isha Prayer and continue until they begin to doze off in Prayers and are overpowered by sleep. Even though the total amount of their sleep will be reduced, they will find themselves awake at the time of Tahajjud.This method is an exercise for the spirit”
8. Bed or the floor?: “The eighth method has been practiced by many Sufis. I have not felt the need for it myself; but it is beneficial. If you get into the habit of oversleeping, then change the soft bed to a hard one.”
9. Easy on the calories : “Take dinner several hours before going to bed. Eat before Maghrib Prayer or immediately after it. Sometimes the spirit is active, but the body is not. The body acts like a yoke: if the yoke is too heavy, it strangles the spirit. The stomach should not be full at bedtime. It has an adverse effect upon the heart and makes a man lazy.”
10. Cleanliness is half of faith: “Do not go to bed unclean. Angels associate with those who are clean…. Angels abhor filth. Once Hadhrat Khalifatul-Masih the 1st (ra) went to bed without washing his hands after dinner. He saw a dream. His elder brother wanted to present him the Holy Qur’an, but when he was about to touch it, his brother withdrew it and said, “Do not touch the Holy Qur’an; your hands are not clean.” Physical cleanliness affects purity of the heart. Those who are clean will have the help of angels to get up; the unclean will not be approached”
11. How clean is your bed?: “ The bed should be clean. Many people ignore this matter. Remember that spirituality is directly influenced by cleanliness of the bed. Take special care in this respect.”
12. Couples: “Husband and wife should avoid going to sleep in the same bed. Amongst ordinary Muslims, this habit can harm spirituality, but it does not affect the spiritually advanced. The Holy Prophetsaw slept in the same bed with his wives. He possessed a lofty spiritual status and his spirituality could not be compromised. People with self-control will not suffer by sleeping together, but ordinary Muslims may find that it keeps their minds inclined towards passion. That … prevents them from getting up.”
13. Love for all, hatred for none: “The last method is really superior. It helps in getting up for Tahajjud and saves one from many sins and weaknesses. Before retiring for sleep, ponder if you have any malice or harbor any rancor or prejudices against anybody. If so, remove it. The purification achieved by this exercise will enable you to get up for Tahajjud.”
So there you have it, 13 effective methods to wake up without setting a single alarm
No more excuses
