The Blessing of Waking Up Early!
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
The Blessing of Waking Up Early
The Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “O Allah! Bless my people in their early mornings”. When he sent out a detachment or an army, he sent them at the beginning of the day. Sakhr was a merchant and he used to send off his merchandise at the beginning of the day, and he became rich and had much wealth. [Saheeh Sunan Abu Dawud. Number 2606]
Few Points of Benefit Related to the Above Hadeeth
This shows the importance of this time period, the greatness of the blessings and goodness with it. The pious predecessors disliked sleeping during this time, so that they do not waste it in laziness and weakness. Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said that the pious predecessors disliked sleeping between after Fajr prayer and Sunrise because it is a time in which great benefit is obtained. And even when they stayed up late at night [i.e. in worship], they still stayed up until after sunrise, for indeed it is the early part of the day and its beginning time- the time in which provision descends, the time in which one receives his portion of provision and the time in which blessings are obtained. [An Excerpt from Fiqhul Ad’iyah wal-Adkaar’ pages 48-50. parts 3&4]
Imaam Abdur Rahmaan As-Sadi [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: The sensible person is in a position to have the Baaqiyaat As-Saalihaat as provision [i.e. the good righteous deeds that last and are better in the sight of Allah for reward and better in respect of hope in the Hereafter] together with his share from the worldly life with ease- by seeking aid in going out in the morning, midday and something of the night time. This is the foundation upon which he places his worldly affairs and the means to (accomplishing them). Even when such (affairs) come to him late at night, he would pray and seek aid from his Lord and ask for that which brings about good in his religious and Worldly affairs.
He begins his day with good – recitation of the Qur’aan and acts of worship to which one devotes himself in the morning; performs the five daily prayers in their earliest times and that which Allah makes easy for him to perform of good deeds, such as (optional) prayer, recitation of the Qur’aan, remembrance of Allah, seeking knowledge and other than that. He engages his tongue in the Remembrance of Allah and seeking forgiveness.
He pursues the means by way of which one seeks his livelihood, such as trade, production of goods, farming and what is similar to them, whilst seeking the aid of his Lord in that. He suffices himself with the permissible means and turns away from that which Allaah has made unlawful. The intent behind this is to fulfil the individual obligations, to be (upon) self- sufficiency and having little or no need of the creation. If he does this or something closer to it, the result will be goodness and he will gain abundant reward (for the afterlife). Also he does not forget his (lawful) share in the worldly life and it may be that Allah will bless him with contentment, which is true richness by way of which a good life is attained. [An Excerpt from NoorulBasaa-ir Wal Albaab Fee Ahkaam Al Ibaadaat, Wal Mu-aamalaat, Wal Huqooq, Wal Aadaab of Imam Abdur Rahmaan As-Sadi. Page: 65. slightly paraphrased]
