Imam Muslim reported in his Sahih on the authority of Abu Wa'il Shaqiq ibn Salamah Al Asdy that he said: "One day we went to `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) after we had observed the Dawn Prayer and we greeted him at the door. He gave us permission to enter. He said: However, we stayed for a while at the door. He (the narrator) said: the slave-girl came out and said: Why do not you come in? So we went in and (we found `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud) sitting and glorifying Allah (i. e. he was busy in dhikr) He said: What obstructed you from coming in though you had been granted permission for it? We said: There was nothing (behind it) but we entertained the idea that some inmate of the house might be sleeping. He said: Do you presume any idleness on the part of the family of Ibn Umm `Abd Al Hudhaliyyah (the mother of `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud)? [and she was a female Companion]. He said: He was again busy with the glorification of Allah till he thought that the sun had risen. He said: O girl, see whether (the sun) has arisen. He (the narrator) said: She glanced but it had not risen (by that time). He was again busy with the glorification (of Allah) and he (again) thought that the sun had arisen. He said: O girl, see whether (the sun) has arisen. He (the narrator) said: She glanced (and confirmed) that, it had risen. Upon this he (`Abdullah ibn Mas`ud) said: Praise be to Allah Who did not call us to account for our sins today and did not destroy us because of our sins." [Reported by Muslim (1/564)]. This Hadith gives a clear image and indication to that serious life, high determination, and time investment of the Pious Predecessors (may Allah bestow mercy on their souls). Especially, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who understood the meaning of times and the best times for supplication and Dhikr (invocations and Remembrances said at certain times on a regular basis) and gave each one what it deserves. The time in which Abu Wa'il (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) entered upon `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) was a blessed and a precious time. It was a suitable time for mentioning Allah and doing good deeds, however, most people neglect it and do not know its status. Therefore, it is lost either in sleep, laziness, or in trivial matters although the beginning of the day is like youth and the end of the day is like old age. [Muftah Dar As-Sa`adah of Ibn Al Qayyim (2/216)]. Whoever was brought up while doing something, he will continue doing the same thing. Therefore, what a person does in the beginning of the day shall affect the rest of his day: if he begins it with activity, he will be active and if he begins it with laziness, he will be lazy the rest of the day. Whoever controls the beginning of his day the rest will be safe by the will of Allah and Allah will help him to do righteous deeds, moreover, his day shall be blessed. It was said: "Your day is like your camel, if you hold its beginning, the rest will follow you." This meaning is understood from the Hadith of Ibn Mas`ud because when he (may Allah be pleased with him) controlled the beginning of the day by Dhikr, he said: "Praise be to Allah Who did not call us to account for our sins today and did not destroy us because of our sins." Moreover, maintaining remembrance of Allah in this time gives the person who mentions Allah determination, strength, and activity all day long. Ibn Al Qayyim (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: "Once the Shaykh of Islam Ibn Taymiyah offered the Fajr Salah then sat mentioning Allah (may He be Exalted) until midday then turned to me and said: This is my meal and if I do not have my meal, my power will wane away or he said something of the like." [Al Wabil As-Sayyib (p. (85 - 86)]. It was authentically reported in the Sunnah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) supplicated Allah to bless that time for his nation. Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhy, Ad-Darimy and others reported on the authority of Sakhr ibn Wada`ah Al Ghamidy (may Allah be pleased with him) that he narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace 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 would send off his merchandise at the beginning of the day; and he became rich and had much wealth. [Sunan Abu Dawud (No. 2606) and Sunan and At-Tirmidhy (No. 1212)]. This Hadith was narrated by a group of Companions among them was `Ali ibn Abu Talib, Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Umar, Abu Hurayrah, Anas ibn Malik, `Abdullah ibn Salam, An-Nuwwas ibn Sam`an, `Umran ibn Husayn, Jabir ibn 'Abdullah, and others (may Allah be pleased with them all) [Sahih At-Targhib wa At-Tarhib (2/308)]. And it is an authentic Hadith that was reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him). As regard the importance of this time and the blessings it contains, the Pious Predecessors used to hate sleep during that time or wasting it with laziness and incapability. Ibn Al Qayyim (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul), who was the educator Imam, said in his book Madarij As-Salkin: "It was reprehensible at the Pious Predecessors to sleep between the Fajr Salah and sunrise because it is a time worthy to benefit from. Moreover, walking in this preferable time has a great advantage for those who want to walk in the way of Allah. Even if they had walked all night, they would not have neglected walking in this time until sunrise because it is the beginning of the day and its key, the time for the descending of sustenance and their division, and the descending of blessings. From this point, the day begins and this period determines the beginning of the day or not, therefore, sleeping during this time should be for a strong reason as the one who is compelled by necessity. [Madarij As-Salkin (459\1)]. From the narrations reported from the Pious Predecessors in this meaning what was reported from `Abdullah ibn `Abbas (may their Allah be pleased with him) that he once saw one of his children sleeps during that period then he said to him: "Wake up, are you sleeping in a time where sustenance is distributed?" It was reported from `Abdullah ibn `Amr ibn Al `Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: Sleeping is of three types: sleeping due to tiredness, sleeping is committed by all people, and sleeping due to stupidity. As for sleeping due to tiredness, it is the sleep of the forenoon where people are fulfilling their needs while a person is asleep. As for the sleeping of all people, it is the midday sleep. As for sleeping of stupidity, it is the sleep in the Salah time." [Reported by Al Bayhaqy in Shu`ab Al Iman (182\4) and reported by Ibn Muflih in Al Adab Al Shar`iyyah (3/162)]. Ibn Al Qayyim (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said in his book Zad Al Ma`ad: "Sleeping during the forenoon prevents sustenance because this is a time during which people seek their sustenance, moreover, it is a time for the distribution of sustenance. So, sleeping this time should not happen except for a reason or for necessity. Sleeping during this is very harmful for the body because it relaxes the body and would spoil the wastes that a person should get rid of through exercise, which in turn will cause weakness in the body. If sleeping was before defecation, movement, exercise, that will be generate several kinds of diseases." [Zad Al Ma`ad (242\4)]. Scholar Ibn Muflih (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) mentioned something like that in his book Al Adab Al Shar`iyyah (3/162)]. Thus, we know the value of this blessed time, its great benefit, and realized that it is a time for activity and mentioning Allah (Glory be to Him), as it is the time for sending down sustenance and their division, and the descending of blessings. The Pious Predecessors benefited a lot from that time where they realized its importance and value, whereas others neglected it. We ask Allah to guide us and to grant us success to every good. And we ask Him to guide us follow the Pious Predecessors and make us walk on their path.

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