Worship of Allah takes many forms, like the daily five obligatory prayers, voluntary prayers coupled with the obligatory prayers. While one has to offer five daily prayers as an obligation and there is excuse for doing away with these unless there exists a medical reason of not doing so. The importance of obligatory players is so much that even travelers are not excused - although a concession is given to cater for the rigors of the travel.
But there is yet another prayer - completely voluntary, which if not prayed does not harm a believer. But if it prayed it has enormous blessings, personally promised by Allah. It is the prayer which a believer prays at midnight or sometime before the Fajr, the pre-dawn prayer, by leaving the comfort of his bed and while others sleep. This is the prayer called Tahajjad تهجد. We will talk about this blessed prayer in this post.
Surah As-Sajdah 32:16 describes one of the most beautiful qualities of sincere believers: they willingly leave the comfort of their beds to turn to Allah in the quiet of the night.
تَتَجَافَىٰ جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
“Their sides forsake their beds; they call upon their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend out of what We have provided them.”
Context
Its context is verses 15–17, where Allah describes the true believers.
- Verse 15 says that when they are reminded of Allah’s signs, they fall in prostration and glorify Him without arrogance.
- Verse 16 then shows what that humility looks like in private: while others sleep, they rise to pray and supplicate.
- Verse 17 follows with the promise that no soul knows what hidden delights Allah has prepared for them. So the passage moves from humility → private worship → unimaginable reward.
Understanding the spirit of Tahajjad
The blessings hidden in the Tahajjad prayer are immeasurable. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) said, "Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: "Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?"
Classical scholars generally connect the verse with night prayer, especially Tahajjud or voluntary prayer after ‘Ishā’.
- Ibn Kathir explains that these believers abandon sleep in order to worship Allah, invoking Him with both khawf—fear of His judgment—and ṭama‘—hope in His mercy. This balance is crucial: a believer should neither feel so secure that he becomes careless nor so fearful that he loses hope.
- Al-Tabari likewise understood “their sides forsake their beds” as their rising from sleep for worship and supplication.
- Maududi emphasizes that the verse describes people whose faith is not merely public or ceremonial; their relationship with Allah is strong enough to pull them away from sleep when no one else is watching.
- Yusuf Ali highlights the sacrifice involved: sleep is one of the strongest bodily comforts, so leaving it voluntarily for Allah is evidence of sincere devotion.
We have already written a number of posts on Tahajjad and its importance, which can be read from the links given herein under:
The final part of Verse 16
The final part—“and they spend from what We have provided them”—is equally important. The verse therefore joins two forms of worship: private devotion to Allah and generosity toward people. A person who prays at night but remains selfish has missed part of the picture. True spirituality softens the heart and opens the hand.
For us today, 32:16 is deeply relevant because modern life is filled with noise, screens, deadlines and constant distraction. The verse invites us to create a private space with Allah that does not depend on an audience. Even two quiet rak‘ahs before Fajr, a few minutes of du‘ā in the night, or occasionally giving up some sleep for sincere worship can transform one's inner life. It teaches that some of the strongest faith is built when no one is watching except Allah.
The phrase “in fear and hope” also gives us a practical spiritual balance. When we sin, fear prevents complacency; when we struggle, hope prevents despair. Together they keep the believer moving toward Allah.
A concise way to reflect on 32:16 is: The believer leaves the comfort of the bed, turns to Allah with a heart between fear and hope, and then turns toward creation with generosity. That is why the verse is not merely about night prayer. It is a portrait of a mature believer: devoted in private, balanced in heart, and generous in society.
How can we adopt the wisdom behind this verse
We can adopt the wisdom of Surah As-Sajdah 32:16 by making our faith more private, sincere, balanced, and practical. The verse teaches us not merely to admire night worship, but to build a personal relationship with Allah by occasionally leaving comfort for prayer, du‘ā, Qur’an, or quiet reflection—especially when no one else sees us.
We should learn to approach Allah with both fear and hope: fear that keeps us from becoming careless, and hope that prevents despair. At the same time, the verse joins worship with generosity, so our devotion should make us more willing to spend from what Allah has given us—money, time, knowledge, or help—for others. Its deeper wisdom is that true faith should cost us something, soften us inwardly, and benefit people outwardly. Even beginning with two rak‘ahs before Fajr, a sincere nightly du‘ā, and one regular act of charity can turn the spirit of this verse into a lived habit.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 32. As-Sajdah "The Prostration" already published
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An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
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