Ulaika al-Akhyar
- Author died
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- Editions
- Dar al-Qasim
Ulaika al-Akhyar (Those Are the Righteous) is an Arabic devotional treatise by Abd al-Malik bin Qasim (Abd al-Malik ibn Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Qasim) dedicated to the practice, merits, and exemplary traditions of the voluntary night prayer (qiyam al-layl) .
Overview and Purpose
The treatise is the third release in the author's moral-exhortation series titled Ayna Nahnu min Ha'ula' ("Where Are We Compared to Them?") . The work was written to revive awareness of the devotional habits of the early righteous generations (al-salaf al-salih), awaken hearts from spiritual lethargy, and counter preoccupation with worldly distractions by holding up early Islamic models of nighttime worship .
Themes and Contents
The book characterizes night vigil as a confirmed Sunnah (sunnah mu'akkadah) that binds the heart to God, trains the self against desire, and manifests high spiritual resolve . Its primary themes include:
- Scriptural Virtues: Presenting Quranic passages from chapters such as Surat al-Zumar, Surat al-Dhariyat, and Surat al-Sajdah, along with hadiths on the special standing of nocturnal prayer and the example of the Prophet ﷺ, who stood in prayer until his feet cracked .
- Narratives and Sayings of Early Muslims: Assembling sayings, anecdotes, and verses of poetry illustrating how early figures prepared for the night, combated sleep, and experienced spiritual joy in prayer . Among the figures cited are Abu al-Darda', Umar ibn Dharr, al-Fudayl ibn Iyad, Ata al-Khurasani, al-Hasan al-Basri, Thabit al-Bunani, Abd al-Aziz ibn Rawwad, Sulayman al-Taymi, Safwan ibn Salim, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal .
- Impediments to Worship: Highlighting sins and transgressions as the primary barriers that deprive individuals of the blessing of night prayer, drawing on observations from scholars such as Sufyan al-Thawri and Bishr al-Hafi .
- Encouragement of Youth and Resolve: Urging young Muslims to harness their health and energy for nocturnal devotion rather than leaving the practice solely to the elderly and frail .
Method and Sources
The author employs an exhortatory (wa'z) style combining narrative accounts, poetic excerpts, and practical spiritual counsel . The text references classical compendiums of asceticism and biography, including Abu Nu'aym al-Isfahani's Hilyat al-Awliya', Ibn al-Jawzi's Sifat al-Safwah, and al-Dhahabi's Siyar A'lam al-Nubala', as sources for its biographical reports .
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