It’s 1:07 AM. You’re awake. But not for the reason you should be.
Maybe you’re scrolling TikTok, watching one more episode on Netflix, or texting someone who doesn’t matter as much as you think they do. Maybe you just can’t sleep—your mind is racing with worries about tomorrow, regrets about yesterday, anxiety about things you can’t control.
You’re awake. Your body is functioning. Your eyes are open. You have consciousness, energy, and time.
And in that exact moment, Allah ﷻ—the Creator of the heavens and earth, the One who controls your life and death, the King of all existence—is in the lowest heaven waiting for you.
Not waiting for you to entertain yourself. Not waiting for you to worry. Waiting for you to talk to Him.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, as recorded in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim: “Our Lord, the Blessed and the Exalted, descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains and says: ‘Who is calling upon Me that I may answer him? Who is asking from Me that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness that I may forgive him?'”
Read that slowly. Allah ﷻ—the One you claim to worship, the One you say you love—is asking: “Where are you? Why aren’t you talking to Me?”
And you’re on your phone scrolling through content you won’t even remember tomorrow.
What Does It Mean That Allah “Descends”?
Before we go deeper, let’s address the theological question: what does it mean that Allah ﷻ “descends” to the lowest heaven?
We affirm that Allah ﷻ descends in a manner that befits His Majesty, without asking “how” or comparing it to creation’s descent. We don’t interpret it as physical movement like humans descending stairs. Allah ﷻ is above His creation, beyond space and time, not bound by the limitations of created beings.
What matters for you practically is this: during the last third of every single night, Allah ﷻ grants a special closeness, a special attention, a special mercy that doesn’t exist at any other time.
It’s like the difference between sending an email to a CEO versus having a private meeting with them. The last third of the night is your private meeting with Allah ﷻ. And you keep missing the appointment.
When Exactly Is the Last Third?
You need to know when this window opens. According to Islamic scholars who explain prayer timings, the last third of the night is calculated from Maghrib (sunset) to Fajr (dawn).
Here’s how to calculate it:
- Check what time Maghrib is (let’s say 6:00 PM)
- Check what time Fajr is (let’s say 5:00 AM)
- That’s 11 hours of night
- Divide by 3: each third is about 3 hours and 40 minutes
- The last third starts around 1:20 AM and ends at Fajr
These times change based on your location and season, but you can use apps or websites to calculate precisely. The point is: it’s usually somewhere between 2 AM and Fajr.
That’s the window. That’s when Allah ﷻ is calling your name. That’s when dua is most likely to be answered. That’s when transformation happens.
And most Muslims are either sleeping or wasting time doing things that don’t matter.
The Quran Praises Those Who Wake Up
Allah ﷻ didn’t just recommend night prayer—He praised it in the Quran as a distinguishing characteristic of the righteous. According to the translation, He says:
[Surah Adh-Dhariyat, Ayah 15-18]
“Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and springs, accepting what their Lord has given them. Indeed, they were before that doers of good. They used to sleep but little of the night, and in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness.”
“They used to sleep but little of the night.” That’s not describing lazy people. That’s not describing people who stay up watching Netflix. This verse describes people who sacrifice sleep—the sweetest thing to the human body—to worship Allah ﷻ.
And what did they do in those pre-dawn hours? They asked for forgiveness. They made dua. They cried to Allah ﷻ. They built a relationship with Him that nobody else could see.
In another verse, Allah ﷻ specifically commands the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
[Surah Al-Isra, Ayah 79]
“And from [part] of the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.”
The night prayer (Tahajjud) is “additional worship”—it’s not obligatory like the five daily prayers. But voluntary worship done consistently is more beloved to Allah ﷻ than sporadic efforts.
And the reward? A “praised station”—a level of closeness to Allah ﷻ that most people never reach because they’re too comfortable in their beds.
The Prophet’s ﷺ Relationship With the Night
You want to know what real love for Allah ﷻ looks like? Look at how the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ spent his nights.
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported, as documented in Sahih Bukhari: “The Prophet ﷺ used to pray at night until his feet became swollen. I asked him: ‘O Messenger of Allah, why do you do this when Allah has forgiven your past and future sins?’ He said: ‘Should I not be a grateful servant?'”
Let that sink in. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ—the best human to ever live, guaranteed Paradise, all sins forgiven—still woke up every single night to pray until his feet swelled from standing.
Not because he was afraid of Hell. Not because he was trying to earn salvation. But because he loved Allah ﷻ so much that worship was joy, not burden.
The Prophet ﷺ would sleep immediately after Isha and wake up in the last third of the night. He would make wudu, pray long cycles of voluntary prayer, recite Quran, and make dua for himself and his ummah.
And when Fajr came, he was already awake, already purified, already connected to Allah ﷻ.
Now compare that to your life. You stay up until 1 AM scrolling, finally fall asleep, struggle to wake up for Fajr, and stumble into prayer half-asleep with zero presence of heart.
Which version of devotion do you think builds real faith?
What Allah ﷻ Is Asking For
Let’s go back to that hadith. Allah ﷻ descends to the lowest heaven and asks three questions:
“Who is calling upon Me that I may answer him?”
This is your opportunity to ask for anything. This is one of the most accepted times for supplication. You want something? A better job? A righteous spouse? Guidance for your children? Healing from illness? Forgiveness for sins that haunt you?
This is when you ask. This is when Allah ﷻ is saying “I’m listening. Tell Me what you need.”
“Who is asking from Me that I may give him?”
Material needs. Spiritual needs. Emotional needs. Health. Wealth. Knowledge. Anything halal that you need—this is the time to ask.
Islamic scholars emphasize that Allah ﷻ loves when His servants ask from Him. It’s not begging. It’s acknowledging that He’s the Source of all provision, and you’re dependent on Him.
“Who is seeking My forgiveness that I may forgive him?”
This is the question that should make you cry. Every sin you’ve committed—the ones people know about and the ones you hide—Allah ﷻ is offering to wipe them away. Not because you earned it. Not because you’re perfect. But because He’s Al-Ghafoor (The Most Forgiving) and He loves to forgive.
Allah ﷻ rejoices more when a servant repents than you would rejoice finding your lost child in a desert. That’s how much He loves forgiving you.
But you have to wake up. You have to ask.
The Night That Changed Everything
Let me tell you about a sister who was struggling with faith. She was going through the motions—praying five times a day, fasting Ramadan, wearing hijab—but her heart felt dead. She didn’t feel connected to Allah ﷻ. Islam felt like a checklist, not a relationship.
One night, she couldn’t sleep. Not because she was planning to pray, but because she was stressed about life. She was lying in bed at 3 AM, staring at the ceiling, feeling hopeless.
And something told her: just get up and pray.
She didn’t feel spiritual. She didn’t feel motivated. She just got up, made wudu, and prayed two rakahs. According to her own account shared in Islamic circles, she broke down crying in sujood. Just sobbing. Pouring her heart out to Allah ﷻ in a way she hadn’t done in years.
She said: “It felt like Allah ﷻ was waiting for me. Like He’d been waiting for me to finally talk to Him without distractions, without performing for people, without pretending to be okay.”
That one night changed her entire relationship with Islam. She started waking up regularly for Tahajjud. Not every night—she’s human—but consistently. And she said her whole life transformed. Her problems didn’t disappear, but she had peace she’d never experienced before.
That’s what the last third of the night does. It’s not magic. It’s intimacy with Allah ﷻ in a way that daylight worship can’t replicate.
Why Night Prayer Hits Different
There’s something about praying when the world is asleep that Islamic scholars emphasize as spiritually powerful.
During the day, you’re distracted. Your phone is buzzing. People need things from you. Your mind is occupied with work, school, errands, responsibilities.
But at 3 AM? The world is silent. Your family is asleep. Your phone isn’t ringing. There’s no one to perform for, no one to impress. It’s just you and Allah ﷻ.
Worship done in secret—when nobody sees you except Allah ﷻ—is the purest form of devotion. Because you’re not doing it for praise, for reputation, or for people’s approval. You’re doing it because you genuinely want to be close to Him.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, as recorded in authentic collections: “The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer.”
Better than all the voluntary prayers you do during the day. Better than extra charity. Better than extra fasting. The night prayer—specifically the last third—is the closest you can get to Allah ﷻ outside of the five daily obligations.
What Stops You From Waking Up
Let’s be honest about the barriers. Most people don’t wake up for Tahajjud because of a few key reasons:
You stay up too late. If you’re going to bed at 1 AM, you’re not waking up at 3 AM. That’s just biology. The solution? Sleep earlier. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, disliked staying awake after Isha unless for something beneficial.
You don’t really want to. This is the hard truth. If you genuinely wanted to pray Tahajjud, you’d find a way. But deep down, you’ve decided that sleep is more valuable than those few moments with Allah ﷻ.
Shaytan discourages you. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, as recorded in Sahih Bukhari, that Shaytan ties three knots on the back of your head when you sleep, telling you “the night is long, keep sleeping.” Breaking those knots requires remembering Allah ﷻ, making wudu, and praying.
You don’t see immediate results. You tried praying Tahajjud once or twice and your dua wasn’t answered immediately, so you gave up. But spiritual transformation takes time. Consistency matters more than intensity.
How to Actually Start
You don’t need to pray for two hours like the Prophet ﷺ did. Even two rakahs in the last third of the night is more valuable than hours of voluntary prayer during the day.
Here’s how to start:
Set a realistic alarm. Don’t aim for 2 AM if you’ve never done this before. Start with 30 minutes before Fajr. That’s still within the last third, it’s easier to wake up, and you’re already going to wake up for Fajr anyway.
Sleep in wudu. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would sleep in a state of purity. When you’re already in wudu, the barrier to prayer is lower.
Keep it short at first. Two rakahs. That’s it. Don’t overwhelm yourself with the idea that you need to pray for an hour. Pray two rakahs, make a sincere dua, and go back to sleep. According to Islamic teachings on consistency documented at IslamQA, small regular actions are better than sporadic intense efforts.
Have a specific dua ready. Don’t waste the moment trying to figure out what to ask for. Before you sleep, write down what you want to ask Allah ﷻ. When you wake up, you’ll know exactly what to say.
Make it about connection, not obligation. This isn’t another task to check off. Tahajjud is a gift—it’s Allah ﷻ inviting you to spend time with Him when nobody else is awake.
The Dua That Changes Everything
When you wake up for Tahajjud, what should you ask for?
Of course, ask for your specific needs—health, wealth, guidance, marriage, children, whatever you need. But start with the most important request:
“Ya Allah, increase me in love for You. Make me among those who love You, love Your Messenger ﷺ, and love what brings me closer to You.”
Because here’s the reality: you don’t struggle with Tahajjud because you’re lazy. You struggle because you don’t love Allah ﷻ enough yet. And that’s not an insult—it’s just honesty.
When you truly love someone, spending time with them isn’t a burden. It’s joy. It’s something you look forward to. It’s what you’d rather do than anything else.
So ask Allah ﷻ to increase your love for Him. Ask Him to make worship sweet for you instead of difficult. Ask Him to make you among those who sleep little at night and seek forgiveness before dawn.
That dua—that sincere request to love Him more—changes everything. Because when you love Allah ﷻ, waking up for Tahajjud stops being a struggle and becomes a privilege.
The Companions Who Couldn’t Sleep Without It
The early generations of Muslims—the companions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and those who came after them—were known for their dedication to night prayer.
Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray so much at night that when he would lie down, the marks of the prayer mat would be imprinted on his forehead.
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) would spend most of the night in prayer and weeping.
Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) would wake up his family in the last third of the night to pray together.
These weren’t monks. They weren’t sitting in caves isolated from life. They were business owners, warriors, judges, leaders—people with responsibilities, families, and full lives.
But they prioritized the last third of the night because they understood something you might be missing: this life is temporary, and the moments you spend with Allah ﷻ are the only things you’ll take with you.
What You’re Really Choosing
Every night, when that time comes—when Allah ﷻ descends to the lowest heaven and calls out “Who is asking from Me?”—you’re making a choice.
Not a choice between prayer and sleep necessarily. Because you’re often awake anyway.
You’re making a choice between Allah ﷻ and your phone. Between meaningful conversation with your Creator and meaningless scrolling through content. Between building a relationship that will save you on Judgment Day and wasting time on things that won’t matter when you die.
Every choice you make is a statement about what you value. Every time you choose to stay on your phone instead of praying Tahajjud, you’re saying “this screen is more important to me than Allah ﷻ right now.”
Is that really what you believe? Or have you just fallen into a pattern you never consciously chose?
The Night You’ll Wish You Had Prayed
One day, you’re going to die. And you’ll stand before Allah ﷻ and see your entire life displayed.
Every night will be shown. Every time Allah ﷻ descended to the lowest heaven asking “Who is calling upon Me?” and you were awake but chose to ignore Him—those moments will be there.
And you’ll feel regret so deep that you’d give anything to go back for just one more chance. One more night to wake up and pray. One more opportunity to cry to Allah ﷻ in sujood. One more moment to ask for forgiveness while He was offering it freely.
But you won’t get that chance. Your time will be over.
The question is: will you wait until then to realize what you’re missing? Or will you start tonight?
The Bottom Line
Tonight, somewhere between 2 AM and Fajr, Allah ﷻ will descend to the lowest heaven. He’ll call out: “Who is calling upon Me that I may answer him?”
Will you be among those who respond? Or will you be sleeping, scrolling, or wasting time on things that don’t matter?
This isn’t about being perfect. It’s not about praying Tahajjud every single night for the rest of your life starting tomorrow. It’s about taking one step. Waking up once. Praying two rakahs. Experiencing what it feels like to talk to Allah ﷻ when the world is asleep.
And then doing it again. And again. Until it becomes part of who you are.
The last third of the night is when Allah ﷻ is closest. It’s when dua is most accepted. It’s when hearts are transformed.
Don’t miss it anymore.
Set your alarm. Wake up. Pray. And watch your life change in ways you never expected.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, as recorded in Jami’ at-Tirmidhi: “The closest that a servant is to his Lord is in the last part of the night, so if you are able to be among those who remember Allah at that time, then do so.”
Be among those who remember. Be among those who wake up. Be among those who answer when Allah ﷻ calls.
Starting tonight.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy in presenting Islamic teachings, readers are strongly advised to consult qualified Islamic scholars in their local area for specific religious rulings, detailed interpretations, and matters requiring expert guidance.