The Night: Sufyan Ath-Thawri's favourite time

During the day, Imam Sufyan was preoccupied in a myriad of ways. He sought out knowledge, he imparted knowledge to others, he worked in order to earn a living, and so on. Most of his day time activities had one thing in common: he was around other people. In this regard , night time was different: no human eye could see him, and he could therefore concentrate with all his mind and heart on worship.

Imam Sufyan longed for and loved the solitude of the night, and he especially loved to wait for that part of the night when Allah Subu'haanahu wat'ala desends to the lowest heaven and asks, " Is there anyone who is asking for forgiveness? Is there anyone who is repenting? Is there anyone who is asking (Me for something)? Is there anyone who is supplicating (to Me)?"

Abu Yazeed Al-Ma'na said," In the morning, Sufyan Ath-Thawri would extend his legs to the wall and place his head on the ground, so that he could regain blood circulation after having spent the night standing and praying. " Yazeed ibn Thubah related that sufyan once said to him, "Iam overjoyed with coming of the night only because I can relax and know that no human eye is watching me (and I can therefore be at peace while I worship Allah.)

While a group of people were gathered together, Fudail came, stood over Sufyan's head and recited this Verse

" Say: In the bounty of Allah, and in His Mercy (i.e.,Islam and the Qur'an); -That is better than what (the wealth) they amass.(Qur'an 10:58)

"Say (O Muhammad) : He is Allah, (the) One." ( Qur'an 112:1)

Sufyaan said, "O Abu 'Alee (i.e Fudail), by Allah, we will never be able to rejoice until we take the cure of the Qur'an and place it over the disease of our hearts."

Sufyaan advised young people not to waste the time of their youth, but to spend it usefully by worshiping Allah. Muhammad ibn Yousuf said, "Sufyaan Ath-Thawri would make us stand up (to pray at night , and he would say, 'Stand up, O young people, and continue to pray throughout the years of your youth (so that you will have become accustomed to worship in your old age)."

Furthemore, sufyaan advised others on how to gain the physical strength they needed to sleep less so that they could work during the day and pray during the night. 'Uthmaan ibn Zaaidah reported that Sufyaan Ath-thawri wrote him a letter that continued this message: "If you want to maintain a healthy body, and if you want to sleep only a little, then eat only a little." Imam Sufyan followed his own advice, eating only enough to help him keep his strength, no more and no less. If someone came and asked sufyan for food, he would give him a share of his own food and keep just enough to keep his body strong enough to worship.

Source: The biography of Sufyan Ath-Thawri compiled by Salaahud-Deen ibn 'Alee ibn 'Abdul-Maujood/Translated by Faisal ibn Muhammad shafeeq.