Allah’s Merchandise is Precious
Understanding the Prophetic Metaphor of Night Travel and the Priceless Value of Paradise
مَنْ خَافَ أَدْلَجَ، وَمَنْ أَدْلَجَ بَلَغَ الْمَنْزِلَ، أَلَا إِنَّ سِلْعَةَ اللَّهِ غَالِيَةٌ، أَلَا إِنَّ سِلْعَةَ اللَّهِ الْجَنَّةُ
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever fears [an enemy], travels at the beginning of the night; and whoever travels at the beginning of the night reaches his destination. Beware! Indeed, Allah’s merchandise is precious. Beware! Indeed, Allah’s merchandise is Paradise (Jannah).”
• Recorded by at-Tirmidhi (2450), who said: “This is a hasan gharib hadith; we do not know it except from the hadith of Abu an-Nadr.”
• Recorded by al-Hakim in “al-Mustadrak” (7851), who said: “This hadith has an authentic chain of narration, though al-Bukhari and Muslim did not record it.”
• Adh-Dhahabi said in “at-Talkhis”: “Sahih (authentic).”
• Authenticated by al-Albani in “Sahih al-Jami'” (6222).
This beautiful hadith contains layers of profound wisdom wrapped in vivid metaphors that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to convey spiritual truths. Like all great teachers, he ﷺ drew from the daily experiences of his companions—in this case, the dangers of desert travel—to illuminate the path to eternal success.
Understanding the Language: What Does “أَدْلَجَ” Mean?
Adlaja (أَدْلَجَ) means to travel at the beginning of the night. This is distinct from Sara (سَرَى), which means to travel at the end of the night or in the late hours before dawn. Understanding this distinction is crucial to grasping the hadith’s metaphor.
In the time of the Prophet ﷺ, the Arabian Peninsula was a harsh desert landscape where travelers faced numerous dangers—scorching heat, lack of water, difficult terrain, and the threat of bandits or hostile enemies. Experienced travelers developed strategies for survival, and one of the most important was the timing of their journey.
The Metaphor Explained: Travel in Fear of the Enemy
This is not mere survival advice—it is a spiritual metaphor of the highest order. The Prophet ﷺ is teaching us about the journey to Allah and the urgency required to reach our ultimate destination: Paradise.
The Spiritual Meaning: Fear of Allah Leads to Action
“Whoever fears [an enemy], travels at the beginning of the night…”
The traveler who fears the enemy doesn’t procrastinate. He doesn’t say, “I’ll start my journey tomorrow” or “I’ll rest a bit more and leave later.” Fear creates urgency. Fear creates action.
Similarly, whoever fears Allah—fears His punishment, fears wasting their life, fears standing before Him unprepared—will not delay their worship and obedience. They will begin their spiritual journey immediately, starting with the most precious time: the night.
The night here represents the time when most people are asleep, when distractions are minimal, when the world is quiet, and when sincere worship is most valuable. Just as the wise traveler uses the cover of night to advance safely, the wise believer uses the blessed hours of the night—especially the last third—to draw close to Allah through prayer (Tahajjud), remembrance (dhikr), and Quran recitation.
The Reward: Reaching the Destination
“…and whoever travels at the beginning of the night reaches his destination.”
This is the promise: consistent, sincere effort—especially during the night—leads to success. The one who strives, who sacrifices comfort and sleep, who works hard in worship when others rest, will reach the ultimate destination: Paradise.
This echoes the Quranic verse: “As for those who strive in Us, We will surely guide them to Our paths” (Quran 29:69). The destination is guaranteed for those who make the journey with sincerity and determination.
Allah’s Merchandise: Understanding the Transaction
The Prophet ﷺ then shifts to a commercial metaphor—one that Arabs understood deeply as a trading society. He speaks of Allah’s merchandise (سِلْعَة).
What is the price of Paradise? Sincere worship of Allah. Hard work in obedience. Sacrificing comfort for prayer. Choosing remembrance over heedlessness. Striving in good deeds. And especially: rising in the depths of night to pray when the body craves sleep.
Why Night Prayer? The Special Status of Qiyam al-Layl
You might ask: Why does the hadith emphasize the night? Why is night worship given such importance in Islam?
Night prayer (Qiyam al-Layl or Tahajjud) is strongly recommended in Islam for several profound reasons:
1. It demonstrates sincerity: No one sees you pray at night except Allah. There is no showing off, no social recognition—only pure devotion.
2. It requires sacrifice: You must leave the comfort of your bed, resist sleep, and stand before Allah when your body wants rest. This sacrifice proves the strength of your faith.
3. Allah descends to the lowest heaven: The Prophet ﷺ said, “Our Lord 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?'” (Bukhari & Muslim)
4. The night is blessed with acceptance: Prayers made in the last third of the night are among the most accepted times for du’a.
5. It purifies the soul: Night prayer cleanses the heart of spiritual diseases—arrogance, love of the world, heedlessness—and fills it with light.
The Complete Transaction: Is Paradise Worth It?
The Prophet ﷺ repeats the phrase “Indeed (أَلَا)” twice for emphasis, as if shaking the listener awake: Pay attention! This is crucial!
Allah’s merchandise—Paradise—is غَالِيَةٌ (ghaliyah): expensive, precious, costly. It demands a high price. But here’s the beautiful reality: it is absolutely worth every bit of effort you invest.
Think about it: Would you trade a few hours of sleep for eternal bliss? Would you sacrifice temporary comfort for infinite joy? Would you invest years of worship for an eternity in the presence of Allah, in gardens beneath which rivers flow, where there is no pain, no sorrow, no death?
The answer is obvious. Paradise is not expensive compared to what you receive—it is the greatest bargain in existence. The “price” of worship is nothing compared to the “merchandise” of eternal Paradise.
Practical Lessons: How to Apply This Hadith
Cultivate a healthy fear of Allah—not terror, but awe and awareness that you will stand before Him and be held accountable. This fear should motivate you to action, just as fear of the enemy motivated the traveler to move at night. Balance this with hope in Allah’s mercy, knowing that He rewards even small deeds when done sincerely.
The traveler who fears the enemy travels at the beginning of the night—not the middle, not the end, but immediately. Similarly, don’t delay your spiritual development. Start praying Tahajjud tonight. Begin your journey to Allah now. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
Even if you can only manage two rak’ahs before Fajr, start there. Wake up 20 minutes earlier. Pray two units of prayer. Make du’a. Recite Quran. Feel the sweetness of standing before Allah while the world sleeps. Gradually increase as you build the habit. The key is consistency, not quantity at first.
When worship feels difficult, when your bed feels too comfortable, when sleep seems more appealing than prayer, remember what you’re purchasing: Jannah. Eternal Paradise. The pleasure of Allah. A home in the highest levels of Firdaws. Gardens. Rivers. Peace. The company of prophets and the righteous. And most of all: the sight of Allah’s Noble Face. Is it not worth a few hours of effort?
Yes, Allah’s merchandise is precious and demands sincere effort. Yes, you must work hard, sacrifice comfort, and strive consistently. But understand this: the “price” you pay is minuscule compared to what you receive. A lifetime of worship—even if you lived 100 years in perfect obedience—is nothing compared to one day in Paradise, let alone eternity. You are not overpaying; you are getting the deal of infinite lifetimes.
The Name of God: Allah in Semitic Languages
A brief note on the Divine Name used in this hadith and throughout Islamic texts: Allah (ٱللَّٰه) is the proper name of God in Arabic and other Semitic languages, including Aramaic (the language spoken by Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him).
It is not merely a word meaning “god” in the generic sense—it is the specific, unique name of the One True God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the All-Merciful, the All-Powerful, the Eternal. This is the God whose merchandise is Paradise, whose mercy encompasses all things, and who invites His servants to worship Him and earn eternal bliss.
This hadith is not meant to be read and admired—it is meant to transform your life. It is a wake-up call, literally and spiritually.
The Prophet ﷺ is telling you: Fear Allah. Move now. Don’t wait. Travel through the night of this life while others sleep in heedlessness. Sacrifice your comfort. Work hard. Pay the price.
And know—absolutely know—that what you are purchasing is worth infinitely more than what you are paying.
Allah’s merchandise is Jannah. It is precious. It is expensive. But it is absolutely, undeniably, infinitely worth it.
Tonight, when you lie down to sleep,
remember the traveler who feared the enemy.
Rise. Pray. Travel through the night.
Your destination awaits: Paradise.
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