عن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه قال: يضحك الله إلى رجلين رجل لقي العدو وهو على فرس من أمثل خيل أصحابه فانهزموا وثبت فإن قتل استشهد وإن بقي فذاك الذي يضحك الله إليه ورجل قام في جوف الليل لا يعلم به أحد فتوضأ فأسبغ الوضوء ثم حمد الله ومجده وصلى على النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم واستفتح القرآن فذاك الذي يضحك الله إليه يقول: انظروا إلى عبدي قائما لا يراه أحد غيري أخرجه النسائي في عمل اليوم والليلة وعبد الرواق بسند صحيح (القول البديع ص376)

Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) mentioned, “Allah Ta‘ala becomes pleased with two people. The first is the person who encounters the enemy while mounted on the best of horses among his companions. His companions are then defeated while he remains firm and he perseveres. If he is killed then he attains martyrdom, and if he survives then he is the person with whom Allah Ta‘ala is pleased. The second is the person who stands during the night (before Allah Ta‘ala to perform tahajjud salaah) without anyone aware of him waking up to perform salaah. He performs a complete and perfect wudhu and thereafter praises Allah Ta‘ala and glorifies Him, and recites durood upon Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). He then commences the recitation of the Qur’aan Majeed. This is the person with whom Allah Ta‘ala becomes pleased. Allah Ta‘ala says regarding him, “Look at My servant who is standing (in salaah) while nobody is seeing him (perform salaah) besides Me.””