The Prophet ﷺ had come to bed early one night, skin against skin, close and comfortable with Aisha (RA).

Then came the question that reveals everything about his character: "Aisha, would you allow me to go and worship my Lord tonight?"

Most husbands might just slip out of bed quietly, or maybe mumble something about needing to pray.

But here's the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, asking his wife's permission to leave their intimate moment for an even more intimate one with his Creator.

The tenderness in that request, the way he honored both his relationship with her and his relationship with Allah, is beautiful.

Aisha's RA response shows why she was chosen for him: "Wallahi, I love being close to you, but I love what makes you happy even more. If you want to get up and pray tonight, go ahead."

The Prophet ﷺ made his wudu, said "Allahu Akbar," and began to pray.

But this wasn't his usual night prayer.

Aisha RA watched from the bed as tears began streaming down his blessed face.

This wasn't unusual.

She had seen him weep during his night prayers many times before.

But tonight was different.

The tears kept coming.

His beard became completely soaked.

Their room was so small that when he made sujood, he had to tap her leg so she could pull her feet up to give him space.

She watched in growing concern as the tears continued to fall.

Then something unprecedented happened.

The tears began to pool on the ground where he was making sujood.

Can you imagine?

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ cried so much that he created a puddle on the floor of his prayer space.

At this point, Aisha RA couldn't just lie there watching.

"Ya Rasulullah," she called out gently,

"Why are you crying so much?

Allah has already forgiven everything you've done in the past and everything you will do in the future.

His answer: "O Aisha, should I not be a grateful servant?"

Should I not be a grateful servant?

Then he explained what had moved him to tears:

"There was an ayah revealed to me last night. Woe to the one who reads it and does not contemplate it deeply."

He began reciting the verses from the end of Surah Al-Imran:

"Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, the alternation of night and day, the ships that sail through the sea with what benefits people, the rain that Allah sends down from the sky to revive the earth after its death, the way He scatters His creatures throughout the earth, the shifting of the winds, the clouds suspended between heaven and earth – in all of this are signs for people of understanding."

Aisha RA was witnessing a living ayah of Allah – the Prophet ﷺ himself – crying over the other ayat of Allah scattered throughout creation.

This wasn't tears of fear or sadness.

This was the overwhelming emotion of someone who truly saw.

Who looked at the rain, the winds, the day, and the night, and was completely overwhelmed by the majesty and generosity of his Creator.

In our age of disconnect and taking for granted, from the breath in our lungs to the ground beneath our feet, this scene challenges us profoundly.

When was the last time we were moved to tears by a sunset or even stopped to watch it?

When did we last feel overwhelming gratitude for the simple miracle of rain?

The Prophet ﷺ had every reason to feel he'd "done enough."

He had delivered the message, built the community, and sacrificed everything for Islam.

Yet here he was, crying puddles of gratitude because he truly saw the signs of Allah around him.

Should we not be grateful servants too?