The Clear Evidence

Etiquettes and Rulings of Sleeping

Peace and blessings be upon you.
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the noble Prophet, his family, and his companions.

Today, my discussion is on the etiquettes and rulings of sleeping. A person typically sleeps for six to eight hours daily, which is a physical necessity. As Allah Almighty states in the Holy Quran:
"We made your sleep a means of rest." (Surah Nuh)

If a person follows the sleeping habits of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), then one-third or one-fourth of their life can turn into worship. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to recite various supplications before sleeping, but the most crucial teaching regarding sleep is the timely performance of the Isha and Fajr prayers.

In a hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Whoever prays Isha in congregation, it is as if they have worshipped for half the night. And whoever prays Fajr in congregation, it is as if they have worshipped the entire night." (Sahih Muslim)

Other hadiths clearly state that women should offer their prayers at home, as advised by the Prophet (peace be upon him).

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would perform ablution (wudu) before sleeping, just as he did for prayer. He would place his right hand under his right cheek and lie on his right side. Before sleeping, he would recite the following supplication:

"O Allah, in Your name, I die and I live."

Since sleep is a temporary state of unconsciousness akin to death, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) woke up, he would recite:

"All praise is due to Allah, who gave us life after He caused us to die, and to Him is the resurrection."

The hadiths encourage sleeping early after Isha. The Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions used to sleep early and wake up in the later part of the night for Tahajjud prayer.

Today, the habit of staying up late has made it difficult for many to wake up for Fajr prayer. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was once informed about a man who sleeps until morning, missing Fajr prayer. He (peace be upon him) said:
"Satan urinates in the ears of such a person." (Bukhari & Muslim)

• Avoid sleeping on the stomach: The Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade sleeping on the stomach. (Abu Dawood)
• Sleeping on the back is permissible: A hadith in Sahih Bukhari confirms that it is allowed to sleep on one's back.
• Extinguishing lamps before sleeping: The Prophet (peace be upon him) advised turning off lamps (or in today’s terms, switching off lights, stoves, and securing doors and utensils) before sleeping. (Sahih Bukhari)
• Reciting protective verses before sleeping: The Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed reciting Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-Falaq, Surah An-Nas, Ayat-ul-Kursi, and the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah before sleeping. (Bukhari & Muslim)

• Sleeping after Fajr and between Maghrib and Isha is disliked.
• Scholars have considered sleeping between Maghrib and Isha undesirable, though it is not forbidden. However, avoiding it is preferable.
• Taking a nap (Qailulah) during the day is Sunnah, and modern science acknowledges its benefits.

May Allah grant us true love for the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the ability to follow it. Ameen.Continue Reading: Video: Sone k Aadab - Etiquette of Sleeping - Dr. Mohammad Najeeb Qasmi (Urdu)