Sleeping with the Sunnah; Bedtime Basics With The Prophet (SAW)

Sleeping with the Sunnah; Bedtime Basics With The Prophet (SAW)

There are many stories from the funny to the downright bizarre of people doing all kinds of things during sleep. A man was reported to paint masterpieces while asleep, a cook churned out mouth-watering dishes while another woman sent email messages to her friends while snoring away! Crimes have also been committed while asleep as in the case of a man who reportedly drove miles to his mother-in-laws house to kill her all the while asleep.

Despite the giant leaps mankind has taken in technology over the years, one of the many areas of scientific explorations that remain inconclusive is the concept of sleep. According to the journal Science, the function of sleep is one of the 125 greatest unsolved mysteries in science. What appears to be a consensus of findings however  is that, sleep is is a state of unconsciousness from which a person can be aroused. Sleep affects our physical and mental health, and is essential for the normal functioning of all the systems of our body.

Sleep however assumes a deeper more profound meaning to a Muslim believer. It represents an exit from a present reality; this life temporarily or permanently to a point of no return; death. It also signifies an arrival back to that continuing reality or a new one; the Hereafter.

“It is Allaah that takes the souls at the time of their death: and those that die not during their sleep. He keeps those souls for which He has ordained death and sends the rest for a term appointed…” Az-Zumar 39:42

Sleep is a mercy from Allaah, a means of rest and rejuvenation.

“And He it is Who makes the night a covering for you; and sleep as repose and makes the day Nushur (i.e getting up and going about here and there for daily work, after one’s sleep at night or like resurrection after one’s death).” Al-Furqan 25:47

Bedtime for a Muslim therefore means more than brushing one’s teeth and changing into night clothes before sleep. There is a required consciousness and intention, which is expressed in certain recommended statements and actions as practiced by the Prophet (saw). From the moment before sleep, while asleep and upon waking, a Muslim remains in a state of Dhikr/Rememberance of Allaah, seeking His Protection, blessings, protection and guidance.

The Prophet (saw) said; “When you go to bed make Wudu as you do for the regular prayer, and then lie down on your right side and say, ‘ O Allaah, I surrender my soul to You, and I turn my face toward You, and I trust my affairs to Your care. I turn to You in fear and hope. There is no refuge nor any protection against You except in You. I believe in Your book which You have revealed to Your Prophet whom You sent’.” Then he added, “If you die, you will die in your true nature, and these words will be your last words.” Bukhari

A Muslim prepares for the end of the day, before sleep by assessing and giving account of how that day was spent. He gives gratitude for the mercies and favors granted him by Allaah and asks forgiveness for the errors and sins committed. This can be done through intention, and or with recommended supplications and Nawafil/supplementary prayers of the Prophet. This prepares the Muslim believer for the inevitability of death which may come in his sleep as he goes to bed not knowing if that night is his last on earth.

The Prophet, (saw) instructed us to supplicate before sleep, “In Your name, O Lord, I lay me down to sleep. And by Your leave I raise myself up. So if You take away my soul during sleep, forgive it, and if You keep it alive after sleep protect it just as You protect Your pious servants.” Tirmidhi

When the Prophet (saw) went to bed, he would say, “O Allaah, by Your name I live and die.” And when he woke up he said, “Praise be to Allaah Who gave us life after death and to Him is the return.” Muslim

As the Muslim goes to sleep, he seeks more of Allaah’s mercies by praising, glorifying and supplicating to Him.

When the Messenger of Allah (saw) went to his bed at night, he would say: “In the name of Allaah, I have laid down my side for Allaah. O Allaah! forgive me my sin, drive away my devil, free me from my responsibility, and place me in the highest assembly.” –Abu Dawud

The Prophet (saw) said, “If anyone who is about to sleep on his bed lies on his right side, then recites “Say, He is Allaah, One” a hundred times, the Lord will say to him on the Day of Resurrection, “My servant, enter Paradise to your right.”‘ Tirmidhi

The Messenger of Allaah (saw) said; ‘“If anyone said three times when going to bed, “I ask the forgiveness of Allaah other than whom there is no god, the Living, the Eternal, and I turn in repentance to Him,” Allaah would forgive him his sins, even if they were like the foam of the sea, or in number like the sand which had accumulated, or as many as the leaves of the trees, or as numerous as the days of this world.”’

The believer seeks protection from evil forces that may be lurking, waiting to strike the believer at a time his guard is lowered and his soul is vulnerable. He calls on Allaah’s guards to watch over him throughout the night with recommended actions and Dua/Prayers of the Prophet.

Every night the Prophet (saw) retired to bed he would hold out his hands together imploringly and blow over them after reciting Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-Falaq, and Surah An-Nas, and then rub his hands over whichever parts of his body he was able to rub, starting with his head, face, and front of his body. – Bukhari

He used to do that three times. He also advised his daughter, Fatimah, “Say subhan-Allaah thirty three times, al-hamdu-lillah, thirty three times, and Allaahu akbar, thirty four times.” – Abu Dawud

Allaah’s Messenger (saw) said, “If any Muslim recites a Surah from Allaah’s Book when he goes to bed, Allaah will put an angel in charge of him, and nothing which may harm him will come near him till he wakes. – Tirmidhi

Narrated Abu Huraira; “Allaah’s Messenger ordered me to guard the Zakaah revenue of Ramadan. Then somebody came to me and started stealing of the foodstuff. I caught him and said, “I will take you to Allaah’s Messenger! The person said to me, “Please don’t…I will tell you a few words by which Allaah will benefit you. When you go to your bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi (2.255) for then there will be a guard from Allaah who will protect you all night long, and Satan will not be able to come near you till dawn.” When the Prophet heard the story he said to me, “He who came to you at night told you the truth although he is a liar and it was Satan.” – Bukhari

If a person wakes up during sleep frightened; The Prophet (saw) said, “…Say, ‘I seek protection in the perfect words of Allaah, from His displeasure and punishment and from evil people, and from the (evil) prompting of devils and from their presence.’ Then nothing will harm him.” – Bukhari

Prophet (saw) said, “Whoever wakes up from sleep and cannot go back to sleep and says “There is no god but Allaah, He is One and has no partner, to Him belongs all praise and all authority, and He has power over all things, praise be to Allaah, glory be to Allaah, there is no god but Allaah, Allaah is the greatest, there is no power nor any authority but with Allaah),’ and then says, O Allaah, forgive me), or asks some other thing, will be answered, and if he makes Wudu and offers a prayer it will be accepted from him.” – Fiqh us Sunnah

Upon waking up in the morning a person should recognize the blessings and opportunity of another day as a gift to be grateful for as in another hadeeth; “Thanks be to Allaah Who returned my soul, made my body sound, and permitted me to remember Him.” – Fiqh us Sunnah

When the Prophet (saw) woke he would say, “There is no god but You, glory be to You. O Allaah, I seek Your forgiveness of my sins, and ask for Your mercy. O Allaah, increase me in knowledge, and let not my heart deviate after You have guided me on the right path. Grant me mercy from You, for You are the Grantor of bounties without measure.” – Fiqh us Sunnah

The Prophet (saw) also recommended; “…Whoever wakes up from his sleep should wash his hands before putting them in the water for ablution, because nobody knows where his hands were during sleep.” Bukhari

The Messenger of Allaah (saw) said, “During your sleep, Satan knots three knots at the back of the head of each of you, and he breathes the following words at each knot, ‘The night is long, so keep on sleeping,’ If that person wakes up and celebrates the praises of Allaah, then one knot is undone, and when he performs ablution, the second knot is undone, and when he prays, all the knots are undone, and he gets up in the morning lively and gay, otherwise he gets up dull and gloomy.” Bukhari

A person’s sleeping posture is also an important part of the Muslim’s culture of sleep, which adds to the comfort and efficacy of the recommended routine for bedtime.

Sleeping on the right hand side is very important according to the practice of the Prophet (saw). Medical evidence supports this practice as it is reported that sleeping on the right side is the healthy position, because the left lung is smaller than the right, so the heart is under less pressure and the liver is settled and not suspended, and the stomach is resting comfortably on top of it. This position also allows the tubes of the left lung to expel mucus discharges.

Sleeping on the left side however puts the heart under the pressure of the right lung, which is larger than the left, which could affect its function and make it less active, especially in those who are elderly. Various medical experiments have proven that the passage of food from the stomach to the intestines takes between 2.5 and 4.5 hours, if a person is sleeping on his right side, while it takes 5 to 8 hours if he sleeps on his left side.

Lying on one’s stomach is disapproved of because of what the Prophet (saw) said in some Ahadeeths about this being a manner of lying down disliked by Allaah and also about it being Shaytaan’s manner of sleep.

As for places of sleep, Allaah’s Messenger (saw) forbade that a man should sleep on a roof that was not enclosed. – Tirmidhi. He (saw) also forbade loneliness such that a man should sleep alone at night. – Tirmidhi

Going to bed the Prophet (saw) encouraged certain practices. He said; “Extinguish the lamps when you go to bed; close your doors; tie the mouths of your water skins, and cover the food and drinks…even with a stick you place across the container.” – Bukhari He also said “Do not keep the fire burning in your houses when you go to bed.” When a house in Medina got burnt with its occupants, the Prophet (saw) spoke about them saying, “This fire is indeed your enemy, so whenever you go to bed, put it out to protect yourselves.” – Bukhari

In another Hadeeth, he (saw) said; “… close your doors and keep your children close to you at night, as the Jinns(devils) spread out at such time and snatch things away…” – Bukhari

The Prophet (saw) said, “When anyone of you go to bed, he should shake out his bed…dust it off thrice with the edge of his garment, for he does not know what has come on to it after him…” – Bukhari

The bed of the Prophet (saw) was set as a man is laid in his grave; the mosque was towards his head. – Abu Dawud

One good practice highly recommended before sleep is reciting the Qur’an, meditating on its words and meaning as the Prophet (saw) said, “Learn and recite the Qur’an, for to one who learns, recites and uses it in prayer at night, it is like a bag filled with musk whose fragrance is diffused everywhere; and he who learns it and goes to sleep having it within him, is like a bag with musk tied up in it.” Tirmidhi

Sleep is a Muslim’s body’s right over him. Thus this right must be fulfilled in the recommended and beneficial manner in line with Islamic etiquettes of sleep some which have been highlighted above. This does not however mean a search for a bed mattress made of a leather case stuffed with palm fibers like the type the Prophet (saw) slept on.

This article is an Oldie Goodie from the archives, it was written for publication for a magazine in 2010.