Prophetic Traditions for a Peaceful Night of Sleep

The Sunnah surrounds all areas of life and every moment. From ibadahs to trade and from married life to eating and drinking, there are Sunnahs in all situations and circumstances. A man can live a healthy, pure, and beautiful life linked to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) only as much as his level of adherence to these sunnahs. In this issue, we will be presenting sunnahs about lying down and sleeping.

Adabs Before Sleep

· It was narrated by Hafsa (radiyallahu anh) that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to put his right hand beneath his right cheek. [Albani, Sahihu’l-Jami, 4523]

There is plenty of wisdom in the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) choice to lie on his right side in sleep, one facet of which is as follows: The heart is on the left side of the chest, and it works easier when a person sleeps on their right side. Doing so leads the body to become more comfortable and ensures a deeper sleep. But when a person sleeps on his left side, the heart becomes uncomfortable instead.

· The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “When anyone of you go to bed, he should dust off his bed with the end of his lower garment, for he does not know what has come on to it after him, and then he should say: 'Bismika Rabbi Wada`tu Janbi wa bika arfa'uhu, In amsakta nafsi farhamha wa in arsaltaha fahfazha bima tahfazu bihi ibadakas-salihin.’” (Bukhari, Daawat, 13)

While those who live in apartments have difficulty understanding the reason for the advice in this hadith, those who reside in rural areas where harmful bugs thrive know well the significance of checking the bed before sleep.

· Ibn Tihfah al-Ghifaari (radiyallahu anh) reported that his father said, " While I was lying on my stomach in the mosque, I felt a person moving me with his foot saying: "Allah hates this way of lying down" I looked up to find out that (the man who was speaking) was the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)." (Abu Dawud, Adab, 94)

What befits us as Muslims is to sincerely follow the advice and orders of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). For this reason, we should show the maximum effort to follow the sunnah even if it feels burdensome for our nafs. For instance, when one who sleeps face down learns of the warning mentioned in the hadith above, they should believe in it with all their heart and get accustomed to abiding by what is commanded in the Sunnah.

· Another adab in the Sunnah is to lie down in such a way that the “awrah” cannot be seen while sleeping.

The Virtue of Remembrance Before Sleep

We learn that Allah the Exalted wants us to remember Him at every moment during the day from this verse: “Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides…” (Ali Imran, 191)

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said in a hadith reported by Jabir (radiyallahu anh): “When a man enters his house or goes to bed, an angel and shaytan hasten to him. The angel says, 'Seal it with good!' The shaytan says, 'Seal it with evil.' If he praises Allah and remembers Him, he chases the shaytan away and spends the night with him guarding him.” (Bukhari, Adab, 1214)

As stated in this hadith, believers should remember Allah the Exalted when lying on their beds. We mention below some prayers and dhikrs that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would say before sleep.

Prayers and Dhikrs Before Sleep

We know the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) makes dhikr and prays constantly. It is unimaginable that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would not follow Allah’s order stated in the following verse: “O you who believe, remember Allah abundantly, and glorify Him morning and evening” (Al-Ahzab, 41-42). Confirming this, our beloved mother Aisha (radiyallahu anha) said that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would spend his day with dhikr thusly: “The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to remember Allah at all times.” (Bukhari, Adhan, 19)

In addition to dhikr, there is a prayer in almost every act the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) does during the day. We are met with the following advice in this hadith about how believers should not sleep without dhikr and prayers:

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said in a hadith reported by Abu Huraira (radiyallahu anh): “Whoever sits in a place where he does not remember Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), he will suffer loss (in Jannah); and whoever lies down (to sleep) in a place where he does not remember Allah, he will suffer sorrow (in Jannah). (Abu Dawud, Adab, 25)

Some of the dhikrs and prayers of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), who wants us to remember Allah and turn to Him by praying, are as follows (If we memorize these prayers and dhikrs and act accordingly, our nights would be enriched with prayers and dhikrs in accordance with Sunnah):

· When Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would get into bed, he would recite the prayer: “In your name, O Allah, I die and I live.” (Bukhari, 6324)

· It is narrated by Hafsa (radiyallahu anha) that when the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) wanted to lie down to sleep, he used to place his right hand under his cheek and say: O Allah, save me from Your punishment on the Day that You resurrect Your slaves. (Abu Dawud, 5045)

· Fatima (radiyallahu anha) complained about the blisters on her hand because of using a millstone. She went to ask the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) for a servant (someone to help her), but she did not find him (at home) and had to inform Aisha (radiyallahu anha) of her need. When he came, Aisha (radiyallahu anha) informed him about it. Ali (radiyallahu anh) added: The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) came to us when we had gone to our beds. When I was going to get up, he said, "'Stay in your places," and sat between us till I felt the coolness of his feet. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) continued, "Shall I not tell you of a thing which is better for you than a servant? When you (both) go to your beds, say 'Allahu Akbar' thirty-three times, and 'Subhan Allah' thirty-three times, 'Al hamdu lillah' thirty-three times, for that is better for you than a servant."

Ali (radiyallahu anh) said: “I never omitted that after I heard it from the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). A man asked: “Not even on the night of Siffeen?” Ali (radiyallahu anh) said: “Not even on the night of Siffeen.” (Bukhari, 6318)

· As narrated by our beloved mother Aisha (radiyallahu anha), Whenever the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) went to bed every night, he used to cup his hands together and blow over it after reciting surahs Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Nas, and then rub his hands over whatever parts of his body he was able to rub, starting with his head, face and front of his body. He used to do that three times. (Bukhari, 5017)

· Abu Hurayra (radiyallahu anh) narrated that a man of the Aslam tribe said: “I did not sleep last night.” The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) asked: “For what reason?” He said: “A scorpion bit me.” Then the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Had you said in the evening, 'I seek refuge with the complete words of Allah from the evil of what He has created, 'it would not have happened.” (Abu Dawud, 3899)

· Another hadith was narrated by Abu Hurayra (radiyallahu anh) as follows: “The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) appointed me to keep sadaqah (al-Fitr) of Ramadan. Then, a man showed up and started taking handfuls of the foodstuff (of sadaqah). Then, he said: ‘Whenever you go to bed, recite Ayat-al Kursi. If you do so, Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you, and no shaytan will come near you till morning” and went. When I told the circumstance to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), he said: “He really spoke the truth, although he is an absolute liar. He was Shaytan.’” (Bukhari, 2311)

In another hadith, The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) stated: “Whoever recites Ayat-al Kursi when lying down (to sleep), Allah will appoint a guard for him who will stay with him, and no shaytan will come near to him.”

· The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said in a hadith reported by Bara b. Azib (radiyallahu anh): “When you want to go to bed, perform ablution as you do for prayer, then lie down on your right side, and say: ‘O Allah, I submit myself to You, entrust my affairs to You, turn my face to You, and lay myself down depending upon You, hoping in You, and fearing You. There is no refuge and no escape except to You. I believe in Your Book (the Qur'an) that You revealed, and the Prophet whom You sent.’ If you should die, then (after reciting this) you will die on the religion of Islam.” (Bukhari, Tawhid, 34)

· Nawfal b. Ashja’i (radiyallahu anh) narrated that: “The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said to me: “Recite surah al-Kafirun and then go to sleep at its end, for it is a declaration of freedom from polytheism.” (al-Bukhari, Adabu’l-Mufrad 245)

What has been detailed so far are some of the prayers and dhikrs the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) does before bed. Those who want to expand their knowledge of dhikrs and prayers that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) practiced and taught his companions can find more information on these prayers in various sources.

Salih Selçuk