The Insanity of the Sane

The Sunnah of the Prophet

Fluctuate time of ‘Isha: The Prophet would fluctuate the time of ‘Isha, he would not pray it at the same time everyday

Sleep after ‘Isha: After praying ‘Isha he would go to sleep straight away

Make wudhu before you sleep: The Prophet said: When you go to bed, do wudu as for prayer [Sahih Bukhari and Muslim]

Sleeping on the right hand side: The Prophet used to sleep on his right side, putting his right hand under his right cheek.

Recite: When you go to bed, recite Ayatul kursi.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah entrusted me with the task of looking after the Zakat of Ramadan. Someone came to me and started to scatter the food about, so I grabbed hold of him and said, ‘I will take you to the Messenger of Allah!’… He (that intruder) said: ‘When you go to your bed, recite Aayat al-Kursi, then there will stay with you a protector from Allah, and no shaytan (devil) will approach you until morning comes.’ The Prophet said, ‘He spoke the truth even though he is a liar; that was a shaytan.’” [Sahih Bukhari]

As well as this recite Surah an Naas, al Falaq and al Ikhlas

It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that when the Prophet went to bed every night, he would hold his hands together and blow into them, and recite into them Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad, Qul a’oodhu bi rabb il-falaq and Qul a’oodhu bi rabb il-naas. Then he would wipe them over whatever he could of his body, starting with his head and face and the front of his body, and he would do that three times. [Sahih Bukhari]

Make tasbih when you lay down – Subhan’Allah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar.

Last words: Ibn al Qayyim in at Tibb an Nabawi said: In the two books of the Sahih from al Baraa’ bin Aazib, the Messenger of Allah said: ‘When you go to sleep make you wudu as for prayer, then lie down upon your right side. Then say “O Allah! I submit my soul to You and I turn my face towards You and I have entrusted my affair to You, I take You as my support, in longing and in fear towards You. I can go to none but You for refuge, nor escape from You. I believe in Your Book which You have revealed and Your Prophet whom You have sent.” Make these you last words. If you should die that night, then you die in the original natural state.’

Delay your witr until end of qiyam. The Prophet said: “Make the last of your prayer at night witr.” [Sahih Bukhari and Muslim]

Sleep before fajr. The prophet would pray qiyam al layl, sleep for an hour and then wake up for salat al fajr

Use of miswak before salah: When the Prophet woke up for fajr he would use miswak. It is also reported in a hadith that the Prophet said, “If it had not been a great burden on my Ummah, I would have ordered them to use miswak at every wudu”

Staying awake after fajr: It is the Sunnah of the Prophet to stay awake after fajr until after the sun has risen. There is great blessing in the morning as it is reported in the hadeeth of Sakhr al-Ghaamidi, who said: “The Messenger of Allah said: “O Allah, bless my Ummah in the mornings.’ Whenever he sent out troops or an army, he would send them at the beginning of the day.’” Sakhr was a trader, and he used to send out his caravans at the beginning of the day, and he did well as a result and made money.” [Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah]

The sleep of the midday: It is Sunnah to sleep between the time of dhuhr and asr

The Disliked Acts (Mukhruaat)

Sleeping in the morning: It is disliked for a person to be asleep in the morning as this is a time of blessing (see above)

To sleep on the stomach. Narrated by Abu Harrairah, the Prophet saw someone sleeping on their stomach and said, this is a reclining that is not like by Allah [Musnad Imam Ahmad]

Sinning affects sleep: Qiyam al layl can be denied to us for some sins we committed

To sleep after ‘Asr: Ibn al Qayyim in at Tibb an Nabawi said: One of the Salaf said, “Those who sleep after ‘Asr and lose their minds should only blame themselves.”

Travelling: Person shouldn’t spend excessive time on the road. The Prophet said that travelling is torture because it disturbs a person’s sleep, disturbs their eating and disturbs their drinking. So when one of you fulfils his job then hurry up to their families

Speaking after ‘Isha: The Messenger of Allah used to dislike sleeping before ‘Isha and speaking afterwards. [Sahih Bukhari and Muslim]

 

References:

In the Middle of the Night by Muhammad al Shareef

The Prophetic Medicine by Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyya. Translated by Penelope Johnstone

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