This is the continuation of the series that focuses on implementing sunnah in our lives. In the last post, we talked about the etiquette of eating. This post will look at the Sunnahs of going to sleep.
What To Recite Before Going To Sleep:
-Recite Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-Falaq, and Surah An-Nas and wipe the body. Do it three times.
-Recite Ayah Al-Kursee.
-Say the supplication for going to sleep, shared below
Hadith: Al-Bara’ bin `Azib (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) directed me thus:
“Whenever you go to bed, perform Wudu’ as you do for Salat, then (before sleeping) recite: `O Allah! I have submitted myself to You, turned myself to You, committed my affairs to You, and sought Your refuge for protection out of the desire for You and fear of You (expecting Your reward and fearing Your punishment). There is no refuge and no place of safety from You but with You. I believe in the Book You have revealed and in the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) You have sent.'”
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) added:
“If anyone recites these words and dies during the night, he will die on the true Deen, and if he remains alive till the morning, he will obtain good. And make this supplication your last words (before sleeping).” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
-Recite the Last two verses of Surah Al-Bakrah.
Etiquette of going to sleep :
-Be in a state of purity and remember Allaah before going to sleep
Hadith: Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said,
“Whoever sits in a place where he does not remember Allah (SWT), he will suffer loss and incur the displeasure of Allah; and whoever lies down (to sleep) in a place where he does not remember Allah, he will suffer sorrow and incur the displeasure of Allah.” [Abu Dawud].
-To Sleep on your right side
– Place the hand under the cheek before going to Sleep
Hadith: Hudhaifah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Whenever the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) lay down for Sleep at night, he would place his (right) hand under his (correct) cheek and supplicate:
“Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya
[O Allah, with Your Name will I die and live (wake up)].”
And when he woke up, he would supplicate:
“Al-hamdu lillahil-ladhi ahyana ba’da ma amatana, wa ilaihin-nushur
(All praise is due to Allah, Who has brought us back to life after He has caused us to die, and to Him is the return).” [Al-Bukhari].
-Dust the bed before going to sleep
-Don’t lie down on your belly/stomach before going to sleep
Hadith:
Ya’ish bin Tikhfah Al-Ghifari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: My father said:
I was lying down on my belly in the mosque when someone shook me with his foot and said,
“Lying down this way is disapproved by Allah.” I looked up and saw it was the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). [Abu Dawud].
Prophet’s (Peace be upon Him) sleeping habits:
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon Him) used to sleep sometimes on a mattress, sometimes on a leather mat, sometimes on a mat made of palm leaves, sometimes on the floor, sometimes on a bed, sometimes on the sand, and sometimes on a black cloak.
His mattress was made of leather stuffed with palm fibers. And he had a coarse woolen cloth that he would fold over twice and sleep on.
He used to sleep on a mattress and cover himself with a blanket. He said to his wives that. He used to sleep during the first part of the night and get up to pray during the last part. Sometimes he would stay up late to deal with the interests of the Muslims. His eyes were sleeping, but his heart did not. When he slept, they would not wake him up. He would be the one to wake up. When he stopped to rest at night during a journey, he would lie down on his right side, and if he stopped to rest just before dawn, he would prop his head up on his forearm, resting it in his palm. Al-Tirmidhi narrated this.
