What does Islam and Quraan says about Sleep at night.?
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Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
Afzalussalaam
to the respected Forum Members.
Kindly
illustrate. What does Islam and Quraan says about Sleep at night.? When and
what time a Muslim beliver should go to bed at night ?.What time our beloved
holi prophet used to go to bed at night ?. In the age of today,our fellows
brther n sister go to bed almost after mid night + without no valid reason and
get up next morning after sun rise.your fruitfull comments highly appriciated. Hope
I may get response very soon.Eagerly awaiting , With regards from continue
reader.
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Answer:
Best time to sleep at night
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask
for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever
He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that
there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Your Question: What
does Islam and Quraan says about Sleep at night.?
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah
Furqaan verse 47:
47 And He it is Who makes the night as a ‘robe’ for you; and sleep as ‘repose’,
and makes the day (as if) a Resurrection.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah
Zumar verse 42:
42 It is Allah that takes the souls at death: and those that die not
(He takes their souls) during their sleep: those on whom He has passed the Decree
of death He keeps back (their souls from returning to their bodies); but the
rest He sends (their souls back to their bodies) for a term appointed. Verily in this are Signs for those who
reflect.
Hudhaifah and Abu Dharr reported that when
the Prophet (saws) went to bed, he (saws) would say, "O Allah, by Your Name
I live and die." And when he (saws) woke up he (saws) said, "Praise
be to Allah Who gave us life (awakeness) after death (sleep), and to Him is the
return."
The Prophet (saws) instructed his companions
that when they go to bed they should supplicate, "In Your Name, O Lord, I
lay myself down to sleep. And by Your leave I raise myself up. So if You take
away my soul during sleep (and keep it, ie. bestow death), forgive it; and if
You return it back after my sleep, protect it just as You protect Your pious
servants."
Your Questions: When
and what time a Muslim beliver should go to bed at night ?.What time our
beloved holi prophet used to go to bed at night ?.
Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.88
One should not sleep before the night (Isha)
prayer, nor have unnecessary discussions after it. Abu Barza al-Aslami related that the Prophet (saws) loved to delay
the night (Isha) prayer, and he (saws) hated sleeping before it, and (unnecessary)
talking or discussions after it."
Related by Bukhari and Muslim.
Ibn Mas'ud reported, "The Messenger of
Allah (saws) ordered us not to talk (unnecessarily) after the night (Isha)
prayer." (Related by Ibn Majah.)
The wisdom behind this recommendation to sleep soon after
the Isha prayers are offered are: unnecessary talking or discussions or
socializing after Isha time would cause one to misappropriate a time from which
one could greatly benefit, ie. spending time with one’s wife, the voluntary
night prayers of tahajjud, or even miss one’s obligatory fajr prayers.
Said Ibn 'Umar, "The Prophet would
discuss with Abu Bakr some of the affairs of the Muslims during the night, and
I was with him."
Related by Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi.
Reported Ibn 'Abbas, "I slept in the
home of Maimunah (the wife of the Prophet (saws)) one night when the Prophet
(saws) was there. I watched to see how the Prophet (saws) prayed during the
night. He (saws) talked with his wife for a while and then slept."
Related by Muslim.
The absolute majority of the scholars and jurists of Islam
are of the opinion that the guidance to go to sleep as early as possible after
Isha prayers is one of preference and recommendation rather than of absolute
forbiddance. If one delays one’s sleep after Isha due to the discussion of a
beneficial matter, or for the Cause of Allah, then it is not disliked.
Thus in conclusion, it is highly recommended and preferred
that unless one is held or delayed by some genuine need or doing something to
further the Cause of Islam, a believer should aim to retire to bed soon after
one has offered their obligatory Isha prayers.
Your Statement: In
the age of today,our fellows brther n sister go to bed almost after mid night +
without no valid reason and get up next morning after sun rise.
Beloved brother, your observation unfortunately is indeed
absolutely correct, and if one were to say today that they sleep soon after
Isha time, they would indeed sound strange in this day and age!!!
Sahih Muslim Hadith 270 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah
The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘Islam
started as something strange, and it would revert to its (old position) of
being strange! So good tidings for the strangers!”
For those fortunate believers who truly comprehend the
guidance of Allah and His Messenger (saws), who realize the tremendous value of
worshipping at night, who realize the merits of sleeping early so that they may
wake up in a portion of the night to remember and worship their Lord at
‘tahajjud’, who realize the rewards of attending their ‘fajr’ prayers in
congregation, etc……to such ‘strangers’ are reserved the good tidings from their
Lord Most Merciful.
Abu Hurairah reports that the Messenger of
Allah (saws) said: "Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven during
the last third of the night, inquiring: 'Who will call on Me so that I
may respond to him? Who is asking something of Me so I may give it to him? Who
is asking for My forgiveness so I may forgive him?"'
Related by Bukhari and Muslim.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to
Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan