MANNERS OF SLEEPING

Sleep has two major benefits to offer: sleep confers rest, comfort and peace upon one who enjoys it, for when someone suffers from complete exhaustion, only sleep can restore his lost energy and freshness. It gives perfect peace and rest to all organs and thus fatigue takes leave. Secondly sleep helps in digestion food. During sleep natural heat of the body goes into stomach and helps digestive system. It is because of this the body of the sleeping person becomes cold and needs some cover.

The best sleep starts with sleeping on the right side, because sleeping in this style makes food stay in the stomach properly. Since the stomach is generally inclined towards the left side this sleeping posture is the most suitable. However one should adopt the left posture after a while so that digestive system works rapidly; because stomach is bowing towards the liver. 

Sleeping on the left side for a longer period causes harm, for the whole system turns towards the heart during sleep and it has to undergo undue pressure. 

However, the Prophet of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would take sleep according to need. When overpowered by sleep, he would lie on his bed on his right side with his hand under his cheek. But he never felt sleepy due to over-eating because it was against his nature. 

Moreover, he never slept on the ground or on the high cushion. He generally used leather bedding filled with date tissues. Sometimes he used pillow and at times he used his hand in place of pillow.

The Worse type of sleeping is on the backside. One may lie down in this style for some rest, but sleeping it is harmful. Sleeping with face down is the worst of all. “Abu Amama is being quoted in Musnad Ahmad and Ibn Majah as saying: “The Prophet of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying, for it is the sleeping style of the people of Hell.”

Sleeping in the day is generally harmful. It affects complexion adversely. Loosens the nervous system, creates tethargy and hampers sexual potency. However sleeping in the day during summer is permissible. Good habit of sleeping is sleeping during the summer days, and the “Prophet of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) practiced it”.

Sahihain Hadith reports that from Bra’a bin Aazib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “ when you are about to go to bed, perform wudu (ablution)like the wudu (ablution)of salaat and then invoke the following after lying your right side………..” 

Q what is Wudu?

A. Wudu means Ablution, to secure cleanness from the Minor Invisible Uncleanness. This is mandatory before every daily prayer.

Since sleep and death are very close to one another and are called sisters. Hence sleeping person is like a dead person! Thus he requires protection and safeguards while asleep. He wants to be well-guarded from all dangers and calamities. But only Allah (God) can protect him from any untowards incidents and accidents. He is the only guide, Guard, Supervisor, and Protector, Refuge and Shelter.