QUESTION:
What do the scholars of the Din and the muftis of the Sacred Law state regarding the following: how many times did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ rest during the day and during the night? What was the time he chose for resting? Is it permissible if someone sleeps lying on his right but turns over during sleep and sleeps lying on his stomach?
Questioner: Abid from Sheffield, UK
ANSWER:
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
In the books of Hadīth, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ used to sleep only once during the day i.e. in the afternoon; this is known as qaylūlah (siesta).
Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates,
“أَنَّ أُمَّ سُلَيْمٍ كَانَتْ تَبْسُطُ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نِطَعًا، فَيَقِيلُ عِنْدَهَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ النِّطَعِ”
“That his mother, Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with her) used to spread out a sheet of leather for the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ on which he used to do qaylūlah.
[Sahīh al-Bukhārī, vol 4, pg 182, Hadīth 6281]
The Holy Prophet ﷺ used to rest at night after the ‘Ishā’ prayer. He ﷺ disliked being engaged in (worldly) talk after the ‘Ishā’ prayer.
[Sahīh Muslim, pg 770, Hadīth 1462]
Only these two times of resting during day and night have been recorded.
Sleeping whist lying on the right side is Sunnah and lying on the stomach has been warned against in Hadīth. However, there is no problem if someone turns over during sleep and lies on his stomach.
It is mentioned in Shamā’il Tirmidhī that when the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ went to bed, he ﷺ would keep his right hand under his right cheek.
[Shamā’il al-Tirmidhī, vol 5, pg 549, Hadīth 253]
Sayyidunā Abū Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when he was once lying down on his stomach, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ was passing by him. He ﷺ touched him with his blessed foot and said, “O Jundub (This is the name of Sayyidunā Abū Dharr)! This is the way the dwellers of Hellfire lay down.”
[Sunan Ibn Mājah, vol 4, pg 214, Hadīth 3724]
The author of Bahār-e-Sharī’at states that this means that the disbelievers lay down in this manner or the people of Hellfire will lay down in this manner.
[Bahār-e-Sharī’at, vol 3, part 16, pg 434]
واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by the SeekersPath Team
Read the original Urdu answer here – [Q-ID0359] What are the sunnah times of sleeping? Is it okay to sleep lying on the stomach?
Also see:
[Q-ID0414] If I missed Fajr prayer due to sleep, do I make it up as soon as I wake up?
