The Prophet (pbuh) had a rest in the afternoon.

The Prophet (pbuh) had a rest in the afternoon.

Hz. Prophet (pbuh) slept a bit (qaylula) after performing the noon prayer. As a matter of fact, it is narrated that the Prophet mentioned qaylula as "a nice custom" (Daylami,  IV, 266) and that he sometimes had a short sleep (qaylula) in the houses of his relatives like Umm Haram, his maternal aunt and Umm Sulaym, the mother of Anas. (Ibn Hajar, Fathul-Bari, XI, 72)

The Messenger of Allah also advised those who allocated some part of the night for worshipping to make qaylula during the day in order to be strong at night. (Ibn Majah, Siyam, 22)

The Prophet would sleep after the night prayr (isha) and wake up at night to perform witr prayer.

As a matter of fact, he stated the following in a hadith narrated from Jabir:

“He who amongst you is afraid that he may not be able to get up at the end of the night should observe witr in the first part and then sleep, and he who is confident of getting up and praying at night (i. e. tahajjud prayer) should observe it at the end of it; for, the recitation at the end of the night is witnessed by angels, and that is better.”  (Muslim, Musafirin 162  163)

Hz. Prophet would go home after performing the night prayer in the mosque; his wives would also leave and rest. He did not like spending time talking after the night prayer; he would perform the night prayer on time and go to his room; he would read the Quran before sleeping. (He would usually read one of these chapters: al-Isra, az-Zumar, al-Hadid, al-Hashr, at-Taghabun, al-Jumu'a.)

According to Tirmidhi’s Shamail, the Prophet (pbuh) would say, "O Allah! I die with your name and live with your name" before going to bed and "Praise be to Allah, who made us live after killing us" when he woke up.

Hz. Prophet would wake up in the middle of the night or after two thirds of the night passed, rub his teeth with the miswak, which he kept near his cushion, make wudu and worship Allah.

His Worshipping at Night

Hz. Aisha narrates:

"The Messenger of Allah would stand until his feet swelled and worship at night. I said to him,

‘Why do you worship so much though your previous and future sins were forgiven?’ He said,

‘Shall I not be a slave who thanks?’" (Bukhari, Tahajjud, 6; Tirmidhi, Salah, 187)

Hz. Prophet (pbuh) never abandoned tahajjud prayer since it was wajib for him. When he worshipped and made dhikr, he advised his ummah to do so too.

As a matter of fact, the following is stated in a hadith:

"Satan puts three knots at the back of the head of any of you if he is asleep. On every knot he reads and exhales the following words, 'The night is long; so, stay asleep.' When he wakes up and remembers Allah, one knot is undone; and when one performs ablution, the second knot is undone, and when one prays the third knot is undone and one gets up energetic with a good heart in the morning; otherwise one gets up lazy and with a mischievous heart." (Bukhari, Tahajjud, 12)

The following is stated in another hadith:

"There is a time at night; if a Muslim wants a good thing from Allah related to worldly or otherworldly affairs at that time, he is definitely given what he wants. This takes place every night." (see Riyadus-Salihin, 1175)

After performing tahajjud prayer, the Prophet (pbuh) would get ready for the morning prayer, perform the Sunnah of the morning prayer in his room and go to the mosque in order to perform the morning prayer in congregation

HOW THE PROPHET (PBUH) SLEPT

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would put his blessed right hand under his blessed right cheek. He would lie on his blessed right side facing the Qibla.

Supplication Before Sleeping:

Hudhayfa (may Allah be pleased with him) states that, before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went to sleep he would place his right hand under his cheek and pray this supplication:

‘Alla-humma Bis-mika Amu-tu Wa-Ahya’

‘O Allah (The Exalted) with Your name I die and I live’.

Respected brothers/sisters of Islam! Before going to sleep we should think of the sins we may have done and try our best not to do these again, repent and ask for Allah’s guidance. If you want to spend your night in worship then sleep the way our beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) slept and offer Fajr Salaah with congregation. You will surely gain the reward of worshiping all night even though you were sleeping.

Manners of Sleeping

1. One should recite ‘Bismillah’ whilst closing the doors and latching the lock.

2. Containers with foodstuff including water should be covered with the recitation of ‘Bismillah’.

3. To put out any burning fire i.e. candles, fireplace etc..

4. To switch off or put out anything that may catch alight if left on.

5. To discuss, with members of the household, matters relating to Islam. For example, by telling stories (of Sahabas, etc.) or simply talking about matters that pleases the    family but within the confines of Shariah.

6. To have available Surma and apply three times in the right and left eye.

7. It is desirable (Mustahab) to sleep with wudhu the Sunnah way.

8. To sleep in the state of purity, (i.e. with Wudhu and Ghusl if necessary)

9. To lay or spread the bed yourself.

10. To clean the bed three times with a cloth before sleeping.

11. When a child reaches the age of ten, he must not sleep in the same room as his sister, mother or another woman except his wife.

12. For two men to sleep on one bed or in one blanket is not permissible, it has been prohibited in the hadith.

13. A child of ten must not sleep in the same bed as the husband and wife.

14. The feet should not be facing towards Makkah or Madinah.

15. Before sleeping recite ‘Bismillah’ and the three Quls , and thereafter to blow on the palms and rub three times on one’s entire body ‘ beginning from the head and ending at the toes.

16. To use a pillow is Sunnah (to rest one’s head on).

17. The Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) disliked lying on the stomach.

18. Do not have your feet facing the Qur’an or other religious books and if the books are higher than the feet there is no problem.

19. To recite any Surah from the Qur’an one remembers, especially Surah Mulk , Surah Sajdah , Surah Bani Israeel and Surah Zumar .

20. To recite Surah Waaqi’ah before sleeping as this safeguards one from hunger and poverty.

21. To recite Tasbih-e-Fatima and Kalimah Tayyab once, before sleeping.

22. To keep a prayer mat for the Tahajjud prayer besides the head is a Sunnah.

23. When going to sleep, remember your grave as you will be sleeping on your own with your deeds and no one will be there with you.

24. Remember Allah (The Exalted) because the state a person sleeps in is the state in which one will wake up.

25. Do not sleep after ‘Asr as there is a chance of loosing the intellect and it is disliked (Makrooh) to sleep in the beginning part of the morning and between Maghrib and Isha.