Sleep is one of the remedies for the body. Allaah says in the holy Qur’an “Allaah is so great that he made night for you so that you may take rest ( that is to say take rest during the night hours) so that you are able to keep yourself healthy and able to worship your master”.
Importance
A scholar jalinoos is of the opinion that sleep digests food and removes abscess of the abdomen. But excessive sleep causes weakness and lethargy.
Among the evil of excessive sleep is that it cause it companion to be raised poor on the day of reckoning.
The learned scholars have forbidden sleep on some certain period: morning ( around 8- 10 am) and evening period ( after maghrib). Morning sleeps weakens the body and Disturbs the mind. But noon rest is necessary for it has the tradition of the prophet SAW. It energizes the mind, sharpens the intelligence.
There are four types of sleep:
- Flat on the back.
2. On the right side
3. On the left side
4. On the belly and face.
Sleep flat on the back had been the prophet’s tradition. Sleep on the right side is the tradition of the learned scholars, sleep on the left side is the way of the rich people ( it digests food well). Sleep on face is the devil’s way. He who has eaten much must sleep alittle while on the right then turn on the left side. This will digest food well.
A great scholar named Shaykh ‘Urrais writes that excessive sleep during the day hours wakes up the dead diseases i.e deadly diseases. This hardens the spleen, blackens the complexion . But it does not harm a little noon sleep according to the holy tradition. This sharpens the mind and wisdom.
Sleepless night causes indigestion, weakens the brain, dries up the body and ultimately turns mad. This is one the reason the prophet SAW forbids one of his companions(‘Uthmaan BN Matin) to keep awake the whole of the night telling him that his body has a right on him.
He also said that it was not proper for him to sleep the whole of the night. He instructed him to wake up before it was morning for the devil makes water into ear of one who sleep the whole of the night.
The following are the prayers to be said when we want to sleep:
اللهم بسمك أموت و أحيا
ثم اقرا
سورة الإخلاص،الفلاق و الناس
آية الكرسي و آيتان أخران في سورة البقرة.
والله اعلم.
