15 Things to Do Before Sleeping in Islam According to Sunnah

Review by : Yuli SE., MM

Indeed Allah SWT has created the night and days to give us the time to rest our body. When are working so hard for our lives during the day, night has come for us to recharge the energy and working even harder the next day. But often we feel instead of feeling refreshed after sleep, we feel all of our body aching. It could be because we have the wrong position in sleep, or because we haven’t done several things that the Prophet (SAW) used to do in the past.

Here are the things to do before sleeping in Islam according to Sunnah:

1. Take Wudu’ Before Sleeping

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had never go to sleep without taking wudu.

“Purify these bodies and Allah will purify you, for any slave who goes to sleep in a state of purity has an Angel that spends the night with him. Every time he turns over, [the Angel] says, ‘O Allah! Forgive Your slave, for he went to bed in a state of purity.’” – Tabarani

Also read: How to Deal with False Accusations in Islam

2. Dust the Bed Three Times with the Blanket

After sleeping from the night before, we left many dead cells in the bed. However it accumulates as the days passed. Dusting the bed three times will get rid of that dead cells.

“Whoever goes to his bed, he should dust his bed three times, because he doesn’t know what was left behind….”.

3. Recite Certain Surah

There are many surah to be read before sleeping: last two verses of Al Baqara, Al Mulk, and Al Kafiroon.

Abu Mas’ud Al-Badri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, “He who recites the two Ayat at the end of Surat Al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice him.” – Bukhari and Muslim

Also read: Prohibition of Sleep After Fajr Prayer

4. Reciting Three Quls

The three quls are the last three surah in the Quran.

It was narrated from Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that when the Prophet (ﷺ) went to bed every night, he would hold his hands together and blow into them, and recite into them Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad, Qul a’oodhu bi rabb il-falaq and Qul a’oodhu bi rabb il-naas. Then he would wipe them over whatever he could of his body, starting with his head and face and the front of his body, and he would do that three times. – Bukhari

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5. Recite Ayat Al Kursy

Even when we are sleeping, Shaytaan will still whispering evil to us and often causing us to have bad dreams. But if we read the Ayat al Kursy before sleeping, Allah will send 10 of His angels to come down to earth to protect us. They will not leave our side until the next morning when we wake up.

Also read: Ways How The Prophet Sleep Muslim Should Know

6. Do Dhikr Before Sleeping

Dhikr is a way for us to always remember Allah SWT. It’s how we stay connected to Him wherever and whenever. Do simple dhikr as following: 33 times Subhanallah, 33 times Alhamdulillah, 33 times Allahuakbar every night before going to sleep.

7. Facing the Qibla Before Sleeping

According to the Prophet (SAW) habit, he used to sleep on his right side while facing Qibla. It actually similar with the position of the deceased inside the grave. In islam, sleeping is similar to temporary death.

8. Have Intention to Wake Up in the Night

Every night before going to sleep, have the intention to wake up at the third half of the night to perform the night prayers. Even when later deep in sleep and unable to wake up, we still gain the rewards as if qe really did the night prayers.

The Sleeping Rules in Islam

There are no certain sleeping rules to follow. But there are certain habits that the Prophet did when sleeping which every believers should follow. Here are some of the rules:

1. Don’t Sleep After Fajr

The Prophet (SAW) never sleep after Fajr since it’s the best time to start activities and make a living. After Fajr the Angles are coming down to the earth to allot the blessing from Allah SWT. But there’re also tolerance to sleep after Fajr for those who have stayed all night working.

2. Sleeping Early in the Night

One of the good habit that the Prophet (SAW) always did was sleeping as soon as he finished Isya’ prayer. By sleeping early, it will be easier for us to wake up at the third half of the night to perform the Tahajjud prayers. There are also benefits from sleeping early because it’s good for health.

3. Sleeping on the Right Side

The Prophet (SAW) always sleep on his right side. Not only right side is better than the left in Islam, it’s beneficial for the health too. Sleeping that way can reduce the risk of the heart disease and many other parts of the body.

4. Place Your Palm Hand Under the Right Cheek

After positioning the body laying on the right side, the next is placing the palm under the right cheek. It can prevent us from having neck cramps in the morning. The wrong position while sleeping could lead to muscle pain.

5. Straighten Your Back and Bend the Feet a Little

There are also one position of sleeping that the Prophet (SAW) always did: straighten the back and bending the feet a little. Once again the position is beneficial for the health, to make the stomach muscle relaxed and rest.

Those are all things to do before sleeping in Islam. Indeed, all the things that the Prophet (SAW) has never wrong and it’s good for us to follow what he did in the past. It’s good for our health as well.

Indah Ariviani