Sleeping Habits of the Prophet Muhammad

How Did the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) Sleep?

When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) intended to sleep, he would take the bed he wanted to sleep on and shake it three times on the side next to his body. It is reported from Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet said: "When any of you goes to bed, let him take the inside of his garment and shake his bed with it, saying the name of Allah, for he does not know what might have come onto it after he left it. When he lies down, let him lie on his right side and say: 'Glory be to You, O Allah, my Lord. I lay my side with Your name, and I raise it with Your name. If You take my soul, forgive it, and if You send it back, protect it as You protect Your righteous servants'".

It is also known from his habits that he placed his right hand under his cheek and faced the Qibla while sleeping.

He used to sleep at the beginning of the night and wake up at the end. Before sleeping, he would recite the supplication for sleep, and upon waking, he would recite the supplication for waking up. When he went to bed, he would cup his hands, blow into them, recite Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Nas, then wipe his hands over his body, starting with his head and then whatever he could reach of his body. He did this three times. His pillow was made of leather stuffed with palm fibers, as was his mattress.

Additionally, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) asked him: "O Messenger of Allah, do you sleep before praying Witr?" He replied: "O Aisha, my eyes sleep, but my heart does not".

It is also narrated from Al-Bara bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet, after lying down on his right side, would say: "O Allah, I submit my soul to You, I turn my face to You, I entrust my affairs to You, and I rely on You out of desire for and fear of You. There is no refuge and no escape from You except to You. I believe in Your Book which You have revealed, and in Your Prophet whom You have sent". The Prophet said: "Whoever says this and dies in their sleep has died upon the natural faith (Fitra)".

The Sleeping Schedule of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would sleep at the beginning of the night after performing the Isha prayer. He would then wake up at the start of the second half of the night to pray for one-third of the night and sleep for the remaining sixth of the night. Ibn al-Qayyim described the Prophet's sleep in his book Zad al-Ma'ad as being the most beneficial for the body. The Prophet also used to take a nap (Qailulah) during the midday, a practice that his companions emulated. The Prophet disliked sleeping before Isha (after Maghrib) and also discouraged sleeping during the day except for the Qailulah. It was not customary for the Prophet to sleep after Fajr, but if it was difficult for a Muslim to stay awake after Fajr, it was permissible to sleep to regain strength for daily activities.

There is a clear directive in the Hadith against sleeping before Isha and engaging in conversation after it. Abu Barza (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah said: "He disliked sleeping before it (Isha) and talking after it". Allah Almighty says: "O you who believe, let those whom your right hands possess and those among you who have not yet reached puberty ask your permission (before entering) at three times: before the dawn prayer, when you put aside your clothing (for rest) at noon, and after the night prayer. These are three times of privacy for you. Outside these times, there is no sin on you or them to move about, attending to each other. Thus, Allah makes the verses clear to you. And Allah is Knowing and Wise" (Quran 24:58). This verse indicates that the time for sleep begins after the Isha prayer, as people would prepare for sleep at that time during the Prophet’s era, and Islam affirmed this practice.

Exceptions to the prohibition of staying up after Isha include traveling, praying, or attending to the affairs of the Muslim community. The Prophet said: "There is no staying up after Isha except for a praying person or a traveler". Umar ibn al-Khattab mentioned that he used to stay up with the Prophet and Abu Bakr to manage the affairs of the Muslims.

The Bed of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) avoided sleeping on a soft bed as it prevented him from waking up for night prayers. When Hafsa was asked about the Prophet’s bed, she described it as rough and made of wool, folded in two layers for him to sleep on. One day, they folded it into four layers, making it softer, and the Prophet slept on it. The next morning, he asked about the change in his bed, and when informed that it had been folded into four layers, he requested it be returned to its original state because it had hindered him from waking up for night prayers.

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) described the Prophet's bed, saying: "The bed of the Prophet (peace be upon him) on which he slept was a leather mat stuffed with palm fibers," meaning it was made from camel leather and stuffed with palm fibers, not cotton.

In his book Zad al-Ma'ad, Ibn al-Qayyim described what the Prophet used to sleep on: he would sleep on a bed, a leather mat, a mat made of palm fibers, on the ground, on a bedstead, and on a black cloak. This indicates that he varied what he slept on.

One day, a group of companions visited the Prophet, including Omar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). Umar saw that the Prophet’s bed had left marks on his side, so he wept. The Prophet asked why he was crying, and Umar replied, "By Allah, I know you are more honored by Allah than Khosrau and Caesar, and they live in luxury while you are in this state". The Prophet responded: "Are you not satisfied that they have this world and we have the Hereafter?" Umar replied, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah". The Prophet said, "That is how it is".