Attitude at sleep determines the altitude of life!

Prophet Muhammad sal-lal-laahu-alaihi-wa-sallam was a man of perfect words. He used to speak in crystal clear terms. Whether it was a private interaction or a public speech, he was amazing in the choice of words. And how can it not be when he was blessed with the Jawami-ul Kalim, the comprehensive speech. The world has no choice but to agree that our glorious Prophet sal-lal-laahu-alaihi-wa-sallam was the man with words of surgical precision. Subhanallaah!

This not-so-popular-du’aa is comprehensive. It packs in it all elements of Islamic belief and practice: Tawheed, Risalah and Aakhirah apart from highlighting the aadaab and akhlaaq that a true Muslim must have.

Words spoken by a person reveals his personality. Read this hadeeth and make it a daily habit to supplicate with this du’aa while you go to sleep. For this du’aa determines one’s standard of living. And dying! 

There can’t be any precise words other than this amazing du’aa taught by our glorious Prophet Sal-lal-laahu-alaihi-wa-sallam:

وعن أَبي هريرة قَالَ : قَالَ رسولُ الله : « إِذَا أَوَى أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ فَليَنْفُضْ فِرَاشَهُ بِدَاخِلَةِ إزَارِهِ فإنَّهُ لا يَدْرِي مَا خَلَفَهُ عَلَيْهِ ، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ : بِاسمِكَ رَبِّي وَضَعْتُ جَنْبي ، وَبِكَ أرْفَعُهُ ، إنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا ، وَإنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا ، فاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ » . متفق عَلَيْهِ

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (sal-lal-laahu-alaihi-wa-sallam) said,

“When any of you goes to bed, he should shake off (or dust off) his bed because he does not know what might have fallen on it after he had left it. Then he should recite: ‘Bismika Rabbi wadha’tu janbi, wa bika arfa’uhu, in amsakta nafsi farhamha, wa in arsaltaha fahfazha bima tahfazu bihi ‘ibadakas-saliheen’.

With Your Name, my Lord, I place my side (upon the bed) and with Your Grace I will raise it up. If You withhold my soul (cause me to die), have mercy on it but if You let it go (let me live), guard it against which You guarded Your pious slaves.” Sahih Bukhari and Muslim (Riyadhus-Saliheen)

These words, brothers and sisters, are so touching provided you make the du’aa with understanding and presence of mind.

In this simple but splendid du’aa, a Muslim accepts and proclaims great things:

1. By telling that you are lying on your bed for going to sleep in His Name, you are reminding yourself that you have not forgotten your Maker. This attitude makes you shun evil even in the darkness of night!

2. You are acknowledging the fact that you will get up after sleeping only through your Creator’s Grace. So you accept that you have no control over your sleeping and waking up. This attitude makes a Muslim humble, not arrogant.

3. You are aware of the fact that death can come to you even while sleeping. So you are mentally prepared to meet your Lord. A Muslim with this attitude will definitely seek forgiveness for his sins while retiring to bed.

4. You are pleading to your Lord for His Rahmah should He end your life while you are asleep. This approach motivates a Muslim to be kind and merciful with others when he actually gets up in the morn.

5. Hoping that you will get up in the morning, you plead to your Lord to protect you and your soul against evil and harmful things. This approach leads a Muslim to avoid harming others thus giving the proof that he is as his faith is. 

6. You are appreciating the worth of your pious predecessors by revealing your intention to Allah that He should treat you as He treated them, the Saliheen. In doing so, you are are not only expressing your inclination towards good but you are also making a solemn commitment to be like the saliheen.

7. By remembering Allah at the end of the day, you are giving witness – shahadah – that Allah alone is the Controller of your life and death. This attitude makes a Muslim bold and courageous as he understands that none except Allah can help or harm him, and so why fear anyone other than Allah!

And if a Muslim develops a habit to call upon Allah through this du’aa every time while going to sleep, he will try to be good in life bi’ithnillaah. For one who says such a conscious and an amazing du’aa at rest time when he is tired after a day’s work, cannot lead an evil life.

Consciousness at sleep time leads to super consciousness at work! 

There is so much depth in this du’aa and you thought that it is just a ritual of Islam!!

Jazakallaahu Khayra for reading this post.

Related Post: Some Facts About Sleep