Is It Haram To Sleep On Your Stomach?
People ask if “Is it haram to sleep on your stomach”? Many Islamic scholars recommend Muslims avoid sleeping on their stomachs unless they have a solid medical reason to. Others say that it’s okay to sleep on your stomach so it’s an issue of dispute among scholars.
Is It Haram To Sleep On Your Stomach?
Whether sleeping on your stomach is haram or not is an issue of a dispute as scholars differ on this topic. There is a hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that shows us that sleeping on your stomach is prohibited in Islam.
Some scholars say that this hadith is authentic while others don’t believe that it’s not.
The hadith is rejected by Ibn Abi Hatim, Ad-Daraqutni, Imam Abu Ishaq Al-Harbi, and Imam Al-Bukhari.
Imam Al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned it in his At-Tarikh Al-Kabir and declared that it is not authentic.
Ya’eesh ibn Tihfah al-Ghifaari reported that his father said:
“I stayed as a guest with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with those of the poor whom he hosted. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came out in the night to check up on his guests, and saw me lying on my stomach. He prodded me with his foot and said, ‘Do not lie in this manner, for it is a way of lying that Allaah hates.’”
[source]
In another hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) woke up the companion who was sleeping:
“Do not lie like this, for this is how the people of Hell lie.”
[al-Tirmidhi]
Although the hadiths are not authentic, even then the scholars ask Muslims to avoid sleeping on their stomachs except if there is a genuine reason and consider sleeping on stomach makruh (not suggested).
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What Are The Rules Of Sleeping In Islam?
Islam believes sleep is one of the signs of the supremacy of Allah and invites followers to examine this important sign. The Quran explains the positive effects of sleep and underlines the need of keeping a schedule of light and darkness.
Allah says:
And one of His signs is your sleep by night and by day ˹for rest˺ as well as your seeking His bounty ˹in both˺. Surely in this are signs for people who listen.
[Quran 30:23]
There are several Muslim sleep rituals that Muslims aim to follow in order to reflect the Prophet’s habit (peace be upon him).
Sleep Early After Isha
The Prophet (peace be upon him) advised his companions not to engage in any activity after Isha prayer and sleep early.
Perform Wudu Before Sleep
Narrated Al-Bara ‘bin `Azib:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said to me, “Whenever you go to bed perform ablution like that for the prayer, lie or your right side and say,
“Allahumma aslamtu wajhi ilaika, wa fauwadtu `Amri ilaika, wa alja’tu Zahri ilaika raghbatan wa rahbatan ilaika. La Malja’a wa la manja minka illa ilaika. Allahumma amantu bikitabika-l-ladhi anzalta wa bina-biyika-l ladhi arsalta”
(O Allah! I surrender to You and entrust all my affairs to You and depend upon You for Your Blessings both with hope and fear of You. There is no fleeing from You, and there is no place of protection and safety except with You O Allah! I believe in Your Book (the Qur’an) which You have revealed and in Your Prophet (Muhammad) whom You have sent).
Then if you die on that very night, you will die with faith (i.e. or the religion of Islam). Let the aforesaid words be your last utterance (before sleep).”
I repeated it before the Prophet (ﷺ) and when I reached “Allahumma amantu bikitabika-l-ladhi anzalta (O Allah I believe in Your Book which You have revealed).” I said, “Wa-rasulika (and your Apostle).” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “No, (but say): ‘Wanabiyika-l-ladhi arsalta (Your Prophet whom You have sent), instead.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 247]
Reciting Surah Ikhlas, Falaq, And An-Nas Before Sleep
At night, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would seek protection from Satan by reciting Al-Mu’awwidhatan (both Surah Falaq and Surah Nas) and reading Surah Ikhlas.
Narrated ‘Aisha:
Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) went to bed every night, he used to cup his hands together and blow over it after reciting Surat Al-Ikhlas, Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas, and then rub his hands over whatever parts of his body he was able to rub, starting with his head, face and front of his body. He used to do that three times.
[Sahih al-Bukhari 5017]
Cleaning Bed Sheets Before Sleep
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “When anyone of you go to bed, he should shake out his bed with the inside of his waist sheet, for he does not know what has come on to it after him, and then he should say:
‘Bismika Rabbi Wada`tu Janbi wa bika arfa’uhu, In amsakta nafsi farhamha wa in arsaltaha fahfazha bima tahfazu bihi ibadakas-salihin.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 6320]
Dhikr Before Sleep
Narrated `Ali bin Abi Talib:
Fatima came to the Prophet (ﷺ) asking for a servant. He said, “May I inform you of something better than that? When you go to bed, recite “Subhan Allah’ thirty three times, ‘Al hamduli l-lah’ thirty three times, and ‘Allahu Akbar’ thirty four times. `Ali added, ‘I have never failed to recite it ever since.” Somebody asked, “Even on the night of the battle of Siffin?” He said, “Even on the night of the battle of Siffin.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 5362]
Sleeping With Hand Under The Cheek
Narrated Hudhaifa:
When the Prophet (ﷺ) went to bed at night, he would put his hand under his cheek and then say, “Allahumma bismika amutu wa ahya,” and when he got up, he would say, “Al-Hamdu lil-lahi al-ladhi ahyana ba’da ma amatana, wa ilaihi an-nushur.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 6314]
Reciting Ayatul Kursi Before Sleep
Narrated Abu Huraira:
“…Allah’s Apostle asked, “What did your prisoner do yesterday?” I replied, “He claimed that he would teach me some words by which Allah will benefit me, so I let him go.” Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) asked, “What are they?” I replied, “He said to me, ‘Whenever you go to bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi from the beginning to the end —- Allahu la ilaha illa huwa-lHaiy-ul-Qaiyum—-.’ He further said to me, ‘(If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you, and no satan will come near you till morning.’ (Abu Huraira or another sub-narrator) added that they (the companions) were very keen to do good deeds…”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 2311]
Recite The Last Two Verses Of Surah Baqarah
Narrated Abu Mas’ud:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “If somebody recited the last two Verses of Surat Al-Baqara at night, that will be sufficient for him.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 5009]
If one Muslim follows all the above habits before and while sleeping he or she will be sleeping according to the Sunnah of our Prophet (peace be upon him) which is the best method to follow.
Can Muslims Sleep On Their Left Side?
Although sleeping on your left side is not haram in Islam some Muslim scholars ask Muslims to avoid sleeping on the left side. Sleeping on the right side is the best method according to scholars while keeping your right hand under your cheek.
What Time You Should Sleep?
The best time for a Muslim to sleep is right after praying the Isha prayer which is the night prayer and our Prophet (peace be upon him) advised Muslims to sleep early after the night prayer.
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Final Thoughts
Scholars disagree about whether sleeping on your stomach is haram or halal. I have mentioned the best sleeping method in Islam, along with all the procedures that the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself followed. Follow the steps discussed and hope that Allah protects us in our sleep.
And Allah Knows Best.
