Part 48

Ahmad related the hadith with this wording: ‘The Messenger of Allah # would teach us words to say when we [wake up from}

"I Related by Bukhaaree (6318), Muslim (2727), Ahmad (605), At-Tirmidhee

(3408), Abu Daawood (2988), and Ad-Daarimee (2685).

"1 Related by Abu Daawood (5054), and Al-Albaanee ruled that it is

sleep in a state of fear: ‘I take refuge in the perfect words of Allah...”

k) The saying: “O Allah, I submit my soul unto You, and I entrust my affair unto You...” Al-Baraa Ibn ‘Aazib related that the Prophet % said,

“When you go to your bed, then perform the same ablution that you perform for prayer; then lie down on your right side; and then say: ‘O Allah, I submit my soul unto You, and I entrust my affair unto You, and I totally rely on You, in hope and fear of You. Verily there is no refuge nor safe haven from You except with You. I believe in Your Book which You have revealed and in Your Prophet whom You have sent.’ If you die on that night, then you will be upon Al-Fitrah (Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajr said that Al-Fitrah here means ‘the Religion of Islam’). And make them the final [words] you speak... v2)

Related issue: Shaddaad Ibn Aous reported that the Prophet #& said,

"I Related by Abu Daawood (3893), and Al-Albaanee ruled that his narration of the hadith is Hasan; by Ahmad (6657); and by At-Tirmidhee (3528).

Bodh he ob Gal Of “The Chief of Al-Istighfaar (Invocations with which one invokes Allah 3& to forgive him) is for you to say: ‘O Allah, You are my Lord; none has the right to be worshipped but You. You created me, and I am Your slave. I am upon Your covenant and promise as much as I am able to be. I seek refuge with You from the evil of what I have done. I completely acknowledge to You Your favor upon me, and I completely acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for verily, none forgives sins except You.’ Whoever says them (these words) during the day, believing with certainty in them (ie., sincerely saying them, believing with certainty that what one is saying is true, etc.), and then dies on that day before the evening arrives, then he is from the people of Paradise. And whoever says them in the night, believing with certainty in them, and then dies before the morning, then he is from the people of Paradise."

This invocation is from Allah’s countless favors upon His believing slaves: a small deed, which requires a small effort - yet immense rewards. Therefore, no Muslim should fail to say this supplication every day and night; and a Muslim must be sure to fulfill its condition, ‘believing in them,’ so that he may achieve Paradise, whose width is as vast as the heavens and the earth. O Allah, we ask you to make us from the dwellers of Paradise, those with Whom You are pleased, those who You make pleased, Aameen.

7) Dreams: What One Should Say And Do Upon Seeing A Nightmare Or A Dream That Pleases Him (One That Has A Good Meaning)

There are two kinds of dreams: the good dream, which is from Allah 3é, and the evil dream - one that contains evil meanings or one that is a nightmare - which is from Ash-Shaitaan (the Devil). Abu Qataadah & reported that the Prophet # said,

" Related by Bukhaaree (6306), Ahmad (16666), At-Tirmidhee (3393), and An-Nassaaee (5522).

“The good dream is from Allah, and Al-Hulm (evil dream: one that is a nightmare or that contains evil meanings) is from AshShaitaan (the Devil). So if one of you sees an evil dream that he is afraid of, then let him spit to his left and take refuge with Allah from its evil, for then it will not harm him.”

Through another chain, Bukhaaree related the same hadith with this wording: “So whoever sees something that he dislikes, then let him lightly spit to his left three times, and let him seek refuge [with Allah] from Ash-Shaitaan (the Devil).” Muslim related it thus: “The good dream is from Allah, and the evil dream is from the Shaitaan. So whoever sees a dream and dislikes something from it, then let him lightly spit to his left, and let him take refuge with Allah from the Shaitaan, and then it (the dream) will not harm him. And he should not inform anyone about it. But if he sees a good dream, then let him rejoice, and let him inform no one save those whom he loves.” Muslim also related the following from the hadith of Jaabir #: ‘Then let him spit to his left three times, and let him seek refuge with Allah from the Shaitaan three times. And let him turn away from the side he was upon (so if he was lying on his left side, he should turn around and lie down on his right side).”7!_ Muslim also related the following, which is from the hadith of Abu Hurairah 4: “So if one of you sees what he dislikes, then let him stand and pray; and he should not inform any person about it”)

Through the various chains of the hadith, there are a number of lessons one can learn: 1) A dream can be either good or evil, the former being

"I Related by Bukhaaree (3292, 6995), Muslim (2261, 2262, and 2263), Ahmad (22129), At-Tirmidhee (2277), Abu Daawood (5021), Ibn Maajah (3909), Maalik (1784), and Ad-Daarimee (2141).

from Allah 3€ and the latter (which is called ‘Hulm’) from Ash-Shaitaan.

2) A person who sees a good dream should rejoice and hope for good to befall him.

3) When one sees a good dream, he is receiving glad tidings from Allah 3é; and he should inform no one about the dream except for those whom he loves.

4) When one sees a dream he dislikes, it is recommended for him to spit three times to his left and to seek refuge with Allah 3¢ from the accursed Shaitaan and from the evil of the dream. It is best to do that three times. Next, he should turn sides, and it is even better if, instead of continuing to sleep, he stands up and prays. If he takes all of these steps, or at least some of them - since certain narrations mention only some of them - the dream will not harm him. And finally, he must not inform anyone about what he saw.

8) It Is Disliked For One To Sleep On His Stomach

Tafkhah Al-Ghaffaaree 4 was from the people of As-Suffah, poor Companions 4 who stayed in the Masjid, eating and sleeping there. He # said, “While I was sleeping in the Masjid at the end of the night, a person came to me. I was [at the time] sleeping on my stomach; the [one who came] then moved me with his foot and said, ‘Rise, for Allah hates this position of lying down.’ I then raised my head, and there was the Prophet #%, standing over my head.” Ibn Maajah related it with this wording: “What is the matter with you that you are sleeping like this? This is a kind of sleeping that Allah dislikes - or that Allah detests.”” This hadith clearly prohibits the act of sleeping face down, on one’s stomach; Allah 3¢ hates this position of lying down, or at the very least - according to the second narration - dislikes it; and we must

" Bukhaaree related it in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad (1187), and Al-Albaanee ruled that it is authentic (905); Ibn Maajah related it too (3723). And it is also found with Ahmad (7981) and At-Tirmidhee (2768) from the hadith of Abu Hurairah 4.

avoid all that is disliked by Allah 3. As for why it is a disliked position of lying down, Abu Dharr said in another narration, “The Prophet #% passed by me while { was lying down on my stomach. He #% then struck me with his foot and said,

“O Junaidab, this is nothing other than the lying-down position of the dwellers of the Hellfire.“"")

With this hadith in mind, it becomes clear that the reason behind the Karahaa (i.e., the deed being ‘Makrooh,’ or disliked) is that one resembles the dwellers of the Hellfire when one lies down on his stomach.

9) It Is Disliked To Sleep On A Roof That Does Not Have A Fence Or Wall Or Anything Similar To Prevent One From Falling

‘Alee Ibn Shaibaan & related that the Prophet 2% said, UI Shs 3B Site ok Go abe Sry

“Whoever spends the night on the roof of a house that does not have a screen (in another narration, ‘that does not have rocks’; the meaning is the same: rocks, a screen, a wall, a fence, or anything that prevents a person from falling), then he is freed from safety (or from guarantee; i.e., he has no safety or guarantee, and he will have to face the consequences of his action).”’

Ahmad related it thus: “Whoever spends the night on top of a wall (or fence) or on top of a house with nothing around it (i.e., around the roof) to prevent his leg [from falling], then he is freed from safety (or from guarantee; i.e, he has no safety or guarantee, and he will have to face the consequences of his action...’”"2] Fadlullah Al-Jeelaanee said, ”...A person must not be

"1 Related by Ibn Maajah (3724), and Al-Albaanee ruled that it is authentic

Pl Related by Bukhaaree in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad (1192), and Al-Albaanee ruled that it is authentic (908). Ahmad (20225) and Abu Daawood (5041) related it as well.

remiss in taking the commonsense, necessary steps to bring about that which is beneficial and to ward off that which is harmful, and the aforementioned hadith proves this point. When one sleeps on a roof that has no barrier on its sides, he has not taken reasonable steps to ward off harm, for a person might turn over in his sleep (if he is sleeping near the edge) [and fall down] or he might stand up and walk while being drowsy or ina state of near-sleep, whereby he will continue to walk until he falls off; such a person should have taken the reasonable step of not sleeping on that roof. By sleeping there, he placed himself in danger. In contrast to such a person is one who mentions Allah’s name, places his trust in Him, and takes commonsense steps to avoid harm. Either Allah 3€ will protect him, reward him for any harm that befalls him by making that harm an expiation for his sins, or raise him in ranking. If one dies after having taken reasonable, commonsense steps to avoid harm and danger, then he dies a martyr - as is related about the person who falls [from a high altitude] or who drowns. But a person who is remiss in taking reasonable, commonsense steps to avoid harm is not in Allah’s Dhimmah (i.e., he does not have what is mentioned above for a person who takes those steps): if harm befalls him, he is not rewarded, if he dies, he is not a martyr; in fact, it is feared that he is considered as one who commits suicide. And Allah 3 knows best what is right.”