Part 37

One of the worst types of sleep is on the back, although resting while laying on the back without going to sleep is not harmful.

Sleeping on the stomach is the worst way to sleep, Ahmad and Ibn Majah narrated that Abu Umamah said: "The Prophet b passed by a sleeping man in the mosque who was laying on his face (stomach) and he touched him with his foot, saying.

‘Sit up, for it is a Hellish sleep.”

Hippocrates said in his book, "If an ailing person sleeps on his stomach whereas this was not his usual habit when he is not sick, then he will be either testifying to the weakness in his mind or that he is suffering from a pain in the stomach." Those who explained Hippocrates’ book said that he meant to indicate that such a person sleeps on his stomach, which is a bad habit, instead of the good habit, without any apparent reasonable explanation for this act.

Good habits of sleeping help the natural powers of the body to fulfill there tasks and In addition strengthens the psychological health of the person. Sleeping during the day is bad for health and causes humid ailments, makes the color pale, ails the spleen, softens the nerves, causes laziness and weakens desire, except during the summer time around noon. The worst type of sleep occurs

——— The Prophetic Medicine

in the early hours of the day and in the afternoon. Ibn Ab’ass once saw his son sleeping in the early morning and said to him, "Wake up! Do you sleep at the hcur during which sustenance is being divided,"

It was said that sleeping during the day is of three types: good habit, which entails sleeping around noon; careless habit, which occurs in the ewly morning and keeps one busy from matters of this and the Next Life; and madness, which occurs after 'Asr (afternoon). This is why some of ours said, "Those who sleep after 'Asr and lose their minds sould only blame their own selves."

Sleeping during the carly morning prevents sustenance from coming, in that the early morning is the time when the creation goes out to seek their sustenance. Being asleep during this time in which sustenance is being divided causes one to miss out on this chance of gaining sustenance, except when one sleeps for a necessity or a need. This type of sleep is In addition very harmful for the body because it causes numbness in the senses and spoils the stomach's contents that should be being decomposed through physical activity. Further, sleeping in the early morning hours causes numbness and a general weakness in the body, especially if one goes to sleep before relieving himself (using the toilet), moving about, performing physical activity and before having the stomach busy (by eating some food). This itself is a

difficult ailment that even leads to more ailments.

Sleeping under the sun excites otherwise dormant ailments, and such is the case with sleeping while a part of the body is unaer the sun and a part of the body is under the shade. Abu Dawood narrated that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah b said:

"If one of you was in the shade and then the shade recedes and exposes a part of the body to the sun while the other part is still under the shade, let him move from that place.” [AI-Hakim].

Tbn Majah and Abu Dawood a so narrated:

"The Messenger of Allah b disallowed sitting between the shade and the sun."

This Hadith indicates that it is not allowed for one to sleep while partially in the shade and partially in the sun.

Further, in the Sahihain it is narrated that AJ-Bara bin 'Azib said that the Messenger of Allah b said:

"Whenever you go to bed perform ablution like that for the prayer, lie on your right side and say, 'O Allah! I surrender myself

to You. turn my face towards You, entrust all my

—— The Prophetic Medicine

affairs to You and depend upon You icr Your Blessings both with hope (in You) 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 Qura'an) which You have revealed and in Your

Prophet (Muhammad) whom You have sent.’ Make these words the last of your speech, because if you die on that very night, you will die on the Fitrah (i.e. or the religion of Islam)."

In addition, AIl-Bokhary narrated that 'A'esha said:

“When the Messenger of Allah b would pray the two (voluntary) Rak'ah of Dawn, he would lay on his right side."

It was said that the wisdom behind sleeping on the right side of the body is that the person does not oversleep. Since the heart leans towards the left side, then sleeping on the right side prevents the heart from residing in its normal place thus causing the sleeping person to wake up when he feels restless. Sleeping on the left side makes the heart comfortable and thus the person oversleeps and misses out on the affairs of his life and religion.

Since seeping is similar to death, it is not possible or suitable for the Ever-Living Who does not die. Further,

The Prophet's guidance in this regard has included the benefits of the heart, body and soul while awake and asleep and for this life and the Next Lift. Allah's peace and blessings be on he whose nation tas acquired all types of good through him.

The Prophet's statement: "I submit myself to You."

This mear.s | surrender myself to You just as the owned slave surrenders his freedom to his master.

Further; turning the face towards Allah means directing one's full attention to the Lord with sincerity with the intention and while affirming being a slave,

—— The Prophetic Medicine

humble and obeclent to Him. Allah said: pel 3 erg | Jab Iyele Of >

"So if they dispute with you (Muhammad b say; "I hove submitted myself to Allah (in Islam), and (so have) those who follow me."(3:20)

The face is the most honorable part of the body and the residence of the senses and awateness.

Referring matters to Allah means submission aad contentment in the heart, while being pleased with what Allah decides and chooses of what He wills and with what He is pleased with. Referring all affairs to Allah is one of the honorable parts of slavery to Allah.

Leaning one's back to Allah indicates the strength of one's depending on and trust in Him. He who leans his back to a firm foundation will not have fear of falling down,

The heart has two types of strength, seeking, which is In addition eagerness, and running away, which is In addition fear. The slave seeks his interest and runs away from whatever might harm him. Therefore, the Prophet s& has joined both powers in this Hadith by

saying, "With eagerness and fear."

The Prophet “ then praised the Lord by stating that the slave has no refuge or resort from Allah except Allah. Allah is the One Whom the slave seeks refuge with so that He saves him from Himself, n another Hadith, the Prophet b said:

"I seek refuge with Your Pleasure from Your Anger, and with Your Pardon from Your Torment, and I seek refuge from You with You."

Therefore, Allah Alone grants refuge to His slave and saves him from His torment, which a so occurs by His will. Torment and Favor are both from Ailah Alone. Further, the slave asks Allah for support against what He has (of Torment and trials) and seeks Him Alone for his safety. He

Alone is the Lord of everything and nothing occurs except by His will.

"And if Allah touches you with hurt, there is none who can remove it but He...” (10:107)

——— The Prophet'c Medicine

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"Say: 'Who is he who can protect you from Allah if He intends to harm you. or intends mercy on you?' "

The Prophet b then ended the supplication by affirming faith in Allah's Book and Messenger, which holds the key to the ultimate safety and success in this life and the Next Life. This is the Prophet's guidance concerning sleep.

The Prophet's guidance on waking

The Prophet b used to wake up when the rooster crowed and would then praise Allah, affirm His Greatness and Oneness, supplicate to Him, and he would use siwak (natural toothbrush). He would then perform ablution and stand before his Lord reciting His Speech (the Qura'an), praising Him and hoping in Him with eagerness and fear, What actions can be more preserving for the health of the heart, body. soul and genera strength and that acquires the favors of this life and the Next Life than these actions?

The Prophet's guidance on physical activity

As for the Prophet's guidance while busy and while free, we will mention a part of the Prophet's guidance that will satisfy us that his guidance in this regard was the most perfect.

It is a fact that the body relies on food and drink for its survival. It is In addition a fact that not all of the food and nourishment is digested when consumed. Rather, a part of it remains, and as time goes by, these substances accumulate in various qualities and quantities in the body. These accumulations harm the body because they cause clogs in different vessels and make the body feel heavy. If one gets rid of these substances by extracting them with medication, the body is harmed because most of these medications are toxic to varying degrees; In fact, the medication extracts the beneficial substances along with the harmful ones. As for the quality of these substances, the body is harmed when they heat up, spoil, become cold or weaken the natural heat and energy from fully maturating the excess substances.