What is sleeping in Islam?

   In the belief of Islam, sleeping is a death-like state. It may occur when God takes the soul from the sleeper’s body. If they are predestined to have more lifetimes, He will send them back their souls, so they can wake up. Otherwise, He will withhold them to terminate their lives.

   The state of sleep is a sign of God’s power over the human being, and a frequent reminder of death for everyone. Accordingly, the concerns of living wouldn’t cause them to forget their death time, and they might keep encouraged to get ready for God’s meeting and questioning in the Afterlife.

   Among the wise causes for which God created the state of sleeping, is to comfort the human body from the daily life activities. It is equally an essential means to recover physical strength and mental ability.[1]

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[1] In the Noble Quran: «Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that do not die [He takes] during their sleep. Then He keeps those for which He has decreed death and releases the others for a specified term. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought». [39:42].

     Muslim scholars expressed varied opinions about the meaning of the soul being taken during the state of sleep (as mentioned in the previous verse of the Quran). Some of them stated that it was the same soul being taken at death, but others argued that it was something else. However, it is more likely that the soul being taken at death is the same one being taken during sleeping. As an evidence for that, it was narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said to a group of his companions who woke up late and missed the dawn prayer: «Certainly, Allah took your souls when He willed, and sent them back to you when He willed». [Authentic Hadith- agreed upon by al-Bukhary and Muslim]. It was also narrated by the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he used to say at waking: «Praise to Allah who gave me good health, and sent my soul back to me and permitted me to mention Him» [Good Hadith – narrated by At-Tirmidhi].

     It was narrated that Abdullah Ibn Abbas said (on the meaning of the Koranic verse: «Allah takes the souls at the time of their death…»): «The souls of the living and the dead do meet [during sleeping] and ask about each other. Then, God withholds the souls of the dead, and sends back the souls of the living» [Majma’ Az-zawa’id – by men of authentic narration].

     In the Noble Quran too: «And it is He who takes your souls by night, and knows what you have committed by day. Then, He revives you therein that a specified term may be fulfilled. Then, to Him will be your return; then, He will inform you about what you used to do». [6:60]; «And of His signs is your sleep by night and day» [30:23]; «And made your sleep [a means for] rest» [78:9].

     The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: «Sleep is the brother of death» [Authentic Hadith-And He might have meant that they are both alike in soul-taking by God].

    A question may arise here: How soul-taking could lead to sleep in some cases, while the same action could lead to death in other cases? Obviously, it is an act of God’s power, ability and control over His slaves and their destinies.

    In addition, must a dream occur solely during a deep sleep? Or could it typically happen in a shallow one or a nap too? Definitely, a dream could possibly take place during the minimum phase of sleeping, even though the sleeper might have some sense of surroundings or they were still partly conscious. However, a light-sleep dreaming would not exist frequently for most people. Many dreams may come up during a profound state of sleeping.

    Moreover, it was narrated that Abdullah Ibn Zaid had informed the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) about a dream that he had had, while being “between asleep and awake” (It was the dream through which the call to prayer Athan was ordained—a long Hadith narrated by Abi-Daoud). And since the Prophet had acknowledged the truthfulness of this dream, it could be held as a valid proof that a true dream might occur during an incomplete state of sleeping.

     Nevertheless, al-Kermani cited in his book al-Ishārāt fī ‘Ilm al-‘Ibārāt (the significations in the science of interpretations) that Ali Ibn Abi Talib said that the truest dream had to take place during a profound slumber. However, this saying is unfounded, unproven and refutable by the previously-mentioned true Hadith.

Written by Jamal Hussein © All Rights Reserved for the author.

(Note: The Quran and Hadith quotes mentioned in the article are human translation for the original Arabic text)