• 52 Midday Naps
  • 592 Sleeping at Midday
  • 593 Sleeping at the end of the day
  • 594 Banquet

52. Midday Naps

chapter 592. Sleeping at Midday

1238. ‘Umar said, “Sometimes some of the men of Quraysh sat at the door of Ibn Mas’ud. When the shadows shifted from west to east, he said, ‘Get up, Any time spent here after this is for Shaytan.’ He made everyone he passed by get up. While we were getting up, someone said to him, ‘This is the mawla of the Banu’l-Hashas who composes poetry.’ ‘Umar called and said, ‘What have you got to say?’ The man said: ‘Say farewell to Salma if you prepare to go in the morning, White hair and Islam is enough prohibition for a man’ ‘Umar said, ‘Enough! You have spoken the truth. You have spoken the truth.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

1239. As-Sa’ib ibn Yazid said, “‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, used to pass by us in the middle of the day or near to it and say, ‘Get up and take a midday nap. Any time spent here after this is for shaytan.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ in a report checked and graded authentic in Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah (1647) similarly ordered taking the midday rest. Siesta rests the body and helps towards waking up for the late-night prayer. This narration also warns about falling into the traps of Shaytan.

1240. Anas said, “They used to gather and then take a midday nap.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Anas bin Malik referred to the companions – may Allah be pleased with them all – by his statement, “They used to…” They would observe the siesta after the Friday congregational prayer during the time of the Prophetﷺ as in other authentic reports.

1241. Anas said, “At the time that wine was made unlawful, there was no drink that the people of Madina liked better than that made from dried dates and unripe dates. I used to give the drink to the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. They were in the home of Abu Talha when a man passed by and announced, ‘Wine has been forbidden.’ They did not say, ‘When?’ or ‘Wait until we see.’ They said, ‘Anas, break them!’ Then they said in the presence of Umm Sulaym, ‘Wait until it becomes cool and we have washed ourselves.’ Then Umm Sulaym put perfume on them. Then they went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the news was as the man had said.” Anas added, “After this they never drank it again.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference here is their having a midday nap.

chapter 593. Sleeping at the end of the day

1242. Khawwat ibn Jubayr said, “Sleeping during the beginning of the day is stupidity. Sleeping during the middle of the day is also stupidity, and sleeping at the last part of it is imbecility.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Perhaps the one who would sleep in the mornings is unaware of the Prophet’s supplication to Allah to bless the early morning endeavors of his Ummah. If such a person knows but still chooses to sleep at the beginning of the day without necessity, then both lack of knowledge and deliberately contradicting knowledge are forms of ignorance. However, sleeping in the middle of the day is a good habit as evinced from other authentic narrations. Likewise, the habit of sleeping in the evenings without necessity may be considered goofy since it contradicts the noble habit of observing the siesta.

chapter 594. Banquet

1243. Maymun (ibn Mahran) said, “I asked Nafi’, ‘Did Ibn ‘Umar ever invite people to a banquet?’ He said, ‘A camel of his once broke something and so we sacrificed it. Then Ibn ‘Umar said, “Gather the people of Madina for me.” I said, “Abu ‘Abdu’r-Rahman, for what? We do not have any bread.” He said, “O Allah, praise belongs to You. These are bits of meat and this is broth,” or he said, “Broth and meat chunks. Whoever wishes can eat and whoever wishes can leave it.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It further demonstrates the keenness of the companions – radiya Allahu anhum – to do good deeds and earn rewards therefrom. The narrations under this chapter highlight the virtues of extending the greetings of Salam: safety, loving one another, increases Eemaan and leads to the Garden. May Allah enter us into His Garden.