🌙 Before You Sleep: A Sunnah Routine for Peaceful Rest

One of the greatest nikmat (blessings) that Allah SWT has given us is sleep and nighttime. It may seem so simple, but imagine if we never could rest? Life would be unbearable. Allah reminds us of this in the Qur’an:

“And We made your sleep [a means for] rest. And We made the night as clothing. And We made the day for livelihood.”
(Surah An-Naba’, 78:9–11)

Sleep is not just a biological need; it is also a spiritual pause. Every night, when we close our eyes, it is as if we are surrendering our souls back to Allah. And every morning that we wake up, it is Allah granting us another chance to live, to do good, and to seek His pleasure.

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🌌 A World That Never Rests

We live in a time where the world never truly sleeps. Lights are always on, notifications keep buzzing, and our attention is constantly being pulled towards phones, laptops, and endless scrolling. Some people even fall asleep with their devices in hand.

But Rasulullah ﷺ showed us a different way. He taught us to end our day with remembrance of Allah; cleansing our hearts, protecting our souls, and preparing ourselves in case that night is our last.

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🛏️ Stories from the Sunnah Before Sleep

When we look at the Sunnah of Rasulullah ﷺ, every small act has deep wisdom.

• Dusting the bed: The Prophet ﷺ advised us to dust our bed before lying down (Sahih al-Bukhari). Imagine someone in the desert, where insects or dirt might be present – it was practical advice for health and safety. Today, it is a reminder of cleanliness and mindfulness before rest.

• Sleeping with wudhu: Rasulullah ﷺ said:

  “Whoever sleeps in a state of purity, the angels will be with him. He will not wake up until the angels say: ‘O Allah, forgive Your servant, for he went to sleep in a state of purity.’”
  (Ibn Hibban, authenticated by Al-Albani)
  SubhanAllah, what better way to be guarded in your sleep than by the angels’ dua?

• Reciting Qur’an and Dhikr: The Prophet ﷺ never went to bed without reciting Ayatul Kursi. In a narration, Shaytan admitted that whoever recites it at night will be protected until morning (Sahih al-Bukhari). Similarly, the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah, Surah Al-Mulk, and the three Quls act as shields for our souls.

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💭 A Story to Reflect On

I once heard a story of a man who had a habit of ending his day with forgiveness. Every night, before sleeping, he would forgive anyone who had wronged him. When asked why, he said: “I want to sleep with a clean heart, for I do not know if I will wake up tomorrow.”

This story reminds us that grudges and anger weigh down our hearts. Rasulullah ﷺ himself said that a man who forgives and lets go of hatred is among the people of Jannah (Sunan Ibn Majah). What if tonight is our last? Wouldn’t we want to meet Allah with a purified soul?

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🌙 The Night Dua

The Prophet ﷺ would say before sleeping:

“Allahumma bismika amutu wa ahya”
O Allah, in Your name I die and I live.
(Sahih al-Bukhari)

And another longer dua:

“Bismika Rabbi wada’tu janbi, wa bika arfa’hu. In amsakta nafsi faghfir laha, wa in arsaltaha fahfadh-ha bima tahfadh bihi ‘ibadakas-salihin.”
(In Your name, O Lord, I lay down my side, and by You I lift it up. If You take my soul, forgive it, and if You send it back, protect it as You protect Your righteous servants.)
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

Every night is a small death. And every morning is a resurrection. How humbling it is to realize this.

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✨ A Gentle Reminder for Us All

Tonight, before you go to bed, pause for a moment. Put your phone aside. Perform your wudhu, recite the beautiful adhkar, forgive others, and surrender yourself to Allah with a heart full of trust.

This dunya is temporary. But the barakah of following the Sunnah lasts forever. By making these small steps a habit, we end each day with peace – and we prepare for the day when our eyes will close and not open again, until the Day of Resurrection.

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📌 Call to Action
Let’s revive this beautiful Sunnah in our homes. Share this reminder with your loved ones. Teach your children the nightly sunnah routine. Let every sleep be a moment of ibadah and every morning a chance to be grateful.

#BeforeYouSleep #IslamIsBeautiful #SunnahLifestyle #PeaceOfMind #Gratitude

🖼️ Image credit: Before You Go To Sleep (as shared)