Waking Up
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
SUNNAHS OF WAKING UP
O Allah (The Exalted) bless our master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as many times those who have asked for his blessings upon him and bless our master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as many times as those who have not asked for his blessings upon him.
Awaking is similar to life. When waking we should thank Allah (The Exalted) for bringing us back to life. Our eyes could have not opened; however, we are alive praise be to Allah (The Exalted). We should spend our day in accordance to the commands of Allah (The Exalted) and in following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).
Rub The Palms on The Face
As soon as one awakens rub both palms on the face and eyes so that the effects of sleep disappears. i When you wake up in the morning, recite Bismillah Hirrahma Nirraheem three times, blow on your palms, and wipe your palms on the body. Inshallah, the devil will not trouble you throughout the day. ii
The Devil Stays in The Nose
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates, “When you wake up from sleep, then put water up your nose three times in Wudhu as the devil stays in the nose.” iii
Whilst asleep, phlegm comes down from the brain and gathers in the root of the nose. This is the reason a person becomes lazy and because of this phlegm a person gets headless which is Shaytan’s desire. iv
Devil Sleeps at The End
The Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) states, “When a person goes to sleep, the devil sits on the end and ties three knots and says, ‘the night is long keep sleeping.’ When the person wakes up and performs the remembrance of Allah (The Exalted), one-knot opens, when the person performs Wudhu the second knot opens and when Salaah is prayed the third knot opens, and he/she spends the morning in peace.” v
If we do not offer the morning prayer, then our day will be influenced by the Shaytan. Be free from the Shaytan’s influence by performing the morning prayer on its time.
Wash Your Hands
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates, “When you wake up from sleep to pray, wash your hands before you put them in the Wudhu water1, for you do not know where your hands have spent the night.” vi
1 Rule: If a person who has not performed ablution, dips his hand or finger or fingernail or any part of the body which is washed in ablution, whether purposely or by mistake, in a tub of water which is less than a large pool (Dadarda) then that water cannot be used to perform ablution or bath. In the same way, if a person is in need of having a bath and any part of his body touches the water purposely or by mistake, then that water cannot be used to perform a bath or ablution. If the part of the body or hand has been washed, then there is no problem. (Bahar-e-Shariat, Vol:1. Book of Cleanliness. Qanoon-e-Shariat, Vol: 1.
Supplication For Waking up
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would wake up in the middle of the night and would recite the following supplication:
‘Al-ham-du-Lil-la-hil-la-dhee Ah-yaa-naa Ba’da-Maa-Amaa-Ta-naa Wa-ilai-hin Nu-shoor’
‘All praise is due to Allah (The Exalted) who has given us life after death and to Him is our raising’ vii
Lessons From The Supplication
The words life and death have been used in this supplication. We believe that Allah (The Exalted) will bring us back to life after giving us death. When we wake up, testify that as Allah (The Exalted) awakens us after putting us to sleep, similarly He will bring us back to life after death. By reading this supplication one will remember that one day I will die. So let us start making preparations for it. The last part of this supplication 2 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk
‘Wa-ilai-hin Nu-shoor’, means that we will return to Allah (The Exalted) and present our deeds, therefore if we have been performing good deeds then it will benefit us and if not then make your actions good and do not waste time in chasing the world. If you become the beloved of Allah (The Exalted) by following the Sunnah, Inshallah, the world will chase you!
How Will You be Remembered?
Mujahid (may Allah have mercy upon him) states that, “‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) said to me that, ‘O Mujahid! In the morning time, do not speak to yourself of the evening, and in the evening, time do not speak to yourself of the morning. Take from your life something for your death and from your health something for your ill-health, for in truth, O ‘Abd Allah! You do not know what your name shall be tomorrow2.’” viii
2 The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said the same to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him. (Ihya-ul-Uloom, On Lengthy Hopes And Virtues Of Brief.)
3 Surah No: 36
Meaning today people will call you by your name and tomorrow you may be known as ‘Marhoom’ (deceased)!
Nothing Will Harm You
‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, “The servant who recites these words in the morning and evening, nothing will harm them
‘Bis-mil-lahi Wa Bil –la-hil La-dhi Laa Ya-durru Ma ‘As-mihi Shai-un Fil-ardi Wa-la-fis Samaa-i Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyoom’
Allah, the name I begin with, and Allah is He with whose name nothing on earth nor in the heavens can cause harm. O the everlasting, O the self existent.” ix
Fulfil Your Needs by Reciting Surah Yaseen
Ataa bin Abi Rahaa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has stated that, “If a person recites Surah Yaseen3 early in the morning then his needs for the day will be fulfilled.” x
Respected brothers/sisters! Do not switch the T.V, radio on first thing in the morning, neither light a cigarette, but read the book of Allah (The Exalted) and your day without any doubt will be full of blessings Inshallah!
How to Spend The Morning?
It is said that people spend their morning in three ways; 1) some people spend it in desire of wealth,
2) Some spend it in desire of sin,
3) and some in desire to be guided. Those who desire for wealth cannot get more than what Allah (The Exalted) has set for them. Those desiring for sin only sees disrespect, and those desiring the straight path gain wealth and guidance. xi
Paradise or Hell Fire?
Someone asked Malik bin Dinar (may Allah’s Mercy be upon him) in what state did you spend your morning? He replied, “How will a person spend his morning when he is in worry when going from one house to the other and does not know his destiny whether if it is in Paradise or the Hell fire!” xii
In today’s busy life we do not have Paradise or Hell in our minds but other things. We should keep this in mind as much as possible so that we become practising Muslims!
Of The Pious
A pious person said, “In the morning a person should make four intentions:
1) To perform the obligations set by Allah (The Exalted),
2) To abstain from what Allah (The Exalted) has said to abstain from, 3 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk
i Shamail-e-Tirmidhi
ii Shamail-e-Tirmidhi. Worship and devotion of the Prophet. p. 273
iii Nisai
iv Anwar-e-Ghowth-e- Azam. Faizan-e-Sunnat. Sunnats of sleeping and waking. p. 851
v Muqashifatul Quloob
vi Muslim
vii Bukhari & Shamail-e-Tirmidhi;
viii Tanbihul Ghafileen. Faizan-e-Sunnat. Sunnats of sleeping and waking. p. 854
ix Tirmidhi
x Mishkat
xi Tanbihul Ghafileen
xii Nuzhatul Majalis & Tanbihul Ghafileen
xiii Tanbihul Ghafileen. Faizan-e-Sunnat, Faizan-e-Sunnat. Sunnats of sleeping and waking. p. 854
xiv Ibn Abi Dunya. Fatawa-e-Razwiyya. Vol: 3. p. 75. Jam’i-ul-Hadith. Vol: 3. p. 5.
xv Abu Dawud & Musnad Imam Ahmad
xvi Shamail-e-Tirmidhi. Worship and devotion of the Prophet. p. 273
xvii ibid
xviii Bukhari.
xix Alamgiri
xx Fatawa-e-Razawiyya
3) To deal with people justly, and
4) Whomsoever you do not talk to, to make up.
If one makes these intentions in the morning, it is hoped that one will be included from one of the pious and become successful. xiii
Make The Bed
Qais bin Hazam (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that, “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has stated that, “Where there is bedding laid out upon which no-one is sleeping, then the Shaytan sleeps on it.” xiv
After waking up we should make our bed and not leave it as the Shaytan will sleep in it.
Advice
It is not easy to spend a day as a good Muslim, however, remember the immense rewards and blessings of following the Sunnah. Success lies in following the Sunnah. Become an ambassador for Islam, represent Islam in a good way and gain the pleasure of Allah (the Exalted) and His beloved Prophet4 (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).
4 Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “My life is a great good for you, you will relate about me and it will be related to you, and my death is a great good for you, your actions will be presented to me, and if I see goodness I will praise Allah (The Exalted), and if I see evil I will ask forgiveness of Him for you.” (Al-Bazzar in his Musnad (1:37) with a sound chain as stated by al-Suyuti in Manahil al-safa (p.31. 8) etc.)
5 A tooth stick; See Chapter twenty for this Sunnah.
Manners of waking up
1. To perform Miswak5 upon awakening is a Sunnah. xv
2. To rub the eyes with the palms of the hands and recite the last ten verses of Surah Aale Imran. xvi
3. To wash the hands three times before doing anything and before inserting them into a container. xvii
4. To pray the supplication for waking up and the Shahadah. xviii
5. Wake up remembering Allah (The Exalted) and pray Fajr Salaah. Make the intention of spending the day in the remembrance of Allah (The Exalted) obey the commands of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and assist those in need. xix
6. Make the bed so that the devil cannot use it. xx