How Many Times Do We Dust the Bed Before We Sleep?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
How often should we dust the bed before sleeping? Is one time enough, or should it be done three times? Can we dust the bed before laying on it, even if we remain awake afterward? Is it permissible to stay awake after dusting the bed?
Answer
It is sunna to dust the bed one to three times, as mentioned in the hadiths below. It is still permissible to stay awake after dusting the bed; for example, one might read a book and then sleep.
Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “When any one of you goes to his bed, let him dust off his bed with the end of his lower garment, for indeed he does not know what came unto it after he had left it. Then one should say:
باسْمِكَ رَبِّ، وضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، وبِكَ أرْفَعُهُ، إنْ أمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فارْحَمْها، وإنْ أرْسَلْتَها فاحْفَظْها بما تَحْفَظُ به عِبادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ.
‘In Your Name, O my Lord, I place my side (on the bed), and by You I will lift it. If You take my soul, then have mercy on it, and if You send it, then protect it as You protect Your righteous slaves.’” [Bukhari; Muslim]
Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “When anyone of you goes to bed, he should dust it off thrice with the edge of his garment, and say:
بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ، إِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لَهَا، وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ
(‘In Your Name, O my Lord, I place my side (on the bed), and by You I will lift it. If You take my soul, then have mercy on it, and if You send it, then protect it as You protect Your righteous slaves.) [Bukhari]
I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction in sha Allah.
Related
- Praiseworthy Acts to Do Before Sleeping – SeekersGuidance
- How to Sleep Like The Messenger of Allah ﷺ – Life With Allah
- sleeping Archives – SeekersGuidance
I pray this helps with your question.
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.
