Question:
Assalamualaikum ustaz. Do people of paradise sleep? Hope for an explanation.
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wrt. wbt.,
Alhamdulillah, praise and gratitude to Allah SWT for His countless blessings for us all. Praise and salutations to our beloved Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his family, companions, and all those who follow his footsteps until the Final day.
In answering this question, since it is included as the ghaibiyyat matters (matters of the unseen), then we present a narration from Jabir bin Abdullah R.Anhuma, where Rasullullah PBUH was asked: O Messenger of Allah, do the people of paradise sleep? Then the Prophet PBUH replied:
النَّومُ أخو الموتِ وأَهلُ الجنَّةِ لا ينامونَ
“Sleep is the brother of death and the residents of paradise don’t sleep.” [1]
The blessing of sleep can happen and only be felt by those who wanted to sleep because they are tired or sick, while the people of paradise don’t experience any of these matters. This matter was also asked to Syeikh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz al-Rajihi [2] and he answered that the residents of paradise don’t sleep. Sleep is the brother of death and sleep, death, pain, old, sadness, urination, defecation or unpleasant smell doesn’t exist in paradise. Likewise, women in paradise they don’t experience menstruation or nifas (vaginal bleeding after childbirth). Moreover, jealousy, hatred or envy [3] don’t exist, for all of them are removed from the chest of believers before they enter paradise. [4]
This matter is in accordance with the statement of Allah SWT regarding the people of paradise:
وَقَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَذْهَبَ عَنَّا الْحَزَنَ ۖ إِنَّ رَبَّنَا لَغَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ (34) الَّذِي أَحَلَّنَا دَارَ الْمُقَامَةِ مِن فَضْلِهِ لَا يَمَسُّنَا فِيهَا نَصَبٌ وَلَا يَمَسُّنَا فِيهَا لُغُوبٌ
And they will say, “Praise to Allah, who has removed from us [all] sorrow. Indeed, our Lord is Forgiving and Appreciative – He who has settled us in the home of duration out of His bounty. There touches us not in it any fatigue, and there touches us not in it weariness [of mind].”
Hence, we conclude that the people of paradise don’t sleep for it is a blessing that wouldn’t happen or felt except by those who need it because they are tired or sick, while the people of paradise don’t experience these matters. We end our discussion with the supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ لَا سَهْلَ إِلاَّ ما جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلاً، وأنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الحَزْنَ إذَا شِئْتَ سَهْلاً
“O Allah, there is no ease other than what You make easy. If You please You ease sorrow.” [5]
May Allah grant us all a clear understanding in practising this religion. Amin.
Wallahu a’lam.
[1] Narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Mu‘jam al-Ausat (919); al-Dailami in al-Firdaus (1554); al-Baihaqi in Syu‘ab al-Iman (4745); al-‘Ajluni al-Jarrahi stated that this narration by al-Bazzar, al-Tabarani and al-Baihaqi has a sahih sanad from Jabir (See Kasyf al-Khifa’, 2/329)
[2] He is a Lecturer in the Department of Aqidah and Contemporary Sects, al-Imam Muhammad bin Su‘ud University.
[3] So true is the statement of Allah SWT:
وَنَزَعْنَا مَا فِي صُدُورِهِم مِّنْ غِلٍّ إِخْوَانًا عَلَىٰ سُرُرٍ مُّتَقَابِلِينَ
“And We will remove whatever is in their breasts of resentment, [so they will be] brothers, on thrones facing each other.” (Surah al-Hijr: 47)
Syeikh al-Sa‘di stated ‘remove whatever is in their breasts of resentment’ hence, they are safe from vengeance, jealousy, and they are pure and love each other. (See Tafsir al-Sa‘di, 1/431)
[4] See https://ar.islamway.net/fatwa/14546/ نوم-أهل-الجنة
[5] Narrated by al-Baihaqi in al-Da‘awat al-Kabir (265), Ibn Hibban (974) and Ibn al-Sunni in ‘Amal al-Yaum wa al-Lailah (351)