Ruling : Sleeping the entire length of the Hours of the Day

Librarian Location : The Wonderful Art Garden

Question

What is the ruling on sleeping the entire length of the hours of the day? What is the ruling on the fast of the person who sleeps, and when he wakes up to offer the obligatory (prayers), he then sleeps (again)? What is the ruling on that?

Answer

This question contains two situations: The first situation is that of a man who sleeps the entire length of the day and he does not wake up. There is no doubt that this is a person who has committed a crime against himself and he is disobedient to Allah by his abandoning the prayer in its times. If he is of those (who are required to) pray in congregation (i.e., men), then he has also added to that the sin of abandoning the congregation. This is forbidden for him and it lessens the reward of his fast. He is like the person who builds a castle and tears down a city. Therefore, he must repent to Allah, get up and offer the prayer in its times as he has been commanded to do.

The second situation is that of a person who gets up to pray the obligatory prayer in its time with the congregation. This person is not a sinner, however he has caused himself to miss much good. This is because the fasting person should busy himself with prayer, remembrance of Allah, supplication and recitation of the Noble Qur'an. This is so that he can combine various acts of worship with his fasting. If the person accustoms himself and trains himself to do acts of worship while fasting, that will become easy for him. However, if he accustoms himself to laziness, sluggishness and relaxation, he will become accustomed to that, and the acts of worship and deeds will become difficult for him while fasting. Therefore, my advice to this person is to not waste the time of his fasting by sleeping. Rather, he should strive to do acts of worship. And verily, Allah has made things easy - and all praise is due to Allah - during this time of ours for the fasting person, by His removing the hardship of the fast from him by way of air conditioners and other things that makes the fast easier for him.

Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimin (Rahimahullah)

Reference: Fatawa Islamiyah Volume 3 Page 250-251

» Book Four: The Book of the Etiquette of Sleeping, Lying and Sitting, etc :-Chapter 127-What is to be said at the time of Sleeping
» The ruling on reciting Surah Ya-Sin at the Grave and the ruling on planting Trees over and cultivating it with vegetation.
» The ruling on Cupping for the fasting Person and the ruling on Blood coming out of him
» Ruling: The ruling on urinating while standing
» In the Early Hours