The 365 · Sunnah · Day 72 · Sleep
Sleeping on the Right Side as the Prophetic Position
The hadith
اضْطَجِعْ عَلَىٰ شِقِّكَ الْأَيْمَنِ
The Prophet ﷺ said to al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib (within the bedtime instruction): '...then lie down on your right side...' (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 247, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2710.) Cross-ref ʿĀʼishah's narration: 'When the Prophet ﷺ slept, he would sleep on his right side and place his right hand under his right cheek.' (cf. Tirmidhī 3399, classed ḥasan.)
Svenska: Profeten ﷺ sade till al-Bara' ibn 'Azib: '...lägg dig på din högra sida...'
The story
ʿĀʼishah ra. preserved the Prophet's ﷺ specific sleeping-position. The right hand under the right cheek; the body on the right side; the face toward the qiblah where possible (the classical scholars added this preference, though the hadiths do not specify qiblah-direction for sleep). The Companions modeled the position. The classical adab literature treats right-side-sleep as a non-negotiable Sunnah-marker.
Why it's here
The Prophet ﷺ slept specifically on his right side. The classical scholars identified two reasons: structural (it follows the Prophetic right-handed pattern) and physiological (sleeping on the right side is associated with healthier digestion and faster waking). Sleeping on the back is permissible (the Prophet ﷺ did so occasionally during the day for short naps); sleeping on the stomach is discouraged: the Prophet ﷺ rebuked a man he saw sleeping on his stomach: 'This is the way of those whom Allah hates.' (Sunan Abū Dāwūd 5040, Tirmidhī 2768, Ibn Mājah 3724.)
Try it today
1. Sleep primarily on the right side. 2. If you fall asleep on the back or shift in the night, this is permissible; the discipline is the initial position. 3. Avoid sleeping on the stomach. The Prophetic rebuke is direct. 4. Place the right hand under the right cheek (the Prophet's ﷺ specific position). 5. Face the qiblah where possible (the classical scholars' preference, not a binding requirement).
In your day
Most modern Muslims sleep in any position. The Prophetic specification has both spiritual reward (as Sunnah) and documented physiological benefit. Build the habit. Within weeks of conscious practice, the body learns the position naturally.
A reflection to carry
Sleeping on the right side. The Prophet ﷺ: 'When you go to bed, perform wuḍūʾ as you would for prayer, then lie on your right side.' (Bukhārī 247.)
Read the longer reflection
The structural Sunnah: right-side sleep position. Modern science suggests this aids digestion and reduces certain health risks; the Prophetic guidance aligns. The Prophet ﷺ would lie on his right side, place his right hand under his cheek, and recite the bedtime duʿāʾ. Cure: train the right-side sleep-start position; if you turn during sleep, no harm; the discipline is the falling-asleep position. Modern back/stomach-default sleep is structurally counter-Sunnah; the discipline is the Prophetic right-side. Pair with wuḍūʾ (Day 77) for the complete Prophetic bedtime protocol.
Sources: Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah. The Qur'an and its translation are verified; the scholarship is retold faithfully in our own words and credited to its sources, never reproduced verbatim.
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