Qust (Costus Root, Aloeswood) and its use in Medicinal preparations.

There are essentially two types of Qust, Indian (Qust al Hindi) and Marine/Sea (Qust al Bahri).  Both come in the form of a dried root and Qust has a praised high status in the aHadith which is on par with Hijama cupping.

Imam Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah (rahimullah) said that both types of Qust provide considerable medicinal benefits. Qust is one of the remedies to always have at home which I must recommend to all my brothers and sisters who are serious about using Tibb an Nabawi to treat themselves and their loved ones.

Qust is hot and dry in the third degree and helps to dry out excess phlegm, help to remedy colds and influenza and nasal congestion. Imam Ibn Al Qayyim said that drinking an infusion of Qust helps strengthen the liver and helps to remedy weakness of digestion, slackness of the stomach, and if used as an ointment, it helps backache or rheumatic pain in the lumbar region. 

Sea/Marine Qust is a little paler in colour and also milder in taste and more suitable for administering to children.

Qust al Bahri root before it is powdered for use. This photo is owned by our brothers at tibbenabawi.org

Imam Ibn Al Qayyim said that Qust is also very beneficial for illnesses relating to breathing and the chest - pleurisy (a type of painful infection of the lining of the lungs), asthma, heaviness in the chest (breathing difficulties) and it helps to reduce thirst. It also helps remove freckles, fade scars and helps to control skin discolouration on the face and the chest which results from pregnancy or malnutrition.

Galen noted that Qust can also help kill ringworm (intestinal parasites) and if applied as an ointment can remove dry scales which are shed by the skin, including dandruff.

In the Sunan, the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu alayhi wassallam) praises the excellence of Qust as a general remedy and he is also reported mentioning it as a remedy for inflammation/infection of the throat as well as in another Hadith mentioning it with Hijama. Qust contains helicene and benzoic acid, both of which are substances that kill germs, hence the benefit in the treatment of infections and inflammations.

Reference to Hadith regarding the general excellence of Qust, and partnering it with Hijama in the same sentence.

Anas (radhi Allahu anhu) narrated that he was asked about the wages of the one who cups others. He said, "Allah's Messenger (sallAllahu alayhi wassallam) was cupped by `Abd Taiba, to whom he gave two Sa of food and interceded for him with his masters who consequently reduced what they used to charge him daily. Then the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wassallam) said, "The best medicines you may treat yourselves with are cupping and sea incense.' He added, "You should not torture your children by treating tonsillitis by pressing the tonsils or the palate with the finger, but use incense."

Sahih Al Bukhari Vol. 7, Book 71, Hadith 599.

Qust will be used in Jannah.

It was narrated by Abu Huraira (radhi Allahu anhu) that Allah's Messenger (sallAllahu alayhi wassallam) said, "The first group of people who will enter Paradise, will be glittering like the full moon and those who will follow them, will glitter like the most brilliant star in the sky. They will not urinate, relieve nature, spit, or have any nasal secretions. Their combs will be of gold, and their sweat will smell like musk. The aloes-wood will be used in their centers [as a fuel]. Their wives will be Houris. All of them will look alike and will resemble their father Adam (in statute), sixty cubits tall."

Sahih Al Bukhari Vol. 4, Book 55, Hadith 544

In respect of treating children for inflammation of the Uvula and its use in the treatment Pleurisy (a type of chest infection).

Umm Qasis (radhi Allahu anha) , the daughter of Mihsan said; "I brought my son to the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu alayhi wassallam) while I had compressed his uvula for its swelling. He (sallAllahu alayhi wassallam) said, "Why do you afflict your children [hurt them] by squeezing for a swelling in the Uvula? Apply this Indian aloes wood, for it contains seven types of remedies, among them being a remedy for pleurisy. It is applied through the nose for a swelling of the uvula poured into the side of the mouth for pleurisy."

Sunan Abi Dawood in Kitaab At Tibb Book 28, Hadith 3868. Classed as Sahih by Sh. Al Albani (rahimullah)

Abu Dawood (may Allah be pleased with him) added "By Aloeswood he meant Costus."

Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani said concerning pleurisy that "it is a hot swelling that appears in the membrane covering the ribs."

Modern medical description of pleurisy - http://www.webmd.boots.com/a-to-z-guides/pleurisy-symptoms-diagnosis-treatment

Administration.

Qust is usually used on its own or partnered with water, honey or olive oil.

For tonsillitis.

Qust al Bahri powder.

Qust al Hindi powder should be inhaled through the nose as per the previously quoted Hadith.

The benefits behind administering medicine by snuffing (Sa'oot) - http://tibbenabawi.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63:tonsillitis-a-saoot&Itemid=94

For fading Freckles and spots, skin discolouration, scars, burns.

According to Ibn Al Qayyim's work 'At Tibb an Nabawwi', the ointment is made by mixing Qust al Hindi powder in equal parts with good quality raw honey and add a very small amount of clean water. The paste should not be runny so that it runs off the skin but should stick to the area where it is applied. I would personally advise to apply to the area once per day for 30 minutes, then wash it off.

This ointment is also recommended to be applied to help aid the healing of incisions of Hijama to help minimize scarring in those patients who have thin skin, are diabetic or elderly or are generally prone to scarring or where they have had cupping applied to the face.

It can also be used as a compress to dress the hijama incisions of patients who are hemophilic or taking blood thinning medications. Smear the mixture onto a sterile lint gauze or cotton fabric and apply to the skin, holding the gauze in place with medical adhesive tape. Once you are sure the wound has stopped bleeding, remove the dressing so as to encourage airflow and the formation of the hemostatic plug.

As an external application for rheumatic pain and as a hair oil.

Qust should be mixed in Olive oil as it was none other than Rasool'Allah (sallAllahu alayhi wassallam) himself who instructed His Ummah to use olive oil for eating and for massage. Qust infused olive oil should be massaged on the points of pain/joints in the evening before bed.

To make the massage oil, take 50g each of dried whole henna leaves and Qust whole root pieces (or its powder) and fry them on a very very low heat in around 250ml of good quality olive oil for 1 hour with continuous stirring. Make sure the heat is kept very low or the ingredients will burn. The oil will turn dark but it should not smell burnt. Once the oil has cooled down, filter it through muslin cloth, add 10 drops of the essential oil of Spikenard (Jatamansi) and then transfer it to a container bottle. Insha'Allah, it will over time should help to strengthen the bones and joints as well as have a rapid effect on the pain.

Jatamansi is not essential so you can omit it if you cannot find it.

This same blend can be used twice a week as a conditioner for the hair which will also help relieve dandruff insha'Allah.

For runny nose, colds and flu.

Qust should be ground to a powder and gently snuffed in the nose. The patient should be lying down with their head and shoulders slightly elevated and their head tilted back.

For chest infections, pleurisy and asthma.

The Messenger of Allah (sallaAllahu alayhi wassallam) said it should be administered from the side of the mouth, and the right side is better than the left. Because it is bitter-tasting, there is less risk in coughing or nausea when it is administered from the side of the mouth but this is a general observation rather than recorded in the teachings of the pious predecessors and Allah knows best.
Qust al Hindi can be mixed with an equal quantity of honey and then smeared on the inside of the cheek. This should be administered three times daily, after meals.

For stomach, liver, digestion problems, IBS, Crohn's or intestinal parasites.

Honey paste with Qust al Bahri and crushed Black seeds.

Mix 50g Qust al Bahri powder with 50g dry roasted ground black seeds (nigella sativa) in a jar of raw honey. You can optionally add 10 edible silver leaves if you wish.

Because the Qust infusion needs to be drunk, take 1/2 teaspoon of this mixture twice each day dissolved in a hot cup of green tea. The seeds will settle at the bottom of the cup so make sure you stir and agitate it so that you drink the crushed seeds too. In two weeks insha'Allah you will notice a considerable difference and have much more energy.

Black seeds can easily be dry roasted in a frying pan at home and ground in your spice grinder. Raw honey, depending where it is sourced from, is sometimes set hard in texture, you can gently warm it in the microwave to make stirring in the Qust powder and blackseeds easier. Keep the mixture stored in a cool dark place.

Pregnant ladies must always check with their doctor before taking any herbs, supplements or medicines.

Buy Qust in the UK from here - http://www.healthmeanswealth.co.uk/Qist_Shop.php

10 Common Medications your Child Should Never Take.

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Parents want to do everything they can to help their sick child feel better, but they need to be very careful about giving them medications. Many medicines are made for adults only and never should be given to a young child or baby. Even some medications specifically made for children can be dangerous if given improperly or in the wrong dosages. Before giving any medicine to your kids, please review these 10 common medications your child should never take.

1. Aspirin – The number one medication to avoid using for kids is aspirin since it’s been linked to Reye’s syndrome. Although most parents know this, they may not be aware of all the products that contain aspirin. Check the ingredients of all medications before giving them to children to make sure they don’t contain aspirin.
2. Vicks – A common home remedy to relieve congestion in infants was to put Vicks on the baby’s feet or chest. This is no longer recommended for kids under 2 since several children ended up in the hospital with respiratory problems. Never put Vicks around a child’s nose or let them swallow it because it can harm their eyes and is poisonous.
3. Antihistamines – Many cold medicines contain antihistamines like diphenhydramine or loratidine that have been found to be ineffective for treating cold symptoms in children. Why give your kids something that could cause more harm than good? You should only give children antihistamines if they are prescribed by your pediatrician for allergies.
4. Sudafed – This common decongestant has also been found to be ineffective for relieving cold symptoms in children. Since Sudafed has no proven benefit for common viral illnesses, it’s generally not worth the potential side effects of irritability, restlessness and nervousness.
5. Cough medicines – Coughing is how a body clears out the lungs, so cough suppressants are never a good idea for children. You’re much better off treating the underlying cause of the coughing than trying to stop it. You should always check with a doctor before giving your child a cough medicine.
6. Pepto-Bismol – This common remedy for stomach discomfort and diarrhea should never be given to young children since it contains aspirin. Using Pepto-Bismol to relieve vomiting or diarrhea can definitely do more harm than good.
7. Alka-Seltzer – Another product that contains aspirin is Alka-Seltzer, so your child should never take this medication. The information on the box clearly indicates that it’s not recommended for children under the age of 12.
8. Sleeping pills – Most sleeping pills and PM medications contain diphenhydramine which, as previously noted, is not recommended for children. Although this antihistamine is commonly used to cause drowsiness, in children it can have the opposite effect and cause them to become restless, irritable and have difficulty sleeping.
9. Antibiotics – Although antibiotics have been routinely prescribed for viral infections, the risk can outweigh the benefits. They will not cure or shorten the duration of the illness and overexposure to antibiotics has lead to the development of drug-resistant bacteria.
10. Pseudoephedrine – This nasal decongestant is a common ingredient in children’s cough and cold medications and is not recommended for children under the age of 2. Pseudoephedrine has never been shown to have any beneficial effect yet it can have significant harmful effects.

Parents should read labels of all OTC (over the counter) medications for the recommended children’s dosages. They will clearly state which drugs are intended for adults and not for children under the age of 12. Also check the ingredients listed to make sure they don’t contain aspirin or any of the other medications that can be dangerous to children. Kids will get sick, but it’s important to remember that common illnesses are only temporary. It’s much better to be safe than sorry and give your child something that will only make them feel worse.

Healthy Sleeping etiquettes from the Sunnah.

Sleep is just as important to maintaining a healthy body and mind as diet and exercise, and just as some diets can be unhealthy, some types of sleep can also be.

The Holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) did not oversleep or deprive his body of necessary sleep, making his method in this regard the most perfect. He used to sleep when sleep is warranted and would lay on his right side and remember Allah in supplication until sleep overwhelmed his eyes. In addition, his body would not be burdened with overeating or overdrinking. He neither slept on the bare floor, or on high beds. Rather, he had mats made of leaves, used to lean on a pillow and would sometimes place his hand under his cheek.

It is accepted by most physicians that a good night's sleep should last anywhere between 4 and 8 hours for those that have reached the age of maturity (baligh). Anything longer than this may be considered excessive.

Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyaad (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, “There are two qualities that harden the heart: sleeping too much and eating too much.” Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimullah) also said, “As for the five things that corrupt the heart, they are those that are referred to: mixing excessively with people (so as to gossip and talk a lot), wishful thinking (daydreaming), being attached to anything other than Allah, eating one’s fill, and sleeping a lot.” These five are the greatest corrupters of the heart.

Sleeping too much deadens the heart, makes the body heavy and overweight, makes one lazy in worship and slow in thinking, wastes time, and generates a great deal of carelessness and laziness. Some of it is very Makrooh and some is physically harmful; oversleeping brings no benefit to the body.

At the same time, sleeping too little is also unhealthy as Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Safaareeni (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “It is not right to resist sleep a great deal and stay up late often. Resisting and avoiding sleep will lead to other problems such as bad moods, muddled thinking, and exhaustion that prevents one from understanding and working properly, and it can lead to many fatal illnesses.”

Creation is based on balance and whoever adheres to moderation has achieved all goodness in sha’Allah.

Here in this post I have used the guidance of the Qur’an and Sunnah to collect evidence which highlights the impact of correct and incorrect sleeping etiquettes on mental and physical health.

Better quality sleep.

There are some important points in daily life and prior to sleeping that need to be focused on;

Heavy meals in the evening should be totally avoided, as should drinking caffinated drinks before bed (like tea, coffee, cola etc). The last meal of the day should be a light one and it should be taken at least two hours before sleep.

We should all have a regular sleeping habit. One of the conditions for enjoying quality sleep is to sleep and wake up at the same hours. It is particularly important to have regular sleep on week days. The disruption of this regularity at the weekend is one of the stumbling blocks standing in the way of a quality sleep.

One should lie on the right side. Lying flat on one’s back or lying prone can bring certain problems. Snoring or interruption of respiration only occurs while lying flat on one’s back.

The most suitable position for sleeping is to turning to the right side. A person unconsciously moves and changes position 10 or 15 times during his or her sleep as a result of Allah's Divine Mercy.

Here, one remembers the verses of the Holy Qur’an about the sleeping positions of the “people of the cave” as Allah the Beneficent says,

"We caused them to turn over to the right and the left..." 
(Surah al Kahf 18:18).

Moreover lying on one’s right is also the tradition of Allah's Beloved Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wasallam).

Conducting Wudhu (ablution) before sleeping.

Doing Wudhu (ablution) before going to sleep is one of the things which is highly recommended.

A hadith was narrated to this effect, in which the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “When you go to bed, do Wudhu’ as for prayer.” (Narrated in al-Bukhari, 247; and in Muslim 2710).

Ibn Hajar said, “The apparent meaning is that it is recommended for everyone who wants to go to sleep to renew his Wudhu, even if he already has Wudhu. It may be interpreted as applying only to the one who has broken his Wudhu.”

The supplication which Rasool'Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) taught us to recite;

Al-Bara 'bin 'Azib (radhi Allahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said to me, "Whenever you go to bed perform ablution like that for the prayer, lie or your right side and say, "Allahumma aslamtu wajhi ilaika, wa fauwadtu amri ilaika, wa alja'tu Zahri ilaika raghbatan wa rahbatan ilaika. La Malja' wa la manja minka illa ilaika. Allahumma amantu bikitabika-l-ladhi anzalta wa bina-biyika-l ladhi arsalta" (O Allah! I surrender to You and entrust all my affairs to You and depend upon You for Your Blessings both with hope and fear of You. There is no fleeing from You, and there is no place of protection and safety except with You O Allah! I believe in Your Book (the Qur'an) which You have revealed and in Your Prophet (Muhammad) whom You have sent). Then if you die on that very night, you will die with faith (i.e. or the religion of Islam). Let the aforesaid words be your last utterance (before sleep)." I repeated it before the Prophet and when I reached "Allahumma amantu bikitabika-l-ladhi anzalta (O Allah I believe in Your Book which You have revealed)." I said, "Wa-rasulika (and your Apostle)." The Prophet said, "No, (but say): 'Wanabiyika-l-ladhi arsalta (Your Prophet whom You have sent), instead."
Sahih Al Bukhari Volume 1, Book 4, Number 247

Al-Nawawi said, “If a person has Wudhu, that is sufficient for him, because the point is to go to sleep having Wudhu, lest he die in his sleep, and so that his dreams will be more true, and so that the shaytaan will be less likely to play with his dreams and terrify him.”

Best times of the day or night to sleep.

According to Ibn Qayyim (rahimullah), the closer sleep is to either the very beginning or the end of the day, the less beneficial it is and the more harmful, especially sleeping between As'r and Maghrib, and sleeping at the very beginning of the day (before the sunrise), except in the case of one who has stayed up late and is overwhelmed with sleep.

The best and most beneficial times of the night to sleep is during the first half of the night (immediately after Ishaa) and this is the best sleep according to experienced Hakeems. In their view, anything more or less than that will have a proportionately detrimental effect on the body.

A kind of sleep that is of no benefit is sleeping straight after sunset, until the twilight has disappeared (Maghrib). The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) disliked sleeping at this time, therefore it is considered makrooh according to Shari’ah and is naturally disliked.

Some of the Salaf (Companions of the Holy Prophet) disliked sleeping after the Faj’r prayer.

The practice of the Blessed Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and his Companions after praying Faj’r (the time between early dawn and sunrise) was to remain sitting in the place where they had prayed until the sun rose, as is reported in Sahih Muslim (1/463) in the hadith of Sammaak ibn Harb, who said, “I asked Jaabir ibn Samurah, ‘Did you used to sit with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam)?’ He said, ‘Yes, frequently. He would not get up from the place where he had prayed until the sun rose. When the sun rose, he (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) would get up. They used to talk about things that had happened during the Jaahiliyyah, and they would laugh and smile.’”

As far as a person’s sleeping after praying Faj’r is concerned, no text (from either the Qur’an or hadith) has been reported to indicate that this is prohibited, so the general principle applies (i.e., everything is permitted except that which has been expressly forbidden).

It is important to note however, that the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) asked his Lord to bless his Ummah in the mornings, as is reported in the hadith of Sakhr al-Ghaamidi, who said, “The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “O Allah, bless my Ummah in the mornings.’ Whenever he sent out troops or an army, he would send them at the beginning of the day.’” Sakhr was a trader, and he used to send out his caravans at the beginning of the day, and he did very well as a result and made money.” (Reported by Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah, with an isnaad in which there is some jahaalah (i.e., one narrator is unknown); corroborating evidence is to be found in a hadith narrated by ‘Ali, Ibn ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Abbaas, Ibn Mas’ood and others, may Allaah be pleased with them all.)

For this reason some of the Salaf disliked the idea of sleeping after Fajr. Ibn Abi Shaybah reported in his Musannaf (5/222, no. 25442) with a saheeh isnaad from ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr that he said: “Al-Zubayr used to forbid his children to sleep in the morning.” ‘Urwah said: “I do not hear of any man who sleeps in the morning, but I lose interest in that person.”

In summary then, people should make the most of this time which can bring many benefits and blessings in this world and in the Hereafter, but if a person sleeps at this time to gain strength to do his work, there is nothing wrong with this, especially if it is not easy for him to sleep at any other time of the day.

Ibn Abi Shaybah reported in his Musannaf (5/223, no. 25454) from the hadith of Abu Yazeed al-Madeeni who said, “Umar came to Suhayb one morning and found him sleeping, so he sat down until he woke up. Suhayb said, ‘The Ameer al-Mu’mineen is sitting in his place and Suhayb is sleeping!’ ‘Umar said to him, ‘I did not like to disturb your sleep that could be beneficial for you.’”

What to recite before sleep.

The best things to recite before sleeping are Ayat ul Kursi and the following three Surah’s of the Holy Qur’an three times each;

Surah Al-Ikhlaas (112)

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Say: He is Allah, the One!
Allah, the eternally Besought of all!
He begetteth not nor was He begotten.
And there is none comparable unto Him.

Surah Al-Falaq (113)

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the Daybreak.
From the evil of that which He created;
From the evil of the darkness when it is intense.
And from the evil of malignant witchcraft.
And from the evil of the envier when he envies.

Surah An-Naas (114)

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind.
The King of mankind.
The God of mankind.
From the evil of the sneaking whisperer.
Who whispers in the hearts of mankind.
Of the jinn and of mankind.

Then blow into cupped hands, thereafter wiping on the body three times, starting at the front of the body with the head as reported in Al Bukhari;

The other very effective prayer formula is Ayat ul Kursi;

Ayat ul Kursi (from Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 255)

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Allah! There is no God save Him, the Alive, the Eternal.
Neither slumber nor sleep overtake Him.
Unto Him belong whatsoever is in the Heavens and whatsoever is in the Earth.
Who is he that can intercede with Him save by His leave?
He knows that which is in front of them and that which is behind them, while they encompass nothing of His knowledge save what He wills.
His Throne includes the heavens and the earth, and He is never weary of preserving them.
He is the Sublime, the Tremendous.

(2:255)

It was narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri (radhi Allahu anhu) that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, "If while you are praying, somebody intends to pass in front of you, prevent him; and should he insist, prevent him again; and if he insists again, fight with him (i.e. prevent him violently e.g. pushing him violently), because such a person is (like) a devil." Narrated Muhammad bin Sirin: Abu Huraira said, "Allah's Apostle put me in charge of the Zakat of Ramadan (i.e. Zakat-ul-Fitr). Someone came to me and started scooping some of the foodstuff of (Zakat) with both hands. I caught him and told him that I would take him to Allah's Apostle." Then Abu Huraira told the whole narration and added "He (i.e. the thief) said, 'Whenever you go to your bed, recite the Verse of "Al-kursi" (2.255) for then a guardian from Allah will be guarding you, and Satan will not approach you till dawn.' " On that the Prophet said, "He told you the truth, though he is a liar, and he (the thief) himself was the Satan."

Sahih Al Bukhari Volume 4, Book 54, Number 495

Keeping the Awrah covered.

It is not recommended to sleep naked, even when sleeping in the same bed as one’s spouse or if the whole body is coved by a blanket.

According to the Islamic Scholars, the Awrah must be covered in all circumstances except when it is necessary to uncover it, such as when bathing, having marital relations, relieving oneself, etc. But when there is no reason, the awrah must remain covered, even for young babies and the elderly, because of the report narrated by Bahz ibn Hakeem from his father, from his grandfather, who said: “O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), what should we do about our awrahs?” He said, “Guard your awrah except from your wives and those whom your right hand possesses (concubines).” He asked, “What about when a man is with another man?” He said, “If you can manage not to let anyone see it, then do that.” He asked, “What if one of us is alone?’ He said, “Allah is more deserving that you should feel shy before Him.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2769, and Ibn Majah, graded as Hasan by Darussalam).

Based on the above, it is not permissible for Muslims to sleep with no clothes on that would cover their awrahs, whether they are sleeping with or without their spouses. This is particularly true for ladies.

It is Sunnah to dust off the bed before sleeping.

It is highly recommended to dust down the bed before lying down on it. It can be dusted down with the edge of one’s garment, or with something else, like a small towel or piece of cloth.

Al-Bukhari (6320) and Muslim (2714) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (radhi Allahu anhu) said, “The Holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “When one of you goes to his bed, let him dust off his bed with the inside of his lower garment, for he does not know what came onto it after he left it. Then let him say ‘Bismika Rabbee wada’tu janbi wa bika arfa’uhu wa in amsakta nafsi farhamhaa wa in arsaltahaa fahfazhaa bimaa tuhfaz bihi ‘ibaadika al-saaliheen’ (In Your name, my Lord, I lie down, and in Your name I rise. If You should take my soul then have mercy on it, and if You should return my soul then protect it as You protect Your righteous slaves).”

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Sharh Muslim, “The ‘inside of his lower garment’ means its edge. What is meant is that it is recommended to dust down his bed before lying on it, lest there be a snake, spider or scorpion or other harmful thing on it. And he should dust it down with his hand covered by the edge of his lower garment, lest something bad happen to his hand if there is anything there.”

Never sleep on the stomach.

The Holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) expressly forbade people from sleeping on their stomachs as it is the same way in which the dwellers of Hellfire will lie.

Ya’eesh ibn Tihfah al-Ghifaari reported that his father said, “I stayed as a guest with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) with those of the poor of whom he hosted. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) came out in the night to check up on his guests, and saw me lying on my stomach. He prodded me with his foot and said, ‘Do not lie in this manner, for it is a way of lying that Allah hates.’” According to another report, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) prodded him with his foot and woke him up, and said, “Do not lie like this, for this is how the people of Hell lie.” (Reported by Ahmad, al-Fath al-Rabbaani, 14/244-245; by al-Tirmidhi, no. 2798, Shaakir edn.; and by Abu Dawood, al-Sunan, Kitaab al-Adab, no. 5040, al-Da’aas edn. Also reported in Sahih al-Jaami’, 2270-2271).

It is also advised never to put babies and toddlers to sleep on their stomachs. Regardless of what conventional western medicine mentions on the topic, this method of sleeping increases the risk of cot death and childhood allergies.

The Beloved Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) left no good thing but he told us about it and left no evil thing but he warned us against it.