Nasai

162. Commentary:
➊ This narration shows that drowsiness (dozing) does not invalidate ablution (wudu), because the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam gave the reason for leaving the prayer as the possibility that the worshipper, in a state of heedlessness, might supplicate against himself, not that his ablution has been nullified. Furthermore, this narration does not mean that one should leave the prayer as soon as drowsiness overtakes him; rather, he should shorten the prayer, complete it, and then lie down. However, if the dominance of sleep is so great that it becomes difficult to recite supplications and surahs, then he should leave the prayer, complete his sleep first, and then perform the prayer. This is the situation indicated by the hadith. And Allah knows best.
➋ In this blessed hadith, encouragement is given for presence of heart and humility and submissiveness during worship.

Benefits and Issues:
Relevance between the Chapter and the Hadith:
Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah intended to establish in this chapter that ablution (wudu) does not become obligatory again due to drowsiness, and in this regard, he derived evidence from the blessed hadith that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not command that the prayer (in which there was predominance of sleepiness or drowsiness) be repeated. Thus, it is understood that ablution is not nullified by drowsiness.

◈ Allamah Nasiruddin Ibn al-Munir rahimahullah writes:
«فيه يدل على أن النعاس اليسير لا ينا فى الطهارة» [المتواري ص 72]
“The relevance (between the chapter and the hadith) is that drowsiness is not contrary to purity (i.e., ablution is not nullified by drowsiness).”

◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah says:
“It is understood from this hadith that mere drowsiness does not nullify ablution, otherwise there would have been no need for this reasoning; rather, a clear command would have been issued that he should perform ablution anew.” [فتح الباري ج1 ص416]

◈ Allamah ‘Ayni Hanafi rahimahullah writes:
«مطابقة هذا الحديث والذي بعده للترجمة تفهم من معنى الحديث، فإن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لما أوجب قطع الصلاة، وأمر بالرقاد دل ذالك على أنه كان مستغرقاً فى النوم فإنه علل ذالك بقوله : فإن أحدكم . . . .»” [عمدة القاري ج3 ص165]
“Allamah ‘Ayni has also indicated towards this, that ablution is not nullified by mere drowsiness, nor is the prayer, unless the person becomes completely immersed in sleep, even if it is for a short while, and this is the reasoning mentioned in the hadith. Therefore, the relevance between the hadith and the chapter is evident.”

Hadith Commentary:
1.
Sleep, in and of itself, does not invalidate ablution (wudu); rather, it is a significant cause for the nullification of ablution, especially when it overcomes a person’s intellect and awareness. This is precisely why the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) commanded that the act of prayer be discontinued in a state of drowsiness, because a drowsy person is not fully conscious. It is possible that such a person might utter a word that turns out to be a supplication against himself. Therefore, to continue the act of prayer in such a state is contrary to wisdom. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not say that ablution is broken by drowsiness and that the prayer becomes invalid. Shah Waliullah (rahimahullah) states that there can be two reasons for the command to sleep:
(1)
Due to sleep, ablution is broken; therefore, to continue the prayer is futile.
(2)
To continue the act of prayer in a state of unawareness is contrary to wisdom.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) mentioned the second reason for not performing prayer: lest, instead of supplication, a curse escapes one’s lips. The first reason for not continuing the prayer does not apply here, i.e., ablution is not broken but remains intact. Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) intends to establish precisely this point: that ablution is not nullified by drowsiness or dozing.
2.
Imam Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Marwazi (rahimahullah) has described the background of this hadith in these words: It is narrated from Aisha (radi Allahu anha) that when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) once passed by Hawla bint Tuwait, he was informed that this woman stands in prayer for long periods at night, and when sleep overcomes her, she puts her neck in a rope hanging from the ceiling. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) instructed her that one should pray as much as one has strength for. When tiredness and drowsiness begin to set in, one should sleep. (Mukhtasar Qiyam al-Layl, p. 133)

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: When a person is performing prayer and sleepiness begins to overcome him, he no longer knows what is coming out of his mouth and tongue, and due to this, there may be an addition or omission of a single dot, just as is well-known in the Urdu verse:

“We kept writing supplication, they kept reading it as betrayal;
A single dot turned us from intimate to criminal.”

A person supplicates:

(اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي)
O Allah! Forgive me.

But if, instead, he says:

(اللَّهُمَّ اعفِرْ لِي)
then its meaning would be: O Allah! Bury me in the earth,
or: Throw me down upon the ground.

1310. English Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
➊ For example, if instead of [اللهم اغفرلي] one mistakenly says [اللهم اعفر لي] (with the letter ‘Ayn), then its meaning would be: “O Allah! Cover me with dust.”
➋ Humility, submissiveness, and presence of heart are required in prayer (salah).
➌ If a person is overwhelmingly overcome by sleep, he should first complete his sleep and then perform the prayer. According to Imam Nawawi, this instruction applies generally to all prayers—day and night, obligatory (fard) and voluntary (nafl). However, it is in no way permissible for a Muslim to neglect his prayer. He should arrange his daily routine properly so that his prayer is not affected.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ Whether the prayer is obligatory or voluntary, a person should be in full possession of his senses at the time of its performance, so that he may recite the words of Allah’s praise and supplication with understanding, and thus his heart and soul may derive complete benefit.

➋ The time for the Tahajjud prayer is very broad. Therefore, it is not necessary for a person to force himself to stay awake the entire night or during a specific part of the night.

➌ It is not appropriate to pray when overcome by sleep; rather, one should first complete his sleep, or adopt some other method by which sleep is dispelled and the heart and mind become alert—for example, by performing ablution (wudu) or getting up and walking about.

➍ Whoever is not accustomed to standing in prayer at night (qiyam al-layl) should begin with a small amount of practice—for example, at first spending ten or fifteen minutes in prayer and remembrance, then gradually increasing it to half an hour, and then up to an hour.

Takhrij al-Hadith:
[وأخرجه البخاري 212، ومسلم 786، من حديث مالك به]

Jurisprudential Points:
➊ It is not a good deed to unnecessarily put oneself into hardship.
➋ One should remain engaged in supererogatory (nafl) acts of worship only as long as one’s temperament remains fresh and energetic. However, waking up by breaking sleep and performing the night prayer (tahajjud) while struggling against Satan is a virtuous act. See: [الموطأ حديث : 86]
➌ Sayyiduna Umar radi Allahu anhu used to pray at night as much as Allah willed, and in the last part of the night he would wake up his family for prayer. [الموطأ 1/119 ح258 وسنده صحيح]
➍ Prayer is not obligatory upon the unconscious, the insane, or one whose intellect is lost, except if he regains consciousness or becomes healthy and sound. Also see: [سورة النساء : 45]
➎ It is obligatory to keep oneself away, as much as possible, from those things that distract a person from prayer, so that one can perform prayer with tranquility and peace.
➏ It should be clear that this relates to supererogatory (nafl) prayer, not the obligatory (fard) prayer; therefore, it is a blameworthy act for some lazy and heedless people to use this hadith as evidence for negligence in obligatory prayer.
➐ Drowsiness does not break ablution (wudu), but sleep does.

Benefit:
From this hadith, it is understood that prayer (salah) should be performed in a state of alertness and full consciousness. One’s sleep and work routine should be arranged in such a way that prayer is not affected. Obligatory (fard) prayers must be performed on time under all circumstances; if one feels sleepy, one should perform ritual bath (ghusl), or adopt any other method that removes drowsiness. In the case of voluntary (nafl) prayers, if sleep overcomes a person, then he should sleep. Sleep and drowsiness make a person heedless, and he does not realize what he is saying. From this, it is also understood that everyone should know the translation of the prayer, so that he is aware of what he is saying. Every action should be done with understanding; no action should be done in a state of heedlessness. Especially in those actions which are performed solely for the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala, we should be particularly attentive to this matter.