Welcome to Sadia’s Ramadan Learning Series, which offers micro-lessons for a joyful Ramadan. Here’s what I have so far:
Pre-Read: Ramadan: A Guest That Stays a Month.
Lesson 1: A Small Intention
Lesson 2: 3 Levels of Fasting
If you like or learn something, please share it with a friend!
A gift is something we don’t ask for. It’s something that we don’t produce or make happen. A gift comes freely, and usually, there’s no expectation of reciprocation.
By definition, sleep is a gift from the Creator.
The ability to fall asleep and stay asleep is a gift, especially in modern society.
In fact, sleep disorders are common in the United States, affecting a significant portion of the population. As of January 2022, insomnia is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders in the United States. It is estimated that around 30% of adults, or approximately 99.3 million adults, experience symptoms of insomnia, such as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early, at least occasionally.
For Muslims, sleep is considered a kind of worship. According to “Quranic Insights into Sleep”1 sleep is considered one of the signs of the creator.
“And of His signs is your sleep by night and day and your seeking of His bounty. Indeed in that are signs for a people who listen.” (Sura Rum, 30: 23)
Sleep is an act of obedience and worship. Staying up late to binge watch your favorite show or read a novel, not so much. The understanding is that your body has rights over you, and you cannot just will yourself to overpower sleep.
During this month of Ramadan, sleep feels as precious as water.
Late nights of extra worship compounded with early morning breakfast prep of (halal) bacon and eggs, parathas and smoothies means sleep gets sidelined. If I recall from my time in corporate America, no workplace no matter how wellness oriented the place, encouraged napping on the job. The 9-5 in the office made my sleep deprivation worse, along with long commute times. (I used to nap on the bus or subway back then). As soon as I got home, I would head straight to the kitchen to prep dinner. This is what my mother did, so I followed her example.
My Ma told me her routine, may God have mercy on her body but her willpower is something else. Here’s what she does still:
11 PM: Comes home from tarawee at the masjid
4:30 AM: Wakes up for prayers. Gets suhur ready.
6:00 AM: Prays Fajr
7:30 AM: Walks a mile to her job (because she says exercise is good)
8 -3 PM: Works at a school (with lots of stairs)
3 PM: Walks home from her job
3:30: Naps - Maybe tentatively
5 -7 PM : Cooks dinner and preps suhur for the next day
7 PM: Breaks her fast with my Dad; cleans up
8:30 PM: Walks to masjid
11:00 PM: Comes home
She does it all over again.
The gift of sleep does not come to my mother. She is always prepping and planning the next thing in her routine, as a New Yorker I think she’s always onto the next thing. I admire that level of productivity, but I also worry about her physical body as her daughter.
My routine, as a SAHM not currently employed, looks so different. I see sleep and napping as the greatest of gifts. When my kids go down for a nap after their bath, I also nap with them. The nap makes me feel like I’m a new person, starting a new day. Learning how to take naps as a grown adult (really because of my children insist I lay down with them) has allowed me to experience this gift. I intend to use the nap as an act of obedience, as something that is owed to my body, especially now.
A Question for You
Have you struggled with napping or sleeping as an adult? How do you get a nap into your schedule if at all during Ramadan? Let’s meet in the comments.
Bahammam AS, Gozal D. Qur'anic insights into sleep. Nat Sci Sleep. 2012 Jul 24;4:81-7. doi: 10.2147/NSS.S34630. PMID: 23620681; PMCID: PMC3630974.<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3630974/#:~:text=1%2C2%20Islam%20considers%20sleep,who%20hearken%E2%80%9D%20(30.23)>
I struggle with napping. No matter how tired, typically by the time I lay down, I don’t fall asleep. So what I try to do instead is make a time to lay down and not force myself to sleep, like just deep breathing with eyes closed. I’ll set a timer if I need to get up at a certain time. Sometimes I sleep. Alhamdulillah so far this Ramadan my energy is okay and I’m mostly catnapping.
I’ve been powering through a constant migraine since thursday and at first I chalked it up to Ramadan fatigue, however my roommate was very quick to point out my severe lack of proper sleep lately. After reading this on top of that, I think it’s best I put away my phone and get two hours of sleep before suhoor.