To what extent is a person responsible for what he carries out in his sleep?

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh

A person is not accountable for his actions whilst sleeping. However, if he causes any harm to the wealth of others for example if he destroys someone's wealth or tears someone's clothes, he will be liable.

(Sahih Bukhari 207/6 Dar Al-Fikr)

(Bazl Al-Majhud 135/6 Maktaba Qasimiya)

If a person has a sleeping disorder, he should seek medical advice.

There is no specific dua to be read in such a condition, however, one should be engrossed in zikr of Almighty Allah, and should practice the etiquettes of sleep, ie:

· Wudhu should be made before retiring to bed

· One should lie on his right, fold his right hand and use it as a pillow

· Thereafter read 33 times Subhanallah, 33 times Alhumdulillah and 34 times Allahu-Akbar

· Before retiring to bed, one should recite the last 3 Surahs of the Holy Quran

· When lying down one should read Ayatul-Kursi

· Thereafter the following duas should be read

· Zikr should also be made before sleeping. According to the hadith when a person lies down to sleep, an angel and a devil advance towards him. The angel says: O Son of Adam! End your day upon good. The devil says to him: End your day upon evil. If he makes zikr, the angel guards him for the duration of the night (otherwise the devil takes charge of him)

And Allah knows best

Wassalam

Ml. Ahmed Mohomed Pandor,
Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa