And we believe that He is: << لا تأخذه سنة ولا نوم >> [ al-Baqarah : 255 ] , for the perfection of His life and His sustaining.
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The Shaykh :"And we believe that He is [Al-Baqarah 2:255] " The sunnah is drowsiness, which is the precursor to sleep, and sleep is well known. What is sleep?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Sleep is sleep. Some people describe sleep as a heavy stupor, yes, that confuses the brain, causing a person to lose consciousness. In my view, if I imagine that this is sleep, I would not sleep. Yes, a heavy stupor overtakes the brain and one loses sensation. And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, it is not possible for sleep to come to me while I am aware that this is sleep. Sleep is sleep. Good, good.
We say[Al-Baqarah 2:255] and look at the expression of Allah meaning that it does not overcome Him, whereas healthy humans, what overcomes them is sleep and drowsiness, against their will. The common people say, "Sleep is a tyrannical ruler; it knows not..." They are two similar things; one must sleep. So He, Mighty and Majestic, is not overcome by drowsiness or sleep. Good. And does He sleep by choice?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : No, it is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)Sahih Muslim 179c meaning that it is not befitting for Him to sleep, Mighty and Majestic, because sleep is a deficiency. Sleep is a deficiency from which one benefits by relieving previous fatigue and renewing subsequent strength. Therefore, when a person sleeps after fatigue, he rests and then rises energetic. So it is not possible for anyone to be in need of sleep unless he is deficient. As for the Lord, Mighty and Majestic, He is perfect in life and does not need sleep, and He is perfect in sustaining. For this reason, he said "for the perfection of His life and His sustaining" Listen: "for the perfection of His life and the perfection of His sustaining" because deficient life needs sleep, and deficient sustaining involves the sustainer of a thing sleeping. And Allah, the Exalted, is the Sustainer of everything. Allah the Exalted said: [Ar-Ra'd 13:33] like one who owns nothing. Meaning the equivalent is omitted; the estimation is like one who owns nothing. For this reason, he said afterwards: [Al-An'am 6:100] Good. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is the Sustainer of everything. It is not possible for there to be anything on earth or in the heavens except by His command, Exalted and Majestic is He. And if that is the case, is it befitting for Him to sleep?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : Answer me.
The student: No.
The Shaykh : No. For if He slept, sustaining would be lost. So for the perfection of His life and the perfection of His sustaining:[Al-Baqarah 2:255] Good. Here, our brothers, we move on.
Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep.
لا تأخذه سنة ولا نومThe student: ...
The Shaykh : Sleep is sleep. Some people describe sleep as a heavy stupor, yes, that confuses the brain, causing a person to lose consciousness. In my view, if I imagine that this is sleep, I would not sleep. Yes, a heavy stupor overtakes the brain and one loses sensation. And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, it is not possible for sleep to come to me while I am aware that this is sleep. Sleep is sleep. Good, good.
We say
Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep.
لا تأخذه سنة ولا نومNo slumbering or sleep overtakes Him
لا تأخذهThe student: No.
The Shaykh : No, it is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)
Verily Allah does not sleep and it does not befit Him to sleep
إن الله لا ينام ولا ينبغي له أن ينامThen is He who is a maintainer of every soul, [knowing] what it has earned
أفمن هو قائم على كل نفس بما كسبتBut they have attributed to Allah
وجعلوا لله شركاءThe student: No.
The Shaykh : Answer me.
The student: No.
The Shaykh : No. For if He slept, sustaining would be lost. So for the perfection of His life and the perfection of His sustaining: