Shaking out the bed before sleeping is a sunnah of caution that the Prophet advised.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) advised shaking out the bed three times with the edge of one's garment on returning to it, since a person cannot know what has gotten into the bed in their absence. This habit shows both attention to cleanliness and the value of preparing properly before any act.
What does the hadith say?
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِذَا أَوَى أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ فَلْيَنْفُضْ فِرَاشَهُ بِدَاخِلَةِ إِزَارِهِ، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَدْرِي مَا خَلَفَهُ عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ، إِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا، وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ ". تَابَعَهُ أَبُو ضَمْرَةَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ زَكَرِيَّاءَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ. وَقَالَ يَحْيَى وَبِشْرٌ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم. وَرَوَاهُ مَالِكٌ وَابْنُ عَجْلاَنَ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When anyone of you go to bed, he should shake out his bed with the inside of his waist sheet, for he does not know what has come on to it after him, and then he should say: 'Bismika Rabbi Wada`tu Janbi wa bika arfa'uhu, In amsakta nafsi farhamha wa in arsaltaha fahfazha bima tahfazu bihi ibadakas-salihin
Text: Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith no. 6320. Grade: sahih (hadiths in al-Bukhari and Muslim are accepted as sahih).
What is the hadith source of this sunnah?
This sunnah rests on the following hadith. The reference gives the collection, chapter and number where the hadith appears.
- at-Tirmidhi, Book of Supplications, 20 (hadith no. 3401)
How this page was prepared: sources and verification method.
More sunnahs in Sleep Etiquette
As a table with references: Sleep Etiquette sunnahs.
- Lying on the Right Side: Lying on the right side with the right hand under the cheek is a sunnah of sleep.
- Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas Before Sleep: Reciting Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas before sleep is a beautiful part of the sunnah.
- Praising Allah on Waking: The first thing to do with eyes that open to a new life each morning is to praise Allah.
- Waking for Tahajjud: Waking from sleep for the night prayer is the deepest form of nearness to Allah.
- Qaylulah — The Midday Rest: A short sleep after the noon prayer is the sunnah that gives strength for night worship.