5 Sunnah Practices we should strive to implement in our daily life
1. Sleeping & waking up early
Sayyidah Aa’isha Radhiyallahu Anha said about the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam: “He used to sleep early at night, get up in its last part to pray and then return to his bed.” [Sahih Bukhari]
Our sleeping pattern plays a great role in our ability to function effectively during the day. Starting the day off by praying the morning Salaah sets you in the right frame of mind to be the best you can be throughout the day. However, in order to rise in the early hours, it is imperative to sleep early.
2. Maintaining the 1/3rd rule in eating
Sayyiduna Miqdam bin Madikarib Radhiyallahu Anhu said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam say: ‘A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air.’” [Sunan Ibn Majah]
It is an underestimated fact that food has a dramatic effect on your body’s and brain’s performance. This hadith clearly highlights that overeating is a reprehensible quality we should stay away from. However, it is also important to remember that undereating is equally as harmful to a person. In order to function, we need to have a balanced outlook towards our meals; your level of food consumption should not leave you feeling tired or bloated as this is a state that leads to laziness, which is a vice we seek refuge in Allah from as mentioned in the Ahaadith.
3. Speaking good or keeping silent
The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: “He who believes in Allah and the Hereafter, if he witnesses any matter he should talk in good terms about it or keep quiet.” [Sahih Muslim]
We often find ourselves in situations where we sit and talk about things that do not concern us. We waste precious minutes, even hours, just by talking about matters that will not increase us in knowledge, character or anything for that matter. The beauty of this particular Sunnah, is that it will help you save time and reduce the amount of energy used to contemplate over irrelevant matters being discussed.
4. Making Salaam when entering the Home
The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said, “If a person mentions the name of Allah upon entering his house, Satan says to his followers: ‘You will find nowhere to spend the night.’ But if he enters without mentioning the Name of Allah, Satan says (to his followers), ‘You have found (a place) to spend the night in.’” [Sahih Muslim]
None of us want shaytan to enter our homes; we are aware of the distractions he creates to lead to our destruction. That being said, it is fundamentally important to seek refuge from his evil ways. Upon entering our homes, it is crucial to take the Name of Allah (by making Salaam) to prevent our doors being open for him. Shaytan is an enemy of productivity and success; his ultimate goal is to see us fail in our journey to develop a relationship with Allah.
5.MISWAAK
The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said, “The Siwak is a means of purification for the mouth and is pleasing to the Lord.” [Sunan Nasai]
Siwak comes from the Salvadora persica tree and has many anti-bacterial qualities, making it a great way to maintain hygiene of the mouth. It is narrated that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam would use siwak upon waking. The teeth are delicate and when problems occur can cause tremendous amount of pain, so this Sunnah introduces preventative measures against a problem that can have you rolled up in bed for days. Siwak is easily purchasable and relatively cheap, making it an easy sunnah to uphold. It keeps the mouth clean and fresh naturally and effortlessly all the time.
Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)
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