Ramadan Notes #6: (Re)-Discover the Power of Qailullah this Ramadan!

As-salamu’alaykum,

In one of my prior roles as a Hospitalist Medical Director, I was known for taking 20-min power naps in the early afternoon so much so that I was gifted a customized T-shirt by my colleagues with a bold label on the front flashing the word “SLEEPY” as my “reward” for this habit that I learnt through the Productive Muslim Productivity Masterclass several years ago.

This memory was resurfaced for me earlier today when I got an email from a dear friend in response to the Ramadan Notes Newsletter that I shared yesterday, titled: “Are you waking up energized this Ramadan?” My friend, who is also one of the graduates of the Valley Ranch Islamic Center’s Leadership Academy (where I have had the privilege to facilitate the Time Management and Productivity Module, Alhamdulillah), shared a super relevant suggestion to our armamentarium for staying energized this Ramadan and, quite frankly, year round - the sunnah of napping also known as Qailullah in our Islamic tradition!

Here are 2 narrations among others that reference this sunnah:

Sahl bin Sa`d narrated that: “We used to have a midday nap and take our meals after the Jumua (prayer).” Sahih al-Bukhari 6279

Anas Ibn Malik narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “If anyone of you feels drowsy during his Salah, let him go and take a nap.” Sunan an-Nasa'i 443 

So why did I embrace this practice and why should you? It’s a sunnah of our beloved Prophet (SAW) and it is also backed by Modern Science. Multiple studies have established the power of napping in improving alertness, memory formation, emotional regulation and decreasing the impact of stress.  

The other thing to keep in mind is that our bodies are programmed to experience two periods of sleepiness - the obvious one is every night (if there’s no sleeping disorder in the mix) and the second one that’s relevant here is early to mid afternoon about 6 - 8 hours after being awake which correlates to 1 - 3 pm for most of us - #naptime…😊

With the limited options to recharge and keep your energy levels up during the work (or even off duty) days of Ramadan, it’s important to prioritize this practice and tap into the physical benefits as well as the Barakah of following the example of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

As healthcare workers, often, working long and irregular hours, there’s even more reason to find creative ways to leverage this sunnah during and outside of Ramadan. The stakes are higher for us because alertness is essential to be able to deliver the best care and make well thought out decisions at the bedside and to support other healthcare colleagues, patients and their families who are depending on us this month and year round. 

Here are the key considerations for taking a nap;

1. Duration: Naps generally fall into 3 categories based on duration - the cat nap lasting ~20 minutes, the action nap (~40 minutes) and the long nap (~90minutes). For our purposes related to alertness, consider the cat nap first especially if you are working or new to this. 

2. Timing is key: Shoot for lunch time or somewhere between Dhuhr and Asr. Your work schedule and the support that you have for someone to help cover for you may need to be factored in.

3. Location: You may have to get creative here depending on the prevailing culture where you work. Finding a quiet and cool “nappy” spot can be tricky but it's definitely doable. A desk works just fine in most cases as well.

4. Remove Distractions. You know the drill here - phones, desktops, laptops etc

5. Take a judgment-free nap. The simple act of closing your eyes even for just 10 minutes can significantly improve your performance in the mid to late afternoon. 

Friends and colleagues, trust the sunnah and give it a try, in sha Allah 

Ramadan is a pristine time to experience the Barakah of naps. The midday nap (Qailullah) has the potential to transform your productivity and optimize your mid to late afternoon performance while making it easier to get up for the night prayers at a time when we are all seeking the countenance of our Lord and serving humanity through our vocations in healthcare. 

May Allah SWT grant us the capacity and the supportive environment to leverage one of His many blessings of rest and recovery through naps and sleep in a way that refuels our focus of mindfulness of Allah and service to others this blessed month and beyond. Amin

Sincerely,

Sulyman

P.S. Join like-hearted #HealthCareWorkers on Zoom every Thursday this Ramadan for weekly check-ins at 4.15pm CST/9.15pm GMT/10.15pm WAT . Register and join with this link.

P.P.S. What other suggestions do you have for me and others in this regard? Share in the comments section or reply to [email protected]