Question:
I would like to ask about qoilulah. When is the actual time to practice this qoilulah? Is it before or after Zuhr prayer?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
The Meaning of Qoilulah (الْقَيْلُولَةِ)
According to al-Razi Rahimahullah in his book Mukhtar al-Sihah, al-Qoilulah means taking a nap at noon. [1] Ibn al-Sikkit Rahimahullah then said that al-Qoilulah is taking a nap on the midst of the day which is the noon. [2] While according to al-Athir Rahimahullah, al-Qoilulah is resting at noon even if it is without a nap. [3]
It can be understood here that al-Qoilulah is the act of napping during the day which is at noon. Al-Qoilulah also may be defined as resting at noon even if it is without sleeping as mentioned by al-Athir rahimahullah.
The Time for Qoilulah
The scholars have differing opinions in stating the time for qoilulah whether it is before or after the Zuhr prayer. There is an opinion which states that it is after the sun passes its zenith and there are some who are of the opinion that it is before the sun passes its zenith.
Most Fiqh books of madhhab al-Shafie said that al-Qoilulah is sleep before or when it is almost the time where the sun passes its zenith. This is as what is mentioned by al-Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haitami Rahimahullah[4], al-Imam al-Khatib al-Sharbini [5] Rahimahullah and al-Imam al-Ramli Rahimahullah [6].
However, there is an opinion which said that al-Qoilulah can be done before or after the sun passes its zenith. This is the opinion of al-Manawi where he said in Faydh al-Qadir that al-Qoilulah is sleeping at noon when the sun passes its zenith and what is close to it whether before or after it. [7]
While for Friday, there is a specific excerpt from the hadith of the Prophet PBUH which said that al-Qoilulah on Fridays is after the performance of Friday prayer. This is in accordance with a hadith narrated from Anas bin Malik RA:
كُنَّا نُبَكِّرُ بِالْجُمُعَةِ، وَنَقِيلُ بَعْدَ الْجُمُعَةِ
We used to offer the Jumua prayer early and then have an afternoon nap
Sahih al-Bukhari (904)
We are of the opinion that it is not a problem to practice qoilulah before or after the sun passes its zenith according to one’s availability for the purpose is to provide energy to do ibadah at night by qiyamullail. Wallahua’lam.
Hadiths on al-Qoilulah & Encouragement to Practice it
Al-Qoilulah is mentioned through hadith of the Prophet PBUH. Hadiths which mentioned it state that al-qoilulah is performed after Friday prayer. It is a hadith from Anas bin Malik RA:
كُنَّا نُبَكِّرُ بِالْجُمُعَةِ، وَنَقِيلُ بَعْدَ الْجُمُعَةِ
We used to offer the Jumua prayer early and then have an afternoon nap
Sahih al-Bukhari (904)
The same is for another hadith narrated by Sahl bin Sa’ad:
كُنَّا نَقِيلُ وَنَتَغَدَّى بَعْدَ الْجُمُعَةِ
We used to have a midday nap and take our meals after the Jumua (prayer)
Sahih al-Bukhari (6279)
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani Rahimahullah said that qoilulah is taking a nap in the midst of the day when the sun passes its zenith and what is close to it whether it is before or after it. [8]
Most of the scholars said that qoilulah is encouraged because it may provide energy for a person to enliven the night by doing qiyamullail like the practice of having predawn meal (suhoor) in providing energy to fast during the day. While for the hadiths which state on the benefits of qoilulah, al-Imam al-Nawawi said that these hadiths are dho’if (weak) and is included under the fadhail a’mal (the advantages of doing good deeds). [9]
Wallahua’lam.