Allah Almighty does not sleep, and it is not befitting of Him to sleep
Chapter: The saying of the Prophet (saws): "Allah does not sleep" and "His veil is light, and if he were to remove it, the splendour of his face would burn all of his creation, as far as hs sght reaches".
Authentic
hadith of Sahih Muslim
Sahih Muslim 179a
Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood among us and said five statements:
"Allah Almighty does not sleep, and it is not befitting of Him to sleep. He lowers the Scales and raises them. The deeds done during the night are taken up to Him before the deeds done during the day, and the deeds done during the day before the deeds done during the night. His veil is light— and in another version: fire—and if He were to remove it, the glory of His Face would burn everything of His creation as far as His sight extends."
Reported by Muslim (No. 179a, 179c), Ibn Majah (No. 195, 196) and Ahmad (No. 18709, 18765, 18806).
The Prophet (ﷺ) stood as a preacher among his Companions and delivered five complete statements, which were: First: Allah Almighty does not sleep. Second: It is impossible for Him to sleep, due to the perfection of His Self-Subsistence and Everlasting Life. Third: Allah Almighty lowers and raises the Scales according to the deeds of His servants that ascend to Him, and according to the provisions that descend from Him to the earth. Thus, the sustenance—which is the allotted share of every creature—He decreases it for some, constricting it, and increases it for others, expanding it as He wills. Fourth: The deeds of the servants are raised to Him—the deeds done at night are lifted before the coming of the following day, and the deeds done during the day are lifted before the coming of the following night. Thus, the guardian angels ascend with the record of the night's deeds after its end at the beginning of the day, and they ascend with the record of the day's deeds after its end at the beginning of the night. Fifth: His Veil—exalted be He—is what prevents His being seen; it is light or fire. If He were to uncover it, the glory of His Face would burn everything of His creation as far as His Sight reaches. Indeed, the glory of His Face is His Light, Majesty, and Splendor. The meaning is: if He were to remove and lift the barrier that prevents seeing Him—that is, the Veil—and were to manifest Himself to His creation, the glory of His Face would burn everything His Sight reaches, which includes all creatures, as His Sight encompasses all created beings.
Lessons
Highlighting the fact that sleeping is impossible for Allah Almighty because it is an imperfection, and He is far exalted above all deficiencies.
Allah Almighty honors whom He wills and humiliates whom He wills, and He guides whom He wills and leads astray whom He wills among His servants.
Deeds are raised to Allah every day and every night, which encourages the servants to feel watchfulness of Allah Almighty both in their day and their night.
The Hadīth indicates Allah's justice and His perfect management of His creations' affairs—and without a doubt, this is among the attributes of His absolute perfection, Glorified and Exalted be He.
Affirmation that Allah Almighty has a veil—a barrier of light between Him and His creation—and were it not for this veil, they would be burned.
Al-Ājurri said: People of the truth describe Allah Almighty with what He has described Himself and with what His Messenger (ﷺ) described Him, and with what the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) described Him, and this is the methodology of the scholars who have complied and did not innovate in religion. End of quote. So, Ahl-us-Sunnah establish for Allah what He has established for Himself of the names and attributes without Tahrīf (distortion), Ta‘tīl (negation), Takyīf (asking how), or Tamthīl (likening). They negate from Allah what He has negated from Himself and keep silent regarding what has neither been negated nor established. Allah Almighty says: {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.}
The light that is His attribute—Exalted be He—is different from the light with which He veiled Himself. The veil of light is a created light, whereas the light of Allah is a light befitting Him and His essence; there is nothing like unto Him. What the Prophet (ﷺ) saw was only the veil that exists between Allah and His servants.
Explanation in Arabic
قام النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم خطيبًا في أصحابه بخمس جملٍ تامة، وهي:
الأولى: بأن الله عز وجل لا ينام.
الثانية: يستحيل في حقه النوم؛ لكمال قيوميته وحياته.
الثالثة: أنه تعالى يخفض الميزان ويرفعه بما يوزن من أعمال العباد المرتفعة الصاعده إليه، ويوزن من أرزاقهم النازلة إلى الأرض، فالرزق الذي هو قسط ونصيب كل مخلوق يخفضه سبحانه فيقتره، ويرفعه فيوسعه.
الرابعة: يُرفع إليه ما عمل العباد بالليل قبل النهار الذي بعده، وعملهم بالنهار قبل عمل الليل الذي بعده؛ فالملائكة الحفظة يصعدون بأعمال الليل بعد انقضائه في أول النهار، ويصعدون بأعمال النهار بعد انقضائه في أول الليل.
الخامسة: حجابه سبحانه المانع من رؤيته النور أو النار، لو كشفه لأحرقت سبحات وجهه ما انتهى إليه بصره من خلقه؛ فسبحات وجهه نوره وجلاله وبهاؤه.
والتقدير: لو أزال وكشف المانع من رؤيته وهو الحجاب، وتجلى لخلقه لأحرقت سبحات وجهه ما انتهى إليه بصره من خلقه؛ وهي جميع المخلوقات؛ لأن بصره سبحانه وتعالى محيط بجميع الكائنات.
بيان استحالة النوم على الله سبحانه وتعالى؛ لكونه من النقائص وهو منزه عنها.
الله تعالى يُعزُّ من يشاء ويذل من يشاء، ويهدي من يشاء ويضل من يشاء من عباده.
الأعمال ترفع إلى الله كل يوم وكل ليلة، وفي ذلك حث للعباد أن يراقبوا الله عز وجل في ليلهم ونهارهم.
الحديث يدل على عدل الله سبحانه وحسن تدبيره لأمور خلقه، ولا شك أن هذا من صفات كماله جل وعلا.
إثبات الحجاب له سبحانه وتعالى، وهو النور الحائل بينه وبين خلقه، ولولاه لاحترقوا.
قال الآجُرِّي: إنَّ أهل الحق يَصِفُون الله عز وجل بما وصف به نفسه عز وجل، وبما وصفه به رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وبما وصفه به الصحابة رضي الله عنهم، وهذا مذهب العلماء ممن اتبع ولم يبتدع. انتهى. فأهل السنة يُثْبِتُون لله ما أثبته لنفسه من الأسماء والصفات من غير تحريف ولا تعطيل ولا تكييف ولا تمثيل، ويَنْفُون عن الله ما نفاه عن نفسه، ويَسْكُتُون عما لم يرد به نفي ولا إثبات، قال الله تعالى: {لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ}.
النور الذي هو وصفه سبحانه وتعالى غير النور الذي احتجب به، النور الذي احتجب به نور مخلوق، فنور الله تعالى نور يليق به وبذاته، ليس كمثله شيء، والذي رآه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ما هو إلا الحجاب الذي يكون بين الله وبين عباده.
