Is it disliked to sleep after the `Asr prayer?

The scholars have differed upon whether it is disliked or not to sleep after the Asr prayer. A group of them say it is disliked. Among them was Imam Makhool and as Abd al-Razzaq related from him in the “Musannaf”, he said: “It is feared that the sleeping person will get whisperings of Satan.” And from the group [who determined it was disliked] were the Hanbalis as it mentioned in “Kashaaf al-Qinaa” (1/80) and in others. Ibn Muflih related it in “Al-Furu`” and “Al-Adab Al-Shari`ah” from Imam Ahmad. And from the Shafii’s, Ibn Imad said it was disliked in his explanation of “Mandhumat Aadab al-Akl wa al-Shurb” and he related it from the book of “al-Minhaj” by Imam al-Haleemi who was of the great earlier Shafii scholars.

They had determined this due to the hadith which was attributed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) related from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: “Whoever sleeps after `Asr, and as a result of that his brain weakened, he should not blame except himself.”

Others said that it was not disliked, such as Imam Al-Layth ibn Sa`d for he did not rely on the hadith that was mentioned above due to Ibn Lahi’a being in the line of transmission and therefore determined it a weak hadith. Ibn Muflih related from Imam Al-Layth that he used to sleep [in this time], in “Al-Adab al-Shari`ah”. The great Imam al-Hafidh al-Tahawi in his book “Mushkil al-Athaar” explained extensively about the permissibility of the matter and negated the idea of it being disliked, and in it he mentioned the opinion of Imam al-Layth and the weak hadith.

So whoever wishes can refer to the hadith of the question of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about the return of the sun after having disappeared.

السؤال : هل يكره النومُ بعد صلاة العصر ؟
الجواب : اختلف العلماءُ في كراهة النوم بعد العصر؛ فصرَّح جماعةٌ بالكراهة؛ منهم الإمام مكحول كما رواه عنه عبد الرزاق في “المصنف” قال مكحول : يخاف على صاحبه منه الوسواس. ومن هؤلاء الحنابلةُ كما في “كشاف القناع” (1/80) وغيره، ونقله ابنُ مفلح في “الفروع” و”الآداب الشرعية” عن الإمام أحمد، وقال بالكراهة منَّا الشافعية ابنُ العماد في “شرحه على منظومة آداب الأكل والشرب” ونقله عن كتاب “المنهاج” للإمام الحليمي من كبار متقدمي أئمتنا الشافعية؛ وذلك لحديث عائشة رضي الله عنها مرفوعاً:” مَن نام بعد العصر فاختل عقله فلا يلومن إلا نفسه “.
وصرَّح آخرون بعدم الكراهة كالإمام الليث بن سعد فإنه لم يعتدَّ بالحديث المذكور؛ لأنه من رواية ابن لهيعة وهو ضعيف، وكان الليثُ ينام كما نقله عنه ابن مفلح في “الآداب الشرعية”. وأطال الإمام الكبير الحافظ الطَّحاوي في “مشكل الآثار” في بيان إباحته وعدم كراهته، ونقل في ذلك كلام الليث وتضعيف الحديث، فليراجعه من شاءه عند حديث سؤال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلَّم رد الشمس عليه بعد غيبوبتها.