Discover the meaning of the term Nawm (نوم) in Islamic vocabulary.
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Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 2 min readA natural state, the powers halting with it, by the vapors’ rising to the brain.
A state reaching the animal: the brain’s nerves’ slackening by the vapors’ moistures.
Ar-Raghib said: sleep is the brain’s nerves’ slackening by the rising vapor’s moistures; said: Allah taking the soul without death; said: sleep a light death, death a heavy sleep. Al-Mounawi said in his definition: a natural state with the powers halting, traveling in the vapor to the brain. In al-Misbah: sleep a heavy swoon assailing the heart, cutting it from things’ knowledge; hence said an affliction, sleep death’s brother.
A natural state with the powers halting, traveling in the vapor to the brain. In al-Misbah: a heavy swoon assailing the heart cutting it from things’ knowledge; hence said an affliction, sleep death’s brother.
A natural state with the powers halting, by the vapors’ rising to the brain.
﴿ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ﴾
« Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great. »
Surah البقرة : 255
﴿وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيْلَ لِبَاسًۭا وَٱلنَّوْمَ سُبَاتًۭا وَجَعَلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ نُشُورًۭا﴾
« And it is He who has made the night for you as clothing and sleep [a means for] rest and has made the day a resurrection. »
Surah الفرقان : 47
﴿وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًۭا﴾
« And made your sleep [a means for] rest »
Surah النبإ : 9