Lord Anyhow

Does the Lord Sleep? in Bible and Quran

The teaching of the Bible cites that the Lord sleeps and His Sleep is pleasant, The Lord said: I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

David –in Psalms- said: The Lord awoke as from sleep, as a man wakes from the stupor of wine, Arise, O LORD, in your anger, Awake, my God, Awake, and rise my God and Lord, When you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies, Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself.

Also, Isaiah said: O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days gone by, as in generations of old.

However, Scientists say that there are many creatures which never ever sleep like our hearts, many millions of Blood cells, many billions of Bacteria, many billions of Fungi, many billions of Stars etc.

On the other hand, the Quran says that Allah never ever Sleep.

Also, it is narrated that Moses asked Allah: O my Lord, Do you sleep? And Allah gave him the practical answer.

Does the Lord Sleep? In the Bible

The Lord said: I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

Jeremiah 31:26

At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

The Lord awoke as from sleep, as a man wakes from the stupor of wine

Psalm 78:65

Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, as a man wakes from the stupor of wine.

Arise, O LORD, in your anger, Awake, my God

Psalm 7:6

Arise, O LORD, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice.

Awake, and rise my God and Lord

Psalm 35:23

Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord.

Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself

Psalm 44:23

Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.

When you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.

Psalm 73:20

As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.

O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days gone by, as in generations of old.

Isaiah 51:9

Awake, awake! Clothe yourself with strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days gone by, as in generations of old. Was it not you who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced that monster through?

Job 26:12

By his power he churned up the sea; by his wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces.

Herein Isaiah asked the Lord's arm to awake.

It is amazing that Job 26:12 also mentioned that the Lord cut Rahab to pieces, however, Job said that the Lord accomplished it by his wisdom.

On the other hand, I do not know where in the Bible it is said that the Lord cut Rahab to pieces other than Isaiah 51:9 and Job 26:12.

As far as I know, Rahab had not been cut to pieces, she was considered as a hero.

Modern sciences indicate that man spends about a third of his life sleeping. Newborn baby spends about double that amount of time sleeping. However, we are not the only sleeping beings: sleep occurs in all vertebrate mammals which have constant body temperature. Sleep is a physiological process that is difficult to avoid for periods longer than 24 hours. Forced sleep deprivation can kill a rat, and causes some physical and mental problems in man.

This is applicable for man and vertebrates but not for all the creatures.

On the other hand, there are many creatures which never ever sleep like our hearts, many millions of Blood cells, many billions of Bacteria, many billions of Fungi, many billions of Stars etc.

Now, the Question is:

How come that many creatures do not rest while the Almighty Creator Sleep?

It is the Quran which answered this question more than 1400 years ago.

Does the Lord Sleep? In the Quran

Allah never ever Sleep.

Surah 2:255, 256

SHAKIR: Allah is he besides whom there is no god, the ever living, the self-subsisting by whom all subsist; slumber does not overtake him nor sleep; whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is his; who is he that can intercede with him but by his permission? he knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot comprehend anything out of his knowledge except what he pleases, his knowledge extends over the heavens and the earth, and the preservation of them both tires him not, and he is the most high, the great

PICKTHAL: Allah! there is no deity save him, the alive, the eternal. neither slumber nor sleep overtaketh him. unto him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. who is he that intercedeth with him save by his leave? he knoweth that which is in front of them and that which is behind them, while they encompass nothing of his knowledge save what he will. his throne includeth the heavens and the earth, and he is never weary of preserving them. he is the sublime, the tremendous.

YUSUFALI: Allah! there is no god but he,-the living, the self-subsisting, eternal. no slumber can seize him nor sleep. his are all things in the heavens and on earth. who is there can intercede in his presence except as he permitteth? he knoweth what (appeareth to his creatures as) before or after or behind them. nor shall they compass aught of his knowledge except as he willeth. his throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and he feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for he is the most high, the supreme (in glory).

SHAKIR: there is no compulsion in religion; truly the right way has become clearly distinct from error; therefore, whoever disbelieves in the shaitan and believes in Allah he indeed has laid hold on the firmest handle, which shall not break off, and allah is hearing, knowing

PICKTHAL: there is no compulsion in religion. the right direction is henceforth distinct from error. and he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is hearer, knower.

YUSUFALI: let there be no compulsion in religion: truth stands out clear from error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.

Moses asked: O Lord, Do You Sleep? And Allah gave him the practical answer.

It is narrated that:

One day, the Prophet Moses said: O' my Great Lord, I have a question that I really embarrassed to ask it, Do You Sleep?

This was Moses' question.

This question is a very important theological one.

Now, look how Allah, the most Merciful teaches Moses and gave him the practical answer.

Allah sent some Angels to Moses with two beautiful bottle glasses and told Moses to hold one in his right hand and the other in his left hand. The Angels instructed Moses to keep holding the two bottles, watching them and take care of them.

Allah commanded the Angels not to let Moses sleep for three successive days.

Every time Moses was about to sleep, the Angels said: O' Moses take care.

At the third day, Moses slept and the bottles fell on the ground and broke up.

Moses woke up and was upset because he could not take care of the bottles.

The Angels said: now you understand?

Moses said: Absolutely.

Look at this practical teaching.

Herein, the two bottles represent the heavens and the huge universe.

It is Allah Who is holding all of that!

What if He Sleeps?

Look at the Quran which summarizes this fact:

Surah 35:41

SHAKIR: surely Allah upholds the heavens and the earth lest they come to naught; and if they should come to naught, there is none who can uphold them after him; surely he is the forbearing, the forgiving

PICKTHAL: lo! Allah graspeth the heavens and the earth that they deviate not, and if they were to deviate there is not one that could grasp them after him. lo! he is ever clement, forgiving.

YUSUFALI: it is Allah who sustains the heavens and the earth, lest they cease (to function): and if they should fail, there is none - not one - can sustain them thereafter: verily he is most forbearing, oft-forgiving.

Again, It should be emphasized that Islam consider saying that the Lord slept or sleeps as a big unforgiving offense in respect to the Lord the Almighty Creator.

Anyone who believes that the Lord the Almighty Creator slept or sleeps put himself in the category of unbeliever and he is responsible for himself at the Day of Judgment when the Lord the Almighty Creator asks him:" Did I sleep? Do I sleep? How I sleep?

Prepare your answer for that big day.

Back to the main topic of my series of articles (1-40); this is my question to you smart readers: "Is the Quran quoted from the Bible "?

About the Author

Professor Dr. Ibrahim Khalil
Prof. of Clinical and Chemical Pathology,
Head of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control Unit,
Ain-Shams University. Cairo, Egypt.
And,
President of the Egyptian Society of Inventors.
Member of the Egyptian union of Writers