Taking a nap in the afternoon was the practice recommended by the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him). It appears that the Prophet agreed with this, because scholars of Hadith have been in support of an afternoon nap.
In fact, taking an afternoon nap carries a religious dimension. As Adil Salahi has indicated, sometimes a few men from the Quraysh would sit by Abdullah ibn Masoud’s door. When the sun has turned and the shadow began to take its shape, he would tell them to leave, saying: “What is left is for Satan.” To explain, Ibn Abbas would tell those people to leave after the midday prayer has been offered, so that they could have some rest at home. He did not encourage them to stay and chat, because they might indulge in frivolous talk, which would please Satan..
This sunnah of the Prophet (s)–when applied at work–has recently received some interesting medical support. Please read the following article from cnn.com:
CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) — New research on napping provides the perfect excuse for office slackers, finding that a little midday snooze seems to reduce risks for fatal heart problems, especially among men.In the largest study to date on the health effects of napping, researchers tracked 23,681 healthy Greek adults for an average of about six years. Those who napped at least three times weekly for about half an hour had a 37 percent lower risk of dying from heart attacks or other heart problems than those who did not nap.Most participants were in their 50s, and the strongest evidence was in working men, according to the study, which appears in Monday’s issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
The researchers said naps might benefit the heart by reducing stress, and jobs are a common source of stress.
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1. Source: Guidance from the Prophet: Immediate Compliance with Divine Orders by Adil Salahi.
The Islamic Workplace 
Posted on February 12, 2007
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