In Islam, dusting your bed before sleeping is a recommended practice (Sunnah) to ensure cleanliness and safety. This is typically done using the edge of one's lower garment.
Here's a breakdown:
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The Practice: Before going to sleep, it is recommended to dust the bed.
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How to Dust: The tradition suggests using the edge of your lower garment (or any clean cloth) to wipe down the bed. This action is a precautionary measure.
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Purpose: The primary reason for dusting is to remove any potentially harmful insects or debris that might be present on the bed.
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Intention (Niyyah): While there is no specific prayer or intention needed, the act is performed following the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). You perform it with the intention of following his practice and seeking protection.
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Alternatives: If you don't have your garment readily available, you can use any clean cloth, a small brush, or even your hand. The important thing is the action of dusting and cleaning the bed.
The referenced text highlights:
And he should dust it down with his hand covered by the edge of his lower garment, lest something bad happen to his hand if there is anything there.” Hence it is known that dusting down the bed is to be done when one wants to sleep, and it may be done with the edge of one's garment or something else.
In summary, dusting the bed in Islam is a simple act of cleanliness performed before sleep, usually with the edge of one's garment, to remove potential harms and follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).