Short answer
Yes. A short midday nap, called qaylulah, was the practice of the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions, and scholars count it as mustahabb (recommended). It is usually taken around midday, before or after Zuhr. It helps you stay up for night prayer and keeps you fresh for the rest of the day.
Qaylulah, a short rest or nap around midday, is mustahabb, especially for someone who prays at night.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Qaylulah means resting around the middle of the day, whether you fall asleep or not. Sahl ibn Sa'd said that the Companions would only take their midday nap and their lunch after the Friday prayer, which shows that the midday nap was a normal part of their day. Anas reported that Umm Sulaym would spread a leather mat for the Prophet ﷺ and he would take his midday nap at her home.
When is it? Scholars describe it as the time around Zuhr, when the sun is at its height and the heat is strongest. Some take it before Zuhr, some after. On Fridays the Companions delayed it until after Jumu'ah. Twenty to thirty minutes is enough for most people.
Why it matters:
- It makes waking for tahajjud and Fajr easier, which is the main reason the scholars recommend it.
- It restores energy for work and study in the afternoon.
- It follows the rhythm of the sunnah day: early start after Fajr, work, a midday rest, and early sleep after Isha.
It is a recommended act, not an obligation. If your job or school does not allow it, there is no blame. Even a few minutes of rest with your eyes closed at lunchtime can count, especially with a good intention. Take care not to sleep through Zuhr or Asr. For times when sleep is disliked, see when is it makruh to sleep. The four schools agree that the midday nap is recommended.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Ar-Room 30:23
وَمِنْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ مَنَامُكُم بِٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَٱبْتِغَآؤُكُم مِّن فَضْلِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَسْمَعُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾
And of His signs is your sleep by night and day and your seeking of His bounty. Indeed in that are signs for a people who listen.
Allah mentions sleep in the day as one of His signs.
Sahih al-Bukhari 939
Sahih... ما كنا نقيل ولا نتغدى إلا بعد الجمعة ...
"We would not take our midday nap or have lunch until after the Friday prayer."
The midday nap was a regular practice of the Companions.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6281
Sahih... كانت تبسط للنبي نطعا فيقيل عندها على ذلك النطع ...
"She used to spread a leather mat for the Prophet ﷺ, and he would take his midday nap at her home on that mat."
The Prophet ﷺ himself took the midday nap.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Fath al-Bari (Ibn Hajar), Kitab al-Isti'dhan, chapter on the midday nap (al-qa'ila). Explains qaylulah and its time around midday.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.