Entering while others are asleep

When you enter a place where people are sleeping, during the day or night, you should be quiet and gentle in moving, so as not to disturb anyone. One should always be considerate of others. We shouldn't cause undue noise when entering or leaving. For example, when we wake up for Fajr, or tahajjud, we should be especially considerate; not waking up the whole house to tell them "Oh look MashaAllah I'm awake for this salah", but do things for the pleasure of Allah and be gentle in all that you do.

Aisha (رضى الله عنها) narrated:

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to offer his night prayer while I was sleeping across in his bed. Whenever he intended to offer the Witr prayer, he used to wake me up and I would offer the Witr prayer too.

(Sahih Bukhari)

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) also said:

"Whoever is deprived of gentleness is deprived of all sorts of goodness"

(Bukhari)

It was also reported that the companions of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

"We used to keep the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) his share of milk, and when he would come at night he would greet us with a voice loud enough for those awake to hear, without disturbing those who were sleeping."

(Muslim)

In addition, whenever the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to pray at night, he would recite the Quran with a voice that pleased those awake, without disturbing those that were sleeping.

Princess Qater al-Nada was famous for her intelligence, manners and beauty. She was the daughter of Khimarawayh ibn Ahmad ibn Tulan, the King of Egypt. She married the Abbasid Khalifa al-Mu'tadad Billah who admired her refined manners and excellent education. Qater al-Nada said:

"My father taught me an important manner: do not sleep amongst sitting people and do not sit amongst sleeping people".

It is important to therefore remember that pride and arrogance are haram, we should be humble, and gentle in our ettiquettes. We should always be careful not to offend others by putting ourselves in their shoes and being aware of the harm we maybe causing. When we wake in the night or carry out good deeds, we shouldn't try to make everyone and anyone aware of them, but try to hide them; so as to protect, and ensure our intentions remain purely for the sake of Allah. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) reminds us in the Quran:

وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا

"And the slaves of the Most Beneficent (Allah) are those who walk on the earth in humility and sedateness, and when the foolish address them (with bad words) they reply back with mild words of gentleness."

(Surah Al-Furqan, Verse 63)