The praying person is greatly recommended to change his place in the mosque when he feels sleepy.
Ibn ‘Umar related that the prophet ( - ) said: ‘Whoever feels sleepy while being in the mosque on Friday should move from his place to another one’. (1)
The rationale of changing one’s place is that movement does away with sleepiness or that there is a shaitan sharing one his praying place!! (2)
It is not to be raised that this movement while the Khutbah is being delivered is detested for it prevents one from listening to the Khat?b. This movement is not, however, prohibited according to the aforementioned Ah?d?th. Besides, it helps the praying person get rid of sleepiness and keeps him awake to listen to the Khutbah carefully.
[9/ 58] The prohibition of turning one’s back to the Im?m and the Qiblah:
Regarding the prophet’s ( - ) manner and his Sah?bah while delivering the Khutbah, Ibn Al-Qayyim said: ‘He ( - ) used to deliver his Khutbah while standing and facing the Sah?bah and they facing him’. (3)
Some praying muslims recline on a wall or a pole in the mosque turning their backs to the Qiblah and the Khat?b, how strange!! The Khat?b is the only one permitted to turn his back to the Qiblah to be able to face the people to have a great influence on
(1) Narrated by: Ab? D?w?d in “As-Sunnan” (no. 1119), Ibn Hibban in his “Sah?h” (no. 571), Al-H?kim in “Al-Mustadrak” (vol. 1 / p. 291), Al-Baihaq? in “As-Sunnan Al-Kubr?” (vol. 3 / p. 237), Ahmad in “Al-Musnad” (vol. 2 / pp. 22 - 3), Ab? Nu‘aim in “Akhb?r Asbah?n” (vol. 2 / p. 186) and Ibn Khuzaimah in his “Sah?h” (no. 1819). The had?th is authentic.
(2) “Ad-D?nul Kh?lis” (vol. 4 / pp. 145 - 6).
(3) “Z?d al-Ma‘?d” (vol. 1 / p. 430).
See also: “Tafs?r Al-Qurtub?” (vol. 18 / p. 117) and “Sah?h Al-Bukh?r?” in “Kit?b Al-Jumu‘ah”, chapter: “The Im?m faces people while delivering his Khutbah and they face him” (vol. 2 / p. 402).