Classification of Dreams in Islam - DREAMS IN ISLAM

Classification of Dreams in Islam

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said: “When the Day of Resurrection approaches, the dreams of a believer will hardly fail to come true, and a dream of a believer is one of forty-six parts of prophethood, and whatever belongs to prophethood can never be false.”   

Muhammad bin Sirin said: “But I say this.” He said: “It used to be said that there are three types of dreams: 
i) the reflection of one’s thoughts and experiences which one has during wakefulness; 
ii) what is suggested by Satan to frighten the dreamer; 
iii) or glad tidings from Allah. 

So, if someone has a dream which he dislikes, he should not tell it to others, but get up and offer a prayer.” He added: “He (Abu Huraira) hated to see a Ghul (i.e., iron collar around his neck in a dream) and people liked to see fetters (on their feet in a dream). The fetters on the feet symbolizes one’s constant and firm adherence to religion.” And Abu ‘Abdullah said: “Ghuls (iron collars) are used only for necks.” 

 (Bukhari)

The same hadith, recorded in Sahih Muslim, is as follows:

“Abu Huraira reported that Allah’s Messenger had said: When the time (al-Zaman) draws near (i.e., when the end of the world draws near) a believer’s dream can hardly be false.  And the truest vision (i.e., dream) will be of the one who is truest in speech, for the vision of a Muslim is one forty-fifth part of prophethood (al-Nabuwwah), and dreams are of three types: 

• one, ‘good’ dreams which are a sort of good tidings (Bushra) from Allah; 
• the evil dream which causes pain is from Satan; and 
• the third one is a suggestion of one’s own mind.   

 So if any one of you sees a dream which he dislikes he should stand up and offer prayer and should not narrate it to the people; and he said I would love to see fetters (in a dream) but I dislike wearing of necklace, for the fetters are (indication of) one’s steadfastness in religion.  The narrator said: I do not know whether this is a part of the hadith or the words of Ibn Seerin.”

 (Muslim)

The above hadith describes three kinds of dreams: - good and true dreams, which come from Allah Most High, - evil dreams, which come from Satan, - and dreams which come from our own selves.  But we are not certain whether this is the classification given by the Prophet sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam  himself, or by Imam Muhammad Ibn Sireen. 

Let us now examine the three different kinds of dreams:

Source: Dreams in Islam by Imran Hosein
To be continued ....

ONENESS OF AL-LAH (TAUHID)

LESSONS IN ISLAM

(Ta’limul-Islam)

BOOK IV

SECTION I

BISMIL-LAHIR-RAHMANIR-RAHIM

(In the name of Al-lah, the Beneficent, the Merciful)

ONENESS OF AL-LAH (TAUHID)

Q.   What does the term “Al-lah” mean?

  Al-lah is the name of that Being (God) who is wajib-ul-wujud (self-existent) and combines in Him all the perfect Attributes.

Q.   What does the term “wajib-ul-wujud” mean?

  Wajib-ul-wujud is that One whose existence is a must and non-existence impossible. Anyone who is wajib-ul-wujud is eternal. He has no beginning and no end. He can never be non-existent. He is self-existent. For anything which owes its existent to some other agency cannot be wajib-ul-wujud. Thus, according to Islamic belief, the Almighty Al-lah is wajib-ul-wujud. Nothing else in the world can be self-existent.

MUSLIM’S BELIEF

Q.   What belief should Muslims have with regard to Al-lah?

  Muslims should have the belief that:

1)      Al-lah the Most Exalted is One.

2)      Al-lah alone and none else is worthy of worship and devotion.

3)      No one is His compeer.

4)      He knows everything; nothing is hidden from Him.

5)      He possesses great power and potency.

6)      None but He created the earth, the sky, the moon, the sun, the stars, the angels, human beings, genies and the entire world of the universe.

7)      He gives life and death. In other words, life and death to all creatures are by His command.

8)      He alone gives food to His creatures.

9)      He neither eats nor drinks nor sleeps.

10)  He is self-existent from eternity to eternity.

11)  No one created Him.

12)  He has neither father nor sons, nor daughters, nor wives, nor other relations. He is above all such relationship.

13)  All depend on Him. He depends on none, and is free from want.

14)  He is Peerless, nothing is like Him.

15)  He is free from all blemish.

16)  Unlike His creatures, he does not have hands, legs, nose, ears, face and shape.

17)  He created angels and appointed them to specific tasks and to manage the affairs of the world.

18)  He sent messengers for the guidance of His creatures so that they exhort people to follow true religion, do right things and acts, and forbid them to do evil things.