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Islam and dreams

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The knowledge of dreams

True dreams are from Allah and He gives us these dreams for a purpose and a wisdom, it may be that He wants to give us a good news, or a warning and preparation for something to come or a consolation in difficult times.

Why is this topic important?

First, Allah mentions this knowledge in the Qur’an 1, which shows its importance and virtue in human life.
Second, this knowledge is mentioned in the Prophet’s Sunnah; Most major books that collect hadiths have special chapters on dreams.
In these hadiths it is mentioned how the Prophet ﷺ used to ask Sahaba if they had had dreams. Samurah mentioned that after the morning prayer, the Prophet ﷺ used to turn to Sahaba and ask them:
“Which of you had a dream last night?
[Muslim, Bukhari]
Ibn Abbas said that the Prophet ﷺ used to say to Sahaba “Which of you has had a dream?
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[Muslim]
Ibn Omar said that when a person during the time of the Prophet ﷺ had a true dream, they told about the dream to the Prophet ﷺ who then said / interpreted the dream as Allah wanted. ” [Bukhari]
Ibn Abdul Barr says: “This hadith proves the excellence and virtue of the knowledge of dreams.
The reason why the Prophet ﷺ after the morning prayer asked if anyone had had a true dream was because they would tell him about it so that he could interpret it, so that Sahaba in turn would learn about dream interpretation. This is a proof of the excellence of dream interpretation and the knowledge about it. And we can also see the virtue of correct dream interpretation in the story of Yosuf and the knowledge Allah gave him about it, indeed we have a good example in Allah’s prophets.

1 Allah mentions several of the dreams of the prophets in the Qur’an, see chapters al-Anfal, Yosuf, Safat and Mohammed- and other chapters.

[Al-Istidhkar 27/121–122]

Al-Hafidh ibn Hadjar says: “In these hadiths we find the importance of emphasizing the knowledge of dreams by asking about them and the virtue of interpreting them and that this is recommended after the morning prayer, as it is the time when one is most focused.
[Al-Fath 14/390]
Scholars also mention that the morning is the best time to interpret dreams as the morning is a blessed time and that is when the dream is freshest.
Al-Manawi says “the knowledge of dreams was something powerful in the Prophet ﷺ which was the reason why he asked every day if anyone had a dream. This is because dreams are from the heavenly news of the hidden that benefits them in their faith, whether these dreams are messages of joy or warning or rebuke.
[Faid al Qadir]
Ibn Abdul Barr says: “Dreams are also from prophecy and something that Allah with His wisdom shows us to increase the believers in their Iman and obedience.
[Tamhid 1/285]
Furthermore, there are several events from the life of the Prophet ﷺ and Sahaba that show the excellence of dream interpretation, among these were:

  • These were among the last things the Prophet ﷺ taught us before he died:
    Ibn Abbas said that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ opened the veil[mellan sitt hem och moskén] as people lined up in prayer behind Abu Bakr, saying, “People! Nothing remains of the early prophetic revelation except righteous dreams that the Muslim has about himself or someone else has about him. “
    [Muslim]
  • The revelation of the Prophet Muhammad began with true dreams.
    Aisha said, “The revelation first came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ through
    true dreams he got in his sleep everything he saw fell in as the sun rises in the morning. ”
    [Bukhari och Muslim]
  • Dreams are part of prophecy. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The believer’s dream is one of 46 parts of the prophecy.”
    [Bukhari och Muslim]
  • The Prophet ﷺ has encouraged us to learn dream interpretation:
    Ibn Abbas said that when a man came to the Prophet ﷺ and told about a dream he had, Abu Bakr said “Messenger of Allah… to Allah let me interpret it!”
    Then the Prophet said, “Interpret it.”
    Ibn Hadjar mentions that in this hadith there is an encouragement to learn to interpret dreams and to then interpret them.
    Sa’di said: “The knowledge of interpreting dreams is one of the important knowledge that Allah gives to Him He wants from His servants.”

[tafsir Sa’di]

This is also something that Salaf attached great importance to:
Ibn Abdul Barr mentions regarding Aisha’s dream that she looked like three moons in her room and told this to Abu Bakr, who then said to her: “if your dream comes true, the three best people on earth will be buried in your home.” This hadith is proof that Salaf was preoccupied with dreams and interpreting them.

Other signs of the excellence of dream interpretation are:

  • Sanndrömmar kommer i den sista tiden innan Domedagen att öka.
  • True dreams are also a proof of Allah’s existence, how else can one explain that a person dreams something that happens in the future?
  • There is a reward in learning about dreams.
    Imam Sa’di says: “The knowledge of dreams is a knowledge of Islamic law, one is rewarded for learning it and teaching it.” [tafsir Sa’di]
  • True dreams are from the glad tidings that Allah gives the believers. Abu Darda said: “I asked Allah’s envoy ﷺ regarding Allah’s statement ‘Allah’s close servants really do not need to feel fear nor should they mourn. Those who accepted the faith and showed the fear of God. They receive joy in the earthly life as well as in the life after this [Yonus 62–64] The Prophet ﷺ replied: ‘You are the first to ask me about this verse since it was revealed. It’s true dreams that a person sees about himself or someone sees it for him. ‘”
    [Tirmizi, saheh]

Benefits and wisdoms with true dreams

They are a form of bushra that brings happiness and glad tidings to the believers. They can be a warning of something dangerous that will happen.
A true dream can strengthen the believer’s Iman. To gain insight into major events in the world and society before they occur. This can be a reason why a person finds guidance. A reason why the ignorant learn. One reason why a person becomes a Muslim. It can be a salvation for people, just look at how great an impact it was for the people of Egypt in when Yosuf interpreted the king’s dream which became the salvation of the whole people from famine.