122. The fructus of dreams.

These verses of the Quran (8:43, 12:4, 12:5, 12:36, 12:37, 12:43, 12:44, 12:100, 37:102, 37:105, 48:27) speak about different kinds of dreams. Most Muslims generally are unaware of the understanding about dreams, people are misled by stupid explanations given by some in this regard. We need to have a good understanding about what dreams mean to us. Prophet Muhammad has categorized dreams into three kinds, those that are sent by the Almighty as good tidings to humans, those that are created by satanic instincts giving worry and distress to humans, and those that are displayed in the minds of people because of their thinking.

Narrator: Abu Huraira (RA).

Hadith Book: Muslim 4555.

There was anxiety among people when the prophet made an announcement about the end of prophecy, and seal on prophets, but told them good tidings would reach men. The comrades of the prophet questioned him how one gets to know of it, the prophet replied by saying through dreams.

Narrator: Anas bin Malik (RA)

Hadith Book: Ahmed 13 

The ways of worship and various laws in Islam have already been delivered to us completely through Prophet Muhammad, there is no way further instructions on Islam as a religion would come from any source, and there would be no guidance about the religion of Islam in the dreams of people. The Almighty may, in the dreams of people sometimes, give prior announcements about impending monetary, or progeny, or fame and other worldly benefits that may reach them in future.

The second type of dreams are those that create worry and anxiety in men resulting in the decline of their involvement in goodness and religious activities. These types of dreams are from shaitan.

The third type of dreams are those that are displayed from the depth of our minds that do not have any bearing on our emotions like happiness or worries. They are meaningless. For example, if we have dreamt as someone instructing us to worship a certain number of times, it cannot be from the side of God, because the prophet has already instructed us about the various worships to be performed by us.

If it was supposed from the side of God, the same dream would have appeared in the dreams of everyone. Because in the case of following a method and way of worshipping it is the same for all and showing one way to some and denying others of the same is not consistent with justice of the Almighty.

 If a vision was experienced by a person in which he was asked to construct a shrine in the name of a person dead long ago, in a place, it is nothing, but a vision created by shaitan.

 Because raising constructions above graves of dead, building sites of worship at the graves of men, and plastering of graves, were prohibited by the prophet of Islam. And it was commanded by Allah through our prophet to demolish structures already built on graves of the dead.

Hence Allah would never go against his own decree and the dream of asking someone to construct a site over a grave from the shaitan is confirmed here. 

Anyone having a vision of encouraging things that were forbidden by Allah and his messenger, or a vision of someone

Discouraging things prescribed by Allah and his messenger, in a vision where a different type of worship of Almighty is displayed can certainly be concluded from the shaitan.

 There might be a doubt in the minds of some, asking if it is so said the laws from God cannot be revealed in dreams, the commandment to sacrifice his son by prophet Ibrahim was thru a dream, as found in verses (37:102, 37:105) of the Quran. 

The visions experienced by messengers of God are divine revelations and shaitan cannot intervene in these kinds of revelations, and if we happen to have visions that foretell good tidings, they need to be taken as from God Almighty. Good dreams are from the side of God, and hence whoever has a vision of good things he likes the most, need not disclose it anyone other than to people he likes the most, was said by Prophet Muhammad. Narrator: Abu Katada (RA)

Hadith Book: Bukhari 7044 

There are people who worry about experiencing a bad dream and losing their sleep finding remedies for it.

The prophet of Islam said good dreams are from Allah and are to be disclosed to only to persons whom the viewer has close relationship. While bad dreams are from the side of Shaitan, and the person who has experienced such a dream should not disclose it to anyone and seek protection from Allah from the ill effects of the dream, and symbolically spit on to his left side. This would ensure no harm reaches the person, said the prophet Islam. 

Narrator: Abu Katada

Hadith Book: Bukhari 7044 

The dreams we experience giving us anxiety and worries are to be deemed as from the Shaitan.

Other than these we sometimes experience meaningless dreams, which the prophet of Isam has explained as follows;

A villager once came to Prophet Muhammad and told him that he dreamt he was beheaded, and he was chasing the head. On hearing this the prophet told him not to disclose to anyone about the Shaitan playing in his dreams.

Narrator: Jabir (RA)

Hadith Book: Muslim 4563, 4565 

Prophet Muhammad once, while addressing a sermon said not to disclose to any one if one has a vision of the Shaitan playing in one’s dreams.

Narrator: Jabir (RA) 

Hadith Book: Muslim 4564 

When we talk of various matters people demand proof, but when it comes to dreams no one dares to ask for one. 

Taking advantage of such a situation men tend to lie about things they haven’t experienced. Prophet Muhammad has strongly condemned such tendencies. 

 The greatest lies are those calling a person one’s father, while he is not, and lying about a dream that was not witnessed, and saying something as I have uttered while I did not.

Narrator: Wasila (RA) 

Hadith Book: Bukhari 3509 

We need to educate ourselves about whether we can witness Prophet Muhammad in our dreams.

Prophet Muhammad has said, ‘whoever witnesses me in his dreams, has indeed seen me because the shaitan cannot take my form’.

Narrator: Abu Huraira (RA)

Hadith Book: Bukhari 110, 6197 

Citing this hadith some argue that witnessing of Prophet Muhammad in people’s dream is a reality. 

These people have misunderstood this hadith, and there is another hadith that serves as a guide to understand this one.

The substantiating hadith is, the prophet of Islam has said ‘anyone witnessing me in his dreams will see me in person on his awakening’ from his sleep, because the Shaitan cannot take my form. 

Narrator: Abu Huraira (RA)

Hadith Book: Bukhari 6993 

This hadith explains about people, who can witness the prophet of Islam in their dreams. 

Prophet Muhammad has said, those who witnessed him in their dreams would see him immediately in person on awakening. This is possible only during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad. 

This hadith talks about the person who would get to see the prophet of Isam in person, if he witnesses him in his dreams.

When a person declares that he had witnessed Prophet Muhammad in his dreams, he should have seen him personally on awakening from his sleep. In case he has not seen the prophet flesh and bone on awakening it is confirmed that he did not witness the prophet in his dream either. This hadith confirms without second thought, after the demise of Prophet Muhammad, nobody could ever witness him in their dreams.

These two hadiths confirm the fact that only those who have personally seen Prophet Muhammad could witness him in their dreams, and those who have seen the prophet in their dreams have the chance to see him in person.

If anyone declares a certain person, however great he may be, has witnessed a prophet in his dreams it’s a hoax.

Citing the hadith where in Prophet Muhammad says Shaitan cannot take his form, some claim they witnessed the one who called himself as the prophet of Islam in their dreams.

Only if Prophet Muhammad has said that no one can appear in the dreams of people calling themselves the prophet, could the claim by this people be entertained, whereas the prophet had said, the shaitan cannot appear in the form of prophet, in people’s dream. Hence the claim of some people that the prophet appeared in their dreams calling himself one cannot be considered. This needs to be understood as the shaitan had taken a suitable form to convince the people to make them believe by saying he is the prophet.

When a person appears in our dreams it should not be understood as he himself was practically there, and if he had spoken to us in the dream cannot be construed as he spoke to us literally. These visions are to be taken as portrayed by the creator. For example, if we have a vision of a person in our dreams, and happen to meet him the next day, would he be expected to ask us ‘I was there in your dream last night’. Not at all. 

Only when we disclose that we had a vision of him the previous night would he come to know of it. 

We would have had numerous visions of talking to somebody while we were asleep, and the next day when we happen to meet the person we ask him to repeat what he spoke in the dream the previous night, he would reply “how do I know what I uttered in the dream”. 

Hence it needs to be understood that when we have a vision of someone, it need not necessarily be taken as the person himself was present there. There is absolutely no connection between the dream and the person dreamt about.

Maybe the Almighty symbolically sent some messages thru the dream to us or it could be the shaitan in the form of the person, sending a message to create anxiety and distress in us. Moreover, a person alive can appear in the dream of a thousand people need not be construed as he visited the thousand persons. 

It needs to be understood similar to the representation in a video. 

There are many books released supposed to explain the fructus of dreams, and there is belief that one Ibn Sirin could explain dreams. This is a myth.

 There are not any outcomes declared either in the Quran or in the sayings of the prophet about a person’s visions in his sleep.

Hence, we need not lose our sleep over declarations by some about the effects of dreams in our life.

When it is declared God will guide us with good dreams, He will definitely do it in a way we understand them. 

Verse 35:14 of the Quran says ‘nobody can explain like the (One Who) All-Knower

Hence if the Almighty wishes to give us glad tidings, he would not let us at the mercy of blabberers explain it to us. We need not approach anyone for an explanation about dreams and take it as a glad tiding in the way best known to us. In the 12^th chapter of the Quran, we find the dream of Prophet Yousuf, the dreams of the two prisoners and the dream of the king being mentioned^. Based on the outcome of these dreams we should not set out to offer explanations on dreams. 

Because, in verse 12:37 of the Quran, Prophet Yousuf declares he was taught by the Almighty about the outcome of dreams. Hence, we need to understand this special qualification as granted by God to him.

People who worship shrines have their dreams as the primary source of inspiration for worship. If they could understand the basis of dreams properly, they would do better. 

 To know more about how the arguments of shrine worshippers are wrong please refer explanation points 17, 41, 49, 79, 83, 100, 104, 121, 140, 141, 193, 213, 215, 245, 269, 298, 327, 397, 427, 471.