Dreams in Islam: Good and Bad Dreams
A part of the normal cycle of a Muslim's life, a dream may bring peace to the heart or stir fear and despair. This is why the Sunnah discusses the way Muslims should cope in dreams and what actions Muslims should undertake, whether their dream was inspiring or distressing. According to Islamic guidelines laid by Prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him), Muslims should respond to any dream with good conduct and faith by accepting the blessed in their dream, not disturbing themselves with bad dreams and seeking protection in Allah when threatened.
The Good Dream
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has stated:
This was narrated by Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) and is in Sahih al-Bukhari; Chapter 91; Book 69: Interpretation of Dreams.
Indeed, a good dream can be comforting, especially for a Muslim. When a person beholds a pleasing sight within their dream, Islam believes there should be positive acceptance and thankfulness conveyed for this dream.
But, Muslims are cautioned against relying upon them as guidance in their life-Dreams can be uplifting but it should never replace dependence on the Quraan, Sunnah, supplication (salah) or relying on sensible choice (reason) in deciding any matter; Muslims have to live their life the best they know-how, and it is wrong to expect otherwise from a dream.
After seeing a good dream, what to do?
The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated that, should one see something that he likes in his dream, he should notNarrate it, but instead only to one whom he loves, as mentioned in the citation above, among many others such as Sahih Muslim. This explains an important lesson – you do not have to tell the world if you see something wonderful.
After seeing a bad dream, what to do?
If an unpleasant or scary sight appears in dreams it's very understandable why after seeing it, your mind would be tormented with fear.
And it is also possible that these sights come to our Muslims through bad dreams.
According to the Sunnah;
Narrated Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (may Allah bestow blessings and peace upon him) said: A good dream is from Allah; and if any one of you sees a dream which he dislike, should spit over his left three times and should swear of his own right concerning him...[then recite] and from Satan's evil. And it should be spit three times toward the left hand;.. He will not narrate it to others....
This is found in Sahih al- Bukhari; Chapter 91; Book 69: Interpretation of Dreams. What makes these practices vital is because for those dreams which would cause Muslims distress, a simple manner would to turn towards Allah instead of allowing fears from the dream disturb you for much longer by repeating it over and over, nor allowing you to remain scared nor afraid.
Never narrate a bad dream.
One crucial aspect of dream etiquette is not divulging your disturbing dreams, for the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) ensures it is always addressed through faith rather than fear-and repeating the dream to others can potentially instil terror or doubt in their hearts as well as adding worry to yours.
There are 3 types of dreams.
We must all realize that not all dreams that are experienced in our lives can necessarily imply a special significance to the dreamer. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Yes, it really is as you say. There are three kinds of dream:".
From Abu Huarayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) he said:
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Dreams are of three kinds: A good vision that a believer sees, or (a false vision) which the Satan causes a believer to see, and (a vision that a man speaks about to himself and relates without considering its value).
Reported by Abu Hurayrah in Sahih Muslim; Chapter 42; Book 4: Book of Dreams.
These types are important to recognize because when you find yourself seeing things that can be upsetting and have no true meaning to you individually, you may understand why your mind produces such scenes while sleeping, through one of the other categories of dreams stated above which may reflect your inner-self rather than what you assume is coming for you.
Perform salaah after having a bad dream.
For a Muslim to respond adequately to any ill-fated dream is to get out of the sleep and pray to Allah, the Holy Qur'an clearly states: "Invoke your Lord with submission and furtiveness. He loveth not the transgressors" (Holy Qur'an; Ch 7:205).
The prayer itself is intended to take away fear, turn the mind back to remembrance of Allah and avoid worrying over the dream which one has just seen; a Muslims action here ensures turning back toward their maker, away from worldly worries-a good way of praying can also redirect your attention toward praying more frequently throughout the day and making it part of your Muslim routine.
The Truthfulness Aspect of Dreams
Narrated that on the approach of the end of the world, the dreams of a Muslim would hardly be false. And the dreams of those who are truest in speech are the truest dreams.. It is narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sahih Muslim; Chapter 42; Book 4: Book of Dreams.. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) relates this important point of Muslim ethics-so remember always, in every part of your life, your speech can reflect on your overall Islamic conduct and your dreams are the visual counterpart.
Simple Muslim Ethiquette for Dreams
It is of utmost importance to:
- Be thankful when receiving a good dream.
- Not relate a good dream with people whom you don't trust and are unaware that people will know and understand your dreams as they know you and will react accordingly by taking a more practical, rather than mental response.
- Seek protection in Allah after experiencing an unfavorable dream.
- Spit dryly three times to the left if a disturbing vision is foreseen.
- Not relay distressing dreams to others.
- Stand up and perform your prayer if a dream causes fear or worry to the viewer.
- Remember that there are various reasons behind the dreams that one witnesses.
- Do not let scary visions instill unnecessary concern; these are a reality in life that may occur when one is feeling frightened while going off to sleep, and do not serve any special spiritual message.
- Continue to maintain strong belief in The Quraan, the Sunnah and supplication to Allah..
In Conclusion
It is evident that the etiquette of dreams in Islam is sensible and easy to follow for any Muslim trying to act by the word of their Lord as understood through the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
From seeking refuge in Allah after being tormented by some frightening sight, it ensures not to narrate and prolong its harm, rather; only by placing ones faith in their Creator is a way that a believer can come to terms with dreams.
This is only for Islamic knowledge informations not for hurting others