Bad/Scary Dreams

[ummtaalib]

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.

The interpretations of dreams is a gift given by Allah  to some of his chosen servants therefore dreams should only be discussed with ones close friends or ones shaikh or guide. (Mazahirul Haqq p.330 v.5)

If it is a good dream then it is from Allah ; he should thank Him and may tell others of the dream.  If it is a bad dream, one should seek refuge from Allah  and should not tell anyone of the dream.

Saaiduna Abu Saaed ul-Khudri  narrates that he heard the Prophet of Allah  say ‘When someone amongst you sees a good and pleasing dream, he should know that it is from Allah, and so he should praise an thank Allah, and describe to others what he saw in his dream.  But is he sees something that he dislikes then it is from Shaitan, so he should seek refuge from Allah  from its evil and should not mention it to anyone’.  (Sahih Bukhari p.1034 v.2)

The following ahadith have been taken from Imam Nawawi’s Riyadhus Saliheen with regards to seeing a bad or scary dream.

Saaiduna Abu Qatadah  reports that the Prophet of Allah  has said, “A good vision (dream) is from Allah and a bad dream is from the Satan. He who sees something in a dream that he dislikes, should blow thrice on his left, must seek Allah’s Refuge from the evil of the Satan (i.e., by saying: A`udhu billahi minash-Shaitanir-Rajim). Then it will not harm him.” (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

Saaiduna Jabir  reports that the Prophet of Allah  said, “When one of you sees a bad dream let him blow three times on his left, seek refuge in Allah from the Satan three times (i.e., by saying: A`udhu billahi minash-Shaitanir-Rajim) and change the side on which he was lying.” (Sahih Muslim) (Extracted from Riyadhus Saliheen p.245)

From the aforementioned ahadith we can conclude that scary dreams and nightmares are from Shaitan and they have no meanings. One should not tell anyone of the scary dream and as mentioned in the hadith blow three times on his left, seek refuge in Allah from the Satan three times (i.e., by saying: A`udhu billahi minash-Shaitanir-Rajim) and change the side on which he was lying.

Only Allah Knows Best

Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham.

 

 

Quote

 

Dreams are of the three types: the good ones from Allaah Ta’aala, the evil ones from Shaitaan and those which are expositions of one’s thoughts from throughout the day. If one sees a good dream, one should praise Allaah Ta’aala and pray that it comes to fruition. If one sees a bad dream, he should seek refuge from Allaah Ta’aala.

 

Do not make dreams the focus of your attention. Dreams are akin to a traveler. A traveler encounters various sceneries while traveling. However, he continues his journey and does not allow the scenery to stop him from traveling further and reaching his ultimate destination. Likewise, one should focus on the aims of one’s life and strive to achieve them.

Mufti Ebrahim Desai

 

 

Quote

 

The Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace & blessings be upon him & his folk) taught us that bad dreams are treated like misgivings (waswasa) from Shaytan: ignore it; seek refuge in Allah; and busy yourself with Allah and good thoughts—with complete certitude that all benefit and good are in reliance, trust, and certainty.

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

 

 

[ummtaalib]

As slamu Alykum, What should one do when saw a bad dream? What should be done when one sees a good dream? Sometime one dream has some bad portion and good portion as well. What should be done in this case? In all three case, I am looking for answers like changing sides, spitting, reciting of dua etc, telling the dream to some one and best timing to tell the dreams etc. Jazakallahu Khairun

Answer

The Reality of Dreams

Qaadhi Thanaullah Panipati (RA) mentions in Tafseer Mazhari, ‘The images seen in sleep are known as dreams.’

Dreams are messengers from the unknown, voices from our collective subconscious, warners of deep inner disturbance in the individual psyche, bearing glad tidings of good things to come or echoes of happiness or sadness and long hidden memories. Some dreams belong to the domain of personal experience and some are prophetic voices of the future. They are a universal phenomenon. Hence, the art of interpretations is a science known to selected and gifted individuals.

Dreams are of 3 types:

a) Images of incidents which transpired in real life
b) Frightening images indoctrinated by Shaytaan.
c) Dreams in which Allah Ta’ala opens the unseen to the heart. This is a true dream.

The above 2 types of dreams are false dreams.

 

Allaamah Aloosi (RA), the mufti of Baghdad, explaining the reality and essence of dreams says, Allah Ta’ala creates in the heart of a sleeping person certain thoughts or images as he does to the heart of a conscious person. Allah then makes these thoughts or images signs to event which He will create in future.

Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘Nothing remains of prophethood but glad tidings.’ The companions asked, ‘What are glad tidings?’ Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘Pleasant true dreams’. True dreams constitute a portion of the knowledge and fundamental make-up of Nubuwwat (prophethood), hence, generally the more resemblance a person has with prophethood by his actions, speech, piety, knowledge and character, accordingly, his dreams will also generally be true.

Dreams are most potent during the latter part of the night, during siesta, during the time and during the fruit ripening season. This is probably, based on the Hadith, ‘When the time till draw near, the dreams of a Mu’min will not be false.’ Ulama has interpreted this to also mean, ‘the night and day being equal in duration and the abovementioned normally occurs when the day and night are equal in duration.

Ulama mention certain etiquettes of dreams, derived from the Ahaadith. Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) has stated, ‘He should not narrate it to anyone’. It should be narrated to a beloved and intelligent person. Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘The dream is like a string suspended on the feet of a bird, as long as it is not related to anyone, the moment it is narrated, it will transpire.’

If a person sees an evil dream, he should; a) Spit lightly 3 times to the left side, b) Change the side on which he was sleeping, c) Perform 2 Rakaats of Salaat seeking protection.

Source

[ummtaalib]

Sunnats of sleeping

 

[Bint e Aisha]

Jabir reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “When a man retires to his bed, an angel and a devil rush to him. The angel says: End your day with good! The devil says: End your day with evil! If he remembers Allah and then falls sleep, the angel will spend the night to take care of him.”

Source: al-Sunan al-Kubrā lil-Nasā’ī 10624

Grade: Hasan (fair) according to Ibn Hajar

عَنْ جَابِرٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِذَا أَوَى الرَّجُلُ إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ ابْتَدَرَهُ مَلَكٌ وَشَيْطَانٌ فَيَقُولُ الْمَلَكُ اخْتِمْ بِخَيْرٍ وَيَقُولُ الشَّيْطَانُ اخْتِمْ بِشَرٍّ فَإِنْ ذَكَرَ اللهَ ثُمَّ نَامَ بَاتَ الْمَلَكُ يَكْلَؤُهُ

10624 السنن الكبرى للنسائي

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