His second question asks: When is a vision that a person sees in his sleep considered true or real, and whose visions are considered true?
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The questioner : His second question asks: When is a vision that a person sees in his sleep considered true or real, and among whom of the people, or who are those, whose visions are considered true?
The Shaykh : Generally, it is the truthful believing man whose vision is true. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that a true vision is a part of the forty-six parts of prophecy. So, if a person is truthful in his speech while awake and possesses faith and mindfulness of Allah, then generally his vision will be true. However, it should be known that what a person sees in his sleep falls into three categories: a vision, a dream, and a nightmare from Shaytan. The vision is the one about which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that it is a part of the forty-six parts of prophecy. It usually comes to pass, but sometimes it comes to pass exactly as the person saw it in his sleep, and sometimes it comes to pass in the form of a parable in the dream. A parable is struck for him, and then the reality occurs in the manner of that parable, not exactly matching it. This is like what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw before the Battle of Uhud, where he saw a notch in his sword and saw cows being slaughtered. The notch in his sword was the martyrdom of his uncle Hamzah ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him), because a person's tribe is like his sword in defending him, supporting him, and aiding him. The cows that were slaughtered were the martyrdom of those of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who were martyred, because there is much good in cows, just as the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were people of knowledge and benefit to creation, and doers of righteous deeds.
As for what is a dream, it is what a person sees in his sleep from things that occur in the course of his life. Many people see in their dreams what their souls talk to them about while awake, or what has happened to them while awake, and this has no ruling. As for the third, the dream that contains a nightmare, it is from Shaytan. Shaytan depicts to a person in his sleep things that frighten him, whether in his self, his wealth, his family, or his community, because Shaytan loves to sadden the believers, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Mujadila 58:10] So, anything that spoils a person's life and clarity, and disturbs his clarity, Shaytan is eager for it, whether in wakefulness or in sleep, because Shaytan is an enemy, as Allah the Exalted said: [Fatir 35:6] This last type is one from which our Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) guided us to protect ourselves. He ordered the one who sees something he dislikes in his sleep to seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan and from the evil of what he saw, to spit on his left three times, to turn over to his other side, and not to tell anyone what he saw. If he does these things, then what he saw of what he disliked in his sleep will not harm him in any way. This happens to many people, and questions about it are frequent, but the remedy for it is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified: seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan and from the evil of what you saw, and do not tell anyone about it. Then, if that was in your private dream, you turn over to your other side and spit on your left three times. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Generally, it is the truthful believing man whose vision is true. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that a true vision is a part of the forty-six parts of prophecy. So, if a person is truthful in his speech while awake and possesses faith and mindfulness of Allah, then generally his vision will be true. However, it should be known that what a person sees in his sleep falls into three categories: a vision, a dream, and a nightmare from Shaytan. The vision is the one about which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that it is a part of the forty-six parts of prophecy. It usually comes to pass, but sometimes it comes to pass exactly as the person saw it in his sleep, and sometimes it comes to pass in the form of a parable in the dream. A parable is struck for him, and then the reality occurs in the manner of that parable, not exactly matching it. This is like what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw before the Battle of Uhud, where he saw a notch in his sword and saw cows being slaughtered. The notch in his sword was the martyrdom of his uncle Hamzah ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him), because a person's tribe is like his sword in defending him, supporting him, and aiding him. The cows that were slaughtered were the martyrdom of those of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who were martyred, because there is much good in cows, just as the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were people of knowledge and benefit to creation, and doers of righteous deeds.
As for what is a dream, it is what a person sees in his sleep from things that occur in the course of his life. Many people see in their dreams what their souls talk to them about while awake, or what has happened to them while awake, and this has no ruling. As for the third, the dream that contains a nightmare, it is from Shaytan. Shaytan depicts to a person in his sleep things that frighten him, whether in his self, his wealth, his family, or his community, because Shaytan loves to sadden the believers, as Allah the Exalted said:
Private conversation is only from Satan that he may grieve those who have believed, but he will not harm them at all except by permission of Allah
إِنَّمَا النَّجْوَى مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ لِيَحْزُنَ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُوا وَلَيْسَ بِضَارِّهِمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِIndeed, Satan is an enemy to you; so take him as an enemy.
إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَاتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّاThe questioner : May Allah bless you.