What is the remedy for seeing disturbing dreams after reciting the morning and evening remembrances?

The questioner : Some people, when they go to sleep, recite what is prescribed by the Shari'ah, but then Satan comes and plays with them, and they see visions or disturbing dreams. Then, the next day or on other nights, they do not recite the remembrances before sleeping, and nothing comes to them. What is the remedy for this?

The Shaykh : Yes. As for the one who recites but is still afflicted, it is not a condition of the recitation that the result attached to it must occur, because it is a cause, and a cause may have obstacles, such as heedlessness, or reciting it without reflecting on what was said, or something similar. Or there may be other obstacles. It is not necessary that if one does not recite the remembrances before sleeping, one will not be safe; rather, one may not recite and still be safe. As I said, one may recite and not be safe for one of the reasons or due to one of the obstacles.

The questioner : What is this, the play of Satan?

The Shaykh : Yes, indeed, it is from the devil's deception, but there must be barriers in the person; otherwise, there is no doubt that the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is certain. However, there may be barriers. Now, we believe in , and we pray while our hearts remain as they are. We do not see that our hearts have become righteous or that they have ceased from obscenity and wrongdoing, even though prayer, without doubt, restrains from obscenity and wrongdoing. This is because there may be barriers that prevent these causes from taking effect.