The Ruling on Women Contacting Ruqah Practitioners and Dream Interpreters, and the Guidelines for Interpreting Dreams
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
This is a follow-up from one of the brothers who says: Many of those who perform ruqah and those who interpret dreams are contacted by women who complain to them and speak with them on the pretext that he is a healer. Is this permissible? And is it obligatory for the ruqah practitioner and the dream interpreter to possess a degree of knowledge? Many of those who interpret dreams have expanded into the realm of dreams and their interpretation, and asking about hidden matters, especially from women. What is your opinion on this practice?
The Shaykh:
As for a woman asking a male scholar, there is no harm in that, provided there is no fitnah (trial or discord) and no laxity in speech. A woman may ask a scholar, whether by telephone or directly in person. The women used to ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he would answer them, except if there was fitnah in her voice or if there was submission in her speech, in which case it is not permissible. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Ahzab 33:32] As for asking about a dream or about ruqah, this is not a valid path. Asking about a dream via satellite channels or radio for just anyone, whoever comes and goes. One should not ask about a dream except from one who is skilled and known for his skill in interpreting dreams, and who is trustworthy in his creed and his religion. One should ask him, and it is not befitting for dreams to be publicized in newspapers, magazines, radio, and satellite channels in this manner, because this opens a door of evil for people and causes doubts in them. Everyone who sees something in his sleep, even if it is from confused dreams, or even if it is from Shaytan, goes to ask. Asking about dreams should be private, with specialists, without publicizing or displaying it in the media. It is a private question for one who is known for it and is trustworthy in his religion and creed.
Also, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) guided the one who sees a dream: if he dislikes it, he should keep it secret, not interpret it, and not ask about it. He should change the side of his body on which he is sleeping to the other side, seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan three times, and spit lightly to his left three times. It will not harm him, and he does not need to ask about it.
As for if it is a dream of good and joy, he should inform about it and ask about it, because it is a glad tidings. It is a glad tidings for him, so he should ask about it. He should follow this approach regarding the matter of dreams. And the rest of the question.
The questioner:
He asks about the inquiries of some of those who interpret dreams, and also about those who assert with certainty that such and such will happen?
The Shaykh:
No. The interpretation of dreams is not on the basis of certainty, but rather it is a prediction. If the one who interprets the dream says that it will definitely happen, then he is a liar. No, the one who interprets the dream only predicts; he may be right and he may be wrong. Yes.
The questioner:
In follow-up to this, or as a clarification: One of the ruqah practitioners was asked in one of the lectures about a dream, and he interpreted it by saying that Al-Aqsa Mosque will be liberated in the year 2000 CE. And now it is the year 2007, and we have not seen this dream come to pass. We ask Allah the Mighty and Majestic that it will be liberated soon.
The Shaykh:
This is evidence of the lie of this one who interpreted this dream. It is evidence of his error. We do not say he lied. We say he erred. Unless he had an objective, in which case he is a liar. But if he was exerting effort (ijtihad), we say he erred in his interpretation. And we said that the interpretation of a dream is not definitive. It is not certain. Rather, it is a prediction that may happen and may not happen. Except if it is through revelation, like the dream of Yusuf (peace be upon him) and the dream of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The dreams of the prophets are revelation from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. Revelation. As for the dreams of others, they are not revelation. Yes.
The questioner:
But is the dream, O Honorable Shaykh, a science that is studied?
The Shaykh:
No, it is intuition. It is intuition that some people possess, and it is not a science that is studied. Yes.
This is a follow-up from one of the brothers who says: Many of those who perform ruqah and those who interpret dreams are contacted by women who complain to them and speak with them on the pretext that he is a healer. Is this permissible? And is it obligatory for the ruqah practitioner and the dream interpreter to possess a degree of knowledge? Many of those who interpret dreams have expanded into the realm of dreams and their interpretation, and asking about hidden matters, especially from women. What is your opinion on this practice?
The Shaykh:
As for a woman asking a male scholar, there is no harm in that, provided there is no fitnah (trial or discord) and no laxity in speech. A woman may ask a scholar, whether by telephone or directly in person. The women used to ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he would answer them, except if there was fitnah in her voice or if there was submission in her speech, in which case it is not permissible. Allah the Exalted said:
then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech.
فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًاAlso, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) guided the one who sees a dream: if he dislikes it, he should keep it secret, not interpret it, and not ask about it. He should change the side of his body on which he is sleeping to the other side, seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan three times, and spit lightly to his left three times. It will not harm him, and he does not need to ask about it.
As for if it is a dream of good and joy, he should inform about it and ask about it, because it is a glad tidings. It is a glad tidings for him, so he should ask about it. He should follow this approach regarding the matter of dreams. And the rest of the question.
The questioner:
He asks about the inquiries of some of those who interpret dreams, and also about those who assert with certainty that such and such will happen?
The Shaykh:
No. The interpretation of dreams is not on the basis of certainty, but rather it is a prediction. If the one who interprets the dream says that it will definitely happen, then he is a liar. No, the one who interprets the dream only predicts; he may be right and he may be wrong. Yes.
The questioner:
In follow-up to this, or as a clarification: One of the ruqah practitioners was asked in one of the lectures about a dream, and he interpreted it by saying that Al-Aqsa Mosque will be liberated in the year 2000 CE. And now it is the year 2007, and we have not seen this dream come to pass. We ask Allah the Mighty and Majestic that it will be liberated soon.
The Shaykh:
This is evidence of the lie of this one who interpreted this dream. It is evidence of his error. We do not say he lied. We say he erred. Unless he had an objective, in which case he is a liar. But if he was exerting effort (ijtihad), we say he erred in his interpretation. And we said that the interpretation of a dream is not definitive. It is not certain. Rather, it is a prediction that may happen and may not happen. Except if it is through revelation, like the dream of Yusuf (peace be upon him) and the dream of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The dreams of the prophets are revelation from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. Revelation. As for the dreams of others, they are not revelation. Yes.
The questioner:
But is the dream, O Honorable Shaykh, a science that is studied?
The Shaykh:
No, it is intuition. It is intuition that some people possess, and it is not a science that is studied. Yes.
Source
[و لا تتبعوا السبل فتفرق بكم عن سبيله] — alfawzan.live (54:57)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.