The Meaning of the Hadith: Whoever Sees Me in a Dream Has Truly Seen Me

Question:
May Allah reward you. The questioner asks: Honorable Shaykh, what is the meaning of the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) , specifically the narration "whoever sees me"?

Answer:
Yes, it is authentic. We said that a dream has a form different from waking; a dream differs from the state of wakefulness. The claim that one sees him in a state of wakefulness after his death is the falsehood upon which they rely. However, seeing him in a dream is the truth, but on the condition that the one who saw him in the dream knows the Messenger and knows the characteristics of the Messenger, knows the characteristics of the Messenger. As for the one who does not know the characteristics of the Messenger, Satan may come to him and say, "I am the Messenger." Therefore, the dreamer must know the characteristics of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) so that he can apply them to the one he sees. Otherwise, the vision is the truth, without doubt.