Dreams and Their Interpretation Are Not the Same

Dreams and their interpretation are two distinct concepts. A dream (Ru’ya or Hulm) refers to scenes witnessed during sleep, while interpretation (Ta’wil) refers to understanding the meaning and possible outcome of those scenes. The Holy Quran mentions both concepts separately.

Prophet Yusuf (Joseph, peace be upon him) described his dream to his father, Prophet Yaqub (Jacob, peace be upon him), saying:

﴿إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَا أَبَتِ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِي سَاجِدِينَ﴾

“When Joseph said to his father, ‘O my dear father! Indeed, I saw eleven stars, the sun and the moon. I saw them prostrating before me.’”

Surah Yusuf: 4

In this dream, Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) saw the stars, the sun and the moon, but its interpretation was a separate matter. In this connection, Prophet Yaqub (peace be upon him) said:

﴿وَيُعَلِّمُكَ مِن تَأْوِيلِ الْأَحَادِيثِ﴾

This means that Allah would grant him the knowledge of interpreting dreams.

Surah Yusuf: 6

The account of Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) demonstrates that seeing a dream and understanding its interpretation are two different matters. It is also not necessary for a dream’s interpretation to become apparent immediately. Sometimes, the meaning of a dream becomes clear only after many years.

When the interpretation of his earlier dream became apparent, Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) said:

﴿هَٰذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُؤْيَايَ مِن قَبْلُ﴾

“This is the interpretation of my earlier dream.”

Surah Yusuf: 100

However, not every dream is necessarily capable of interpretation. Regarding the king’s dream, his courtiers said:

﴿أَضْغَاثُ أَحْلَامٍ﴾

This means that they were confused and incoherent dreams.

Surah Yusuf: 44

Three Basic Types of Dreams

In the light of the Hadith, dreams are generally divided into three basic categories.

1. Good dreams: These are dreams that serve as glad tidings from Allah Almighty.

2. Bad dreams: These are dreams through which Satan attempts to frighten or distress a person.

3. Hadith al-Nafs: These are dreams that reflect a person’s everyday thoughts, activities, worries and mental state.

According to a narration from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) explained that dreams are of three types: glad tidings from Allah, dreams through which Satan causes distress, and dreams arising from a person’s own thoughts.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also instructed anyone who experienced a disturbing dream to get up and offer prayer and not to tell others about it.

Sahih Muslim, Book of Dreams, Hadith 2263

Another narration describes a good dream as one of the forty-six parts of prophethood. When the Companions asked about the glad tidings that would remain after the end of prophethood, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) explained that they were good dreams.

Etiquette for Sharing Dreams and Seeking Their Interpretation

After experiencing a person may wonder whom to approach for its interpretation and whether it is appropriate to tell everyone about it. Islamic teachings emphasise caution and wisdom in this matter.

First: Share a dream with a wise and well-wishing person.

Not everyone possesses the ability to interpret dreams. Therefore, a dream should be shared with someone who is sensible, trustworthy and sufficiently knowledgeable to offer an appropriate perspective.

Second: Do not seek interpretations from everyone.

Abu Razin (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said that a dream remains suspended until it is interpreted. The narration also advises that a dream should be shared with a friend or a person of sound judgment rather than with just anyone.

Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 5020; Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2278

This narration highlights the importance of discretion when seeking dream interpretations. Unnecessary discussion and irresponsible opinions should be avoided.

Third: Seek Allah’s protection after experiencing a disturbing dream.

Abu Salamah (may Allah have mercy on him) reported that Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) conveyed the instruction of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): when someone sees a dream that they dislike, they should lightly spit to their left three times and seek Allah’s protection from the evil of that dream. It will not harm them.

Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2261

This teaching helps protect a person from fear, anxiety and negative thoughts associated with disturbing dreams.

Is It Correct to Completely Deny the Reality of Dreams?

In society, some people completely reject the reality of dreams. However, the Holy Quran and the Hadith contain clear references to truthful dreams. Therefore, completely denying their existence is inconsistent with Islamic teachings.

The beginning of revelation to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was through truthful dreams. According to a narration from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), the dreams he saw would become clear like the light of dawn.

Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadiths 3 and 6982

Similarly, the Holy Quran confirms the dream of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him):

﴿لَقَدْ صَدَقَ اللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ الرُّؤْيَا بِالْحَقِّ﴾

“Allah has certainly fulfilled the vision of His Messenger in truth.”

Surah Al-Fath: 27

The account of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, peace be upon him) is also significant. He saw in a dream that he was sacrificing his son and prepared to act upon what he understood as a command from Allah Almighty.

﴿إِنِّي أَرَىٰ فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ﴾

“Indeed, I see in a dream that I am sacrificing you.”

Surah As-Saffat: 102

This incident highlights the special status of the dreams of the Prophets, peace be upon them.

The Dream of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and Its Interpretation

Sahih al-Bukhari records a lengthy narration from Samurah bin Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him), in which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) describes various scenes he witnessed in a dream and the interpretations subsequently provided to him.

The dream included people being punished for different actions. Among them were a person who had learned the Quran but abandoned it, someone who neglected obligatory prayers, a person who spread fabricated reports, individuals who committed adultery, and someone who consumed interest.

The dream also included scenes involving righteous people and children. The interpretations of these scenes were subsequently explained, highlighting the consequences associated with different actions.

This narration illustrates that the scenes witnessed in a dream cannot always be understood solely through their outward appearance. Their background and the meanings explained in the narration must also be considered.

Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Dream Interpretation, Hadith 7047

The Legal Status of Dreams and the Principle of Balance

Islamic teachings acknowledge the significance of dreams while establishing that the dreams of ordinary people cannot independently serve as evidence in Islamic law.

If someone sees a command in a dream, it cannot be used as the basis for declaring something lawful or unlawful. Similarly, it is incorrect to use a dream to establish a religious ruling that contradicts the Quran and Sunnah.

The dreams of the Prophets, peace be upon them, have a status different from those of ordinary people. Their dreams may be connected with revelation, whereas the dream of a non-prophet is not considered an independent source of religious authority.

Therefore, a dream may be regarded as a source of glad tidings, a warning or reassurance. However, the Quran and Sunnah remain the fundamental standards for religious rulings and practical decisions.

Some Famous Dreams Attributed to Islamic Scholars

Several accounts of dreams associated with prominent Islamic scholars have become well known. Some appear in biographical works and historical narratives. However, their details and chains of transmission should be examined before they are presented as established facts.

The Dream of Imam Busiri (RA)

A well-known account states that Imam Sharaf al-Din al-Busiri (may Allah have mercy on him) composed the Qasidah Burdah while suffering from paralysis. According to the narration, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) placed a cloak over him in a dream, after which he recovered. This account appears in commentaries on the Qasidah Burdah and later biographical writings.

The Dream of Imam Abu Hanifa (RA)

A narration concerning Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) states that he saw an unusual scene in a dream relating to the blessed grave of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The interpretation associates the dream with profound scholarship, research into the Sunnah and the understanding of Hadith. The details of this account should be assessed in light of its chain of transmission.

The Dream of Imam Bukhari (RA)

A well-known account states that Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) saw himself removing flies from the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) with a fan. The dream was interpreted to mean that he would remove falsehood and unreliable reports from the Hadith literature.

Imam Bukhari’s compilation of Sahih al-Bukhari gave fundamental importance to the authenticity and verification of Hadith. However, it would not be accurate to present this dream as the sole reason for compiling the book.

The Restoration of Imam Bukhari’s Eyesight

Some biographical accounts state that Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) lost his eyesight during childhood. A further account relates that his mother prayed earnestly for him and subsequently experienced a dream associated with the return of his sight. This story is found in biographical writings about Imam Bukhari.

These accounts may be mentioned as historical traditions, but they should not be treated as equivalent to definitive evidence from the Quran and Sunnah.

The Dream About the Adhan: An Important Event in Islamic History

The origin of the Adhan, or Islamic call to prayer, is a particularly important example for understanding the significance of dreams and their religious authentication.

Abdullah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was considering a method of gathering people for prayer, he saw a man carrying a bell in a dream. Abdullah bin Zayd asked the man whether the bell could be used for this purpose. The man then suggested a better method and taught him the words of the Adhan.

The following morning, Abdullah bin Zayd went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and described his dream. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that it was a true dream, God willing, and instructed Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) to call the Adhan using those words.

According to the narration, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) also confirmed that he had seen the same dream.

Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 499; Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 189

In this incident, the dream was authenticated by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, it cannot be placed on the same level as the dreams of ordinary people. This distinction clarifies the Islamic principle that the dream of a non-prophet cannot independently establish a religious ruling.

Conclusion

In the light of the Quran and Sunnah, the reality of dreams is acknowledged. However, it is incorrect to assume that every dream is truthful, meaningful or capable of interpretation. A dream may be glad tidings from Allah, a source of fear instigated by Satan, or a reflection of a person’s own thoughts.

After experiencing a disturbing dream, one should seek Allah’s protection. A good dream may be shared with an appropriate and well-wishing person. It is important to avoid hasty interpretations, unnecessary fear and unfounded claims.

The most important principle is to give dreams their proper place without allowing them to determine matters of belief, worship, or what is lawful and unlawful. The Quran and Sunnah must remain the primary standards in such matters. This balanced approach reflects the essence of Islamic teachings.