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Dreams (Sheikh Abdul Muhsin Al Qasim)
Dreams (Sheikh Abdul Muhsin Al Qasim)
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The Good Dream 1
[1] This khutbah was delivered in Al-Masjid An-Nabawi on Friday the 16th of Safar 1445 AH.
[2] Translator's note: "Amma ba‘d": a phrase used to separate between the introduction and the
topic of the sermon. It can be translated as: "to proceed".
[3] Translator's note: "Ayyuhal-Muslimun" is an address meaning: "O Muslims".
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2 The Good Dream
}{ﲵ ﲶ ﲷ ﲸ ﲹ ﲺ ﲻ ﲼ ﲽ ﲾ ﲿ
{O my father, indeed I have seen [in a dream] eleven stars and the
sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me.} [Yusuf: 4]
And this dream came true, whilst he was honoured and raised:
} {ﱺ ﱻ ﱼ ﱽ ﱾ ﱿ ﲀﲁ
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The Good Dream 3
{And he raised his parents upon the throne, and they bowed to him
in prostration.} [Yusuf: 100]
And the beginning of this ummah's (nation's) good and light was
through dreams. Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "The
beginning of the revelation that came to the Messenger of Allah (may
Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was good dreams in [his] sleep.
He never saw a dream except that it came true like bright daylight."
(Agreed upon).
In the Battle of Badr, Allah showed His prophet victory in his dream.
Thus, he informed his companions of this. Their hearts were strengthened
by this, and they had the courage to go to war with their enemies despite
their small number.
{ﲋ ﲌ ﲍ ﲎ ﲏ ﲐﲑ ﲒ ﲓ ﲔ ﲕ ﲖ ﲗ ﲘ
} ﲙ ﲚ ﲛﲜ
}ﲮ ﲯ ﲰ ﲱ ﲲﲳ
{Indeed, Allah will fulfil His Messenger’s vision in all truth: Allah
willing, you will surely enter the Sacred Mosque, in security—˹some with˺
heads shaved and ˹others with˺ hair shortened—without fear.} [Al-Fath:
27]
And Allah allowed him to conquer it after the passing of a year.
When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)
saw a dream, he would relate it to his companions . In fact, after he
prayed the Fajr prayer, he would face His companions and ask them: "Did
any of you see a dream last night?" (Agreed upon).
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}{ﱑ ﱒ ﱓ ﱔ ﱕ ﱖ ﱗﱘ
{For them are glad tidings in this worldly life and the Hereafter.}
[Yunus: 64]
He replied: "It is the good dream that a Muslim sees or that is seen
for him." (Narrated by Ahmad).
The true dream is a portion of prophethood, and prophethood is
divine revelation. The one who lies regarding [what he has seen] in his
sleep has lied upon Allah, by claiming that Allah has shown him what he
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The Good Dream 5
did not see. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)
said: "Verily, from the worst of lies is for a person claiming to have seen
a dream which he has not seen." (Agreed upon). On the Day of
Resurrection, he will be commanded with that he has no ability to
perform; in order to intensity his punishment. The Prophet (may Allah's
peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever speaks of a dream that
he did not actually see will be ordered [on the Day of Judgement] to tie
two grains of barley together, and he will never be able to do so."
(Narrated by Al-Bukhari).
Even though the true dreams are mostly for the upright people, they
may also happen to other than them. Yusuf (peace be upon him)
interpreted the dream of his two companions in the prison, and their
dream actualised [in the way he interpreted it]. He also interpreted the
dream of the disbelieving king – [in which he saw] seven cows – and it
came true. Al-Bukhari said in his Sahih: "Chapter: The dreams of
prisoners, the wicked and the polytheists". Ibn Hazm (may Allah have
mercy on him) said: "The dream of the disbeliever may come true, but it
is not considered a portion of prophethood; nor it is from the glad tidings.
Rather, it is a warning and admonition for him and others."
The dream of the daytime is true like the dream of the night. The
Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered upon
Umm Haram bint Milhan (may Allah be pleased with her), and he slept in
her home during the daytime. [In his sleep,] he saw a dream and narrated
it to her. (Agreed upon).
Whoever sees a dream that he likes should praise Allah for it, rejoice,
and inform those he loves about it. As for the envious and the plotter, he
should not inform them of what he has seen. Yaqub (peace be upon him)
said:
}{ﱁ ﱂ ﱃ ﱄ ﱅ ﱆ ﱇ ﱈ ﱉ ﱊﱋ
{He replied: "O my dear son! Do not relate your vision to your
brothers, or they will devise a plot against you."} [Yusuf: 5]
It is recommended for whoever sees [a dream] he dislikes to seek
refuge in Allah from its evil and the evil of the Shaytan. He should also
spit on his left thrice, and turn over to his other side. He should not
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6 The Good Dream
inform anyone of it, and he should stand and pray. An-Nawawi (may Allah
have mercy on him) said: "If he does only some of these things, that will
suffice in repelling its harm by the permission of Allah (may He be
exalted); as the ahadith have explicitly mentioned."
Interpreting dreams is from the knowledge of the Prophets and the
people of Iman. It is a rare [branch of] knowledge which combines
between [a divine] gift and acquisition [of its matters]. It is a blessing
which Allah grants to whoever He wills. Allah (may He be exalted) said
about Yusuf (peace be upon him):
}{ﲵ ﲶ ﲷ ﲸﲹ
{That We might teach him the interpretation of dreams} [Yusuf: 21]
Interpreting dreams is a fatwa (legal ruling). It is not permissible for
anyone to engage in it without knowledge. Yusuf (peace be upon him)
said to the two young men [in the prison]:
}{ ﲛ ﲜ ﲝ ﲞ ﲟ
{The matter about which you inquired has been decided.} [Yusuf:
41][1]
And the King said:
}{ﳆ ﳇ ﳈ
{Tell me the meaning of my dream} [Yusuf: 43]
And the young man said:
}{ﱚﱛﱜﱝ
{Interpret for us ˹the dream of˺ seven [fat] cows…} [Yusuf: 46]
Dream interpretation is based upon analogy, likening one thing to
another, and linking between tangible and intangible things. Ibn Al-
Qayyim (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The examples mentioned
in the Quran are all fundamentals and principles for the knowledge of
[1] Translator's note: The Arabic word in this verse – and the two to follow – come from the same
root as the word "fatwa" (legal ruling). This indicates that interpreting dreams is indeed like
issuing a legal ruling.
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The Good Dream 7
dream interpretation for the one who can deduce from them proficiently.
Likewise, the one who understands the Quran is able to interpret dreams
through it in the best way. The authentic fundamentals of dream
interpretation are only taken from the lamp of the Quran."
Whoever wants his dream to be interpreted should not have it
interpreted except by one who is knowledge in this field. Not everyone
who becomes well-known for their knowledge or sits to teach the people
is good at interpreting dreams. Nor is the one who suffices with the books
of dream interpreting a [true] interpreter. For the meaning of dreams can
differ according to the person, as well as the time and place. It was said to
Malik (may Allah have mercy on him): "Can everyone interpret dreams?"
He replied: "Is the prophethood to be played with?!"
Whoever Allah grants the ability to interpret dreams well should
adhere to Allah's consciousness. He should be far from showing-off and
loving to be well-known. He should ask his Lord for [His] and to keep him
upright. He should beware of self-amazement, for indeed it takes away
blessings [from a person]. He should thank Allah for this blessing. Yusuf
(peace be upon him) said out of gratitude for Allah's blessings:
}{ﲮ ﲯ ﲰ ﲱ ﲲ ﲳ ﲴ ﲵ ﲶﲷ
{My Lord! You have surely granted me authority and taught me the
interpretation of dreams} [Yusuf: 101]
The one who issues rulings, as well as the one who interprets dreams
and the doctor come to know the secrets of people which no one else
know. It is a duty upon them to hide that which should not be made
apparent.
The true dream will inevitably take place, regardless of whether it is
interpreted or not. Yaqub said to Yusuf (peace be upon them both):
}{ﱃ ﱄ ﱅ
{O my dear son! Do not relate your vision [to your brothers]} [Yusuf: 5]
Yaqub did not interpret the dream, yet it still took place. The
interpreter only uncovers the reality of what the dream represents. He
may be correct, and he might be mistaken. The Prophet (may Allah's
peace and blessings be upon him) said to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased
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8 The Good Dream
with him) after the latter had interpreted a dream: "You are partly right,
and partly wrong." (Agreed upon).
As for the time when it takes place, then it could be in the present; or
it could take place in the near or far future. Abdullah ibn Shaddad (may
Allah have mercy on him) said: "Yusuf's dream took place after forty
years. This is the longest it can take to occur." The Muslim should know
that whatever Allah decrees for him is good, regardless of whether it is in
the present or the future.
Wa Ba‘d[1], Ayyuhal-Muslimun:
When a long time had passed since the prophethood and its traces,
Allah compensated the believers with dreams. The Prophet (may Allah's
peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the end of time draws
near, the believer's dream will hardly be false." (Agreed upon). As for
the time in which the light of prophethood is strong, then the appearance
and strength of its light contains that which suffices from dreams.
The people with the most truthful dreams are those who are most
truthful in speech in their wakeful state. The Prophet (may Allah's peace
and blessings be upon him) said: "The most truthful of you in dreams is
the most truthful of you in speech." (Narrated by Muslim). Ibn Hajar
(may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Whoever is mostly truthful whilst
awake, his truthfulness will extend to his sleep. Thus, he does not see
except that which is true. This is in opposition to the liar, and the one who
mixes between truth and falsehood; for verily his heart become dark and
corrupt, and therefore he only sees mixed dreams which are false."
Therefore, adhere to truthfulness in speech and strongly hold on to
the consciousness of Allah; and you will earn the good of this world and
the Hereafter.
A‘udhu billahi min ash-shaytanir-rajim. [2]
}{ﱺ ﱻ ﱼ ﱽ ﱾ ﱿ ﲀﲁ ﲂ ﲃ ﲄ ﲅ ﲆ ﲇ ﲈ ﲉ ﲊ ﲋ ﲌﲍ
{And he raised his parents upon the throne, and they bowed to him
[1] Translator's note: When coming at the end of a sermon, this phrase can be understood to mean:
"To conclude".
[2] Translator's note: This phrase means: "I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan".]
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