*Islamic rulings on Dreams*

We give thanks to almighty Allaah سبحانه وتعالي the Lord of the Universe and we seek His blessings to be bestowed upon the noble Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم


As for what follows, I will like to enlighten us about islamic teaching as regards dreams. It is a known fact that the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم teaches us everything we need to know about our Deen and also what we need to live a fulfilled life. So one of those things he taught us is how to deal with our dreams, the good or the bad ones.

It is part of the nature of humans to have dreams and mostly what we do in our dreams is out of our control. That's nobody can dictate the kind of dreams he/she is going to have but it's just come naturally.


*The good dreams*

The Messenger of Allaah صل الله عليه وسلم says that the good dream from a righteous person is part of the Prophetism. This is indicated in a narration of Anas bin Maalik رضي الله عنه below;

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ الرُّؤْيَا الْحَسَنَةُ مِنَ الرَّجُلِ الصَّالِحِ جُزْءٌ مِنْ سِتَّةٍ وَأَرْبَعِينَ جُزْءًا مِنَ النُّبُوَّةِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Anas bin Malik:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "A good dream (that comes true) of a righteous man is one of forty-six parts of prophetism."

Sahih al-Bukhari 6983.

This hadeeth simply indicates that, Allaah سبحانه وتعالى may show His righteous slave some good things that will happen to him or others as He does with His Messengers and the Prophets.

The good dreams are always from Allaah سبحانه وتعالى while bad ones are from Shaitân as it's stated in the hadeeth below;


حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى ـ هُوَ ابْنُ سَعِيدٍ ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا قَتَادَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ الرُّؤْيَا مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَالْحُلْمُ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Qatada:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A true good dream is from Allah, and a bad dream is from Satan."

Sahih al-Bukhari 6984


*What to do when you have a good dream*

The Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم teaches us that when we have a good dream we should thank almighty Allaah سبحانه وتعالى about it and narrate it to others. This is stated in the below hadeeth;

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ الْهَادِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ خَبَّابٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏"‏ إِذَا رَأَى أَحَدُكُمْ رُؤْيَا يُحِبُّهَا فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ مِنَ اللَّهِ، فَلْيَحْمَدِ اللَّهَ عَلَيْهَا، وَلْيُحَدِّثْ بِهَا، وَإِذَا رَأَى غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا يَكْرَهُ، فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ، فَلْيَسْتَعِذْ مِنْ شَرِّهَا، وَلاَ يَذْكُرْهَا لأَحَدٍ، فَإِنَّهَا لاَ تَضُرُّهُ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If anyone of you sees a dream that he likes, then it is from Allah, and *he should
thank Allah for it and narrate it to others*; but if he sees something else, i.e., a dream that he dislikes,
then it is from Satan, and he should seek refuge with Allah from its evil, and he should not mention it
to anybody, for it will not harm him."

Sahih al-Bukhari 6985


In another narration, the Messenger of Allaah صل الله عليه وسلم specifies it that the person we can narrate the good dream to is only our love ones. This can be seen in the narration of Abu Qatadah رضي الله عنه in saheeh Muslim ;

وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، عَنْ
عَبْدِ رَبِّهِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى
الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ ‏"‏ الرُّؤْيَا الصَّالِحَةُ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَالرُّؤْيَا السَّوْءُ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ فَمَنْ رَأَى
رُؤْيَا فَكَرِهَ مِنْهَا شَيْئًا فَلْيَنْفِثْ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ وَلْيَتَعَوَّذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ لاَ تَضُرُّهُ وَلاَ يُخْبِرْ
بِهَا أَحَدًا فَإِنْ رَأَى رُؤْيَا حَسَنَةً فَلْيُبْشِرْ وَلاَ يُخْبِرْ إِلاَّ مَنْ يُحِبُّ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Abu Qatada reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: The good vision are from Allah and the evil dreams are from the satan. If one sees a dream which one does not like, one should spit on one's left side and seek the refuge of Allah from the satan; it will not do one any harm, and one should not disclose it to anyone and *if one sees a good vision one should feel pleased but should not disclose it to anyone but whom one loves.*

Sahih Muslim 2261 f


*The bad dreams*

The bad dreams are from Shaitân. It simply means that Shaitân causes the bad dreams and this is categorically stated by the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى ـ هُوَ ابْنُ سَعِيدٍ ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا قَتَادَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ الرُّؤْيَا مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَالْحُلْمُ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Qatada:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A true good dream is from Allah, and *a bad dream is from Satan.*"

Sahih al-Bukhari 6984


*What to do when someone has a bad dream*

The Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم teaches us that when we see a bad dream, we should seek refuge with Allâh سبحانه وتعالى from Shaitân and spit lightly on our left side. Then if this prophetic tradition is implemented the dream will not harm us bi idhniLlaah. This is in the narration of the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَحْيَى, بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ ـ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ خَيْرًا لَقِيتُهُ بِالْيَمَامَةِ ـ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ الرُّؤْيَا الصَّالِحَةُ مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَالْحُلْمُ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ، فَإِذَا حَلَمَ فَلْيَتَعَوَّذْ مِنْهُ وَلْيَبْصُقْ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ، فَإِنَّهَا لاَ تَضُرُّهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَعَنْ أَبِيهِ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِثْلَهُ‏.‏

Narrated Abu Qatada:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A good dream that comes true is from Allah, and a bad dream is from Satan, so if
anyone of you sees a bad dream, he should seek refuge with Allah from Satan and should spit on the
left, for the bad dream will not harm him."

Sahih al-Bukhari 6986


Then the Messenger of Allâh صل الله عليه وسلم explains further that the spitting lightly on our left side should be three times as indicated in another narration. This can be seen in the hadeeth of Abu Qatadah رضي الله عنه below;

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ الرُّؤْيَا الصَّالِحَةُ مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَالْحُلْمُ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ، فَمَنْ رَأَى شَيْئًا يَكْرَهُهُ فَلْيَنْفِثْ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ ثَلاَثًا، وَلْيَتَعَوَّذْ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ، فَإِنَّهَا لاَ تَضُرُّهُ، وَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لاَ يَتَرَاءَى بِي ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Qatada:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A good dream is from Allah, and a bad dream is from Satan. So whoever has seen
(in a dream) something he dislikes, *then he should spit without saliva, thrice on his left and seek refuge
with Allah from Satan,* for it will not harm him, and Satan cannot appear in my shape."

Sahih al-Bukhari 6995


Then the bad dream must not be disclosed to anyone. This is reported by Jaabir bn AbdiLlaah رضي الله عنه in saheeh Muslim;

وَحَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ
جَابِرٍ، قَالَ جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ رَأَيْتُ فِي
الْمَنَامِ كَأَنَّ رَأْسِي ضُرِبَ فَتَدَحْرَجَ فَاشْتَدَدْتُ عَلَى أَثَرِهِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه
وسلم لِلأَعْرَابِيِّ ‏"‏ لاَ تُحَدِّثِ النَّاسَ بِتَلَعُّبِ الشَّيْطَانِ بِكَ فِي مَنَامِكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ
صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعْدُ يَخْطُبُ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ لاَ يُحَدِّثَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِتَلَعُّبِ الشَّيْطَانِ بِهِ فِي مَنَامِهِ
‏"‏ ‏.‏

Jabir reported that there came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) a desert Arab and said: Allah's Messenger, I saw in the state of sleep as if my head had been cut off and I had been moving on haltingly after it. *Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to that desert Arab: Do not narrate to the people the vain sporting of satan with you in your sleep and (the narrator) also said: I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in his subsequent address: None amongst you should narrate the vain sporting of devil with him in the dream.*

Sahih Muslim 2268 d

This is islamic rulings on dreams as taught by the Messenger of Allâh صل الله عليه وسلم and it's known that he doesn't talk from his own desires but from revelation from Allaah سبحانه وتعالى. So we enjoin all Muslims to follow his teachings and injunctions because in them there lies the success in this life and the hereafter.


Compiled by:
Sulaimon bn AbdilGhaffaar

SubhanAllah! Thank you.