Dreams and Dreaming in islam

As a pre-caution against nightmares, Muslims are advised to go to bed with ablution; to keep their body and soul purified. In addition, they are urged to recite the Mu’awizzatayn (i.e. Suratul Falaq and Suratu n-Naas) three times when they go to bed at night.

Imam Bukhari  relates on the authority of Al-Baraa’i bn ’Aazib that whenever the Prophet (SAW) went to bed at night, he would lay on the right flank of his body; facing the qiblah (the direction faced by Muslims in salat) and recite: “Allahuma aslamtu nafsi ilayka; wa wajjahtu wajhi ilayka; wa fawwatu amri ilayka; wa aljahtu ahri ilayka; raghbatan wa rahbatan ilayka; laa malja’a wa laa manja minka illa ilayka; Aamantu bikitaabika-lladhi anzalta, wa nabiyyika-iladhi arsalta”. This could be translated as “O Allah! I submit my soul to You; I turn my face unto You; I commit my affairs to You; I entrust my back to You out of fear and hope (in You); No (one seeks) retreat or rescue from You but to You; I believe in Your revealed Book and in the Prophet You sent (to us)”

We are similarly encouraged to supplicate when we wake up from sleep.  Imam Bukhari (RA) relates on the authority of Khudhaifah that the Prophet (SAW) used to say after waking up and rising from bed: “Alhamdu lillahi-lladhi ahyaanaa ba’da maa amaatanaa wa ilayhi n-Nushuur” meaning “Glory be to Allah who gave us life after ceasing it; to Him belongs (the power) of resurrection”

Besides, dreams are means by which Allah (SWT) inspires man. This mode of inspiration is a universal experience that is not restricted to particular gender, faith or age. Most often, dreams that serve inspirational purposes to man usually translate in to realities in the life of the dreamer; coming sooner or later to pass in the exact form, order and progression  in which events appeared in the dream. For instance, Prophet Yusuf (AS) or Joseph in Christendom, the youngest (but one) of the twelve sons of the Patriarch Ya’qub (AS) had a dream in which he saw eleven stars, the sun and the moon; all prostrating before him. When he told his father about the vision, the latter’s reaction is conveyed in Qur’an 12:5 “Said (the father): My (dear) little son! Relate not thy vision to thy brothers lest they concoct a plot against thee: for Satan is to man an avowed enemy” This substantiates the prophetic tradition that we should not relate the contents of our bad dreams to others.

Yusuf (AS) then was only seventeen years old. His father loved him dearly which was probably why his half-brothers were jealous of him. His destiny was however pre-figured in the vision. The message of the vision translated afterwards in to reality as Yusuf (AS) was exalted later in his life in a rank above his eleven brothers (the eleven stars) and his father and mother (sun and moon). The story of Yusuf’s life shows that he never lost his head but always honoured his parents and repaid his brothers’ hatred with forgiveness and kindness. Visions should actually make us humble, not supercilious.

Allah (SWT) blesses whom He wishes with the ability to interpret dreams just as He favoured Prophet Yusuf (AS) with a unique talent to interpret dreams. Qur’an 12:41 speaks of the interpretations given by Yusuf (AS) to the visions which his two prison mates saw. While one of them (as stated in Qur’an 12:36) dreamt that he saw himself pressing wine (for his master); the other dreamt that he was carrying bread on his head and birds were eating thereof. The two men who respectively had these two dreams came into prison cell as prisoners about the same time as Yusuf (AS). They were aides of the then king of Egypt and were imprisoned for incurring their master’s wrath. One was a cup-bearer whose duty was to prepare the king’s wines and drinks. The other was the king’s baker whose duty was to prepare the king’s bread.

The two men were apparently not believers in one God but were rather of those who practiced idolatry and polytheism. Yet, their respective dreams in the prison cell were inspirations from God; which Prophet Yusuf (AS) under Allah’s guidance interpreted to them. Yusuf (AS)’s interpretation of the dreams was that the one who saw himself pressing wine would return to the king’s palace to pour out wine for his master to drink. The other will hang from the cross and the birds will eat from off his head.

When the cup-bearer returned to the palace after serving his prison term, the king of Egypt saw a vision which none of his aides could interpret. So, the prisoner who had returned to the palace as the king’s cup-bearer contacted Yusuf (AS) to seek for the interpretation of the king’s vision. The king had a dream in which he saw seven fat cows which seven lean ones devour; and seven green ears of corn; and (Seven) others withered. Yusuf (AS) interpreted the dream to mean that there shall be seven years of abundant harvest from which they (the people of Egypt) should take a little for their sustenance and store the rest in the ear; to preserve it from pests. This period will be followed by another seven years of drought. Then will come after that a year in which the people will have abundant water. This dream actually came to pass as interpreted by Yusuf (AS).

Given the Nigerian situation where people explore every “means” whether halal (lawful) or haram (unlawful) to survive, some people have become fraudsters in the guise of professional vision interpreters. We therefore caution people against searching for the interpretation of every bit of their dreams for at least two reasons. One, they are likely to fall into the hands of imposters who pose as soothsayers (malaman tsibbu in Hausa). Individuals who get addicted to such dubious service-providers are likely to remain glued to a practice that does more harm than good (if there is any good in it). Two, Allah (SWT) warns against enquiring about things which their knowledge would be harmful to us. Information from the interpretation of some visions is better avoided because they could lead to depression, high blood pressure, anxiety, etc. Allah (SWT) states in Qur’an 5:104 “O ye who believe! Ask not questions about things which if made plain to you may cause you trouble…”

Life is a dream and a vision; to be explained by signs, symbols and moving stories. Good visions should be considered as opportunities for doing good to friends and foes alike. Bad dreams too should lead us to accept that whatever happens is the result of Allah’s will and plan. We should therefore trust Allah. May Allah (SWT) make our good dreams happen and avert the bad ones, amin.