Many of
the
dreams
reported
in the
books of
the
Deobandis
include
the
vision
of
Allah’s
Messenger
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam).
Whilst
it is
possible
to see
him (sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam)
in a
dream,
not
every
claim
can be
accepted
as a
true
dream.
Allah’s
Messenger
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam)
said:
“Whosoever
sees me
(in a
dream)
then he
Indeed,
has seen
the
truth,
as
Shaytaan
cannot
appear
in my
shape.”[1]
Such
dreams
are true
dreams,
but
should
be
verified
with an
important
condition,
as the
Tabi’e,
Ibn
Sirin
(well
known
for his
knowledge
of dream
interpretation)
said:
“Only
if he
sees the
Prophet
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam)
in his
(real)
shape.”[2]
It was
the
practice
of the
Sahabah
to
verify
whether
the
description
of the
person
seen in
the
dream
actually
matched
the
description
of
Allah’s
Messenger
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam).
Imam
at-Tirmidhee
(rahimahullah)
has
mentioned
in his
book,
Kitab
as-Shimaa’il
(Hadeeth
no.
412), “A
person
said to
Ibn
Abbas
(radhi
allahu
anhu)
that I
have
seen
Allah’s
Messenger
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam)
in my
dream.
Ibn
Abbas
(radhi
allahu
anhu)
said,
“Allah’s
Messenger
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam)
said:
“Whosoever
sees me
(in a
dream)
then he
Indeed,
has seen
the
truth,
as
Shaytaan
cannot
appear
in my
shape.”[3]
(then)
Ibn
Abbas
inquired,
‘Can you
describe
the
person
you have
seen in
your
dream.’
The
person
described
the
features
of the
person,
he had
seen in
his
dream.
(Upon
this)
Ibn
Abbas
said,
‘you
have
actually
seen
Allah’s
Messenger
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam).’”
The
questioning
of Ibn
Abbas
(radhi
allahu
anhu)
about
the
features
of the
person
seen in
the
dream
proves
that not
every
claim of
seeing
the
Messenger
of
Allah’s
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam)
can be
assumed
to be
authentic.
The
Hadeeth,
“Whosoever
sees me
(in a
dream)
then he
Indeed,
has seen
the
truth,
as
Shaytaan
cannot
appear
in my
shape,”[4]
means
that
Shaytaan
cannot
come in
the
actual
features
of
Allah’s
Messenger
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam).
Because
Shaytaan
can come
in the
appearance
of
others
in a
dreams
as well
as in
real
life and
attempt
to
misguide
the
people.
On the
occasion
of the
battle
of Badr,
Iblees
appeared
to the
disbelieving
Quraysh
in the
form of
Suraqah
bin
Malik to
encourage
them to
fight
the
Muslims.
Therefore,
the
above
Hadeeth
of
Allah’s
Messenger
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam)
was a
re-assurance
for the
Sahabah
who were
familiar
with the
Prophet’s
appearance
that if
they see
him in a
dream,
they
have
Indeed,
seen
him.
The
Shaytaan
can,
however,
claim to
be a
Messenger
or a
saint or
someone
else.
So, only
those
dreams
in which
Allah’s
Messenger
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam)
is seen
in his
true
features
may be
accepted
as a
vision
of the
Prophet.
Even
dreams
in
which,
one sees
Allah’s
Messenger
only
serve as
a source
of
optimism
and not
religious
injunctions.
