The
Deobandis
make
an
extensive
use
of
dreams
as
supporting
evidence
to
incline
the
hearts
of
their
followers
towards
their
incorrect
beliefs
and
innovative
practices.
The
Fazaail-e-Aamaal
literally
has
a
dream
on
every
second
page!
Some
of
the
Deobandi
beliefs
that
the
Fazaail-e-Aamaal
attempts
to
support
using
dreams
are...
1.
The
Belief
that
the
Messenger
of
Allah
in
the
Barzakh
is
aware
of
this
world.[1]
2.
The
Belief
that
the
Messenger
of
Allah
helps
the
living
from
the
Barzakh[2]
3.
The
innovation
of
wandering
into
the
forests,
living
as
hermits
and
suffering
from
self-imposed
hardships[3]
4.
The
Belief
that
the
Majzoobs
who
outwardly
appear
to
be
disobedient
to
the
Sharee’ah
are
in
reality
people
of
high
status[4]
5.
The
Belief
that
the
Awliya
after
death
perform
acts
of
righteousness,
are
aware
of
this
world,
and
communicate
with
the
living[5]
6.
The
Innovation
of
calling
upon
Allah
by
the
Waseelah
of
His
Messenger
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam).[6]
[1] “Hazrat Sulaiman bin Sahim said that he saw the Holy Prophet in a dream and asked him, “O Prophet of Allah! Are you aware of the people who visit you and say salaam to you?” The Holy Prophet said, “O Yes I recognize them and acknowledge their salaam.” [Fazaail-e-Aamaal, (Eng. Trans.), Virtues of Darood, Chapter.1, p.19. (Edt. 1985, Published by Dini Book Depot - Delhi).]
[2] “Once an old man came to Qari Abu Bakr Mujahid (a teacher of the Qur’aan) and said, “My wife gave birth to a son last night. Now the family members asked me to bring ghee and honey. On hearing the circumstances, Qari Abu Bakr became worried. In the same condition, drowsiness overpowered him and he dreamt the Holy Prophet saying, ‘Don’t be so much perturbed. Go to Ali Ibn Isa, the minister, convey my salaams to him and tell him this sign, He does not sleep until he recites one thousand times Darood... After telling him the sign, ask him to give one hundred gold coins to the father of the new born’.... The men did as they were advised and got 100 gold coins from the wazir.” [Fazaail-e-Aamaal, (Eng. Trans.), Virtues of Darood , Chapter.5, p.132, (Edt. 1985, Published by Dini Book Depot - Delhi).]
[3] Shaikh Ahmad Muhammad Sufi wandered about in the wilderness for about thirteen months suffering such great tribulation that his very skin dried out. In this condition, he reached Medina, greeted Rasoolullah and slept soon afterwards. He dreamt of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) who said to him... “O Ahmad, have you come to me.” I replied, “Yes Sir. I have come and I am suffering from hunger. Now, I am your guest.” Rasoolullah said, “Open your two hands.” I did as I was bid and Rasoolullah filled them with Dirhams. When I awoke both my hands were still filled with money.” [Fazaail-e-Aamaal, Virtues of Hajj, (Eng. Trans.), Chapter.9, story no.25, p.179, (New Edition 1982, Published by Dini Book Depot - Delhi)]
[4] Malik Ibn Deenar met a young man on his way to Hajj, walking on foot, with no provision or water. Malik Ibn Deenar offered him his shirt, but he refused saying: “…It is better to remain naked, than to acquire worldly shirts.” Later, when the Hajis (the pilgrims) put on the Ihram, read the Talbiyah, this young man kept silent and said, ‘I fear that on reciting ‘Labbaik’, a reply from may heard: “La Labbaik, La Sadaik” (Your cry is not heard and we do not return to you in Pleasure.) The young man justified his acts that were apparently opposed to the Sharee’ah by saying, “And blame me not for this love for Him, for if thou knowest the thing I see then surely will you never speak.” Later, when the pilgrims sacrificed the sheep, this young man asked Allah to accept his life as a sacrifice and then died shortly afterwards. Later that night, Malik Ibn Deenar asked the young man in his dream, ‘What did Allah do to you?’ He said: ‘I have gained a reward like that of the martyrs of the battle of Badr – Nay, even more… They died at the swing of the swords of the infidels, while I died by the sword of Allah’s love.” [See, Fazaail-e-Aamaal, Virtues of Hajj, (Eng. Trans.), Conclusion - story no.4, p.234, (New Edition 1982, Published by Dini Book Depot - Delhi).]
[5] “Once a group of Arabs went to visit the grave of a very generous person and stayed there for the night. One of them in a dream saw the man of the grave who asked him to sell his camel for his Bakhti camel (Bakhti is a good king of camels). The man agreed and the man of the grave stood and slaughtered the camel. When the man woke up he found it bleeding. He slaughtered it and distributed the meat. When the group returned then at a stage a man came riding a Bakhti camel and enquired whether among them was a man of such and such name. The man who saw the dream came forward and said he was that man. The man related his dream. The camel rider said the man of grave was his father and he had directed him in a dream that the man of grave was his father and he had directed him in a dream to give this camel to him. He gave the animal to the man and went away.” [See, Fazaail-e-Aamaal, Virtues of Charity, (Eng. Trans.), Chapter.7, story no.16, p.193, (New Edition 1982, Published by Dini Book Depot - Delhi).]
[6] Hazrat Allama Qastalani says, “Once I became severely ill that doctors despaired for my health. For many years I remained thus. Then, one day on 28th of Jumadil ‘Ula 893 A.H. while in Mecca I prayed to Allah through the Waseelah of Rasoolullah (Allah’s Messenger) that Allah may heal me of my affliction. While I was asleep, I saw a vision in which I saw a man with a piece of paper in his hand in which it was written: ‘Rasoolullah has commanded that this medicine be given to Ahmad Ibn Qastalani.’ When I awoke I discovered that no sign of my illness remained.” [Faazail-e-Aamal, (Eng. Trans.), Virtues of Hajj, Chapter.9, p.170, story no.11 (New Edition 1982, Published by Dini Book Depot - Delhi).]
