Muhammad (the Prophet) محمد

Our Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace. It has come in the sound hadith from him that he said: "Whoever sees me in a dream will see me in waking life, for Satan does not take my form." In one narration: "Whoever sees me has seen the truth." In the narration of Anas, may God be pleased with him: "Whoever sees me in a dream will not enter the Fire." In another narration: "He who sees me in a dream will not enter the Fire." In another narration: "Whoever sees me in his dream has truly seen me, for it is not possible for Satan to take on my image." There are other narrations besides these.

The scholars have differed over the meaning of the hadith. One group said this applies when he sees him, may God bless him and grant him peace, in the form he actually had; and some of them went further and said: in the form he had when he died. Among these was Ibn Sirin, may God the Exalted have mercy on him, for it is authentically reported of him that when a dream was related to him, he would say to the dreamer, "Describe to me the one you saw," and if he described a figure Ibn Sirin did not recognize, he would say, "You did not see him." This is supported by the hadith of 'Asim ibn Kulayb, whose wording in al-Hakim, with a good chain, is: "I said to Ibn 'Abbas, may God be pleased with them both, 'I saw the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, in a dream.' He said, 'Describe him to me.' I mentioned al-Hasan ibn 'Ali and likened him to him. He said, 'You saw him.'" It is not contradicted by the report "Whoever sees me in a dream has seen me, for I am seen in every form," because that report is weak.

Others said that this is not a condition, among them Ibn al-'Arabi, may God the Exalted be pleased with him. The gist of what he said is: seeing him, may God bless him and grant him peace, in his known description is a perception of the reality, and seeing him in another description is a perception of a likeness. For the correct view is that the earth does not alter the prophets, upon them be blessings and peace; so perceiving the noble person himself is reality, and perceiving the attributes is a perception of a likeness. The meaning of his saying "he will see me" is the interpretation of what he saw, because it is true and of the unseen; "it is as though he saw me" means that if he were to see me while awake, it would match what he saw in sleep. So the first is true and real, and the second is true and a likeness. This applies if he sees him in his known description; otherwise it is a likeness. If he sees him turning toward him, for example, it is good for the dreamer, and the reverse for the reverse.

Among them is al-Qadi 'Iyad, may God the Exalted have mercy on him, who said: his words "he has seen me" and "he has seen the truth" may mean that whoever sees him in the form known during his life, his dream is true, and whoever sees him in another form, his dream requires interpretation. Al-Nawawi, may God the Exalted have mercy on him, objected to this and said: this is weak; rather, the correct view is that he has truly seen him, whether in his known description or another. Some of the hadith masters answered him that al-Qadi 'Iyad's words do not contradict that; rather, the apparent sense of his words is that he truly saw him in both cases, but in the first case that dream does not need interpretation and in the second it does.

Among them are al-Baqillani and others, who held the first group to the consequence that whoever sees him in other than his description would have a confused, meaningless dream, which is false, since it is well known that he is seen in sleep in a state befitting him that differs from his state in this world. If Satan were able to imitate anything about him or anything attributed to him, that would contradict the generality of his saying, "for Satan does not take my form." So it is more fitting to hold that seeing him, and seeing anything attributed to him, is exempt from that, for this is more reverent and more befitting of his protection from error, just as he was protected from Satan in waking life. So the correct view is that seeing him in any state is neither false nor a confused dream; rather, it is true in itself even if he is seen in other than his description, since the forming of that image comes from God the Exalted. Thus it is known that the correct, indeed the right, view, as some have said, is that a dream of him is true in whatever state is supposed. Then, if it is in his true form at some time — whether in his youth, his manhood, his middle age or the end of his life — it needs no interpretation; otherwise it needs an interpretation connected with the dreamer.

Hence some scholars of dream interpretation said: whoever sees him as an old man is in utmost peace, and whoever sees him as a young man is in utmost war, and whoever sees him smiling holds fast to his Sunna. Some said: whoever sees him in his true appearance and state, it is a sign of the dreamer's righteousness, the completeness of his standing and his victory over those who are hostile to him; whoever sees him changed in state and frowning, it is a sign of the dreamer's bad state.

Ibn Abi Jamra [the source has "Hamra"] said: seeing him in a beautiful form is beauty in the dreamer's religion, and seeing him with a blemish or a deficiency in some part of his body is a defect in the dreamer's religion, because he, may God bless him and grant him peace, is like a polished mirror in which whatever faces it is imprinted, even though the mirror itself is in the best and most perfect state. This is the great benefit of seeing him, may God bless him and grant him peace, since through it the state of the dreamer is known. All of this was mentioned by Ibn Hajar al-Haytami, may God the Exalted have mercy on him, in his commentary on al-Tirmidhi's Shama'il. The same applies to all the prophets, upon them be blessings and peace, for Satan does not take the likeness of God, nor of His signs, nor of the prophets, nor of the angels, peace be upon them.

Whoever sees our Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, will continue to be at ease. If he is worried, he will be relieved; if imprisoned, he will come out of his prison. If he is seen in a place suffering siege or high prices, they will be relieved and their prices will become cheap; if they are wronged, they will be given victory; if afraid, they will be made safe. Seeing him, may God bless him and grant him peace, as the Sunna describes him — with attributes no describer can adequately express — is glad tidings for the dreamer of a good outcome in his religion and his worldly life. According to your own nature and the purity of your mirror does the vision of him, may God bless him and grant him peace, come down to you in a dream.

If he sees him turning toward him, or teaching him, or leading him in his prayer or on a road, or giving him something good, or clothing him in a fitting garment, or making him a promise, or praying for good for him: if the dreamer is fit for kingship, he will become king, and in his time he will be just, ruling by the truth, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong; if he is a scholar, he will act on what he knows; if a devout worshipper, he will reach the ranks of those blessed with miracles of grace; if a sinner, he will repent and turn back to God the Exalted; if an unbeliever, he will be guided. He may attain his aim in knowledge, Quran recitation or inner cultivation despite being unlettered, because of His saying, the Exalted:

قُلْ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ ۖ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ٱلنَّبِىِّ ٱلْأُمِّىِّ ٱلَّذِى يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَـٰتِهِۦ وَٱتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

“Say, [O Muḥammad], "O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allāh to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death." So believe in Allāh and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allāh and His words, and follow him that you may be guided.”

Quran 7:158 · Saheeh International

If the dreamer is afraid, he will be safe from one in authority and will be granted an intercessor whose intercession is accepted, because he is the master of intercession. If the dreamer follows heresy and error, let him fear God for his own sake, especially if he sees him turning away from him. Joyful glad tidings may come to the dreamer. Seeing him, may God bless him and grant him peace, signifies making proofs manifest, truthfulness of speech and keeping covenants. He may reach, among his family and relatives, a degree that none of them has reached, and he may meet with enmity, envy and hatred from them. He may leave his family and move from his homeland to another, and he may suffer being orphaned of his parents.

Seeing him, may God bless him and grant him peace, may signify the manifestation of miracles, because the gazelle greeted him, the camel kissed his feet, he was carried by night to heaven, the [poisoned] shoulder of mutton spoke to him, and the trees came running to him. If the dreamer is an eye doctor who treats sight, he will reach a level in his craft that no one has reached, because he, may God bless him and grant him peace, restored the eye of Qatada. If the dreamer is on a journey and thirst has exhausted the people, it signifies the coming down of rain and the pouring forth of mercy, because he, may God bless him and grant him peace, made water gush from between his fingers when there was no water. Likewise, if the people are in hardship and drought, it signifies satiety, ease and blessing from where they do not expect. If a woman sees him, she will reach a great rank, a good reputation, chastity, trustworthiness and self-protection; she may be tried with co-wives and be granted righteous offspring; if she has wealth, she will spend it in obedience to God the Exalted. Seeing him, may God bless him and grant him peace, signifies patience under harm. If an orphan sees him, he will reach a great position, and likewise if he is a stranger. If the dreamer is one who treats bodies, people will benefit from his medicine. Seeing him may signify the victory of the believers and the ruin of the unbelievers, especially if his Companions are with him. If a debtor sees him, God will pay off his debt; if a sick person sees him, God the Exalted will heal him; if one who has not performed the pilgrimage sees him, he will make the pilgrimage to the Sacred House; if a warrior sees him, God the Exalted will give him victory; if one in trial sees him, God the Exalted will suffice him. If he is seen in a land struck by drought, it will become fertile, if he is in his true appearance.

If he sees him pale in color, emaciated, or missing some limbs, that signifies weakness of religion in that place and the appearance of heresy; likewise if he sees him wearing shabby clothing. If he sees that he drank his blood, may God bless him and grant him peace, secretly out of love for him, he will be martyred in holy war. If he sees that he drank it openly, that signifies his hypocrisy, and that he has had a part in the blood of his household and helped in killing them. If he sees him riding, he will visit his grave riding; if he sees him on foot, he will set out to visit him on foot. If he sees him standing, his affairs and the affairs of the imam of his time will be set right. If he sees that he has died, a noble man of his descendants will die.

Whoever sees his funeral, a terrible calamity will occur in that place. If he sees that he followed his funeral procession to his grave, he will incline toward heresy. If he sees that he visited his grave, he will obtain great wealth. If he sees that he is the son of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, while he is not of his lineage, his dream signifies the purity of his faith and certainty. One man's seeing the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, in his dream is not limited to him in its blessing but extends to the whole community of Muslims. If he sees the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, giving him some worldly goods, food or drink, it is good that he will obtain in proportion to what he was given. If what he was given is of poor substance, such as watermelon and the like, he will be saved from a great matter, but hardship [the source has "ay," probably for "adha," harm] and toil will befall him. If he sees that one of the limbs of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, is in the possession of the dreamer, who has secured it, it signifies a heresy concerning his laws.

Whoever sees that he was transformed into his form, may God bless him and grant him peace, or wore one of his garments, or was handed his ring or his sword: if he seeks kingship, he will attain it and the earth will submit to him; if he is in humiliation and abasement, God will honor him; if he is a seeker of knowledge, he will attain his aim in it; if poor, he will become rich; or if unmarried, he will marry. Whoever sees him in a ruined place, it will be rebuilt through his blessing. If he sees him inside a place, sitting in it, there will be a sign and a lesson in that place. Whoever sees him, may God bless him and grant him peace, giving the call to prayer in a place, its fertility, its prosperity and its men will increase. If he sees him calling the iqama and praying in a place, the scattered affairs of the Muslims will be brought together. Whoever sees him applying kohl will be secure in the soundness of his religion and in seeking his hadith. If a pregnant woman sees him, or her husband sees him, the pregnancy is a boy. Whoever sees him handsome beyond measure, that is an increase in the dreamer's religion.

Whoever sees his noble beard black with no white in it will attain joy and great fertility. Whoever sees him in the form of a mature man, it signifies strength of his state and victory over his enemies. If he sees him, may God bless him and grant him peace, at his greatest size, the imam's leadership and authority will become great. If he sees his neck thick, the imam is a guardian of the Muslims' trust. If he sees his chest at its broadest and finest, the imam will be generous in giving to the troops. If he sees his belly empty, the treasury is empty with no money in it. If he sees the fingers of his right hand closed, the imam will not give out stipends, and the dreamer does not make the pilgrimage, does not wage holy war and does not spend on his dependents. If he sees his left hand closed, the imam is withholding the pay of his soldiers, the funds for holy war and the alms, and the dreamer does not pay the alms-tax and turns away the beggar. If he sees his hand with fingers spread apart, the imam gives out stipends and the dreamer makes the pilgrimage and wages holy war. If he sees his hand with its fingers clenched onto its palm, the imam's affairs will become tangled and worry will strike him, and likewise the dreamer.

Whoever sees his thigh, may God bless him and grant him peace, larger, more handsome and hairier, his clan will be strengthened by numbers and wealth. If he sees his shins long, the imam's life will be long. Whoever sees him, may God bless him and grant him peace, in an army, bearing weapons, while they are laughing and admiring themselves, the army of the Muslims will be defeated that year. If he sees him in a small army with incomplete weapons, with humility and submissiveness showing upon them, the Muslims will be victorious over their enemies, because of His saying, the Exalted:

وَلَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِبَدْرٍ وَأَنتُمْ أَذِلَّةٌ ۖ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

“And already had Allāh given you victory at [the battle of] Badr while you were weak [i.e., few in number]. Then fear Allāh; perhaps you will be grateful.”

Quran 3:123 · Saheeh International

Whoever sees him, may God bless him and grant him peace, combing his hair and beard, it signifies the passing of the dreamer's worry. If he sees him in his mosque, may God bless him and grant him peace, or his sanctuary or his known place, he will obtain strength and honor. Whoever sees him establishing brotherhood between the Companions will obtain knowledge and understanding of the law.

Whoever sees his grave, may God bless him and grant him peace, will become rich and obtain wealth; if he is a merchant, he will profit in his trade; if imprisoned, he will be freed.

Whoever sees that he is the father of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, his religion will be corrupted and his certainty weakened.

Whoever sees that one of the wives of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, is his mother, his faith will increase. If he sees that he is walking behind the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, he follows the Sunna.

Whoever sees the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, looking into his affairs, he is commanding him to fulfill the rights of his wife.

Whoever sees that he is eating with the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, he is commanding him to pay the alms-tax on his wealth. Whoever sees him, may God bless him and grant him peace, eating alone, the dreamer turns away the beggar and does not give charity, so he is commanding him to give charity. If he sees the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, without sandals, he is one who neglects praying in congregation, so he is commanding him to pray in congregation. Whoever sees him wearing his leather socks, he is commanding him to wage holy war in the way of God the Exalted. Whoever sees that he shook his hand follows his Sunna.

Whoever sees his blood mixed with the blood of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, will marry into a noble family or intermarry with scholars. If he sees the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, handing him some herbs, he will be saved from worry. If he hands him something of a kind that is liked, such as fresh dates and honey, he will memorize the Quran and obtain knowledge in proportion to what he handed him.

Whoever sees the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, giving a sermon will enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.

Whoever sees that the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, gave him something will obtain knowledge and follow the truth; if he gave it back to him, he will enter into a heresy.

Whoever sees the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, in the form of a tall young man, there will be strife and killing among the people. If he sees him as a very old man, the people are in well-being. If he sees him dark in complexion, he will give up youthful folly and be thinking of repentance. If he sees him fair in complexion, he will repent to God the Exalted, improve his deeds and his path will become straight. Whoever sees him reproaching him, arguing with him or raising his voice against him, those are heresies he has introduced into the religion.

Whoever sees that he is kissing him, let him look at what he narrates from him and verify it carefully.

Whoever sees that he died in a certain place, the Sunna will die in that place.