I heard from Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Al-Husayn ibn Mihr that Al-Maqri said:
I bought a servant girl whom I thought was Turkish. She did not know my language, nor did I know hers. My companions had some servant girls who used to translate for her. One day, she was sleeping, and then she suddenly started crying and shouting, saying, “O my master, teach me the Fatiha of the Book.” I thought to myself, “Look at her cunning; she knows my language but does not speak it.” So my companions’ servant girls gathered and asked her, “How come you do not know his language but now you speak to him?”
The servant girl said: “I saw in my dream a man who was angry, and behind him were many people, and he was walking. I asked, ‘Who is this?’ They said, ‘Moses (Mūsā) peace be upon him.’ Then I saw a man better than him with people walking with him. I asked, ‘Who is this?’ They said, ‘Muhammad (Muḥammad) peace be upon him.’ I said, ‘I want to go with this one.’ Then he came to a big door, which was the door of Paradise. He knocked, it was opened for him and for those with him, and they entered. Two women and I remained. We knocked at the door, and it was opened. It was said that whoever knows how to recite the Fatiha of the Book should be allowed in. The two women recited it, and they were allowed in. I remained, so he taught me the Fatiha of the Book. I learned it with great difficulty. When I memorized it, I fell down dead.”
The vision of the Prophets (as): Either Glad Tidings or a Warning
The vision of the Prophets (peace be upon them) is one of two things: either glad tidings or a warning. Then it is of two kinds:
- One is seeing a Prophet in his true state and appearance, which is a sign of the righteousness of the person having the vision, his honor, the perfection of his status, and his victory over his enemies.
- The second is seeing a Prophet in a changed state, with a frowning face, which indicates the bad condition of the person and the severity of their sin, but then Allah will relieve them in the end.
If one sees as if he killed a Prophet, it indicates that he betrays trust and breaks covenants, according to the Almighty’s words:
{Because of their breaking of their covenant and disbelief in the signs of Allah and their killing of the Prophets without right} (Quran 3:21).
This is in general. As for the details:
- If one sees Adam (ʿĀdam) peace be upon him in his true form, he will attain a great authority if he is worthy of it, according to Allah’s words:
{Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority} (Quran 2:30). - If one sees that he spoke to Adam, he attained his knowledge, according to Allah’s words:
{And He taught Adam the names – all of them} (Quran 2:31). - It is said that whoever sees Adam is deceived by the words of some of his enemies but then is relieved after a while.
- If one sees Adam with a changed color and condition, this indicates moving from one place to another, then returning to the original place finally.
Interpretations of Seeing Certain Prophets in a Dream
- Whoever sees Shīth (Sheeth) عليه السلام (peace be upon him) will gain wealth, children, and a contented life.
- Whoever sees Idrīs عليه السلام (peace be upon him) will be honored with piety and will have a good ending.
- Whoever sees Nūḥ (Nuh) عليه السلام (peace be upon him) will have a long life and will face many trials from his enemies but will be granted victory over them and will increase in gratitude to Allah Almighty, according to His words:
{Indeed, he was a grateful servant} (Quran 19:57).
He will marry a religious woman who will bear him children. - Whoever sees Hūd عليه السلام (peace be upon him) will be ridiculed by his enemies and oppressed by tyrants, but then will be granted victory over them. Similarly, whoever sees Ibrāhīm عليه السلام (peace be upon him) will be granted the pilgrimage (Hajj), God willing. It is also said that he will suffer severe harm from a tyrannical ruler but then Allah will grant him victory over that ruler and his enemies, increase his blessings, and provide him with a righteous wife. It is said that seeing Ibrāhīm عليه السلام indicates disrespect to one’s father. It is narrated that Sammāk ibn Ḥarb Kuff (a notable) saw in his dream that Ibrāhīm عليه السلام wiped over his eyes and said, “Go to the Euphrates and immerse yourself in it; Allah will restore your sight.” When he woke up, he did so and regained his vision.
- Whoever sees Isḥāq عليه السلام (peace be upon him) will undergo hardship from some nobles or relatives, but then Allah will relieve him and grant him honor, dignity, glad tidings, and many kings, leaders, and righteous people among his offspring. This applies if he sees him in his beautiful and perfect condition. But if he sees him in a changed state, his sight will be lost, may Allah protect us.
- Whoever sees Ismāʿīl عليه السلام (peace be upon him) will gain governance and eloquence. It is said that he will build a mosque or assist in it, according to Allah’s words:
{And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael} (Quran 2:127).
It is also said that whoever sees him will face difficulty from his father’s side but then Allah will make it easy for him. - Whoever sees Yaʿqūb عليه السلام (peace be upon him) will suffer great sorrow because of some of his children, then Allah will remove that sorrow from him and grant him what he loves.
- Whoever sees Yūsuf عليه السلام (peace be upon him) will suffer injustice, imprisonment, and neglect from his relatives, and will be falsely accused. Then he will be given a kingdom and his enemies will submit to him. It has been said in interpretation that “the brother is an enemy,” and this indicates the abundance of charity of the dreamer, according to Allah’s words:
{And give charity on our behalf} (Quran 12:88). It is narrated that some people saw that he (peace be upon him) handed them one of his shoes, and they woke up and became interpreters of dreams. It is also narrated that Ibrāhīm ibn ʿAbdullāh al-Karmānī saw that Yūsuf عليه السلام spoke to him and said, “Teach me what Allah taught you.” Yūsuf then clothed him with his own shirt, and he woke up, becoming one of the interpreters. Ibn Sīrīn said: I saw in a dream as if I entered a mosque and found three elderly men and a handsome young man next to them. I said to the young man, “Who are you, may Allah have mercy on you?” He said, “I am Yūsuf.” I asked, “And who are these elders?” He said, “They are my fathers: Ibrāhīm, Isḥāq, and Yaʿqūb.” I said, “Teach me what Allah has taught you.” He opened his mouth and said, “Look what you see.” I said, “I see your tongue.” Then he opened his mouth wider and said, “Look what you see.” I said, “Your opened mouth.” Then he opened his mouth further and said, “Look what you see.” I said, “I see your heart.” He said, “Interpret and do not fear.” I woke up, and every dream told to me was as if I was looking at it in my palm. - Whoever sees Yūnus عليه السلام (peace be upon him) will hasten in a matter that causes him imprisonment and distress, then Allah will save him. This vision indicates that the dreamer is quick to anger and pleasure and has dealings with treacherous people.
- Whoever sees Shaʿbīya عليه السلام (peace be upon him) with his hair standing on end will lose his sight. But if he sees him in any other condition, it means that people will deny his rights and wrong him, but then he will overcome them. This vision may also indicate that the dreamer has daughters.
- Whoever sees Mūsā (Moses) and Hārūn (Aaron) عليهما السلام (peace be upon them both) or either one of them will be delivered from a tyrannical oppressor by their hands. If he sees them while intending to go to war, he will be granted victory. It is narrated that a servant girl of Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib saw that Mūsā عليه السلام appeared in Sham (Syria) holding a staff and walking on water. She told Saʿīd about her dream, and he said, “If your dream is true, then ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān has died.” When asked how he knew that, he said, “Because Allah sent Mūsā to divide the tyrants, and I do not find anyone there except ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān.” And it happened as he said.
- Whoever sees Ayyūb (Job) عليه السلام (peace be upon him) will be tested in his soul, wealth, family, and children, then Allah will compensate him for all that and double it, according to Allah’s words:
{And We granted him his family and the like thereof with them} (Quran 38:43). - Whoever sees Dāwūd (David) عليه السلام (peace be upon him) in his true state will attain authority, strength, and kingship.
- Whoever sees Sulaymān (Solomon) عليه السلام (peace be upon him) will be granted kingdom, knowledge, and jurisprudence. If he sees him dead on a pulpit or bed, it means that a caliph, ruler, or leader will die, but his death will not be known until after some time. It is said that whoever sees Sulaymān will have a protector and his enemies will be subdued, and he will undertake many journeys.
- Whoever sees Zakariyyā (Zechariah) عليه السلام (peace be upon him) will be granted a pious son in his old age.
- Whoever sees Yaḥyā (John the Baptist) عليه السلام (peace be upon him) will be granted chastity, piety, and protection from sin, becoming a unique figure of his time in these qualities.
- Whoever sees ʿĪsā (Jesus) عليه السلام (peace be upon him) in a dream, it indicates that he is a generous, blessed man, with much goodness and frequent travel. He is honored with knowledge of medicine and other sciences. (Narrated by) Ash-Sharīf Abū al-Qāsim Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad said:
Hamzah ibn Muḥammad al-Kinānī told us, Abu al-Qāsim ʿĪsā ibn Sulaymān al-Baghdādī told us, Dāwūd ibn ʿAmr al-Ḍubbī told us, Mūsā ibn Jaʿfar al-Riḍā from his father from his grandfather said:
Al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with them) said, “I saw ʿĪsā ibn Maryam عليه السلام in a dream and said, ‘O Spirit of Allah, I want to engrave on my ring. What should I engrave?’ He said, ‘Engrave on it: La ilaha illā Allah, al-Malik al-Ḥaqq al-Mubīn (There is no god but Allah, the King, the Truth, the Clear), for it removes worry and grief.’” It is also said that if a woman sees ʿĪsā عليه السلام while she is pregnant, she will give birth to a wise son. - Whoever sees Maryam bint ʿImrān (Mary, daughter of Imran) will gain status and rank among people and will have all his needs fulfilled. If a woman sees this vision while pregnant, she also gives birth to a wise son. If she is falsely accused, she will be cleared of it and Allah will show her innocence.
- Whoever sees himself prostrating to Maryam will speak with a king and sit with him.
- Whoever sees Dāniyāl the Wise will be granted abundant fortune, knowledge of dreams, and victory over a tyrant after suffering hardship from him. It is said he will become a prince or minister. It is narrated that Abū ʿAbdallāh al-Bāhilī saw as if he carried Dāniyāl on his shoulder, placed him on a wall, and greeted him. Dāniyāl spoke and said, “Rejoice, for you have entered the company of the heirs of the Prophets and have become an imam among the interpreters of dreams.”
- Whoever sees al-Khiḍr عليه السلام (peace be upon him) indicates the emergence of fertility and abundance after drought, and security after fear.
- Some say whoever sees that one of the Prophets strikes him will achieve his desires in this world and religion.
- Whoever sees that his own self has transformed into a well-known Prophet will undergo hardships in proportion to that Prophet’s rank in tribulation, but his final outcome will be victory or he will become a caller to Allah, Glorified and Exalted.