Do not deviate from the Right Path
(Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islaam,
Please do not forget to say SALAWAATH – Sallallaahu alaihi wasallam- wherever you read the name of the Prophet and the pronoun indicating him – Thank you.)
A considerable number of Muslims believe that seeing Allaah’s Apostle in a dream, is a gift from God. It can happen only to the God fearing devotee. There are so many books written in support of this opinion.
Once one says that he had seen Allaah’s Apostle in a dream, the others would pay a special respect and status to him. And other Muslims would think that whatever he says is Islaam.
Muslims love Allaah’s Apostle more than they love themselves. Therefore, they feel dejected that they could not see the Prophet in a dream. In such situation, if they got an opportunity to meet a person who had seen the Prophet their happiness has no bound! By this too, the status of the dreamer is going up. He gets extraordinary care and respect from others.
Just because someone sees the Prophet in person alive or in dream he will not get any special status religiously. Those who were with the Prophet when he was alive and talked to him personally did not believe in. Therefore, they will be in Hell in the Hereafter.
There were some people living and praying behind the Prophet changed their status to those of opportunists. That was history. Therefore, there will be no progress in Islaamic knowledge and Imaan. We should bear that in mind.
Anyhow, seeing the Prophet in dream is an emotional feeling among Muslims, due to the following Hadith:
The Prophet said, "Name yourselves with my name (use my name) but do not name yourselves with my Kunya name (i.e. Abu-l Qasim). And whoever sees me in a dream then surely he has seen me for Satan cannot impersonate me. And whoever tells a lie against me (intentionally), then (surely) let him occupy his seat in Hell-fire."
(Bukhari. Volume 1, Book 3, Number 110: Narrated by Abu Hurairah Radhiyallaahu anhu)
There are so many Ahadith in the Bukhari conforming the above meaning. In this Hadith as the Prophet told that the one who saw him in the dream has seen him. An individual had a dream. One tells that in his dream a man had come and had told that he was Muhammad, Allaah’s Apostle and instruct him to do such and such deeds. As the one who came in the dream informed him that he was the Allaah’s Apostle the dreamer was enchanted and he starts to perform what he was asked to do and he starts to think his special status.
As he believes that he has seen the Prophet in the dream he starts to follow his desires. In order to establish his point he insists that he saw the Prophet, and he was the Prophet because he told, “in my shape Shaitan cannot come,” therefore, it was the Prophet. He does not want to accept other arguments which in his opinion will not give him any respect in the society.
We should first understand that in dreams the religious orders or instructions cannot come. Believing in that the Prophet propagates Islaam in dreams is indeed will lead to astray. The innovation that will lead to a major Shirk of finding fault with the Prophet’s mission as Allaah the Almighty completed Islam and accepted as the religion of the mankind.
Therefore, the claims are false.
Firstly, we try to understand the Hadith which we quoted above.
In the Hadith, the Prophet emphasized that the Shaitan would not come in his shape.
As the Prophet emphasized the expression, “My shape,” it suggests that the Shaitan could come in another shape. And he can claim that he is Muhammad. In the Hadith it is not mentioned about the Shaitan using the Prophet’s name. For Shaitan the prohibition is the shape of the Prophet only not the name.
There are opportunities for the Shaitan coming in the dream to take the shape of imagination of the dreamer and to tell, “I am Muhammad, the Prophet of Allaah. There will be contradictions between description given by the dreamer and the authentic Ahadith if asked to describe the shape of the Prophet.
Whoever sees me in dream will see me in awake and Shaitan will not come in my shape. (Narrated Abu Hurairah radhiyallaahu anhu. Recorded in Bukhari and Muslim.)
The expression “the one who sees me in dream will see me in awake” is a prediction by the Prophet. This is prediction for the people, who saw the Prophet alive, will be able to see him in dreams. That is the point.
Generally, if anyone argues that it is possible for someone to see him in dreams, then he is denying the other part of the Hadith, “he will see me in awake.”
This expression clearly indicates that no one can see the Prophet in a dream as the dreamer did not see him alive.
Therefore, in this era no one can see the Prophet in dreams. If anyone claims that he saw the Prophet in a dream, he should understand that it was Shaitan who was whispering.
The Prophet coming in dream asks someone to accept Islam is against the fundamental teachings of Islaam.
Islaam clearly is THE guidance given by the Almighty Allaah for the whole mankind. It asks to debate the fundamentals – asks to get explained. Accepting Islaam as the guidance should be according to that (Al-Qur’an and Authenticated Ahadith) only.
Islaam is not judged by someone’s shape or commands.
Had not the Grace of Allaah and His mercy been upon you (O Muhammad) a party of them would certainly have made a decision to mislead you, but (in fact) they mislead none except their own selves, and no harm can they do to you in the least. Allaah has sent down to you the Book (the Qur’an), and Al-Hikma (Wisdom: Islamic laws, knowledge of legal and illegal things, i.e. the Prophet’s Sunnah – legal ways), and taught to you that which you knew not. And Ever Great is the Grace of Allaah unto you (O Muhammad). (Al-Qur’an 4:113)
And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follow other than the believers’ way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell – What an evil destination. (Al-Qur’an 4:115)
Read these two verses and think! Believing in Allaah is derived from the education taught by Allaah the Merciful. That is what these two verses explain to us. In first sentence He says, “(Allaah) taught to you that which you knew not” and in the second one He says, “after the right path has been shown clearly to him”. That is clear that we should learn the principals If we want to have the straight path.
Coming in dreams and asking to accept a concept is not a right way for a Prophet to give the divine message to people. Islaam does not accept that. The Mission was completed. Read the Last Sermon of the Prophet.
There are no signs, as far as I know, in the Qur’an or in the Ahadith to prove this. If anyone can bring proof from the Qur’an and/or the Authentic Ahadith it will be much appreciated.
There are some reverts to Islam from Christianity who claim that the Prophet Muhammad came in their dreams and asked them to accept Islaam as their Deen - the religion.
The majority of converts to Christianity claim that they saw the Prophet Jesus alaihissalaam who asked them to accept the Christianity as their religion.
How could the Prophet Jesus alaihissalaam call them to accept something other than Islaam as he (alaihissalaam) was sent by Allaah to spread the message sent down by Him.
In order to close this type of ignorance, the Prophet predicted clearly that the one who sees him in dream will see him in awake.
As such, believing that the Prophet would come in dreams is a myth.
Opening the door of this type will lead to complications. Enemies of Islaam can claim that they saw the Prophet in dream and come up with paintings.
May Allaah protect all of us from the whispers of the cursed IBLEES.
Wassalaam
