Are nightmares caused by the devil?

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Author: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha Hafizahullah

Answer:
Yes indeed!
Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah رضي الله عنهما narrates from the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

إذا رأى أحدكم الرؤيا يكر هها فليبصق عن يساره ثلاثا، وليستعذ بالله من الشيطان ثلاثا، وليتحول عن جنبه الذى كان عليه

“When any of you sees an unpleasant dream, he should spit three times to the left side, seek refuge in Allah from Satan, and change his sleeping position.”
Sayyiduna Abu Qaidah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

الرؤيا الصالحة من الله، والحلم من الشيطان، فمن رأى شيئا يكرهه فلينفث عن شماله ثلاثا، وليتعود من الشيطان فإنها لا تضره وإن الشيطان لا يتراءى بي

“Good dreams are from Allah, and false dreams are from Satan. So whoever sees an unpleasant dream should spit three times to the left side and seek refuge from Satan, then that dream will not harm him, and indeed Satan cannot appear in my form.”
In another narration it is said:

وإذا رأى ما يكره فليتعوذ من شرها وشر الشيطان ويتفل عن يساره ثلاثا، ولا يحدث بها أحدا فإنها لن تضره

“When anyone sees something unpleasant, he should seek refuge from it and from Satan, spit three times to the left side, and not tell anyone about the dream, then it will never harm him.”
Sayyiduna Jabir رضي الله عنه narrates that a man came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and said: O Messenger of Allah! I saw my head cut off in a dream. Sayyiduna Jabir رضي الله عنه says: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم smiled and said:

إذا لعب الشيطان بأحدكم فى منامه فلا يحدث به الناس

“When Satan plays with any of you in a dream, he should not tell people.”
Such dreams are among the types of harm caused by Satan, in which a person feels that something is hurting him. But he cannot scream or speak, as if something has stopped his movement and silenced his voice. This only happens for a few moments. The treatment is as follows:
1. Perform ablution before sleeping.
2. Recite Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Nas three times in the palms and rub them over the body as much as possible.
3. Recite بسم الله and brush the bed with a cloth or wipe it with a handkerchief before sleeping.
4. Recite سبحان الله thirty-three times, لحمد لله thirty-three times, and الله اكبر thirty-four times before sleeping.
5. Recite the supplications for sleeping before going to bed.
6. Lie down initially on the right side.
7. Repeat the call to prayer (Adhan) frequently.