Muslim

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:

"Idha iqtaraab az-zamaan" — when the time draws near — has the following interpretations:

➊ It refers to the day and night being almost equal during spring, when the four humors of a person — blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile — are in balance and moderation, resulting in a temperate disposition, so dreams also appear true.

➊ When the time of the occurrence of the Hour (Qiyamah) draws near, people of knowledge and virtue will become very few. Due to tribulations and corruption, the signs and distinctions of religion will disappear, and Muslims will be in need of religious knowledge. In such circumstances, they will be guided through true dreams.

➋ Due to the nearness of the Hour, time will pass very quickly; a year will feel like a month, a month like a week, and a week will pass like a day.

➌ Due to the descent of Mahdi (alayhis salam), justice, fairness, peace, and tranquility will be established in the world, and because of abundance of sustenance and prosperity, people will not even notice the passing of days.

➍ The people who will be with Isa (alayhis salam), among whom there will be love and affection, enmity and hatred will be eliminated, and they will speak the truth. Their dreams will also be true, and their dreams will not be false, because when "kad" is used in the negative, it means absolute negation — that this will not happen at all. Therefore, the meaning of "lam takdhib ru’ya al-muslim" is that the dream of a true Muslim will not be false.

"Asdaqakum ru’ya asdaqakum hadeetha" — The truest dreams among you will be those of the most truthful in speech among you, because a truthful Muslim does not lie, and thus his heart is illuminated, and he possesses the faculty of knowledge, awareness, and understanding in a sound manner. Therefore, true matters are reflected upon him. The heart of a liar is corrupt and dark, so the correct meanings and concepts are not reflected upon him, and thus his dreams are generally based on confused thoughts. The dream of a truthful person is very rarely subject to confused thoughts.

"Ru’ya al-muslim juz’un min khamsa wa arba’een juz’an min an-nubuwwah" — The dream of a true Muslim is one forty-fifth part of Prophethood. According to common narrations, it is one forty-sixth part; according to some, it is one seventieth part; in some narrations, more or less parts are mentioned. According to Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah, there are fifteen opinions regarding this. Allah Ta’ala’s Prophet is characterized by many attributes, and one of his attributes is that he sees true dreams, through which he is given certain and definite knowledge of something. Even now, some true Muslims are informed of correct matters through dreams, but there is no definitiveness and certainty in this, and the degree of certainty and confidence in the dream varies according to the dreamer. Therefore, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also mentioned different proportions. But it is established that if any attribute of Prophethood is found in someone, with increase or decrease, he does not become a Prophet. Just as some animals possess certain human attributes but do not become human, and some humans possess animalistic attributes but do not become animals. Generally, scholars have given preference to the one forty-sixth part, because for six months before the twenty-three years of Prophethood, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to see true dreams, then the revelation began. In this way, the proportion of dreams is established as one forty-sixth part.

Hadith Commentary:

And shackles on their hands.
In the verse "ghullat aydīhim" (their hands are shackled), shackles on the hands are mentioned.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Near the end of times, the believer will have no one to console him, so he will be encouraged through good dreams.
➋
In this hadith, three types of dreams are mentioned:
© Self-induced thoughts:
The thoughts that occupy the mind while awake appear in dreams as well.
© Satanic dreams:
Satan interferes and causes a person distress and worry.
© Glad tidings:
These are glad tidings and good news from Allah Ta’ala, and are considered a source of goodness and blessing.
➌
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has mentioned a few other types of dreams.
For example:
© Satan’s play:
As when a person sees absurd dreams, such as his head being cut off and he is running after his severed head.
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has described this as a satanic game.
© Human habit:
If a person dies while eating bread, then according to his habit, he will eat bread in his dream, or if he sleeps hungry, he will be seen vomiting in his dream.
© Fluctuations of temperament:
If someone sees himself swimming in water or sees snow, this will be due to an increase in phlegm.
That is, the imbalance of humors (the four bodily fluids produced from the digestion of food) also affects dreams.
(Fath al-Bari: 12/509)
➍
In any case, seeing a collar (iron ring) in a dream is not good, because Allah Ta’ala has described it as a characteristic of the people of Hell, while seeing shackles on the feet is considered favorable, as it prevents a person from moving about.
It is as if it is an indication to refrain from disobedience, sins, and falsehood.
And Allah knows best.

Explanation:
1:
The meaning of "the time drawing near" is explained in three ways:
The first meaning is that it refers to the nearness of the Day of Judgment, and at that time, dreams will frequently prove to be correct and true.
The second meaning is that it refers to the equality of day and night.
The third meaning is that it refers to the shortening of time, i.e., a year will become like a month, a month like a week, a week like a day, and a day like an hour.

2:
There can be two meanings of this:
The first meaning is that the dream of a believer is correct and true.
The second meaning is that, in the initial period, for six months, revelation would come to you (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) in the form of dreams. This period is one part out of the forty-six parts of the complete duration of your prophethood; thus, a true dream becomes one part out of the forty-six parts of prophethood.

3:
Because wearing a collar (iron ring) alludes to being in debt, being a victim of someone's oppression, and being under judgment (i.e., being ruled against).

Benefits and Issues:
In the case of seeing a disturbing or bad dream, in order to be protected from its evil, a person should recite the ta‘awwudh (seeking refuge with Allah), spit lightly to the left, and also change his side.
And the best is that the person should perform prayer (salah).
And he should not relate the dream to anyone.

Benefits and Issues:
➊
The mentioned narration has been declared weak by our esteemed researcher as well as other scholars.
The opinion of most scholars regarding this narration is that it is weak as a marfu‘ (attributed to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) but authentic as a mawquf (attributed to a Companion), as our esteemed researcher has also indicated that this is not the saying of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, but rather the saying of Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu.
For further details, see: (Da‘if Sunan Ibn Majah, no. 784 and Sunan Ibn Majah, edited by Dr. Bashar ‘Awwad, no. 3926)

➋
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has quoted the statement of Imam Qurtubi rahimahullah that whoever has shackles on his feet remains in one place; therefore, if a pious, righteous person sees shackles on his feet in a dream, it means that he will remain steadfast in goodness and guidance.
And the mention of a collar (iron collar) in the Qur’an is as a punishment and humiliation, so from this, deficiency in religion, persistence in sin, avoidance of fulfilling the rights of those entitled, or worldly difficulties may be intended. See: (Fath al-Bari, Kitab al-Ta‘bir, Chapter: Shackles in Dreams: 12/505)

Benefits and Issues:

➊ Near the Day of Judgment, disbelief, transgression, and ignorance will prevail. True believers will be very few. The dreams of these believers will be true.

➋ Some scholars have interpreted this as referring to the era of the descent of ‘Isa (alayhis salam), however, Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has given preference to the first opinion. (Fath al-Bari: 12/508) The dreams of a righteous person are more often true.

➌ Our esteemed researcher has declared the mentioned narration weak in its chain of transmission, whereas most of its content is found in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, as our researcher has also indicated in the referencing. Therefore, the mentioned narration is weak in its chain but sound in meaning.

Benefit:
From this hadith, it is understood that even a righteous and good servant may experience the filthiest of dreams, because this incident must certainly have occurred to the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma'in), and thus the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) issued instructions regarding such dreams. And no one can be more righteous than the Companions.

It is also understood from this hadith that by remembering Allah, evil is repelled. Furthermore, it is learned that a bad dream should not be related to anyone except the one who interprets dreams.