Tirmidhi

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.

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.

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.

Hadith Commentary:
So it will be the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) himself.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: "Whoever sees me in a dream":

There are two viewpoints regarding the vision (seeing) of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam:

(1)
The view of Imam Muhammad ibn Sirin, Imam Bukhari, Qadi Iyad, and a group of scholars is that this hadith pertains to that vision in which the dreamer sees the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in his well-known and famous form and appearance.

(2)
Another group holds the view that it is not a condition for seeing the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that the dreamer sees him in his original, well-known, and famous form and appearance. If the dreamer is certain that it is the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, then regardless of the form or appearance in which he is seen, it is indeed him.

"Faqad ra’ani" (then he has seen me):

According to some scholars, the dreamer has seen the very noble person of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, while according to others, he has seen his likeness and form. Qadi Ibn al-Arabi al-Maliki holds that whoever sees the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in his well-known attributes has seen his person, and whoever sees him in another attribute has seen his likeness and reflection. According to Imam Ghazali, the dreamer, in every form and every state, sees only the reflection of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam; he does not see his soul or personality.
(: ‘Umdat al-Qari, vol. 2, p. 155)

However, if in a dream the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam gives information about something or commands or forbids something, since in this there is an effect of the dreamer’s understanding, perception, and imagination, it will be actionable only if it is in accordance with the Qur’an and Sunnah. If it is contrary, then it is the dreamer’s own imagination and conception. For example, a man said that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam told him in a dream, “Drink wine.” Imam Ali al-Muttaqi, the author of Kanz al-‘Ummal, said: The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam actually said, “Do not drink wine,” but Satan put into your imagination, “Drink wine,” because you drink wine.
(: Faydh al-Bari, vol. 1, p. 203)

And seeing the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in a dream does not make anyone a Companion (Sahabi), because a Sahabi is one who saw the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in his lifetime as a Muslim in the usual manner. However, if someone saw the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in a dream during his lifetime and then had the opportunity to see him while awake, he would become a Sahabi. This is the meaning of "seerani fi al-yaqazah" (he will see me while awake).

But if someone saw him in a dream after his (the Prophet’s) life, and then also saw him while awake—as claimed by Allamah Alusi, that those who visit the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in a dream also visit him while awake
(: Ruh al-Ma‘ani, vol. 22, 4th edition, p. 36)
—then such a person will not be a Sahabi.

Imam Sha‘rani has written: I read Sahih Bukhari in a waking state with the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam along with eight companions.
(: Faydh al-Bari, vol. 1, p. 214)

But it is strange that many people claim that they saw the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in a dream and later saw him while awake, and that in matters in which they were troubled, they asked the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about those matters and he removed their worries and explained those matters well. Whereas the reality is that the Rightly Guided Caliphs, the Ahl al-Bayt, the Companions, the jurists and the Tabi‘in, and the four Imams differed among themselves in many matters, and in some cases the matter became prolonged, but the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not meet anyone while awake, nor did he resolve their differences or guide them. At the very least, he would have resolved the dispute between Fatimah and Abu Bakr regarding inheritance, guided the Muslims during the Battle of Jamal and the Battle of Siffin, shown Aisha radi Allahu anha, Ali, and Mu‘awiyah a way out of their difficulties, resolved the case of the killers of Uthman, and warned Husayn radi Allahu anhu about the treachery of the Kufans. He did not meet these dear relatives and companions, but according to these claimants, he conversed with later people and removed their worries.

Benefits and Issues:
This is a unique characteristic of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam):
That Satan cannot assume your form.
However, it is possible that he may appear in another form and create the illusion that this is the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
Therefore, it is necessary that a person compares the form he saw with those characteristics
which are mentioned in the books of hadith.
Or he should seek confirmation from a person of knowledge.
The late father, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Saeedi rahimahullah, was once told by an innovator, with great enthusiasm and passion, that he had seen the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) in a dream.
When my father asked for details, he replied that he had seen a luminous personality with a white, radiant beard.
My father immediately
recited "La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah" and clarified that you have seen a devil.
In short, the one who sees the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) in a dream will see him while awake on the Day of Resurrection and will attain a special closeness.
Otherwise, other believers will also see you (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

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.