Question:
Is it possible to see the Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam in your dream? If so, then what and how many salawaat must one send upon the Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam to see him in one’s dream? If not, then can one still gain the same reward of actually seeing the Prophet in one’s dream, through another way?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
The purpose and objective of life is to practice on the Sharī῾ah. Attaining the pleasure of Allah Ta῾ālā is the epitome of life. Dreams, inspirations and other gains are all praiseworthy but not the goals of life. Nonetheless, pious dreams and inspirations are naturally every Muslim’s desire and wish.
The Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam said,
“He who sees me in a dream has certainly seen me, because Satan cannot take my form.”[i]
There are a few acts which will- with the Grace of Allah- lift the veils between us and the Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam:
1) Strict adherence and admiration for the sunnah
2) Abundant salawāt
3) Reading and contemplating on the biography and lifestyle of the Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam
4) Remembering the Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam abundantly.
Hakīm al-Ummah Mawlānā Thānawī rahimahullah writes in Zād al-Saīd that the greatest and most pleasing speciality of reciting salawāt is that the lovers have been granted the vision of the Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam in their dreams thereby.
Hakīm al-Ummah further states,
“Know that for the person not privileged to have seen the Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam in the state of being awake, seeing him in a dream instead is a source of solace from Allah, and this in itself is a great favour and immense treasure. One’s own effort has no part to play in attaining this fortune; it is purely a gift. However, as this is not guaranteed one should not become upset or aggrieved if one does not see him. Wisdom for some lies in not seeing him. The lover is only concerned with the pleasure of the beloved, irrespective of whether this in communion with the beloved or in.”
Although seeing the Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam in a dream is a sweet wish, it should not be the purpose of one’s endeavours and life. We have to be concerned with our actions in our wakeful state and not in our state of sleeping.
If one does his utmost to emulate the Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam and loves him from the core of his heart without ever seeing his luminous face in a dream, then the Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam gives him the following glad tidings,
“Whoever revives my sunnah then verily he loves me, and whoever loves me will be with me in Jannah.”[ii]
Allah Ta῾ālā bless us all with a vision of the Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam. Āmīn.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Faraz Adam
[i] وفي صحيح مسلم
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ رَآنِي فِي الْمَنَامِ فَقَدْ رَآنِي، فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَا يَتَمَثَّلُ بِي» (رقم الحديث 2266)
[ii]وفي سنن الترمذي
عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ المُسَيِّبِ، قَالَ: قَالَ أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يَا بُنَيَّ، إِنْ قَدَرْتَ أَنْ تُصْبِحَ وَتُمْسِيَ لَيْسَ فِي قَلْبِكَ غِشٌّ لِأَحَدٍ فَافْعَلْ» ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي: «يَا بُنَيَّ وَذَلِكَ مِنْ سُنَّتِي، وَمَنْ أَحْيَا سُنَّتِي فَقَدْ أَحَبَّنِي، وَمَنْ أَحَبَّنِي كَانَ مَعِي فِي الجَنَّةِ» (رقم الحديث 2678)