Prophets in a dream: meaning in Ibn Sirin, al-Nabulsi and Ibn Shahin

519 passages from 4 sources, quoted as written, every one linked to its page.

Ibn Shahin al-Zahiri, al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat

Ibn Sirin said: Seeing those of firm resolve among the messengers indicates might and honour.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 13

(And whoever sees) that he is visiting one of the prophets, whether alive or dead, that is interpreted in three aspects: the first, if he is God-fearing his piety increases, and if he is disobedient Allah accepts his repentance; the second, he will visit him just as he saw, or the attainment of good and blessing; and the third, it is an indication that he is among the people of Paradise and among those who succeed.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 15

And seeing the messengers indicates triumph and victory.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 13

(And whoever sees) that he is reviling a prophet, then he casts aspersions on what that prophet brought.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 15

And seeing a prophet is religion, piety, and the discharging of a trust.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 13

(And whoever sees) a prophet who has increased in height or breadth beyond what he is, then there will be strife among the people.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 15

Kinds and conditions of Prophets

the Prophet Muhammad

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

Our Prophet (peace be upon him): it is related in a sound hadith from him that he said: "Whoever sees me in a dream shall see me in waking, for Satan cannot take my likeness." And in another narration: "Whoever sees me has seen the truth." And in the narration of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): "Whoever sees me in a dream shall never enter the Fire." And in another narration: "He who sees me in a dream shall never enter the Fire." And in another narration: "Whoever sees me in his sleep has truly seen me, and it is not for Satan to assume my form." And there are other narrations besides these.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 310–313

The scholars have differed concerning the meaning of the hadith. One group said that this applies when one sees him (peace be upon him) in the form which he had, and some of them went further and said: in the form in which he died. Among these was Ibn Sirin (may Allah Most High have mercy on him), for it is authentically reported of him that when a dream was recounted to him he would say to the dreamer: "Describe to me the one whom you saw." If the man described to him a description he did not recognise, he would say: "You did not see him." This is supported by the hadith of Asim ibn Kulayb, whose wording in al-Hakim, with a good chain, is: I said to Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): "I saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a dream." He said: "Describe him to me." He said: so I mentioned al-Hasan ibn Ali and likened him to him, and he said: "You saw him." It is not contradicted by the report "Whoever sees me in a dream has seen me, for I am seen in every form," because that is weak.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 310–313

seeing the Prophet in a dream

attributed to Ibn Sirin, Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam

And that no devil can take on the likeness of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a dream, and that whoever sees him has truly seen him.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 1–5

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Fath al-Bari, commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Dream Interpretation

From this is derived the preponderance of the view that whoever sees the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a dream and he commands him with a ruling that contradicts the ruling of the Law as outwardly established — that it is not legislated in his own case nor in the case of anyone else, such that it would be obligatory upon him to convey it.

Fath al-Bari, commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Dream Interpretation, pp. 7361–7362

seeing the Prophet Muhammad

Ibn Shahin al-Zahiri, al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat

And if he was imprisoned or shackled, then he will be delivered from his imprisonment and his shackles, and he will be safe from his fear. And if he was in straits and drought, blessing and good will be made abundant for him. As for if he was rich, then he will increase in wealth.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 15

And Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, say: Whoever sees me in a dream has indeed truly seen me, for Satan cannot take my likeness.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 15

Companions of the Prophet

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

Whoever sees them in his dream in their perceptible attributes, that is an indication of the soundness of his belief concerning them and of his following their sunnah.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 9

The Prophet (peace be upon him): mention of them has already been given under the letter alif, in [the entry] "Companions."

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 206

a prophet

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

Peace be upon them. Whoever sees him (a prophet) in a dream, it indicates a child, because of his compassion for him against the fire of this world and the Hereafter; and it indicates the teacher, because of his disciplining him with his manners; and the tutor, because of what he teaches of the Book of Allah the Exalted.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 347–348

And seeing the prophets and messengers, peace be upon them, indicates warning and glad tidings.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 347–348

Prophet Yusuf (Joseph)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

Seeing him in a dream indicates kingship and the caliphate, and perhaps in his time there will be high prices, drought and famine, and the loss of family, relatives and children, and that the dreamer will be plotted against.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 372

Seeing him indicates imprisonment and deliverance from it, and drought, and good fortune with women because of his comeliness and beauty.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 372

Abraham (Prophet Ibrahim)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

Seeing him in a dream indicates goodness, blessing, worship, old age, sustenance, self-sacrifice, concern for noble buildings, righteous offspring, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, knowledge, guidance, and forsaking family and relatives in obedience to Allah the Exalted.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 8

And seeing him, peace be upon him, indicates the compassionate father, because he is the father of Islam and the one who named us Muslims.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 8

Prophet Noah (Nuh)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

Peace be upon him. Whoever sees him in a dream, then he will live a long life and a great hardship and harm from people will befall him, then he will triumph over them, and he will be granted children from a bad wife, and he will be grateful. And it is said:

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 347

(Whoever sees) Noah, peace be upon him, then he will be a learned man, diligent in obedience to Allah the Exalted, forbearing, with many enemies, and he will be given victory over them, and he will attain a great governorship in which his companions will not obey him, then he will triumph over them by the permission of Allah the Exalted.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 347

Prophet David (Dawud)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

Whoever sees him in a dream will attain strength and authority, and will fall into a wrongful matter, then he will regret it, become ascetic, and be afflicted by a tyrannical ruler; then Allah the Exalted will save him from him, and he will prevail over him and be granted victory against him, and Allah will grant him sovereignty and honour.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 109

(And it is said: whoever sees) David, peace be upon him, then there will be in that town a just king, or a virtuous chief, or a wise and equitable judge.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 109

Prophet Ayyub (Job)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

Seeing him indicates affliction and the loss of family, wealth, and spouses, and following these comes patience through all of it.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 8–9

And perhaps seeing him indicates what has gone out of his hand of wealth or children.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 8–9

Prophet Jacob (Ya'qub)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

Whoever sees him in a dream will be granted strength and manifest blessing, and wives and strong, mutually supportive children, and he will receive from one of them a sorrow, then it will be relieved from him and he will be gladdened and his eye will be comforted by what he loves.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 372

(And whoever sees) Jacob, peace be upon him, then he will attain nearness to Allah the Exalted through obedience to Him and worship of Him, and he will give sadaqah to the poor, and hardship will befall him in himself, and a grief in which brothers of his will cause him sorrow.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 372

the wives of the Prophet

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

Seeing them in a dream indicates mothers, and it indicates good, blessing, and children — most of them daughters.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 9

And perhaps seeing them indicates distresses and change, and an oath because of disclosing a secret or concealing it, and slanderous accusation.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 9

Also in the sources

Prophet Lut (Lot) · seeing the Prophet Muhammad in a dream · Prophet Idris (Enoch) · Prophet Sulayman (Solomon) · Isaac (the prophet Ishaq) · Prophet Musa (Moses) · Prophet Isa (Jesus) · scriptures (scrolls of the prophets) · the city of the Prophet (Medina) · seeing the prophets · Surat al-Anbiya (Chapter of the Prophets) · Prophet Salih · seeing the Companions of the Prophet · tomb of a prophet · Ishmael (Prophet Isma'il) · Prophet Shu'ayb · Prophet Dawud (David) · Prophet Zakariyya (Zechariah) · Prophet Yunus (Jonah) · Prophets Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron) · Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist) · the Companions of the Prophet · Hafsah (wife of the Prophet) · Seth (Prophet Shith) · seeing the Prophet · Prophet Shith (Seth) · Prophet Nuh (Noah) · Prophet Hud · Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) · Prophet Isma'il (Ishmael) · Prophet Ishaq (Isaac) · Prophet Ya'qub (Jacob) · Prophet Yahya (John) · Prophet Ilyas (Elijah) · Prophet Daniel · seeing the Prophet commanding something in a dream · Prophet Harun (Aaron) · Prophet al-Yasa' (Elisha) · Prophet Dhu al-Kifl · Prophet Muhammad · covering the Prophet · being struck by a prophet · turning into a prophet · Prophet Jeremiah (Irmiya) · Dhu al-Kifl (the Prophet) · Zakariyya (Prophet Zechariah)

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