Visions

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying::

"All that is left of prophecy is the mubashshirat.”* He was asked what that meant and said it was a good vision. Bukhari transmitted it. Malik added in the version of ‘Ata’ b. Yasar, "which a Muslim man sees, or which is shown to him.” * Literally the things which bring news. The news may cause either pleasure or pain.

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying::

"A good vision is a forty- sixth part of prophecy.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying::

"He who sees me in a dream has seen me, for the devil does not appear in my form.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Qatada reported God's messenger as saying::

"He who sees me has seen what is genuine.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying::

"He who sees me in a dream will see me when awake*, for the devil, does not take my likeness.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) * This tradition has Caused some difficulty. It is suggested that if it refers to people in the Prophet’s time who have not yet emigrated to Medina, it means that they will emigrate and see the Prophet there; if it refers to people of later times, it means that they will see him in the next world.

Abu Qatada reported God’s messenger as saying::

"A good vision comes from God and a dream (hulm) from the devil. So when one of you sees what he likes he must tell it only to one whom he likes; but when he sees What he dislikes he must seek refuge in God from its evil and from the evil of the devil, spit on his left three times, and not tell anyone of it. It will then not harm him.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying::

"When one of you sees a vision which he dislikes he must spit on his left three times, seek refuge in God from the devil three times, and turn from the side on which he was lying." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying::

‘‘When the time draws near* a believer’s vision can hardly be false. A believer’s vision is a forty-sixth part of prophecy, and what pertains to prophecy cannot be false." Muhammad b. Sirin said he held that visions were of three types: ideas which come from within, terrifying caused by the devil, and good news from God; so when one sees anything he dislikes he should not tell it to anyone, but should get up and pray. He said he disliked seeing a shackle on the neck in sleep, but that people were pleased by a fetter, as it is said that a fetter indicates being firmly established in the religion. (Bukhari and Muslim.) Bukhari said that Qatada, Yunus, Hushaim** and Abu Hilal transmitted it on the authority of Ibn Sirin who quoted Abu Huraira's authority. Yunus said he thought that what was said about the fetter comes from the Prophet, but Muslim said he did not know whether it was in the tradition, or whether Ibn Sirin said it. In a version there is something to the same effect, and the words “he disliked seeing a shackle on the neck ..." to the end have been inserted in the tradition. * The suggestions made are that this means when the last hour draws near, at the equinox, or when the Mahdi comes. ** Bukhari, Ta'bir, 26, has Hisham.

Jabir told that a man came to the Prophet and said::

“In a dream I seemed to see any head had been cut off." The Prophet laughed and replied: “When the devil makes sport of any of you in a dream he should not tell people about it." Muslim transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying::

“One night it seemed to me in a dream that I was in the house of ‘Uqba b. Rafi' and was brought some of the fresh dates of Ibn Tab*. I interpreted it as meaning that to us is granted eminence (rif’a) in this world, a blessed hereafter (al- ‘aqiba) in the next, and that our religion has been good (tab)."** Muslim transmitted it. * While some suggest that Ibn Tab was a man who lived either in the desert or in Medina who had dates, the correct explanation is more likely that this is the name of a type of Medina dates and not a man’s name. ** A good omen is taken from the basic meanings of the parts of these names.