This chapter addresses the ru'ya, the true dream, and its place after the closing of prophethood. A righteous good dream is described as one of the last remaining traces of prophetic glad tidings, more truthful the more truthful and sincere the dreamer is. It is a gift to be received with gratitude, not a tool to chase or boast about.
Alongside the gift comes a discipline. Good dreams are from Allah and may be shared with those we trust; distressing ones are from Shaytan and should be met with seeking refuge, a light spitting to the left, turning over, and silence, after which they do no harm. The chapter ends with a stern warning against the grave lie of inventing a dream one never saw.
Hadith 837
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "لم يبق من النبوة إلا المبشرات" قالوا: وما المبشرات؟ قال: "الرؤيا الصالحة" (( رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيُّ)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "All that is left from Prophethood is the glad tidings." He was asked what the glad tidings were, and he said, "The good dream." [Al-Bukhari].
In plain words
After prophethood ended, what remains of its glad tidings is the good dream. True good dreams are described as a small surviving trace of prophetic good news.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 837 In-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 25
Hadith 838
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "إذا اقترب الزمان لم تكد رؤيا المؤمن تكذب، ورؤيا المؤمن جزء من ستة وأربعين جزءاً من النبوة" ((مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيهِ)). وفى رواية: "أصدقكم رؤيا أصدقكم حديثاً".
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When the time draws near (i.e., near the end of the world), the dream of a believer can hardly be false; and the dream of a believer represents one part from forty-six parts of Prophethood." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. One narration says: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The most truthful of you in their speech are those who see the truest visions."
In plain words
As the end of the world nears, a believer's dreams grow rarely false, and such a dream is described as one of forty-six parts of prophethood. The most truthful people in speech see the truest visions, linking honesty in waking life to truthful dreams.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 838 In-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 26
Hadith 839
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "من رآني في المنام فسيراني في اليقظة -أو كأنما رآني في اليقظة- لا يتمثل الشيطان بي" ((مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيهِ)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who sees me in his dream will see me in his wakefulness (or he (ﷺ) may have said it is as though he has seen me in a state of wakefulness), for Satan does not appear in my form." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim ].
In plain words
Whoever genuinely sees the Prophet in a dream has truly seen him, because Satan cannot take his form. It offers reassurance about the authenticity of seeing him.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 839 In-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 27
Hadith 840
Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبى سعيد الخدرى رضى الله عنه انه سمع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، يقول: "إذا رأى أحدكم رؤيا يحبها، فإنما هي من الله تعالى، فليحمد الله عليها، وليحدث بها -وفى رواية، فلا يحدث بها إلا من يحب- وإذا رأى غير ذلك مما يكره، فإنما هي من الشيطان، فليستعذ من شرها، ولا يذكرها لأحد، فإنها لا تضره" (( مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيهِ)).
I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "When one of you sees a dream that he likes, then it is from Allah. He should praise Allah for it and relate it to (others)." Another narration adds: Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said, "He should not report it except to those whom he loves. And if he sees one which he dislikes, then it is from the Satan. He should seek refuge in Allah against its evil and should not mention it to anyone. Then it will not harm him." [Al- Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
A dream you like is from Allah, so praise Him and you may share it, but only with those you love; a dream you dislike is from Satan, so seek refuge in Allah and tell no one, and it will not harm you. It teaches how to respond to pleasant and disturbing dreams.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 840 In-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 28
Hadith 841
Abu Qatadah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبى قتادة رضى الله عنه قال: قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "الرؤيا الصالحة -وفى رواية: الرؤيا الحسنة- من الله، والحلم من الشيطان، فمن رأى شيئاً يكره فلينفث عن شماله ثلاثاً، وليتعوذ من الشيطان فإنها لا تضره" (( مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيهِ)). النفث نفخ لطيف لا ريق معه.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A good vision (dream) is from Allah and a bad dream is from the Satan. He who sees something in a dream that he dislikes, should blow thrice on his left, must seek Allah's Refuge from the evil of the Satan (i.e., by saying: A'udhu billahi minash-Shaitanir-Rajim). Then it will not harm him." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
A good dream is from Allah and a bad one from Satan; for a disliked dream, lightly blow three times to your left and seek Allah's refuge from Satan, and it will not harm you. A simple practice to dispel a troubling dream.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 841 In-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 29
Hadith 842
Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن جابر رضى الله عنه عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "إذا رأى أحدكم الرؤيا يكرهها، فليبصق عن يساره ثلاثاً، وليستعذ بالله من الشيطان ثلاثاً، وليتحول عن جنبه الذي كان عليه" ((رَوَاهُ مُسلِمٌ)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When one of you sees a bad dream let him blow three times on his left, seek refuge in Allah from the Satan three times (i.e., by saying: A'udhu billahi minash-Shaitanir-Rajim) and change the side on which he was lying." [Muslim].
In plain words
On seeing a bad dream, lightly blow three times to the left, seek Allah's refuge from Satan three times, and turn over to the other side. Concrete steps to leave the bad dream behind.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 842 In-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 30
Hadith 843
Wathilah bin Al-Asqa' (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبى الأسقع واثلة بن الأسقع رضى الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "إن من أعظم الفرى أن يدعى الرجل إلى غير أبيه، أو يرى عينيه ما لم تر، أو يقول على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ما لم يقل" ((رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيُّ)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Of the worst lies are: to claim a false father, or to pretend to have seen what one has not seen (tell a false dream), or to attribute to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) what he has not said." [Al-Bukhari].
In plain words
Among the worst lies are falsely claiming someone is your father, inventing a dream you never saw, and attributing words to the Prophet he never said. It warns sternly against lying about dreams and about him.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 843 In-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 31