Islam provides comprehensive guidance on all possible events anyone may encounter in life. Apart from mandatory acts of worship, such as the five regular daily prayers, fasting during Ramadan, and the recitation of the Quran, Islam also teaches how to respond in different situations. It provides practical guidance for facing various unexpected or expected happenings, with recitation of Dua as the most preferred and effective way to deal with such circumstances.
Sleeping is a natural process, mainly meant to provide rest. Having dreams, good or bad, is also a part of this natural process. As with all important aspects of life, the Quran also emphasizes the importance of sleep for human life. The 9th verse of Surah An-Naba describes night sleep as a source of rest.
Translation - and made your sleep a means of repose
The purpose and importance of night sleep is also described in many other verses, such as the 47th verse of Surah Al-Furqan.
Translation - It is He who made the night a covering for you, and made sleep for rest, the day for rising.
But dreams can sometimes disturb sleep. The Quran and Sunnah have repeatedly taught us to recite different Duas to make sleep peaceful and comfortable. At the same time, realizing the fact that anyone may have dreams, including bad and good ones, the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ had taught various Duas after seeing a good dream as well as after seeing a bad dream. The Prophet has classified dreams into three distinct categories: good dreams (Ru’ya Salihah), evil dreams (Hulm), and the dreams from one’s own mind. Hadith 2263a of Sahih Muslim comprehensively covers the Islamic perspective about dreams, as follows:
Translation of relevant part - When the time draws near (when the Resurrection is near), a believer's dream can hardly be false. And the truest vision will be of one who is himself the most truthful in speech, for the vision of a Muslim is the forty-fifth part of Prophecy, and dreams are of three types: one good dream which is a sort of good tidings from Allah; the evil dream which causes pain is from the satan; and the third one is a suggestion of one's own mind; so if any one of you sees a dream which he does not like he should stand up and offer prayer and he should not relate it to people,…….
Accordingly, the Prophet has also taught specific Dua for good dreams and for bad dreams.
The Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ, through his Sunnah, has taught different Duas and actions to be taken on the occurrence of different events in our lives. Similarly, he also taught his companions what to say after a good dream or after seeing a bad dream, as is mentioned in Hadith 6985 of Sahih Al-Bukhari.
Translation - If anyone of you sees a dream that he likes, then it is from Allah, and he should thank Allah for it and narrate it to others; but if he sees something else, i.e., a dream that he dislikes, then it is from Satan, and he should seek refuge with Allah from its evil, and he should not mention it to anybody, for it will not harm him.
This Hadith comprehensively describes the Islamic interpretation of good and bad dreams. It teaches us the following:
Hadith 3292 of Sahih Al-Bukhari teaches us what to do when having a bad dream, as follows:
Translation - A good dream is from Allah, and a bad or evil dream is from Satan; so if anyone of you has a bad dream of which he gets afraid, he should spit on his left side and should seek Refuge with Allah from its evil, for then it will not harm him.
So, when a believer has a bad dream, he needs to spit thrice on his left side and should seek refuge in Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ from the evil of Satan.
For many people, dreams are a signal from Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and can be interpreted as a message from one's subconscious or Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). Dreams are considered to be a source of communication from Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) to His people. Good dreams are from Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), and bad dreams are from the whisperings of the devil. Upon seeing a good or bad dream, one should pray for their protection and wellness, but when one sees a bad dream, they should seek refuge in Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) from the evil. Not all dreams are true, and instead of heading in a direction that weakens one faith to interpret these dreams, one should put their entire faith in Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and seek for good rather than dwelling on the negatives.
Morning & Evening Duas
1. Spit to your left. (Three times)2. Seek refuge in Allah from the Devil and from the evil of what you have seen. (Three times)3. Do not speak about it to anyone.4. Turn over on your other side.
In light of the above-mentioned Hadith, scholars have recommended reciting the following Duas after having a good dream:
According to the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), when one sees a bad dream, one should spit to their left three times and seek refuge in Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) for his protection against the evil. It is also advised not to speak about a bad dream to anyone [Hisn al-Muslim 114]. Upon seeing a good or bad dream, one should get up and pray by offering 2 rakah nafl prayers and making abundant supplication for protection and good provision.
The etiquette of reacting and reciting dua after having a good or bad dream includes the following:
Making supplication upon seeing a good or bad dream can prevent one from falling into the spiral of overthinking. Offering dua after a good or a bad dream can help one stay grounded and understand that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is the only One who controls what happens in our life. If one is making dua upon seeing a bad dream, supplication can help reduce anxiety and channel your energy into praying for good and protect you from any negative influences of the bad dream. On the other hand, having a good dream can help develop a positive outlook.
The best Islamic Dua for bad dreams is to seek refuge with Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ, against the evil of Satan, such as "A'udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajim”.
Although no specific Dua is narrated in any authentic Hadith, which can be recited after having a good dream, it is advised by the Prophet to praise and thank Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ. Accordingly, the Scholars recommend that one should recite Alhamdu lillah after having a good dream.
No, you should never share a bad dream with others. The Prophet advised his companions not to share it with anyone because it is from Satan. This is also mentioned in Hadith 6985 of Sahih Al-Bukhari.
No, some dreams might be the result of one’s personal thoughts, whereas some others might be from the evil of Satan. Hence, it is not recommended to try interpreting every dream. Just have faith in Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ and seek refuge from Him against the evils of Satan.
Good dreams are generally considered glad tidings from Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ. However, such dreams should not be taken as a sign from Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ and must not be taken as an indication of any future happening.