Dream interpretation is related to both, the dream itself and the person having
those
visualizations. Acquiring knowledge on this subject should be aimed at attaining the
ability
to correctly interpret dreams. Though the foundation of all knowledge is Allah
Almighty;
society recognizes the person who first introduces it to the world. In the same
context,
Hazrat Yousaf is
considered founder of the knowledge of dream interpretation, as he was the first
person to
be given this knowledge by Allah Almighty. Allah says in the Holy Quran:
وَکَزٰلِکَ یَجْتَبِیْکَ رَبُّکَ وَیُعَلِّمُکَ مِنْ
تَاْوِیْلِ
اْلاَ حَادِیْثِ
Thus Will your lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of dreams (and
other
things).
(Yousaf 6/12)
In this verse, Hazrat Yousaf has
been
promised the knowledge of dream interpretation and then this promise was also
fulfilled;
which Hazrat Yousuf
acknowledges in this verse:
رَبِّ قَدْ اٰ تَیْتَنِیْ مِنَ الْمُلْکِ
وَعَلَّمْتَنِیْ مِنْ
تَاْ وِیْلِ الْاَ حَادِیْثِ
My lord! You have indeed bestowed on me of the sovereignty, and taught me the
interpretation of dreams
(Yousaf 101/12)
The Holy Prophet
said that
one should not narrate one’s dream to anyone else other than a righteous friend,
knowledgeable scholar or a good person by heart; as these people will give a good
interpretation of the dream.
Hazrat Imam Jafar Sadiq r
said that it is not wise to ask interpretation of a dream from the undermentioned
four types
of people as It is feared that they may give a bad interpretation of the dream. A
dream is
manifested in reality as it has been interpreted:
1. Non Muslims
2. Women
3. Ignorant people
4. Enemies
When a person sees a bad dream, he should seek refuge in Allah Almighty from the
evil of
this dream and Satan. If such a dream is not narrated to anyone, it will have no
effect on
the dreamer. The Holy Prophet
said:
٤
اَلرُّؤْیَا عَلٰی رِجْلِ طَائِرٍ مَّالَمْ یُحَدِّ ثْ بِھَا فَاِذَ ا حَدَّثَ بِھَا وَقَعَتْ
Jami At Tirmidhi: Book 34, Hadith 2279
Sunan Abu Dawood: Chapter 43, Hadith 5020
Sunan Darmi: Chapter 169/2, Hadith 2148
1
A dream hovers over a man so long as it is not interpreted, then when it is
interpreted
it is fulfilled. (At Tirmidhi: 2279 )
Narrating a bad dream has been prohibited because someone may give a bad/ wrong
interpretation to the dream. It has generally been observed that a dream manifests
itself by
Allah’s will, the way it has been interpreted.
Hazrat Ibn Sirin r
said that one of the wonders of dreams is that whether a person sees good, benefit
and
relief in a dream, or evil and calamity in a dream; he sees the same while awake.
The second
wonder is that many people don’t have good understanding or clarity in speech. They
cannot
recite long verses or poems; however, memorize it by reading it in their dreams.
Many
illiterate people narrate words of wisdom that they have remembered in a dream;
which no
scholar has been able to explain.
Hazrat Jabar Maghribi r
said that another wonder of a dream is that interpretation of a dreamer may fall on
his
child or brother. The Prophet saw
in a
dream that Abu Jahl had become a Muslim; however, Hazrat Ikramah, the son of Abu
Jahl
converted to Islam. It also happens that the interpretation of a child's dream falls
on the
mother and that of a slave's dream falls on the master.
Although many Islamic scholars have knowledge of dream interpretation; the following
six
scholars are particularly famous and considered experts on the subject of dream
interpretation:
1. Hazrat Danial r
2. Hazrat Imam Jaffar Sadiq r
3. Hazrat Imam Muhammad Bin Sirin r
4. Hazrat Imam Jabbir Maghrabi r
5. Hazrat Imam Ibrahim Kirmani r
6. Hazrat Imam Ismail Bin Ashas r