Dreams as per Islam, Islamic Dreams and Mental Science: Islamic Understanding of Dreams

In the realm of human experience, dreams have long held a mystique and significance that spans cultures, religions, and eras. The world of dreams is a domain where the mind freely explores realms beyond the constraints of waking life. In this article, we delve into the captivating intersection of Islam, dreams, and mental science, uncovering the profound understanding of dreams within the Islamic tradition.

The Enigmatic Nature of Dreams

Dreams have puzzled and fascinated humanity for centuries. The fragile veil between consciousness and the subconscious offers a canvas for the mind to paint vivid landscapes, scenarios, and emotions. Across cultures, dreams have been interpreted as divine messages, omens, or glimpses into the hidden corners of the soul. In Islam, dreams are considered a unique avenue of communication between the individual and the divine.

Islamic Dreams & Perspectives on Dreams

Islam views dreams as a conduit between the seen and the unseen, a realm where the soul journeys unbound by the physical body. In the Quran, dreams hold significance in the stories of prophets such as Joseph (Yusuf), who interpreted dreams as manifestations of divine will. This scriptural recognition underscores the importance of dreams in guiding human affairs.

Dreams as a Portal to the Unconscious

Mental science explores the intricacies of the human mind, unveiling the mysteries of consciousness and the subconscious. Dreams, often arising from the subconscious, offer glimpses into uncharted mental territories. Freud and Jung, prominent figures in psychology, recognized dreams as windows to repressed desires and archetypal symbols.

Symbolism in Islamic Dreams: A Common Language

Dreams communicate in a language of symbols, transcending linguistic barriers. This universal symbolism echoes the concept of dream interpretation in Islam, where dreams carry meanings that transcend the literal. Islamic scholars have dedicated extensive works to decoding these symbols, guiding believers on how to extract messages from their dreams.

Islamic Dreams and Spiritual Insights

Within Islamic spirituality, dreams are considered a source of spiritual insight and guidance. Sufi mystics have historically emphasized the significance of dreams as a means of connecting with the Divine. Rumi, the renowned Sufi poet, wrote eloquently about dreams as whispers from the realm of the soul, inviting believers to explore their inner landscapes.

Islamic Dreams in the Modern Context

In the modern world, advances in neurology and psychology shed light on the physiological and cognitive aspects of dreaming. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, a phase associated with vivid dreams, has been extensively studied. Neuroscientists explore the brain’s activity during dreaming, offering scientific explanations for the surreal experiences that unfold in slumber.

Harnessing Dreams for Personal Growth

Islam encourages believers to reflect on their dreams, seeking guidance and self-discovery. The practice of istikhara, seeking Allah’s counsel through dreams, exemplifies the integration of dreams into decision-making. Interpreting dreams in light of Islamic teachings can lead to personal growth, fostering self-awareness and a deeper connection to faith.

The Intersection of Faith and Science

While the empirical nature of science and the spiritual realm of faith may seem disparate, they converge in the realm of dreams. The synthesis of Islamic understanding, psychological insights, and neurological research presents a holistic perspective on dreams. This harmonious convergence serves as a testament to the intricate balance between the tangible and the intangible.

Islamic Dreams and Divine Providence

In the tapestry of Islamic thought, dreams are woven into the fabric of divine providence. As believers navigate the landscape of dreams, they recognize that even in the realm of the subconscious, divine guidance can manifest. Visions offer a glimpse of the unseen hand that shapes destinies and whispers to the soul.

Conclusion: Unveiling the Veil of Islamic Dreams

The enchanting world of dreams remains a terrain that science and spirituality endeavor to explore. Islam’s understanding of dreams illuminates their profound significance as pathways to divine guidance and personal revelation. As science advances and spirituality persists, the exploration of Visions continues to captivate hearts and minds alike, inviting us to peer beyond the veil of slumber and glimpse the hidden threads that connect us to the cosmos.

In addressing the subject of dreams we are, in fact, studying the heart and, as a consequence we are probing into the very depths of human nature and conduct.

• -Some Visions are divine gifts to the heart, and such gifts come only when the heart is sound, healthy, innocent, and penetrated with faith in Allah Most High.
• -Other dreams represent attacks on the heart.
• -And still other dreams are either medicine for the heart, or windows to the heart that allow us to see our own hearts.

The Qur’an informs us that Allah Most High punishes the disbelievers by sealing their ‘hearts’, and their ‘hearing’, and by placing veils before their ‘eyes’. ►(Qur’an, al-Baqara, 2:7).

As a consequence such people cannot ‘see’! We live, today, in a world in which the overwhelming majority of mankind, including some Muslims cannot ‘see’. The only time a believer can be certain that he can ‘see’ is when he sees in dreams! But most people no longer understand this.

A good or true dream, which come from Allah, is a transcendental experience (known in philosophy as a religious experience) that discloses transcendental knowledge and thus confirms a transcendental reality. True and good Visions have a very important status indeed. According to Imam al-Ghazali(RA), state of certainty of faith begins with the onset of true Visions. As the inner self becomes purified, true dreams begin to be experienced and the realities of life become unveiled. This is the beginning of spiritual enlightenment and awareness. True Visions are so important that the Prophet sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam described them to be a one fortieth part of prophethood and, indeed, the only part of prophethood now remaining in the world:

Islamic Dreams

I heard Allah’s Apostle(peace be upon him) saying, “Nothing is left of the prophethood except al-Mubashshirat.”

They asked, “What are al-Mubashshirat?”

He replied, “The true good Visions (that conveys glad tidings).” ►{Sahih al-Bukhari, Book  al-Ta’bir [interpretation of dreams],Hadith #6589}

Narrated Anas bin Malik(Radiyallahu anhu): Allah’s Apostle(peace be upon him) said, “A good dream of a righteous person (which comes true) is one of forty-six parts of prophethood.” ►{Bukhari, Book of Dream Interpretation, Hadith #6582}