حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَانُ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏"‏ مَنْ رَآنِي فِي الْمَنَامِ فَسَيَرَانِي فِي الْيَقَظَةِ، وَلاَ يَتَمَثَّلُ الشَّيْطَانُ بِي ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ ابْنُ سِيرِينَ إِذَا رَآهُ فِي صُورَتِهِ‏.‏
Translation
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Who ever sees me (in a dream) then he indeed has seen the truth, as Satan cannot appear in my shape."

Comment

Interpretation of Dreams - Sahih al-Bukhari 6997

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, "Whoever sees me (in a dream) then he indeed has seen the truth, as Satan cannot appear in my shape."

Scholarly Commentary

This noble hadith establishes that seeing the Prophet (ﷺ) in a dream is a true vision, protected from Satanic deception. The divine wisdom behind this protection lies in honoring the Prophet's sanctity and preventing the devil from imitating his blessed form.

Classical scholars explain that such dreams are considered glad tidings for the believer, indicating their sound faith and connection to the Prophet's guidance. The vision may contain instructions, warnings, or spiritual insights that align with Islamic teachings.

However, scholars caution that the content of the dream must be measured against the Quran and Sunnah. Any dream claiming to contradict established Islamic principles cannot be attributed to a true vision of the Prophet, regardless of the appearance.

Legal and Spiritual Implications

According to traditional scholarship, one who sees the Prophet (ﷺ) in a dream should give charity in gratitude and share the glad tidings with righteous scholars for proper interpretation.

This hadith does not mean that every claim of seeing the Prophet should be accepted without scrutiny. The claimant's religious adherence and character are considered in evaluating such reports.