The Seeing Of Rasoolullah In a Dream - Ash-Shama'il Al-Muhammadiyah 407

"If someone sees me in his sleep, he has indeed seen me, for Satan cannot imitate me!"

Explanation of the Hadith

This noble hadith establishes that whoever sees the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in a dream has truly seen his blessed form. The statement "for Satan cannot imitate me" provides the divine guarantee that Shaytan is incapable of assuming the Prophet's form due to Allah's protection of his sanctity.

Scholarly Commentary

Imam al-Nawawi explains that this hadith applies specifically to those who saw the Prophet during his lifetime and recognized his features, or to those who see him in dreams with his known and described characteristics. The scholars agree that if one sees the Prophet with his authentic attributes as narrated in the Sunnah, it is truly him.

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani elaborates that this protection from Satanic imitation is a special honor bestowed upon the Prophet Muhammad, distinguishing him from other prophets and righteous people whom Satan may imitate in dreams.

Conditions for Authenticity

For the vision to be considered authentic, the dream must depict the Prophet with his known physical descriptions: medium height, neither too tall nor short; handsome face with a slight rosy complexion; full beard; broad chest; and other attributes documented in the authentic narrations.

If the dream shows characteristics contrary to his established description, scholars caution that it may not be a true vision of the Prophet.

Spiritual Significance

Seeing the Prophet in a dream is considered a great blessing and honor. Many scholars mention that such visions often carry glad tidings and spiritual benefits. However, they warn against seeking such dreams excessively or fabricating dream stories, as sincerity and truthfulness are essential in matters of faith.