Introduction: Seeing Allah in Dreams

In our last reflection, we spoke about those blessed enough to see the Prophet ﷺ in their dreams. But did you know that some of the righteous also saw Allah in their dreams?

It sounds almost unimaginable — and yet, throughout the generations, Allah allowed glimpses of His nearness to some of His most sincere servants.

The Dream of Abu Yazid al-Bustami

Abu Yazid al-Bustami (may Allah have mercy on him) said,

Closeness begins when the self is left behind. When pride, distraction, and ego are stripped away, the soul moves nearer to the One who made it.

Imam Ahmad’s Dream: “Through My Words”

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) also said,

Even the simple recitation of His words — without tafsir, without scholarly mastery — draws you near. Because the Qur’an is alive. Every letter you pronounce is a bridge to Him.

When your tongue moves in remembrance, your heart moves toward the Divine.

When Du‘a Becomes a Song Allah Loves

Ibn al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Yahya al-Bakka once said,

SubhanAllah — how many times have we thought our du‘a went unheard?
Sometimes the delay is not rejection; it is affection. Allah loves the sound of your asking, the way a parent loves hearing the voice of their child.

Ihsan: Worshipping as Though You See Him

The Prophet ﷺ said that ihsan — spiritual excellence — is to worship Allah as if you can see Him. And if you cannot see Him, know that He sees you.
(Sahih Muslim 8)

Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) once asked the Prophet ﷺ for advice. The Prophet ﷺ said,

Why would he tell Mu‘adh to worship as if he sees Allah — and then immediately remind him to live as though he is already among the dead?
Because once you see the world for what it truly is — fragile, fleeting, temporary — you begin to see what is real.
And there is nothing more real than Allah Himself.

Visions of the Heart

Throughout history, the most truthful of believers — even some scholars like Imam Abu Hanifa — experienced seeing Allah in dreams.
But these were not sights of the eye; they were visions of the heart.
A rare mercy. A private conversation between a soul and its Creator.

And even in those moments, the message was the same:

Through the Qur’an — and through du‘a.

You don’t need to see Allah to be near Him.
You already speak to Him every time you raise your hands, every time you whisper “Alhamdulillah,” every time your forehead touches the ground.

Some people talk about Allah, but they don’t talk to Him.
Some know about Allah, but they don’t know Him.

Closeness to Allah isn’t found in seeing — it’s found in remembering, speaking, listening, and loving.

And if you’ve ever felt that peace in prayer or that quiet comfort after du‘a, then you already know what it means to have seen something of His mercy.
Because the heart that truly turns toward Allah begins to see — even before the eyes ever do.

When the Soul Sleeps Near the Throne

Your soul longs for Him, even when you’re asleep.

Imam al-Bayhaqi narrates that Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) said,

And if he sleeps in a state of purity — with wudu’ — his soul is allowed to prostrate before Allah.

Even in sleep, the believer is drawn near.

That is why the Prophet ﷺ taught us to make wudu’ before resting — because the angels spend the night praying for the one who sleeps in purity.
(Sunan Ibn Majah 3874)

Your last act before sleep shapes how your soul experiences the night.
If your final moments are spent in remembrance, your soul ascends gently — finding peace, even in dreams.

Applying This Teaching to Our Personal Lives

1. Sleep in a state of remembrance
   Perform wudu’ before bed and recite the last two verses of Surah al-Baqarah (Qur’an 2:285–286). Neuroscientists confirm that sleeping with calm focus reduces cortisol and improves sleep quality — aligning body and soul in peace.

2. Recite the Qur’an daily
   Even five minutes a day. The sound of the Qur’an reshapes neural pathways toward calm and gratitude. Spiritually, it reconnects the heart to Divine speech.

3. Make du‘a with sincerity, not impatience
   Remember Yahya al-Bakka: sometimes the delay is love. Speak your du‘a with presence, knowing Allah is listening, not ignoring.

4. Practice presence in prayer
   Try focusing on one Divine Name each time (Al-Rahman, Al-Sami‘, Al-Haqq). Studies in mindfulness show that naming a focus point increases sustained attention — an echo of ihsan itself.

5. Let go of self before worship
   Ego is the barrier. Before salah, pause for one deep breath and silently say, “Leave yourself behind and come closer.”

FAQ

1. Can Allah truly be seen in dreams?
Yes, but only as He wills. These visions are not of physical sight, but of spiritual nearness, the heart perceiving Divine intimacy.

2. Is it permissible to narrate such dreams?
Scholars caution discretion. If the dream deepens faith and humility, it may be shared carefully.

3. What does it mean if I dream of light or serenity?
These may symbolize Divine mercy, forgiveness, or spiritual awakening — though only Allah knows best.

4. Why does Allah delay answering my du‘a?
Often, delay is a sign of love, not neglect. Allah says, “Call upon Me; I will respond to you” (Qur’an 40:60). The waiting purifies the heart.

5. How can I experience nearness to Allah without dreams?
Through remembrance, Qur’an, du‘a, and sincerity. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah says: I am as My servant thinks of Me.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 7405)

Footnotes
Davidson RJ, Kabat-Zinn J. “Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation.” Psychosomatic Medicine, 2003.
Tang YY et al. “The Neuroscience of Mindfulness Meditation.” Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2015.