When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم Appears in a Dream

DAILYREFLECTION

In our last reflection, we spoke about seeing the Prophet ﷺ in a dream and how any dream that includes him is a true dream, for Shaytan cannot take his form. Here are some of the remarkable accounts our pious predecessors recorded of what it means when the Prophet ﷺ visits someone in their sleep.

Imam Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated from Abu Jamra that how you see the Prophet ﷺ can also hold meaning. He said, “If you see the Prophet ﷺ in a beautiful form, it is a sign of the dreamer’s good religion. But if the Prophet ﷺ appears with a wound or injury, then it reflects a deficiency in the dreamer’s own deen.”

A man once came to Ibn Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) and said, “I saw myself burying the Prophet ﷺ with my own hands.”
Ibn Sirin replied, “You are burying the sunnah.”
It was a warning that innovation had entered his actions, and he was unknowingly covering up what the Prophet ﷺ left behind.

On the other hand, some scholars saw the opposite not burying, but uncovering.
Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “I saw myself digging up the grave of the Prophet ﷺ and sorting out his blessed bones.” This was interpreted to mean that he would sort and purify the narrations of the Prophet ﷺ that Allah would make him a defender of the authentic Sunnah, distinguishing truth from falsehood.

Then there was the great ruler Nur ad-Din al-Zangi (may Allah have mercy on him), the noble predecessor of Salah ad-Din. One night, he saw the Prophet ﷺ in his dream. The Prophet ﷺ looked distressed and pointed toward two men, saying,
“Save me from these two dogs.” Nur ad-Din woke immediately and sent trusted soldiers to Madinah with orders: “Look for two men matching this description. Search carefully.”

When the soldiers arrived, they found the exact two men living near the Prophet’s Mosque disguised as worshippers but secretly digging a tunnel underground, trying to reach the Prophet’s grave. They were captured and exposed. That single dream protected the resting place of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Imam al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) once dreamt that he was fanning flies away from the Prophet ﷺ. It was interpreted as Allah’s way of showing that he would remove the fabricated and false narrations that people attributed to the Prophet ﷺ. His Sahih al-Bukhari became the purest collection of authentic hadiths ever compiled.

When Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) was imprisoned and tortured for refusing to compromise his faith, he too saw the Prophet ﷺ in his dreams. The Prophet ﷺ said to him, “Be patient, O Ahmad.” Even those around him began to see dreams of the Prophet ﷺ encouraging and strengthening him.

Imam al-Shafi‘i (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “I saw the Prophet ﷺ in a dream, and he said to me, ‘O Ibn Idrees, give glad tidings to this young man Ahmad. He will soon be tested in the religion of Allah. He will be called to say that which he should not say. When he refuses, he will be beaten, but Allah will spread his name across the world.’”

And indeed, his name was spread in every land where Islam reached. Imam Ahmad became the proof that knowledge and truth would never disappear until the Day of Judgment. Another man later said, “I saw the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr, and Umar crossing the canal of Baghdad. The Prophet’s cloak fell from his right shoulder, and you, O Ahmad, rushed forward to lift it and place it back upon him.”

The Prophet ﷺ then turned to him, as did Abu Bakr and Umar, and they said,
“Rejoice, for you are our companion tomorrow in Jannah.” Those around Imam Ahmad wept when they heard this dream, and the man added, “The cloak that Ahmad placed back on the Prophet ﷺ was the Sunnah itself and through him, Allah preserved it.”

REFLECT ON THIS:

If the Prophet ﷺ were to visit you in a dream tonight, what would he see in your heart, and what message might he bring?

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WATERMELONWATCH

• The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that airstrikes on 28 October across the Gaza Strip followed a reported attack on Israeli troops beyond the “Yellow Line”, complicating humanitarian operations even under the current cease-fire.

• OCHA also notes severe constraints on aid and commercial access: re-routing of trucks via the Philadelphi Corridor and coastal road continues to limit delivery volumes to vulnerable populations.

• The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) confirms that its schools in Gaza remain functioning as temporary shelters for displaced families, with social-workers continuing to provide protection and psychosocial support despite the damaged infrastructure.

• [The World Health Organization (WHO)] and partners estimate that the need for mental-health care in Gaza has more than doubled in recent years, with over 1 million people now requiring support for trauma and displacement.

• According to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion, Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid into Gaza have breached its obligations as an occupying power, and the ruling calls for renewed cooperation with UN agencies so that food, medicine and fuel can reach civilians more reliably.

QURANCORNER

Each day, you’ll be introduced to one of the 300 most common Qur’anic words. The Qur’an has about 77,430 words in total, all built on just 2,000 root words. By learning these frequently recurring ones, you’ll recognize 70–80% of the Qur’an’s vocabulary and begin connecting more deeply as you read.

Aḥsan (أَحْسَن) — Best / Most Beautiful / Most Excellent

Aḥsan comes from the root ḥ-s-n (ح-س-ن) meaning beauty, goodness, excellence. In the Qur’an, it describes the best of stories, the best reward, the best deeds. It reminds us that faith isn’t just about doing what’s right, it’s about doing it beautifully. Aḥsan calls us to live with ihsān: to worship as if we see Him, and to treat others with more than fairness with grace.