Probabilistic Characteristics

Differentiating Between Dreams from Allah سبحانه و تعالى, Shaitan and Nafs

Posted by Mohammad Awais Tahir

Set of References For Learning How to Differentiate between types of dreams

Probabilistic Characteristics

Characteristic # 9

From Allah - SYMBOLIC EVENTS 

Dreams from Allah are mostly symbolic but they can also be direct. See Reference # 2, 3 and 4. All the dreams mentioned in Surah Yusuf are symbolic in nature. Dreams from Allah can also contain plain events, but those are so simple in their interpretation that they don't create any confusion. When one gets dreams that contain symbols, then he gets confused between type 1 and type 3.

From Shaitan - DIRECT EVENTS

Dreams whose source is Shaitan contain events rather than symbols and indications.

From Nafs - MIXED SYMBOLIC AND DIRECT 

Dreams from the Nafs are mostly direct and it's very rare that they are of a symbolic nature. Symbolism in dreams from Nafs seems vague and irrelevant.

Filter # 9 : I don't have any other proof for it other than my own experience, that in the present world most of the dreams from the Nafs are of direct nature, and hence, a dream containing symbols is most probably from Allah. Also, symbols of type 1 dream are very clear, whereas symbols of type3 dreams seem meaningless and vague.

Characteristic # 10

From Allah - LOGICAL AND SEQUENTIAL 

Dreams from Allah are logical and contain a valid sequence of events.

From Shaitan - RANDOM AND CONTRADICTORY 

Dreams from Shaitan seem pretty random even when experiencing them. They contain many events that do not conform to our logical mind. One cannot imagine the ways how shaitan confuses us by inventing events that do not make any sense. So, any 'crazy' dream, as people call them, is definitely a work of Shaitan.

From Nafs - LOGICAL, BUT MIXED EVENTS 

As dreams from Nafs are based upon our daily experiences, hence they tend to be logical in nature, but they are jumbled up (See the meaning of اضغاث احلام, explained above) .

Characteristic # 11

From Allah - SPECIFIC TOPIC AND BRIEF EVENTS 

This characteristic is found in almost all the dreams of Sahaba and the dreams mentioned in the Holy Qur'an but Prophet Muhammad narrated long dreams to Sahaba as well.

From Shaitan - NO TOPIC AND A LONG STORY 

Dreams from Shaitan have no topic and they contain long stories, just like horror movies.

From Nafs - MIXED SUBJECT AND MANY EVENTS 

Dreams from Nafs contain jumbled up events and no main theme.

Filter # 10 : Hence dreams from Allah are almost always 'short' and they have a specific topic and brief events, whereas in other dreams it is hard to make out what the central theme or what the dream is trying to convey. They either contain long stories that do not make up any sense, or numerous jumbled up short events that do not match with each other.

Characteristic # 12

From Allah - URGENCY TO RETURN TO THE PHYSICAL WORLD 

Ibn e Khuldun likes in his muqadma : " the person who has the dream vision wakes up quickly, as soon as he has perceived it. It seems as if he is in a hurry to get back to being awake and having sensual perception. Were he (to continue) to sleep soundly, the perception given him would weigh heavily on him. Therefore, he tries to escape from the state (in which he has supernatural perception) to the state of sensual perception in which the soul is always fully immersed in the body and the corporeal accidents. "(Muqamda ibn e Khuldun , Chapter: The Science of Dream Interpretation)

From Shaitan and Nafs - NO SUCH URGENCY 

Urgency to return to the physical world is not found in dreams of type 2 and type 3.

Filter # 11: One experiences a certain jolt as he returns to the physical world, sometimes with a little pain in the heart, on seeing a dream of type 1.

Characteristic # 13

From Allah - CAN SEE ANY TIME 

Scholars have mentioned different times during which a true vision is seen. 

Ibn e Sireen has mentioned that they are seen during Spring or Fall. Few scholars mention that true dreams are seen during the fruit ripening season. There is no proof of these characteristics from the texts. As a general rule true dreams can be seen at any time of the day or night and during any portion of the year. But, one can expect to have visions from Allah during the last third of the night as during it Allah comes down to the Sky of the earth. Also, there is a weak narration regarding it (See Reference # 24). So, one expect dreams from Allah at holy times and in holy places (sleeping in Masjid e Haram etc). Also, one should not expect a dream from Allah when sleeping through the fajr salah etc.

From Shaitan - CAN SEE ANY TIME 

Dreams from Shaitan can also be seen at any time during any portion of the year.

From Nafs - CAN SEE ANY TIME 

Dreams from Nafs can also be seen at any time during any portion of the year.

Differences mentioned in books which don't seem logical

SIDE OF SLEEP Few books mention that if one is able to sleep on the right side only then he gets good dreams. But, that does not seem to have any proof. Rather the prophetic narrations suggest that on which side you sleep has no relation with the type of dream that you get. That is why we are ordered to change our side when we have a bad dream, regardless of the fact on which side we were before (See Reference # 33).

COLORS Few scholars have mentioned that dreams from Allah are dominated by brightness and colors, and those from shaitaan are predominantly dark and black. Although dreams from shaitaan seem to be of a dark nature, but one cannot differentiate on this basis between dreams that are of type 1 and type 3.

INTERACTION Few scholars have mentioned that when we cannot interact with dreams from Allah and we cannot change the course of events and one can interact with dreams from Shaitan and Nafs. But that doesn't seem to be a valid characteristic because there are numerous instances in which Prophet Muhammad or Sahaba interacted with the dream they had.

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Belief in God’s existence - DA‘WAH TO ATHEISTIS

Belief in God’s existence.

First and foremost, it should be noted that belief in God’s existence is not illogical, as modern atheists would have mankind believe. Ancient Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle rationally concluded that God must exist. Plato argued from design that there must be a designer. When human beings come across footprints on a beach, they immediately conclude that a human being had walked by there some time previously. It would be quite illogical to imagine that the waves from the sea settled in the sand and by chance produced a depressions looking exactly like human footprints.

Consequently, it is not surprising to find that all human societies throughout human history, with very few exceptions, have believed in the existence of God. It is only in the 20^th century that whole societies have been established based on the denial of God’s existence. Russia and China and states under their control systematically taught atheism in all of their institutions of learning. However, after the fall of the soviet system and the abandonment of communist economics in China, the resurgence of religion in both countries has been phenomenal.

Anthropologists and psychologists have long held that belief in God was acquired by nurture. This was a natural result of their Darwinian views, which considered humans essentially animals, and thus the absence of religion among apes indicated that it must be man-made. In fact Freud proposed that the oedipal-complex was the basis of human belief in God. Yet, some modern researchers increasingly leaned to the conclusion that belief in God must be natural for it to be so wide-spread. In 1997 experimental evidence for the inherent belief in God was found.

‘God spot’ is found in brain

by Steve Connor

Science Correspondent

SCIENTISTS believed they have discovered a “God module” in the brain which could be responsible for man’s evolutionary instinct to believe in religion.

A study of epileptics who are known to have profoundly spiritual experiences has located a circuit of nerves in the front of the brain which appears to become electrically active when they think about God.

The scientists said that although the research and its conclusions are preliminary, initial results suggest that the phenomenon of religious belief is “hard-wired” into the brain.

Epileptic patients who suffer from seizures of the brain’s frontal lobe said they frequently experience intense mystical episodes and often become obsessed with religious spirituality.

A team of neuroscientists from the University of California at San Diego said the most intriguing explanation is that the seizure causes an over-stimulation of the nerves in a part of the brain dubbed the “God module.”

“There may be dedicated neural machinery in the temporal lobes concerned with religion. This may have evolved to impose order and stability on society,” the team reported at a conference last week The results indicate that whether a person believes in a religion or even in.

God may depend on how enhanced is this part of the brain’s electrical circuitry, the scientists said.

Dr. Vilayanur Ramachandran, head of the research team, head of the research team, said the study involved comparing epileptic patients with normal people and a group who said they were intensely religious.

Electrical monitors on their skin—a standard test for activity—in the brain’s temporal lobes—showed that the epileptics and the deeply religious displayed a similar response when shown words invoking spiritual belief.

Evolutionary scientists have suggested that belief in God, which is a common trait found in human societies around the world and throughout history, may be built into the brain’s complex electrical circuitry as a Darwinian adaptation to encourage co-operation between individuals.

If the research is correct and a “God module” exists, then it might suggest that individuals who are atheists could have a differently configured neural circuit.

A spokesman for Richard Harries, the Bishop of Oxford, said whether there is a “God module” is a question for scientists, not theo-logians. “It would not be surprising if God had created us with a physical facility for belief,” he said.

The Sunday Times, 2 Nov. 97, p. 1-9.

Consequently, of the many verses in the Qur’aan addressing God’s attributes, only few address His existence. In Soorah at-Toor (52):35-6, Allaah said:

“Were they created from nothing or did they create themselves. Or did they create the heavens and earth? Indeed, they are uncertain.”

Logic and reason is used to convince humans that there must be a Creator. Allaah gives the three logical possibilities for human creation in these verses.

a)     Humans were created from nothing or by nothing. This proposal violates basic reason. Something cannot come from nothing. Nothing cannot create something.

b) Humans created themselves. This is also an illogical and contradictory proposition. To create ones’ self, one must already exist. But to be created one must first not exist.

c)      Humans were created by something already created. This implies in infinite regression of causes which ultimately means that humans do not exist. If C1 were caused by C2, and C2 by C3 to CN, then C1 cannot exist unless C2 does, etc. And CN means that it has no beginning. Consequently, C1 cannot exist. In other words, if human existence is preceded by an infinite amount of causes requiring an infinite amount of time to take place, it is the same as saying that they will never take place. Human existence thus becomes impossible. The Greek philosopher Aristotle argued similarly that the infinite regression of the cause and effect chain was impossible.

The only remaining possibility is that humans and other created things were created by a being which is not itself created.

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to be continued....

A Woman of Submission to God - Lady Maimunah - Prophet Muhammad's Wives

Prophet Muhammad's Wives

Lady Maimunah bint Al-Harith

The Prophet's Wife: A Woman of Submission to God

The Story of Maimunah Bint Al-Harith

For Maimunah, submitting to the will of God 

was always the highest priority.

Maimunah bint Al-Harith became one of the wives of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) seven years after Muslims' emigration from Makkah to Madinah (known to Muslims as the Hijrah).

She had already been divorced once, after which she re-married and was later widowed. Many women would have given up on love by then, but Maimunah's story was slightly different.

When she became Prophet Muhammad's wife, she was a vibrant and intelligent woman in her mid-20s and brought much wisdom to her third marriage.

It was through Maimunah that plenty of Islamic teachings were relayed to Muslims; one of them especially was the blessing of trust and faith in Islam.

Besides being known for her total submission to Allah and her steadfast support for her husband, Maimunah bint Al-Harith is another Mother of the Believers (an honorary title given to all the wives of Prophet Muhammad) who has narrated many Hadiths (sayings of Prophet Muhammad) — 76 to be precise. Many of these narrations have to do with the nature of the relationship between her and her husband so that Muslims can learn and emulate through their own relationships and reap the happiness that is promised between husband and wife.

When Prophet Muhammad initiated the marriage proposal  to Maimunah, it was a  huge  family  affair,  and  Prophet Muhammad spoke to her brother-in-law and  her  sister  Umm  Al-Fadl.  The proposal  was  received  with  much  joy and  trust  in  Allah,  and  Maimunah accepted it willingly.

There is a verse from the Quran that says what means:

{O Prophet, We have made lawful for you… any believing woman who has offered herself to the Prophet and whom the Prophet wishes to wed- this is only for you [Prophet] and not the rest of the believers.} (33:50)

Many believe that this verse best suits Maimunah as her soul was firmly dedicated to her new husband.

According to Martin Lings, a prominent Muslim scholar, it was Umm Al-Fadl and her husband Abbas who approached the Prophet to marry Maimunah and not the other way around. Umm Al-Fadl believed such a union would bring great benefit to the Muslim community, which was being built slowly on sturdy grounds. Prophet Muhammad accepted her suggestion and continued to pursue a marriage proposal with Maimunah herself, whom he already knew personally (281).

Prophet Muhammad was already very closely acquainted with Maimunah and Umm Al-Fadl's family, as they too were amongst the first Muslims during the initial revelation in Makkah. In fact, it was even narrated that Prophet Muhammad described Maimunah and her sisters as "the believing sisters", which was an amazing recognition for the entire family.

Her Marriage to the Prophet

his marriage with Maimunah led to opportunities 
to spread the teachings of Islam to the tribe of Banu Hilal

Indeed, Umm Al-Fadl had been right in initiating the relationship. Prophet Muhammad, through his marriage with Maimunah, was led to opportunities to spread the teachings of Islam to the tribe of Banu Hilal (Maimunah's tribe), and consequentially, another important Muslim community began to grow and integrate with the first one. Upon joining the Prophet's household, Maimunah became instrumental in strictly endorsing the Prophet's orders, by decree of Allah. Her passion towards her husband and her love for Islam were an emotional ride, but were always based on reason and logic.

It is reported that one day she was visited by a relative who seemed somewhat

intoxicated. Upon seeing the condition of this relative, Maimunah became enraged. She warned him, "Purify yourself, or I will never let you come here again." Her relative was quick to obey her, realizing that Maimunah's piety weighed heavier than family relations, especially when her family's behavior contradicted Islamic principles.

Her passion for her family was driven by Islam, and she felt the constant need to protect others from the temptations of this world. Even until her death, she took care of her relatives and protected them. Aishah bint Abi Bakr, a wife of Prophet Muhammad, said: "Maimunah was the best amongst us, as she feared Allah most and maintained a close and continuous relationship with her kin." (Al-Hakim 8:181)

Maimunah Amongst the Women

She provided all the ingredients of a thriving marriage

Aishah's recognition of Maimunah did not end there. Aishah always praised Maimunah's morals and dedication to Allah's directions.

Of course, the Mothers of the Believers were the women that no other could contend with, as they were all recognized as virtuous and strong Muslims who were hand-picked by Allah to teach and nurture the nascent Muslim community that was still learning about the faith.

There were several occasions on which Maimunah stepped up as the Prophet's consultant, advisor, and aid to help dispel ambiguity in rulings and to allow Muslims to witness first-hand how Islam should be practiced. She walked the talk of the Quran by virtue of Prophet Muhammad, rushed to his aid when he needed her, and maintained her love for Islam above all.

She provided all the ingredients of a thriving marriage. Through her sayings, she spoke of intimacy between husband and wife, like washing up from the same container of water and keeping a close watch on the emotions of one's spouse. All this indicates that Maimunah was picked as a wife for anything more than her zeal in nurturing a strong marriage, and it was only through her piety and submission to God that she achieved that.

It so happened that the night before Prophet Muhammad's departure from the world, he spent his day at Maimunah's home, as per his routine schedule. Maimunah, who was deeply dedicated and sensitive towards her husband's needs, sensed that he was at unease. He began asking her to suggest whose house he should spend his next night, as this was his tradition in parting from each wife's home.

Maimunah knew that it was not Aishah's turn yet, but as she saw her husband falling ill and weak, she knew best that he would want to spend the night with his most beloved wife. She asked him to leave her for Aishah's house, before rounding up the other wives, as if she felt it was time for him to leave the world.

Maimunah Amongst the Muslims

Maimunah was known to the Muslims as a woman of charity

Her complete submission to Allah and Prophet Muhammad encouraged her to denounce worldly pleasures and to worship and love for the sake of Islam only. Maimunah was known to the Muslims as a woman of charity. She freed slaves and cared for the poor. And it was through her actions that other Muslims followed suit.

Yet her participation in Muslim society was even more apparent during war. During the battles that took place in the Prophet's life time, it was Maimunah who mobilized the first female group who would accompany the men at war and provide medical aid and emotional support for the wounded.

For a woman who was later known to rarely leave her house after her husband's passing, Maimunah was actively involved in travelling with the Muslim army when they needed the help the most. With her husband leading the battles, she mostly felt that it was his right to have her by his side.

In many ways she served Islam throughout her entire life, relaying important aspects of Muslim life so that the torch of Islam would never die down. She took care of her kin and encouraged good relations amongst all Muslims. Moreover, she was always in the middle of action, leading by example and translating emotions into sense and logic, in hopes that her and her husband's behavior would be understood and adopted by the Muslim followers.

But over and above her zeal for charity and serving the Muslim community, Maimunah was still a romantic at heart. Her passion and emotional attachment to Prophet Muhammad, whom she outlived, lived on within her.

In the year 51 AH (after Hijrah), Maimunah fell ill in Makkah. Upon so, she said, "Get me out of Makkah. I will not die in Makkah," (Ibn Kathir 4:261).

She then asked to be transported to Sarf — the town in which she had spent her wedding night with her beloved husband, Prophet Muhammad — where she eventually passed away.

Did the Prophet Marry Maymunah During Ihram?

Islam pays due care to marriage and its rulings. Therefore, Muslims are ordained to follow these rulings in all matters of marriage.

Responding to your question, Dr.`Abdul Fattah Edris, Professor of Usul Al-Fiqh, Al-Azhar University, stated,

It is known that a Muslim in the state of ihram (special clothing of Hajj) cannot get married, engage, or marry a woman to another man. This is due to the hadith narrated by `Uthman ibn `Affan in which he says, “I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying, “A Muhrim (the person wearing the clothing of Hajj) must neither get married, nor marry a woman to another man, nor should he engage (make the proposal of marriage.)” (Muslim)

As for your question, it is true that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) married Maymunah during the journey of Hajj, but this took place on his way back from Hajj, not on his way to Hajj.

Regarding the hadith narrated by Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), he may have been confused, as he was still young. He may have thought that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) married Maymunah while being in the state of ihram, but that was only an introduction to the marriage, while the actual marriage only took place on the way back from Hajj, after taking off the clothing of ihram.

Another point is: how could the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbid his followers from doing something and do it himself? This could not happen as he is the role model of the Ummah.

In addition, there are may hadiths narrated by many companions such as Ibn

`Umar, Yazid Ibn Al-Asamm, and Abu-Rafi` that contradict Ibn `Abbas's narration. Commenting on that hadith,  Ibn Numayr said that, “I told Az-Zuhry (a prominent scholar of hadith) about it and he said, “Yazid Ibn Al-Asam told me that he (the Prophet) married her while he was halal (not muhrim)” (Muslim).

In one of these hadiths, Abu-Rafi` said, “He married her while he was halal (not muhrim), and I was the messenger between them” (At-Tabarani)

Given the above, it is clear that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) married Maymunah on the way back from Hajj while he was not muhrim; after taking off the clothing of ihram.

Allah knows best.

Source: http://onislam.net