Faith and worship
Dreaming of praying in Islam
In short
For both books, dreaming of prayer is praiseworthy for religion and worldly life alike: fulfilling a duty, a debt or a trust. Asking Allah’s forgiveness facing the qibla after prayer announces an answered supplication.
A summary of the passages quoted below. These are authors’ interpretations, not a prediction: a dream is understood through the dreamer and all its details.
What the interpretation books say
al-Nabulusi — Taʿṭīr al-Anām fī Taʿbīr al-Manām
فمن رأى أنه أقام الصلاة المكتوبة في وقتها المعلوم بوضوئها وقيامها وركوعها وسجودها متوجها نحو القبلة مستويا فإنه يؤدي ما فرض الله تعالى عليه مثل الحج أو مظلمة أو دين ويجتنب الفواحش والمنكر
Whoever sees himself performing the obligatory prayer at its time, with its ablution, standing, bowing and prostrations, facing the qibla squarely, will fulfil what Allah has enjoined on him — such as the pilgrimage, redressing a wrong or a debt — and will avoid indecency and evil.
Muntakhab al-Kalām fī Tafsīr al-Aḥlām (attributed to Ibn Sirin)
Attribution to Ibn Sirin rejected: why
الأصل في رؤيا الصلاة أنها محمودة دينا ودنيا وتدل على إدراك ولاية ونيل رياسة أو قضاء دين أو اداء أمانة وإقامة فريضة من فرائض الله تعالى
The rule is that dreaming of prayer is praiseworthy, both for religion and for worldly life: it indicates attaining office or leadership, repaying a debt, returning a trust, or fulfilling one of Allah’s obligations.
فإن رأى كأنه فرغ من الصلاة واستغفر الله تعالى ووجهه إلى القبلة فإنه يستجاب دعاؤه
If he sees himself finishing the prayer and asking Allah’s forgiveness with his face towards the qibla, his supplication will be answered.
Keep in mind
- An interpretation is a human effort: Abu Bakr himself was partly wrong before the Prophet ﷺ. (al-Bukhari 7046 and Muslim 2269)
- Appearances deceive: an unpleasant-looking dream may be interpreted as good, and vice versa. (al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim 15/18)
- A dream is not a fatwa: make no serious decision on its strength alone. (al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim 1/115)
If this dream upset you: what the Sunnah asks
The Prophet ﷺ taught that an unpleasant dream comes from Satan, and that it does not harm the one who does the following. (al-Bukhari 7045 · al-Bukhari 3292)
Seek Allah’s protection, three times
Against the evil of this dream and against Satan. The wording given by al-Nawawi: “aʿūdhu billāhi mina sh-shayṭāni wa min sharrihā” — I seek refuge with Allah from Satan and from the evil of this dream. (al-Bukhari 7044 · Muslim 2262 · al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim 15/18)
Blow lightly three times to your left
The narrations say “blow” (nafth), “spit lightly” (tafl) or “spit” (basq): a light breath, to drive Satan away. (Muslim 2261 · al-Bukhari 7044 · Muslim 2262)
Turn over onto your other side
Change the side you were sleeping on. (Muslim 2262)
Get up and pray
If you can; al-Nawawi recommends two units of prayer (rakʿa). (Muslim 2263 · al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim 15/18)
Tell no one about it
Neither recount it nor seek to have it interpreted. A Bedouin dreamt that his head was cut off; the Prophet ﷺ told him: “Do not tell of how Satan toys with you in your sleep.” (al-Bukhari 7045 · Muslim 2263 · Muslim 2268 · al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim 15/18)
“It will not harm him”: that is the promise of the hadith. Al-Nawawi adds that doing only some of these acts is enough, by Allah’s leave. (al-Bukhari 7045 · al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim 15/18)
Related symbols
- Ablution (wudu)Making ablution for prayer is, for both books, protection from Allah; complete ablution announces reaching one’s goal, and making it then starting to pray, the end of a worry.
- MosqueFor al-Nabulusi the mosque stands for a scholar who gathers people for good; building a mosque announces goodness, the Sunna and family ties, and seeing one’s house become a mosque, piety and honour.
- Kaaba, MeccaSeeing the Kaaba announces good coming or evil going away, and looking at it, safety. Setting out for Hajj in its season announces, in the Muntakhab, healing, a settled debt and safety; entering Mecca, repentance.
All the symbols in the dictionary