I have always been fascinated by dreams and their meanings. In January of 2023, I was sharing with a friend a dream I had trying to understand its message. She referred me to a Shaykh who is a dream interpreter. I started watching his videos on his YouTube Channel, in Arabic albeit, and found much comfort and guidance in them, tabarakAllah.

In Ramadan, he interpreted a dream about a woman who had seen the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), and the message in the dream stuck with me. I wanted to share the knowledge with English speakers but didn’t feel that my Arabic was strong enough to actually translate the entire 13-minute video.

For those who understand Arabic, please watch the video of Shaykh Abu Baraa as he interprets this incredible dream HERE. 

For those who cannot understand Arabic, this is my humble attempt at translating the video. Jazakum Allahu Khayrun for all those who helped me translate the dream.

With everything going on right now in Falasteen (Palestine), I really felt that this dream was significant and offered guidance, glad tidings, and lessons for the atrocities we are witnessing.

Please note that one of the minor signs of the Hour is that the dreams of a believer will come true as mentioned HERE on Islamqa.info 

Appearance of the minor signs of the Hour before the appearance of the Mahdi

The appearance of the minor portents of the Hour, of which there are many which will not appear in any specific order. These include: 

1. the sending of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his death; 
2. the plague of ‘Amwas; 
3. the appearance of tribulations;
4. the loss of honesty; 
5. the disappearance of knowledge; 
6. the spread of riba, 
7. musical instruments and alcohol; regarding these things as permissible; 
8. competition in erecting tall buildings; 
9. a great deal of killing; 
10. time passing more quickly; 
11. adornment of the mosques; 
12. prevalence of shirk; 
13. the spread of immorality; 
14. a great deal of stinginess; 
15. many earthquakes; 
16. landslides, 
17. transformations and pelting with stones from the heavens; 
18. the disappearance of righteous people; 
19. believers’ dreams coming true; 
20. neglect of the Sunnah; 
21. a great deal of lying; 
22. a great deal of false testimony; 
23. a great deal of sudden death; 
24. a great deal of rain but little growth of vegetation; 
25. wishing for death; 
26. increase in numbers of the “Romans” and fighting them; 
27. and other signs which are narrated in sahih ahadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).  

Here is the English translation of the video - Bismillah!

Shaykh Abu Baraa states “This ruya (dream) is a great vision. This ruya (dream) has a lesson and exhortation for everyone afflicted with their health. This vision contains advice and a message from our prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). And how wonderful is the vision when the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is seen in it!

An Egyptian woman says she saw our beloved prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) in a dream wearing the white Ihram garment and he said I will do Tawaf with you. His face was so beautiful, white with a pink hue, neither tall nor short, nor fat or thin but of medium structure. His hair was soft but not extremely straight. The black of his eyes was intensely black, and the white was intensely white. He was so beautiful that I cannot describe him accurately because of his beauty. 

I am indeed very ill and in my dream, I was complaining to the prophet (ﷺ) of my pain and agony. He asked me "Do you prefer to heal or to be patient and for you is Jannah?" I said I don't believe that you are really the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) because I don't deserve to see you because I am an ordinary woman. He said yes I am prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), Satan can not embody in me. Whoever saw me has indeed seen me.” 

Abu Baraa says “Subhanallah, this is also a hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim 

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

He who saw me in a dream in fact saw me, for the satan does not appear in my form. 

_{Sahih Muslim 2266a}

"She continued her vision: he (ﷺ) told me when you wake up you will be certain that you saw me. Then he took me to the Kaaba and we entered there, and I prayed in its 4 pillars. And I was still amazed and repeated "I don't deserve to see you. I am an ordinary person, I am an ordinary person". He told me you are good and pure but you have a little bit of a flaw, your remedy is to say la ilaha illAllah, and send plenty of salawat upon the prophet. Then he said 

سيحدث أمر جلل سيرجع المسلمين إلى دينهم ابلغي عني هذا.

A mighty and significant matter will take place that will return Muslims to their religion, convey this message on my behalf.

I asked her what is this mighty matter, she said the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) didn't mention it and the dream ended.

This woman is 52 years old and has 5 children. And as I said she is Egyptian. She said: when I woke up it was as if I had never been sick, and I did a second Umrah and I didn't get sick Alhamdulillah. Upon returning back to my country Egypt all my pain and illnesses returned."

Did I really see the prophet? Because I am an ordinary woman.

Sheikh Abu Baraa says he asked her about her ibadat (acts of worship) and she said “Alhamdulilah, I pray my fard prayers on time, I pray Qiyam with Surat Al Baqara, I read 2 juz every day and I try to memorize Quran however I have a characteristic that bothers me because it makes me weak in eyes of people, this characteristic is that I always forgive people that harm me and I find this strange. This vision I saw on the 5th day of Ramadan, 2023 (1444). I completed an Umrah at the end of Sha’ban and I completed an Umrah in Ramadan.”

Sheikh Abu Baraa proceeds to say:

“My interpretation of this dream is based on what’s apparent from it. It is a true vision because she was healed upon waking from the dream. He asked her what is your illness and did it return once again or was it completely cured?”

She replied that “When I returned my illness resurfaced. I suffer from cartilage pain, disc, sciatica, and stiff joints that make it difficult for me to walk without a cane and I’m unable to sleep due to the pain. While I was performing Umrah in Ramadan, it was as if I didn’t have any illness at all. When I returned to my country, the illness resurfaced once again.”

Shaykh Abu Baraa states “As for this vision, the dream is accurate in the description of the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), masha’Allah. The vision is a glad tiding of a good ending bi’ithnilLah, and a glad tiding bi’thnilLah that she is of the people of Jannah. And a glad tiding that she will see the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) in Jannah bi’ithnilLah - Wallahu ‘Alam (Allah knows best).

In her dream, the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) asked her "Do you prefer to be healed or be patient and attain Jannah?" This is the exact statement mentioned in the following hadith”

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَطَاءُ بْنُ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ، قَالَ قَالَ لِي ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ أَلاَ أُرِيكَ امْرَأَةً مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ قُلْتُ بَلَى‏.‏ قَالَ هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةُ السَّوْدَاءُ أَتَتِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ إِنِّي أُصْرَعُ، وَإِنِّي أَتَكَشَّفُ فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لِي‏.‏ قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنْ شِئْتِ صَبَرْتِ وَلَكِ الْجَنَّةُ وَإِنْ شِئْتِ دَعَوْتُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُعَافِيَكِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ أَصْبِرُ‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ إِنِّي أَتَكَشَّفُ فَادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ لاَ أَتَكَشَّفَ، فَدَعَا لَهَا‏.‏

Narrated 'Ata bin Abi Rabah: Ibn `Abbas said to me, "Shall I show you a woman of the people of Paradise?" I said, "Yes." He said, "This black lady came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, 'I get attacks of epilepsy and my body becomes uncovered; please invoke Allah for me.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to her), 'If you wish, be patient and you will have (enter) Paradise; and if you wish, I will invoke Allah to cure you.' She said, 'I will remain patient,' and added, 'but I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me that I may not become uncovered.' So he invoked Allah for her."

_{Sahih al-Bukhari 5652}

Sheikh Abu Baraa continues and states that he has hope that the same hadith applies to the woman based on the question she was asked in the dream. The scholars agree that anyone who is afflicted with an illness and is patient also falls under this hadith and will be granted Jannah for their patience.

Lessons from the Dream: Calamities

“Why did the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) give her a choice and not immediately make dua for her to heal? The prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) used to enjoin the sahaba to have patience with calamities reminding them of the shortness of this worldly life. When we look at the grand picture, the calamities we face diminish in size. Everyone will face hardship in this life and every hardship shall end. Nothing will remain except Allah SWT.

The one who is tested with their health and remains patient have glad tidings that their reward will be enormous with Allah SWT as mentioned in the following hadith”

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ الرَّازِيُّ، وَيُوسُفُ بْنُ مُوسَى الْقَطَّانُ الْبَغْدَادِيُّ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَغْرَاءَ أَبُو زُهَيْرٍ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ يَوَدُّ أَهْلُ الْعَافِيَةِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ حِينَ يُعْطَى أَهْلُ الْبَلاَءِ الثَّوَابَ لَوْ أَنَّ جُلُودَهُمْ كَانَتْ قُرِضَتْ فِي الدُّنْيَا بِالْمَقَارِيضِ ‏"‏ ‏‏

Jabir narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w) said: "On the Day of Judgement, when the people who were tried (in this world) are given their rewards, the people who were pardoned (in life), will wish that their skins had been cut off with scissors while they were in the world."

_{Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2402}

“This is a reminder that we should always be grateful for any good we are given as well as any hardship that we face. Alhamdulilah. We are instructed to always look at those whose calamities are even bigger than ours.

Any calamity that is not a calamity in our deen (religion) is bearable based on the dua of the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)”

“And do not test us with our Deen (religion)”

Lessons from the Dream: The Cure

Sheikh Abu Baraa then discusses the remedy that the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) gave her in the dream, instructing her to say: La Ilaha illallah and the salawat upon the prophet.

The prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:

لا إلهَ إلاّ اللّهُ وحْـدَهُ لا شَـريكَ لهُ، لهُ المُـلْكُ ولهُ الحَمْـد، وهُوَ على كُلّ شَيءٍ قَدير

Lā ilāha illallāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu ‘l-mulku walahu ‘l-ḥamd, wa huwa `alā kulli shay'in qadīr.

None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, Who has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise and He is Able to do all things. 

Allah will write ten Hasanaat (rewards) for whoever recites this ten times in the morning, forgive him ten misdeeds, give him the reward of freeing ten slaves, and protect him from Satan. Whoever recites this ten times in the evening will get this same reward. 

_{An-Nasa'i, 'Amalul-Yawm wal-Laylah (no. 24).} 

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Allah will write one hundred Hasanat for whoever says There is no God but Allah alone, He has no partner. To Allah is possession of everything, and to Him all praise is. He is Capable of all things" ten times in the morning, and forgive him one hundred misdeeds. He will have the reward of freeing a slave and will be protected from Satan throughout the day unto dusk. Whoever says it in the evening will have the same reward." 

_{Ahmad 8/704, 16/293.} 

Whoever recites this in the morning, will have the reward of freeing a slave from the Children of Isma'il. Ten Hasanaat (rewards) will be written for him, and he will be forgiven ten misdeeds, raised up ten degrees, and be protected from Satan until evening. Whoever says it in the evening will have the same reward until morning.

_{Abu Dawud 4/319, 3/957, Ahmad 4/ 60, Ibn Majah 2/331, Ibn Al-Qayyim Zadul-Ma'ad 2/388.}

Shaykh Abu Baraa states “This statement is well known as a remedy for hasad (envy), sihr (black magic), the harms of the devils, and as a remedy for many diseases. The cure is from Allah SWT just as the answering of our duas comes from Allah SWT alone.

Shaykh Abu Baraa states that he has received many dreams for interpretation and the consistent message in all these dreams was to recite this particular statement for healing. He advises anyone who is suffering from any illness to set a portion of time in their day to recite a large amount of this dua. His recommendation is to recite this dua in the 1000s. 2000, 3000 - pick a number you will commit to and remain consistent.”

Lessons from the Dream: The Benefits of Salawat

“In addition, we are advised to recite the Salawat upon the prophet just as the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) taught us that the Salawat removes harm and worry, has multiple rewards, attains forgives and meets one’s needs as described in the following hadith”

أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَىَّ صَلاَةً وَاحِدَةً صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَشْرَ صَلَوَاتٍ وَحُطَّتْ عَنْهُ عَشْرُ خَطِيئَاتٍ وَرُفِعَتْ لَهُ عَشْرُ دَرَجَاتٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Anas bin Malik said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever sends salah upon me once, Allah (SWT) will send salah upon him tenfold and will erase ten sins from him, and will raise him ten degrees in status."

_{Sunan an-Nasa'i 1297}

The Shaykh continues and says that those who sends the salawat in abundance will be resurrected with the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and will be nearest to him in Jannah.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، بُنْدَارٌ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ خَالِدِ ابْنُ عَثْمَةَ، حَدَّثَنِي مُوسَى بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الزَّمْعِيُّ، حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ كَيْسَانَ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ شَدَّادٍ، أَخْبَرَهُ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَكْثَرُهُمْ عَلَىَّ صَلاَةً ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ ‏.‏ وَرُوِيَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ ‏"‏ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَىَّ صَلاَةً صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ بِهَا عَشْرًا وَكَتَبَ لَهُ بِهَا عَشْرَ حَسَنَاتٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Abdullah bin Mas'ud narrated that: Allah's Messenger said: "The person closest to me on the Day of Judgement is the one who sent the most Salat upon me."

_{Jami` at-Tirmidhi 484}

“This is why one of the conditions of dua is to send Salawat at the beginning and the end of each dua because it will help the person attain forgiveness and fulfill his needs.”

Lessons from the Dream: The Warning

“With regards to the final statement in her dream where the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) stated:

سيحدث أمر جلل سيرجع المسلمين إلى دينهم ابلغي عني هذا.

A mighty and significant matter will take place that will return Muslims to their religion. Convey this message on my behalf.

We do not know what this mighty and significant matter is however we are obligated to fulfill the request of conveying this message from the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) in the dream.”

Shaykh Abu Baraa concludes “that dream interpretation is taken from the Quran and Sunnah and the purpose of dreams is to give glad tidings and warnings. We are not to ignore these true visions from Allah SWT as they are a form of wahi (revelation).

As for this mighty matter, we don’t know if it is coming soon or much later in the future. We don’t know if it is specific to Egypt or to the entire world. However, any matter that causes the Ummah to repent and rectify their affairs is a form of mercy from Allah SWT. Many incidents and events we have recently experienced have caused the ummah to increase in istighfaar (repentance) and increase in good deeds such as the Coronavirus, the major earthquake in Turkey earlier this year, and other calamities in Syria, Yemen, and so on.”

He says “note that despite the devastation of these major calamities that the world endured, they were a Mercy from Allah SWT as a means of returning people to their deen.”

Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] (may Allah have mercy on him) said: A calamity that makes you turn to Allah is better for you than a blessing which makes you forget the remembrance of Allah.

And we will surely let them taste the nearer punishment short of the greater punishment that perhaps they will repent. 

^{Surat Al Sajdah, 32}

“It is incumbent on the Muslims to remember constantly that we are returning to Allah SWT hence why we say Inna liLlahi wa inna ilahi rajioon. This statement is meant to diminish the harm and sadness we experience in this life and strengthen our eman (faith), and certainty, and our ability to face calamities with steadfastness and determination so that we do not grieve over losses nor are we disabled by what we encounter. We will live in this life dignified, die grateful, and will be in eternal happiness after our death.

This dream is not a cause for worry or confusion, nor for waswasa (anxiety) or delusion. We know that it is the Sunnah of Allah SWT to test his servants so that we return in obedience and repentance to Him.”

Lessons from the Dream: The Reminder

“Dreams are a means of warnings and glad tidings. We neither exalt them above their status nor do we neglect their purpose and wisdom. Islam is a religion of balance.

This woman deserved to see the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) in her dream due to her purity and goodness. The virtuous (pure and good) people are the people of Jannah. Allah SWT describes them in the Quran

ٱلَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّىٰهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ طَيِّبِينَ ۙ يَقُولُونَ سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ 

those whose souls the angels take while they are virtuous, saying ˹to them˺, “Peace be upon you! Enter Paradise for what you used to do.”

_{Surat An-Nahl, 32}

The purity of the heart and goodness of the heart and more importantly is that the heart is devoid of everything except Allah SWT.”

حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، حَدَّثَنَا كَثِيرُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ بُرْقَانَ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ، الأَصَمِّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Verily Allah does not look to your faces and your wealth but He looks to your heart and to your deeds.

_{Sahih Muslim 2564c}

The purity of the nafs is that the nafs is free of reprehensible qualities such as hasad (envy), miserliness, grudges, arrogance, and so on.”

حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ حَمْزَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ وَاقِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُغِيثُ بْنُ سُمَىٍّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ قِيلَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ ‏"‏ كُلُّ مَخْمُومِ الْقَلْبِ صَدُوقِ اللِّسَانِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا صَدُوقُ اللِّسَانِ نَعْرِفُهُ فَمَا مَخْمُومُ الْقَلْبِ قَالَ ‏"‏ هُوَ التَّقِيُّ النَّقِيُّ لاَ إِثْمَ فِيهِ وَلاَ بَغْىَ وَلاَ غِلَّ وَلاَ حَسَدَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr said: “It was said to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): ‘Which of the people is best?’ He said: ‘Everyone who is pure of heart and sincere in speech.’ They said: ‘Sincere in speech, we know what this is, but what is pure of heart?’ He said: ‘It is (the heart) that is pious and pure, with no sin, injustice, rancor or envy in it.’”

_{Sunan Ibn Majah 4216}

“The sister who saw this dream should be thankful to Allah SWT for blessing her with such beautiful qualities and should be careful about mixing with women with vile tongues.”

Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu