The Chosen Candidate

"Sometimes, there will be a lot of things that we never had envisage. Even how hard it is, as long it has been determined to us, we have to go through it. Insha-Allah, there will be a way out either it fast or slowly. What is the most essential is, we have to prepare ourselves."

Foremost, I’m apology for the ‘miss-written’ title, probably not very related with this main topic in term to make it catchy. Actually, I tend to dwell something quite different. Something is very complicated to be understood, and not many people talk about it even everyone has been go through it. However, it can’t take as easy nor sought with one eye (not illuminati). It has its own value, especially in Islam view. Here, I would like to share about ‘ a dream’. No worry, this entries not using academic style even its written in English, and I has simplify the wording as well as can, in order to make it easier to understand. Keenly, it can give something knowledge to the readers.

….

Have we dream something special? 

Or meet someone is very special?

Or going somewhere very lovely places?

Frequently, sometimes, or rare?

Is our dream sometimes come true?

And sometime it nothing to be concern..

…

Whatever it is, a dream could be justify as ‘games of a sleep’ for normal person like us. But sometimes dream has its own interpretations and justification that related with real life, especially for some dream that has been ‘setup’ with the spiritual practices. Within Islamic perspective, dream is not something unnecessary to be stress, nor something very necessary because it’s depend of what type of the dream is and what is the person condition.

Obviously, dream of the chosen peoples especially the Prophets, has determined as one of divine revelation, in order to deliver some command. As written in the Quran, there are a lot of story related, such as dream of Prophet Ibrahim a.s that he had slaughtered his own Son, Ismail a.s. As Allah said:

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْيَ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ  

“Then, when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him, he said: "O my son! I see in vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: Now see what is thy view!" (The son) said: "O my father! Do as thou art commanded…"  (QS As-Saafat 37:102)

Also a dream of Prophet Yusuf a.s that he saw eleven stars and sun and the moon prostrate to him. Allah has marks this story in the Holy Quran:

إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَا أَبَتِ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِي سَاجِدِينَ 

Behold! Joseph (Yusuf) said to his father: "O my father! I did see eleven stars and the sun and the moon: I saw them prostrate themselves to me!" (QS Yusuf 12:4)

Besides, our beloved prophet Muhammad s.a.w also had a dream such as a vision for Fath al-Makkah. However, the opening of Mecca has been actualize on the next year, not in the same year that he had the dream. This event, has gave a lot of lesson for Muslims in order to do each of His command sincerely. Thus Allah stress:

إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُّبِينًا

“Verily We have granted thee a manifest Victory” (QS al-Fath 48:1)

When something has mention in Quran, it’s shown, that thing is very essential to be remark. Hence, Islam has its own perspective about dream exegeses. There is some of prominent Muslim Scholar like Ibn Sirrin al-Bisri (d. 110) emphasis on dream exegeses within his distinguished treatise called Tafsir al-Ahlam. Nevertheless, there are some argument about the authorities of this book, either it’s written by Ibn Sirrin, or another person but claimed as his work. Besides, there are some of the narrative in the book seems contradict with concept of Islamic theology, such a man could see Allah in his dream. What I want to stress here is, sometimes, a dream actually could influence someone life. Even before, we always heard that someone can change drastically from bad person being a good person after dream something, probably the guidance came in that way.

Dream Between Good and Bad

Islam has differentiate between the term of ‘al-hulum’ and ‘al-ru’ya’. Both of these word, refer to ‘dream’ but each of them has different connotation. Al-hulum basically refers to normal dream as well as normal person. It could be true, vice versa. Meanwhile the ‘al-ru’ya’ refers to a way of the revelations among the prophets.

In terms of our condition, it was a bestowed if we had dream about the messenger Muhammad s.a.w. In fact, those who are dream about the prophet s.a.w, as narrated in Hadis regards meet him in the real life. This phenomenon had being through with many of Islamic Movement Scholars especially those who has committed themselves as a prophets piousness. Sometimes, the prophet come to their dream to give some guidance, sometime on their half awake. There are also a dream about the prophet’s household, the companion, tabi’in, tabi’ tabi’in, syuhada’, Ulama’, and so on that regards as a good dream. Once we have a kind of those dreams, we will never forget it for entire of our life.

Between the life experience and heterodox

Ironically in Malay ancestors tradition, there a lot of dream interpretation, sometimes it is very significant based on their life experiences, nor the ridiculous thing. For example, those who had dream bitten by a snake means that they will get married soon (If possible, please ask you parents if they had this kind of dream before they get married). But sometimes the dream of bitten by a snake shown that we have be a victim of black magic (waiyyazubillah), besides  a dream receiving an infant shown we receive ‘something’ (read: saka), or dreaming about blood and so on. Those things has been discussed in Islamic Medical Studies. 

Another thing that has justify as a good dream is, dreaming about performing Hajj, reciting Quran, visiting beautiful places such as paradise, and so on. Islamic tradition teach us, if we have such a nice dream, it is better to be sharing with other person, keenly it will be actualize one day, as part of our prays. Vice versa the bad dream or nightmare should be tell nobody, expect it’s is essentials and need for some interpretation -  related to mystical problem.

Illusion or Real Vision

Have we had a dream, then it became real one day? I believe, some people have this experience. When doing something on the real life, it just feel that, “why this situation is quite familiar with me?”, “Am I when to this place?”, “Have we met before?”. As a part of my experiences, I had a dream going to some place that very significant with green environment. I driving that time through the highway. This dream I have two year ago and I just realize it when I’m on my way to some conferences at UUM in this year. Perhaps, my soul has ‘survey’ this place first before I go in the real life. That’s why I have mention before, this thing sometimes is very complicated to comprehend.

Another experience I heard is about the widow of Islamic Movement Scholar in our country. She said, “I never miss my husband since he die, for many years ago.” This scholar is well-known for spend of his life, energy, material for Islam and Ummah. Even a time for his  wife can be count with finger, to show his sacrifice. When people ask her the reason, she said, “Why I have to miss with somebody that always appear in my dream every night?” Another experience I heard is, someone had a dream of met his friend with smiling face, wearing beautiful clothes. When he awake from the sleep, he is realize that his friend just got martyr in jihad fisabilillah. For me, it is not an unacceptable thing, because once who have selected by Allah as righteous servant, furthermore the martyrs, they deserve to get this type of special place. As He remind to us:

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا ۚ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ

“Think not of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord” (QS Ali ‘Imran 3:169)

Nevertheless, some of people argue (especially among western physiologists), its happen because of thinking too much until it drag into the dream. Some of them criticize it. Whatever it is, I would like to emphasis, particularly a dream can’t be approved as authentic resources in term to define something. That is the position for ordinary person and has been discussed by many Muslim Scholars, even Hasan al-Banna has mention in his Usul ‘Isyrin. However, for certain issues and some reasons, it can be approved as a hint nor a vision, especially when a person had a pray for some guidance (istikharah), and following Prophets sunah when he want to sleep. Then will I let your knowledge and experience to judge it..

 “verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest”

faizassyirazi | Winter 2013