Salam, I am doing Istikhara for the purpose of marriage. On the first night I could not sleep. Eventually I fell into a disturbed sleep, woke up confused and after a short while, I fell asleep again and had a dream. In my dreams I am in my bed and I wake up. My vision is blurry and stays like that throughout the dream. I try to shout to my sister but nothing comes out, as I keep trying I start shouting, 'Sister, I’m dying call an ambulance. I'm serious, I’m dying', She gets out of bed sleepy and then I wake up. I do taawuz three times over left shoulder and go to sleep. I have two questions:

1) Is this dream part of Istikhara or just my insecurities?

2) I am continuing my Istikhara but what does the dream mean?

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.

Answer

If it is a good dream then it is from Allah (SWA); the dreamer should thank Him and may tell others of the dream.  If it is a bad dream, one should seek refuge from Allah (SWA) and should not tell anyone of the dream.

Saaiduna Abu Saaed ul-Khudri Radiallahu Anhu narrates that he heard the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam say ‘When someone amongst you sees a good and pleasing dream, he should know that it is from Allah, and so he should praise and thank Allah, and describe to others what he saw in his dream.  But if he sees something that he dislikes then it is from Shaitan, so he should seek refuge from Allah (SWA) from its evil and should not mention it to anyone’.  (Sahih Bukhari p.1034 v.2)

The following ahadith have been taken from Imam Nawawi’s Riyadhus Saliheen with regards to seeing a bad or scary dream.

Saaiduna Abu Qatadah Radiallahu Anhu reports that the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam has said, "A good vision (dream) is from Allah and a bad dream is from the Satan. He who sees something in a dream that he dislikes, should blow thrice on his left, must seek Allah's Refuge from the evil of the Satan (i.e., by saying: A`udhu billahi minash-Shaitanir-Rajim). Then it will not harm him.'' (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

Saaiduna Jabir Radialahu Anhu reports that the Prophet of Allah (PBUH) said, "When one of you sees a bad dream let him blow three times on his left, seek refuge in Allah from the Satan three times (i.e., by saying: A`udhu billahi minash-Shaitanir-Rajim) and change the side on which he was lying.'' (Sahih Muslim) (Extracted from Riyadhus Saliheen p.245)

From the aforementioned ahadith we can conclude that scary dreams and nightmares are from Shaitan and they have no meanings. One should not tell anyone of the scary dream and as mentioned in the hadith blow three times on his left, seek refuge in Allah from the Satan three times (i.e. by saying A`udhu billahi minash-Shaitanir-Rajim) and change the side on which he had been lying.

With regards to your question, a bad dream is from Shaitan and is not connected with the Istikharah.  Furthermore, it is not necessary to see a dream after doing Istikharah. After performing istikarah the person will (Insha Allah) get guidance from Allah and be inclined towards what is right. It is not necessary that it is seen in a dream or even as a vision while awake. The individual will just feel what is right and should then go on to do the task or make the decision.

Only Allah Knows Best

Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham