Seeing the Creator

Al-Hanbali mentioned something similar about seeing the Creator in a dream. He said: A number of scholars denied that seeing the Creator in a dream is possible, and they said that this is no more than whispers from Satan or confusion that has no meaning. He said: But denying that is not proper, because we believe that what the dreamer sees in that regard reflects the deeds of the dreamer, and there is no reason to object with regard to what he sees or what he thought he most likely saw. Rather we say to him that Allah is the judge with regard to the dreamer, so He will grant him of good or bad what befits the dreamer when he sees the dream. If he sees Him with good attributes, then it is a good dream, otherwise it is false. Some scholars of this branch of knowledge said: If a person sees Allah with his heart [not as a physical being] as great, and He brought him close to Him, and honored him and forgave him, or brought him to account but concealed him, and he did not see Him in a physical sense, then he will meet Allah like that on the Day of Resurrection. He said: If he sees a (physical) likeness and it was said to him, This is your God, or he thought that this was his God and worshipped him or prostrated to him, then he is a man who is striving in falsehood and thinking that he is following the truth. This is the dream of someone who fabricates lies against Allah, may He be exalted. He stated clearly that if a person sees a physical likeness, it means that he is striving in falsehood, the reason being that Allah, may He be exalted, has no physical likeness. What we mentioned above may be refuted by noting that when we see likeness, we do not mean His Essence, rather it is in a way that is likeness in name, such as Knower, Sovereign and Judge, according to the view of al-Hanbali. Our Shaykh, Shihaab-ud-Deen al-'Iraqi, said: Seeing the Creator (in a dream) is possible, and may occur in three forms: 1. Seeing Him in the way indicated by reason and reports, with perfection of attributes and being free of any physical attributes and the like. This is possible in this world and we are certain that it will happen in the Hereafter for the believers, but if a sinner or a person who is falling short claims that, then it is to be rejected, but if he is one of the pious then we believe him and accept what he is saying. The Words of Allah, "No vision can grasp Him" [al-An'aam 6:103], are general in meaning though they may be subject to exceptions. If we accept the view of some 'Awliya' with regard to extraordinary things that are miracles, how can we not accept it when it comes to making specific something that is general? 2. Seeing Him in the form of a man, and it is understood that He has manifested Himself to him in that image, and he is certain that that image is a creation. This image is possible. 3. Seeing Him in a physical image and believing that this is Allah in a true sense, and it never occurs to him in his dream that this is no more than an image. It is possible that this could be true and the mistake is only because of the dreamer, or it may be from Satan who makes him imagine that in order to mislead him. What I think is that it depends on the one who has attributes indicated by the names of Allah or is characterized by some of the attributes of Allah, as some of the scholars said concerning the words of the Prophet (Peace be upon him), "Allah has ninety-nine names; whoever memorizes them will enter Paradise." He said: What is meant by memorizing is acquiring those characteristics. One of the Imams said: If a man dreams that he is standing before Allah and He, may He be glorified, is looking at him, then if the dreamer is one of the righteous then he has to be careful, because Allah says: "The Day when (all) mankind will stand before the Lord of the 'Aalameen (mankind, Jinn and all that exists)."[al-Mutaffifeen 83:6] i.e. because he does not know why He is looking at him. If he dreams that He is conversing with him, then he will be honored by being brought closer to Him and people will like him, because Allah says: "And made him draw near to Us for a talk with him."[Maryam 19:52] And if he sees himself prostrating before Him, the dream has a similar meaning, because Allah says: " Fall prostrate and draw near to Allah." [al - 'Alaq 96:19] If he dreams that Allah speaks to him from behind a screen, then his religious commitment will get better and he will fulfil his trust if anyone has entrusted something to him, and his authority will increase. If he dreams that Allah spoke to him without a screen, then he will fall into error regarding his religious commitment, because Allah says: " It is not given to any human being that Allah should speak to him unless (it be) by Revelation, or from behind a veil."[al - Shoora 42:51] This opinion is attested to by what al - Hanbali said, that the interpreta tion depends on what the dreamer does in the dream. If he dreams that Allah promises him forgiveness, the promise is true, because Allah does not break His promises, but He will inflict some calamity in his physical well - being or livelihood so long as he i s alive. This is what was said. The reason why the interpretation is like this is that if Allah decrees a high level for a man and he cannot attain it by means of his deeds, then Allah will inflict calamities upon him. Because the mere promise of Allah f or forgiveness indicates that he is going to reach a high level, therefore He sends calamity upon him in order that he may attain that high level. When I was in Qafsah, I would sit for a while to teach the people Fiqh, and I allocated some time for dream i nterpretation and to read books of exhortation. The Imam of the mosque was a good helper to me in doing good. There came to us a man who was one of those who prayed Qiyaam al - Layl, and he said: I saw the Prophet (Peace be upon him) in my dream and he told me: Go to so - and - so, and so - and - so, and greet them with salaam and tell them: May Allah reward you with good for what you have done in the mosque. I said to the Imam: If he is telling the truth about his dream, there must be a calamity that will befall us. As for me, a wall fell on me and broke my right leg, and as for my companion, he went blind and lost his wealth, then he died. They said: if he dreams that Allah clothed him then this means worry and sickness as long as he lives, from which will result gr eat reward. A man said to Ibn Sireen: I dreamt that Allah gave me two garments and I put them on. He said to him: Prepare for calamity. And he caught leprosy. He said: If he dreams that Allah has given him something of worldly convenience, then he does not deserve His mercy. But in my view this is questionable. How can he not be deserving of mercy because of what he was given, when Allah is the One Who grants things in this world and in the Hereafter. But perhaps he saw something in the dream to indicate that. In the Hadeeth it says that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said to 'Uthmaan (May Allah be please with him): "Allah will clothe you in a shirt that you will be able to take off, but do not take it off." What he was referring to was the caliphate. "Abd al-Rahmaan ibn al-Qata said that he dreamt that he put on a garment that came down from heaven, and he was appointed as a judge. It seems to me that it has to do with the situation of the dreamer. If someone who is qualified to be a judge, Khateeb or Imam dreams that Allah clothes him in a good garment, then it should be said that he will be appointed to the position that befits him, but if he is an ascetic or one who does not care about worldly gain, then it may be what they mention (i.e., calamity). One of them said: If he sees light (in his dream) and he is not sure about it and cannot describe it, he will not be deprived of what he possesses as long as he lives. What is meant is that he will be honored in such a way that he will turn away from the pleas ures of this world, and that means sickness. He said: If Allah, calls him by his name or by another name that is better than his name, he will become prominent and prevail over his enemies, meaning his human enemies. If he dreams that Allah is angry with h im, this indicates that his parents are angry with him, because it is narrated that the pleasure of Allah, may He be exalted, is connected to the pleasure of one's parents, and His anger is connected to the discontent of one's parents. And it was said: who ever dreams that Allah, may He be exalted, is angry with him will fall from a high place, because Allah says: " And he on whom My Anger descends, he is indeed perished." [Ta - Ha 20:81] By the same token, if a person dreams that he falls from heaven or fr om a high place, that indicates that Allah, is angry with him. This interpretation is indicative of the soundness of al - Hanbali's view that the interpretation depends on the deeds of the dreamer. The basic principle is that whoever sees the Creator one of the angels, Prophets &, Companions, Siddeeqs, or the righteous in a good image, and he brings him close to him or he speaks to him and promises him something good, then this is glad tidings of a rise in status. And if he is one of those who are qualified t o be in authority, then he will gain a position of authority that befits him, such as becoming a judge, teacher, Khateeb, Imam, or supervisor of the marketplace, or he may get closer to kings or people in authority, or he may get something good from one wh o has authority over him, such as his father or master. If he is a disbeliever he will become Muslim, or if he is a sinner he will repent, or if he is sick he will die, or perhaps he will go for Hajj. As for the one who sees them in a negative way, or he d reams that they threaten him or turn away from him, this indicates that one who is in authority over him will become angry with him, such as the ruler, governor, father, teacher or master, or he may change his religion. If he dreams that the Creator , comes to a specific place or manifests Himself in good attributes that is indicative of doom for the wrongdoers and victory for those who are wronged, of death of sick people, and of destruction of that place, because Allah says: "So when his Lord appeared to the mountain,He made it collapse to dust, and Moosa (Moses) fell down unconscious." [Al-A'raaf 7:143] And it indicates the death of sick people because His coming signals the coming of His Messenger, namely the Angel of death, or it signals the sick person falling unconscious, because when the sick person falls unconscious he usually dies. Or Allah's coming to the place may signal the coming of a person who, when one looks at him one is reminded of Allah, such as scholars and prominent figures.