Can we keep a dream journal and do you interpret dreams in Islam?

Wa alaikum Salam wa ramatullahi wabarakatuhu.

From the light of the Qur’an and Sunnah, we can conclude the importance and significance of dreams in Islam. It was through dreams that revelation to Rasoolullah Sallahu alaihi wasallam commenced. We also see that Prophets such as Ibraheem and Yusuf Alaihimussalaam received instructions from Allah through dreams. Yusuf alayhissalaam was gifted by Allah in interpreting dreams.

Many narrations highlight the fact that a believers dreams are significant and important. One narration states that the dream of a believer is one out of 46 parts of prophethood (this doesn’t mean one becomes a Prophet by dreaming). Rasoolullah Salllallahu alaihi wasallam is reported to have said that closer to the time (judgement), the dreams of the believers will become manifest more and more. From these narrations, the importance of dreams may be concluded.

There are a few things that must be taken into light. Firstly, although dreams have some significance, in no way does this allow a person to start making judgements, justify or legislate on the basis of it. The dream of anybody other than Prophets of Allah cannot be considered a Shar’ee Daleel (Legal evidence) for any Islamic ruling.

Secondly, althogh the importance is in its place, a person shouldn’t waste his time making journals of the dreams he has viewed. If it is an important dream then he may ask a professional learned Scholar who is equipped with the necessary requirements to issue interpretations on dreams. But to individually read books on the issue of interpretations, combined with ones own analogy can be very dangerous. It’s best left with the learned ones because interpretations can vary from person to person and time and place. It’s not necessary that if one person views something in his dream of which the outcome was good, then a similar dream would be fruitful for you.

After all, some people view dreams every night. If we all started to make journals of our deams then the more important paths of deen would be left out. A dream is usually made up of all the thoughts that gathered in a persons mind throughout the day, or something he was constantly worried of or thinking of.

If you feel a dream is significant enough then do ask a Scholar, otherwise refrain from doing so.

I personally do not have the necessary requirements to interpret dreams. I cannot speak on behalf of the Ulamaa on this board. There are three Scholars who I know of, that can interpret dreams, two are in London, and the other in Lancashire. The two in London are, Mufti Umar Farooq Sahib and Muft Ismail Patel Sahib (both of Clapton, and both my teachers). The Scholar in Lancashire is, Hadhrat Maulana Yusuf Mutala Sahib.

Allah knows best.

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Mufti Yaseen Shaikh