Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
Why might a person stop dreaming? I struggled with depression for a few years, and I didn’t dream during that time. Years later, I dream often; they’re very vivid, and I remember them. Sometimes I dreamt about something that happened later. This has happened three times. My family members often have dreams that come to pass in real life. They are also very spiritual and focus on God and improving their character. Is there any correlation between mental health and dreaming? Do spiritual people dream more?
Answer
There can be a relationship between the spirituality of a person and their frequency of dreams, but not necessarily.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “When the end of time draws near, hardly any believer will see a false dream, and the ones who see the truest dreams will be the ones who are truest in speech. And the dream of the believer is one of the forty-six parts of prophecy.’” [Ibn Majah]
Please see this link to understand this concept:
‘True’ Dreams Are 1/46 of Prophecy
I cannot tell you what might stop a person from dreaming and why he might start dreaming, but his mental state may be a factor. Seeing the Prophet in a dream in this world is possible and strived toward by many. I believe that if you are a person who dreams much, you should take all the steps that others have taken to facilitate seeing the Prophet in a dream. That would be a truly remarkable and inspiring gift.
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani elucidates what steps to take to see the Prophet in a dream, by the grace of Allah Most High:
How Do I See Prophet Muhammad in My Dreams?
In short:
- Nurture longing for the Prophet, stir and fuel your love of him by reading about him and his Prophetic character,
- Commit to following him in your life by learning and applying what he did,
- Send abundant blessings on the Prophet, starting with 300 a day. The Prophet said, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “The closest of people to me on the Day of Resurrection are those who sent the most blessings upon me.” [Tirmidhi] Dalail khayrat is also an excellent resource for blessing the Prophet. It contains eight chapters to be read each day of the week, reserving two chapters to read on Friday.
- Keep the company of people who tremble out of love for the Prophet and regularly connect with those who exhibit prophetic character.
However, instead of focusing on your dreams becoming true, you should focus on improving yourself and gaining closeness to Allah, as your family rightly does. Don’t let anything sway you from this path, and never put yourself above others, imagining yourself superior. May Allah always give you the best and protect your health and faith.
Here are some details:
Bad Dreams and What They Mean
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria for two years where she studied aqida, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.