Short answer: the Prophet ﷺ taught that dreams are of three kinds: a good dream, which is good news from Allah; a bad or frightening dream, which is from Shaytan; and a dream that comes from your own thoughts and worries. After a good dream, thank Allah and tell only someone you love. After a bad dream, spit lightly to your left three times, seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan three times, turn over onto your other side, and do not tell anyone; it will not harm you. Interpretations of dream symbols, such as snakes, water or teeth, come from scholars' experience, not from revelation.
الرُّؤْيَا ثَلَاثَةٌ: فَرُؤْيَا الصَّالِحَةِ بُشْرَى مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَرُؤْيَا تَحْزِينٍ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ، وَرُؤْيَا مِمَّا يُحَدِّثُ الْمَرْءُ نَفْسَهُ
Dreams are of three kinds: a good dream, which is good news from Allah; a dream that causes sadness, which is from Shaytan; and a dream from what a person tells himself.
Sahih Muslim 2263 · narrated by Abu Hurayrah · sahih
The three kinds of dream
| Kind | Arabic | Where it comes from | What it is like |
|---|---|---|---|
| A true, good dream | Ru'ya salihah | Allah | Clear, peaceful, often hopeful; you wake feeling calm or happy. |
| A bad dream | Hulm | Shaytan | Frightening, sad or disturbing; meant to upset you. |
| A dream of the mind | Hadith an-nafs | Your own thoughts | A replay of what you were thinking about, worried about or busy with. It has no special meaning. |
The Prophet ﷺ said a good dream is "one of the forty-six parts of prophethood" (Sahih al-Bukhari; Sahih Muslim). Scholars explain this does not make the dreamer a prophet. It means a true dream is a small glimpse of the unseen, of the kind that prophets received in full. Revelation to the Prophet ﷺ himself began with true dreams that "came like the light of dawn" (Sahih al-Bukhari 3). He also said that near the end of time a believer's dream will rarely be false (Sahih Muslim 2263).
What to do after a good dream
- Thank Allah, say Alhamdulillah, because it is from Him.
- Feel hopeful: it is good news.
- Tell only someone you love, or a person of knowledge and good sense, not everyone (Sahih Muslim 2261). Some people react with envy or with a bad interpretation.
What to do after a bad dream or nightmare
إِذَا رَأَى أَحَدُكُمُ الرُّؤْيَا يَكْرَهُهَا فَلْيَبْصُقْ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ ثَلَاثًا، وَلْيَسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ ثَلَاثًا، وَلْيَتَحَوَّلْ عَنْ جَنْبِهِ الَّذِي كَانَ عَلَيْهِ
If one of you sees a dream that he dislikes, let him spit (lightly) to his left three times, seek refuge with Allah from Shaytan three times, and turn over from the side he was lying on.
Sahih Muslim 2262 · narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah · sahih
Putting together the sahih hadith on this:
- Spit lightly to your left three times. This is a dry puff of breath with a little moisture, not real spitting.
- Seek refuge in Allah three times: a'udhu billahi minash-shaytanir-rajim, "I seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, the accursed", and from the evil of the dream. See a'udhu billah.
- Turn over onto your other side.
- Get up and pray two rak'ahs if you wish (Sahih Muslim 2263).
- Do not tell anyone about it, and do not try to interpret it. The Prophet ﷺ promised: "it will not harm him" (Sahih al-Bukhari; Sahih Muslim 2261, from Abu Qatadah).
Bad dreams are not a sign that Allah is angry with you. They are Shaytan's attempt to frighten and sadden a believer, and the remedy above takes away their power.
Protecting your sleep
- Sleep in wudu if you can, and on your right side.
- Recite Ayat al-Kursi before sleeping. A guardian from Allah stays with you and Shaytan does not come near you until morning (Sahih al-Bukhari 5010).
- Recite Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas, blow into your hands and wipe them over your body, three times, as the Prophet ﷺ did every night (Sahih al-Bukhari 5017).
- Say the dua before sleeping.
Seeing the Prophet ﷺ in a dream
مَنْ رَآنِي فِي الْمَنَامِ فَقَدْ رَآنِي، فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَا يَتَمَثَّلُ فِي صُورَتِي
Whoever sees me in a dream has truly seen me, for Shaytan cannot take my form.
Sahih al-Bukhari 110; Sahih Muslim 2266 · narrated by Abu Hurayrah · sahih
Many scholars, such as Ibn Sirin, said this applies when he is seen in his known description, as reported in the hadith books. Seeing him is a blessing. But a dream, even of the Prophet ﷺ, cannot change anything in the religion: if someone claims he was told in a dream to do something against the Quran and Sunnah, the dream is not followed.
Dreams in the Quran
The Quran tells of true dreams seen by prophets and by others:
إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّى رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًۭا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِى سَٰجِدِينَ ﴿٤﴾
Iz qaala Yoosufu li abeehi yaaa abati innee ra aytu ahada 'ashara kawkabanw wash shamsa walqamara ra aytuhum lee saajideen
[Of these stories mention] when Joseph said to his father, "O my father, indeed I have seen [in a dream] eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me."
Quran 12:4 · Sahih International · Read Surah Yusuf
Yusuf's dream came true many years later, when his parents and eleven brothers bowed before him in Egypt (12:100). In prison he interpreted the dreams of two fellow prisoners, and then the king's dream of seven fat cows eaten by seven lean ones, which he explained as seven years of plenty followed by seven of famine (12:43-49). Read the whole story in Surah Yusuf.
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ ٱلسَّعْىَ قَالَ يَٰبُنَىَّ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰ فِى ٱلْمَنَامِ أَنِّىٓ أَذْبَحُكَ فَٱنظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ ۚ قَالَ يَٰٓأَبَتِ ٱفْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ ۖ سَتَجِدُنِىٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ﴿١٠٢﴾
Falamma balagha ma'a hus sa'ya qaala yaa buniya inneee araa fil manaami anneee azbahuka fanzur maazaa taraa; qaala yaaa abatif 'al maa tu'maru satajidunee in shaaa'allaahu minas saabireen
And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, "O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think." He said, "O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast."
Quran 37:102 · Sahih International · Read Surah As-Saffat
For prophets, dreams are revelation, which is why Ibrahim acted on his. For everyone else, scholars agree that a dream is never a source of law and never overrides the Quran and Sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ also saw in a dream that the Muslims would enter Makkah in safety, and it came true (48:27).
Interpreting dreams
- Only good dreams are interpreted. Bad dreams are left alone, and dreams of the mind have no meaning.
- Ask someone with knowledge and good intention. "A dream is on the leg of a bird as long as it is not interpreted; when it is interpreted, it falls" (Sunan Abi Dawud 5020; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2278, graded sahih by later scholars). Scholars explain this as a reason to choose your interpreter carefully.
- Never invent a dream. "Whoever claims to have seen a dream he did not see will be made to tie two grains of barley together" on the Day of Judgement, which he can never do (Sahih al-Bukhari 7042).
- Be careful with dream dictionaries. The most famous Islamic dream book is attributed to Muhammad ibn Sirin (died 110 AH), a student of the Companions known for interpreting dreams. Scholars say the attribution of that book to him is not established, and even sound interpretations depend on the dreamer and their situation.
Common dream symbols
Please read this first: only the first two rows come from the Prophet ﷺ himself. The rest are interpretations from classical dream scholars, based on experience and on the meanings of words in the Quran and Arabic. They are not revelation, and the same symbol can mean different things for different people.
| Symbol | Interpretation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Drinking milk | Knowledge | The Prophet ﷺ (Sahih al-Bukhari 82) |
| Wearing a shirt or covering clothes | Religion: the longer it covers, the stronger the faith | The Prophet ﷺ (Sahih al-Bukhari 23) |
| A snake | An enemy, often a hidden one. Killing it, or escaping it, means being saved from his harm; being bitten, harm from him. | Classical interpreters |
| Clear water or rain | Mercy, provision or knowledge. Murky water, worry or trouble. | Classical interpreters |
| Teeth falling out | Often linked to family members or to long life. Not a sign of death. | Classical interpreters |
| Flying | Travel, or a rise in standing | Classical interpreters |
| A dead person who looks happy or well | A good sign for them | Classical interpreters |
| The Kaaba or Makkah | Religion and guidance, sometimes a coming Hajj or Umrah | Classical interpreters |
| Being chased or falling | Usually a dream of the mind, from stress or worry | Contemporary scholars |
If a dream frightens you, do not look it up: follow the steps for a bad dream and move on. If you see something good, thank Allah and ask a trusted scholar if you want to know more.
Wet dreams and ghusl
A wet dream is a natural thing and not a sin. When Umm Sulaym asked whether a woman needs a bath if she has one, the Prophet ﷺ said: "Yes, if she sees the fluid" (Sahih al-Bukhari 282). It does not break the fast in Ramadan, by agreement of the schools. Whether ghusl is needed depends on what you find on waking:
If you wake and find wetness that is, or may be, mani (sexual fluid), ghusl is required, whether or not you remember a dream. If you remember a dream but find no wetness at all, no ghusl is needed. A report from Aishah in Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi says the same, though its chain has some weakness. See how to do ghusl.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Ghusl is required when you are sure the fluid is mani. If you cannot tell whether it is mani or madhy, you may choose which to treat it as and act on that.
- Maliki
- Ghusl is required when mani is found. In cases of doubt, many Malikis take the cautious view of making ghusl.
- Hanbali
- Ghusl is required when mani is found. If you are unsure and do not remember a dream, many Hanbalis say only washing the spot and wudu are needed.
Learn the steps in how to do ghusl.
Do you need a dream after istikhara?
No. Many people expect a dream after the istikhara prayer, but nothing in the hadith says the answer comes in a dream. Scholars say: pray istikhara, consult people you trust, then go ahead with what you are inclined to and what Allah makes easy. A dream may come and may help, but you do not wait for one.
FAQ
What does it mean to see a snake in a dream in Islam?
Classical dream interpreters said a snake usually stands for an enemy, often a hidden one: killing it or escaping it means safety from his harm. This is scholars' interpretation, not revelation. If the dream frightened you, treat it as a bad dream: seek refuge in Allah, spit lightly to your left three times and do not tell anyone.
Can dreams come true in Islam?
Yes. A good dream can be a true glimpse from Allah, as with the dreams of Yusuf and of the Prophet ﷺ in the Quran. But dreams of ordinary people are not certain and are never a source of religious rulings.
Should I tell people about my dream?
Tell a good dream only to someone you love or a person of knowledge. Do not tell anyone about a bad dream; follow the steps from the Sunnah and it will not harm you.
What does it mean to see the Prophet ﷺ in a dream?
The Prophet ﷺ said whoever sees him in a dream has truly seen him, for Shaytan cannot take his form (Sahih al-Bukhari 110). Many scholars say this is when he appears as he is described in the hadith. It is a blessing, but it does not create any new religious instruction.
Do you need ghusl after a wet dream?
Yes, if you find wetness that is or may be sexual fluid on waking, in the Hanafi school, even if you do not remember the dream. If you remember a dream but find nothing, no ghusl is needed. The other schools differ on cases of doubt.
Is it a sin to have a bad dream?
No. Bad dreams come from Shaytan, not from your actions, and you are not held to account for them. The remedy is to seek refuge in Allah and not dwell on it.
The rulings on this page are pending review by the scholars on our team.
Sources
- Quran 12:4, 12:43-49, 12:100, 37:102 and 48:27, translation by Sahih International.
- Sahih Muslim 2261 (Abu Qatadah), 2262 (Jabir), 2263 and 2266 (Abu Hurayrah).
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3, 23, 82, 110, 282, 5010, 5017 and 7042; and the hadith of the forty-six parts in Kitab at-Ta'bir.
- Sunan Abi Dawud 5020; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2278.
- On wet dreams: the report of Aishah in Sunan Abi Dawud and Jami' at-Tirmidhi, Kitab at-Taharah; al-Marghinani, al-Hidayah; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, Kitab at-Taharah. The other schools are summarised from their standard manuals.
- On dream interpretation: Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, commentary on Kitab at-Ta'bir; on the book attributed to Ibn Sirin, the notes of modern editors and historians of Arabic literature.
Quran: Arabic from the Tanzil Uthmani text, English translation by Sahih International. Hadith gradings are those of the hadith scholars named; where a hadith number is not given, the collection and narrator are cited instead.