WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.139 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 00:00:07.139 --> 00:00:11.740 With pens of longing and the ink of love, 00:00:11.740 --> 00:00:15.869 We write words more precious than gold, 00:00:15.869 --> 00:00:20.870 Describing the Master of Creation, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him— 00:00:20.870 --> 00:00:30.890 The Prophetic Characteristics (Shama'il). 00:00:30.890 --> 00:00:38.880 Chapter: On What Has Been Narrated Concerning Seeing the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in a Dream. 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:42.880 The author concluded his book *Al-Shama'il* with this chapter 00:00:42.880 --> 00:00:48.939 To establish the connection between knowing the Shama'il and verifying the authenticity of seeing him in a vision. 00:00:48.939 --> 00:00:54.939 For whoever lacks knowledge of his characteristics and features (peace be upon him) 00:00:54.939 --> 00:01:01.939 Cannot possibly verify that the one he saw in his dream was indeed the Prophet (peace be upon him). 00:01:01.939 --> 00:01:04.939 This underscores the paramount importance of sacred Islamic knowledge, 00:01:04.939 --> 00:01:09.939 As well as the necessity of studying the noble virtues of the Prophet (peace be upon him), 00:01:09.939 --> 00:01:11.939 Along with his physical attributes and moral characteristics. 00:01:11.939 --> 00:01:17.040 Once a Muslim knows the Prophetic characteristics, 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:24.040 He remains safe from being deceived or having his mind led astray by Satan’s cunning, tricks, and obfuscations— 00:01:24.040 --> 00:01:29.040 Just as many people were deceived by dreams they saw in their sleep, 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:34.040 Falsely imagining that they had seen the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a dream, 00:01:34.040 --> 00:01:43.040 Under which alleged visions countless religious innovations and misguidances—for which Allah has sent down no authority—spread far and wide. 00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:48.219 On the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), 00:01:48.219 --> 00:01:52.219 From the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: 00:01:52.219 --> 00:01:59.219 "Whoever sees me in a dream has indeed seen me, for Satan cannot assume my form." 00:01:59.219 --> 00:02:03.420 And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: 00:02:03.420 --> 00:02:07.420 The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 00:02:07.420 --> 00:02:17.419 "Whoever sees me in a dream has indeed seen me, for Satan cannot take my appearance"—or he said—"cannot resemble me." 00:02:17.419 --> 00:02:25.469 These two hadiths prove that whoever sees the Prophet (peace be upon him) in his known, established appearance— 00:02:25.469 --> 00:02:30.469 Not in some other form—has truly seen him (peace be upon him). 00:02:31.469 --> 00:02:38.469 That is, he saw him in his real physical image, because Satan can never take his form. 00:02:38.469 --> 00:02:42.469 Satan might, however, assume other appearances: 00:02:42.469 --> 00:02:45.469 He comes to a person in a dream and says to him, 00:02:45.469 --> 00:02:53.469 "I am the Prophet," or "Abu Bakr," or "'Umar," or someone else, while he is lying. 00:02:53.469 --> 00:02:59.659 The scholars said: Allah Almighty singled out the Prophet (peace be upon him) 00:02:59.659 --> 00:03:04.659 By ensuring that people's visions of him are true and entirely genuine, 00:03:04.659 --> 00:03:11.659 And He prevented Satan from taking his physical appearance so that he cannot lie through him during sleep. 00:03:11.659 --> 00:03:16.659 Just as it is impossible for Satan to assume his form while awake— 00:03:16.659 --> 00:03:20.659 For had that occurred, truth would have been confused with falsehood— 00:03:20.659 --> 00:03:22.919 The dream-interpretation scholars said: 00:03:22.919 --> 00:03:27.919 "If an unlearned person says, 'I saw the Prophet (peace be upon him),' 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:30.919 He should be asked to describe his physical appearance; 00:03:30.919 --> 00:03:35.919 If it matches the narrated physical description, it is accepted; otherwise, it is rejected." 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:37.919 Whenever a man would relate to Muhammad Ibn Sirin 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:42.919 That he had seen the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a dream, 00:03:42.919 --> 00:03:46.919 Ibn Sirin would say: "Describe to me the one you saw." 00:03:46.919 --> 00:03:49.919 If the man described features unfamiliar to him, 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:52.919 He would say: "You did not see him." 00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:57.229 On the authority of 'Asim Ibn Kulayb, who said: 00:03:57.229 --> 00:03:59.229 My father related to me 00:03:59.229 --> 00:04:03.229 That he heard Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) say: 00:04:03.229 --> 00:04:07.229 The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 00:04:07.229 --> 00:04:10.259 "Whoever sees me in a dream has indeed seen me, 00:04:10.259 --> 00:04:14.259 For Satan cannot take my likeness." 00:04:14.259 --> 00:04:16.360 My father said: 00:04:16.360 --> 00:04:18.360 "I mentioned this hadith to Ibn 'Abbas, 00:04:18.360 --> 00:04:21.360 Saying, 'I have seen him,' 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:23.360 And I remembered Al-Hasan Ibn 'Ali, 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:26.360 So I said, 'I likened him to Al-Hasan.'" 00:04:26.360 --> 00:04:31.360 Ibn 'Abbas replied: "He indeed used to resemble him." 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:36.259 This hadith shares the same meaning as the preceding hadiths: 00:04:36.259 --> 00:04:41.259 Satan cannot take the form of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a dream. 00:04:41.259 --> 00:04:44.259 As for the statement of Kulayb, 'Asim's father: 00:04:44.259 --> 00:04:47.259 "I mentioned this hadith to Ibn 'Abbas," 00:04:47.259 --> 00:04:49.259 Meaning Ibn 'Abbas said: "Describe him to me." 00:04:49.259 --> 00:04:51.259 Kulayb said: 00:04:51.259 --> 00:04:53.259 "I mentioned Al-Hasan Ibn 'Ali," 00:04:53.259 --> 00:04:56.259 Meaning: "When I saw him in the dream, 00:04:56.259 --> 00:05:00.259 His appearance reminded me of the appearance of Al-Hasan Ibn 'Ali, 00:05:00.259 --> 00:05:02.259 So his features were similar to his." 00:05:02.259 --> 00:05:07.290 Thereupon Ibn 'Abbas said: "He indeed used to resemble him." 00:05:07.290 --> 00:05:14.290 This stands as proof of what was previously affirmed regarding the care the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) paid to this matter, 00:05:14.290 --> 00:05:20.290 And their rigorous verification of anyone claiming to have seen the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a dream: 00:05:20.290 --> 00:05:24.290 Did he see him in his known appearance or in a different one? 00:05:24.290 --> 00:05:28.350 If it matched the known physical features, he had indeed seen him, 00:05:28.350 --> 00:05:31.350 For Satan cannot assume his appearance. 00:05:31.350 --> 00:05:33.350 But if it was in some other appearance, 00:05:33.350 --> 00:05:39.350 Then he has not thereby seen the Prophet (peace be upon him). 00:05:39.350 --> 00:05:42.310 On the authority of Yazid al-Farisi— 00:05:42.310 --> 00:05:44.310 Who used to transcribe copies of the Qur'an— 00:05:44.310 --> 00:05:51.310 He said: "I saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a dream during the time of Ibn 'Abbas, 00:05:51.310 --> 00:05:53.310 So I said to Ibn 'Abbas, 00:05:53.310 --> 00:05:58.310 'I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in my sleep.' 00:05:58.310 --> 00:06:00.310 Ibn 'Abbas replied, 00:06:00.310 --> 00:06:05.310 'The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to say: 00:06:05.310 --> 00:06:09.310 "Satan cannot resemble me, 00:06:09.310 --> 00:06:13.310 So whoever sees me in his sleep has indeed seen me." 00:06:13.310 --> 00:06:18.310 Can you describe this man whom you saw in your sleep?' 00:06:18.310 --> 00:06:23.310 He said, 'Yes, I can describe a man of medium height, 00:06:23.310 --> 00:06:27.310 Lean in body and flesh, light brown complexion leaning toward white, 00:06:27.310 --> 00:06:33.310 Deep black eyes with naturally dark rims, pleasant smile, beautiful roundness of face, 00:06:33.310 --> 00:06:37.310 His beard filling from here to here, 00:06:37.310 --> 00:06:39.310 Completely filling his upper chest.' 00:06:40.339 --> 00:06:45.339 'Awf said, 'I do not know what else was included in this description.' 00:06:45.339 --> 00:06:47.339 Thereupon Ibn 'Abbas said, 00:06:47.339 --> 00:06:53.339 'Had you seen him while awake, you could not have described him beyond this!'" 00:06:53.339 --> 00:07:00.370 In this hadith is the statement of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) to Yazid al-Farisi: 00:07:00.370 --> 00:07:05.370 "Can you describe this man whom you saw in your sleep?" 00:07:05.370 --> 00:07:10.370 That is, he wanted to examine the description of what he saw; 00:07:10.370 --> 00:07:16.370 If it matched what he knew of the Prophet's description (peace be upon him), 00:07:16.370 --> 00:07:22.430 Then he had truly seen him, because Satan cannot assume his appearance. 00:07:22.430 --> 00:07:27.430 Yazid said: "I can describe a man of medium height," 00:07:27.430 --> 00:07:32.430 Meaning average, neither noticeably tall nor short. 00:07:32.430 --> 00:07:36.430 His saying: "Lean in body and flesh, light brown complexion leaning toward white," 00:07:36.430 --> 00:07:40.430 Means he was not of a pure, pale, chalky whiteness, 00:07:40.430 --> 00:07:43.430 But rather a white skin tinged with redness. 00:07:43.430 --> 00:07:46.430 His saying: "Deep black eyes with naturally dark rims," 00:07:46.430 --> 00:07:50.430 Means his eyelids possessed a natural darkness, 00:07:50.430 --> 00:07:53.430 As though he were wearing kohl without actually applying it. 00:07:53.430 --> 00:07:58.430 His saying: "Pleasant smile, beautiful roundness of face, 00:07:58.430 --> 00:08:02.430 His beard filling from here to here," 00:08:02.430 --> 00:08:06.430 Means between his right ear and his left ear; 00:08:06.430 --> 00:08:11.430 "Completely filling his upper chest" owing to its thickness, 00:08:11.430 --> 00:08:15.430 For his beard (peace be upon him) was full and thick. 00:08:15.430 --> 00:08:20.500 His saying: "'Awf said"—meaning Ibn Abi Jamilah, 00:08:20.500 --> 00:08:22.500 The narrator from Yazid— 00:08:22.500 --> 00:08:25.500 "I do not know what else was included in this description," 00:08:25.500 --> 00:08:28.500 Meaning regarding other physical features he mentioned, 00:08:28.500 --> 00:08:32.500 As he perhaps only memorized these details. 00:08:32.500 --> 00:08:34.559 Thereupon Ibn 'Abbas said: 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:36.559 "Had you seen him while awake, 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:39.559 You could not have described him beyond this!" 00:08:39.559 --> 00:08:43.559 Meaning that this description you provided of the man 00:08:43.559 --> 00:08:45.559 Whom you saw in the dream 00:08:45.559 --> 00:08:50.559 Corresponds perfectly to his physical appearance (peace be upon him), 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:54.559 Such that if you had seen him while awake and described him, 00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:58.559 You would not have been able to add anything to this description. 00:08:58.559 --> 00:09:02.970 Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 00:09:02.970 --> 00:09:06.970 The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 00:09:06.970 --> 00:09:09.970 "Whoever sees me"—meaning in sleep— 00:09:09.970 --> 00:09:11.970 "Has indeed seen the Truth." 00:09:11.970 --> 00:09:15.289 And on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), 00:09:15.289 --> 00:09:18.289 The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 00:09:18.289 --> 00:09:22.289 "Whoever sees me in a dream has indeed seen me, 00:09:23.289 --> 00:09:26.289 For Satan cannot impersonate me." 00:09:26.289 --> 00:09:28.289 And he said: 00:09:28.289 --> 00:09:34.289 "And the dream of a believer is one of forty-six parts of prophethood." 00:09:34.289 --> 00:09:39.379 These two hadiths carry the same meaning as the earlier ones: 00:09:39.379 --> 00:09:43.379 Whoever sees the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a dream 00:09:43.379 --> 00:09:45.379 Has indeed seen the Truth, 00:09:45.379 --> 00:09:48.379 And Satan cannot impersonate him— 00:09:48.379 --> 00:09:51.379 That is, he cannot take his likeness or assume his form. 00:09:51.379 --> 00:09:53.409 And his saying: 00:09:53.409 --> 00:09:58.440 "And the dream of a believer is one of forty-six parts of prophethood": 00:09:58.440 --> 00:10:05.440 In this is the virtue of the true vision with which Allah Almighty honors His believing servant, 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:07.440 And it is among the glad tidings. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:10.440 The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 00:10:10.440 --> 00:10:16.440 "Nothing remains of prophethood after me except glad tidings." 00:10:16.440 --> 00:10:18.440 They asked, "O Messenger of Allah, 00:10:18.440 --> 00:10:20.440 And what are glad tidings?" 00:10:20.440 --> 00:10:21.440 He said: 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:26.659 "A righteous dream that a man sees or is shown to him." 00:10:26.659 --> 00:10:27.659 It is also mentioned in the hadith 00:10:27.659 --> 00:10:31.659 That prophethood was divided into forty-six parts, 00:10:31.659 --> 00:10:36.659 And true dreams were made one of those parts. 00:10:36.659 --> 00:10:40.779 'Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak said: 00:10:40.779 --> 00:10:45.879 "If you are tested with judgeship, adhere strictly to the narration (athar)." 00:10:45.879 --> 00:10:47.879 On the authority of Ibn Sirin, he said: 00:10:47.879 --> 00:10:49.879 "This knowledge is religion, 00:10:49.879 --> 00:10:53.879 So consider well from whom you take your religion." 00:10:53.879 --> 00:10:57.899 The author (may Allah have mercy on him) intended 00:10:57.899 --> 00:10:59.899 To clarify the status of prophetic narrations (athar) 00:10:59.899 --> 00:11:02.899 And the status of chain-supported reports (asand), 00:11:02.899 --> 00:11:06.899 And that whoever desires for himself the soundness of his religion 00:11:06.899 --> 00:11:09.899 Along with the safety of his creed and worship, 00:11:09.899 --> 00:11:12.899 Must remain firmly attached to the narrated tradition. 00:11:12.899 --> 00:11:15.899 For the religion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) 00:11:15.899 --> 00:11:19.059 Consists of narrations transmitted through chains of transmission. 00:11:19.059 --> 00:11:22.059 The statement of 'Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him): 00:11:22.059 --> 00:11:27.059 "If you are tested with judgeship, adhere strictly to the narration," 00:11:27.059 --> 00:11:30.059 Means: if you are put to trial and appointed as a judge— 00:11:30.059 --> 00:11:34.059 And judgeship is ruling and resolving disputes among people, 00:11:34.059 --> 00:11:40.059 Containing an indication that judgeship is a form of trial— 00:11:40.059 --> 00:11:43.059 His saying "adhere strictly to the narration" 00:11:43.059 --> 00:11:47.059 Means following the teachings and traditions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), 00:11:47.059 --> 00:11:49.059 Pursuing his reports, 00:11:49.059 --> 00:11:52.059 And adhering firmly to the path of the righteous salaf. 00:11:52.059 --> 00:11:54.289 In the second narration, 00:11:54.289 --> 00:11:57.289 Ibn Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:11:57.289 --> 00:11:59.289 "This knowledge is religion"— 00:11:59.289 --> 00:12:01.289 Meaning the science of hadith, 00:12:01.289 --> 00:12:06.289 Which is raised, attributed, and ascribed to the Prophet (peace be upon him), 00:12:06.289 --> 00:12:08.289 Is religion itself. 00:12:08.289 --> 00:12:12.289 His saying: "So consider well from whom you take your religion" 00:12:12.289 --> 00:12:14.289 Means: 00:12:14.289 --> 00:12:16.289 Receiving knowledge exclusively from trustworthy, upright narrators 00:12:16.289 --> 00:12:19.289 And refraining from taking it from anyone else. 00:12:19.289 --> 00:12:22.320 'Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:24.320 "The chain of transmission (isnad) is part of religion; 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:26.320 Were it not for the isnad, 00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:29.320 Whoever wished would say whatever he wished." 00:12:29.320 --> 00:12:33.379 Thus, not everyone who narrates hadiths has his narration accepted; 00:12:33.379 --> 00:12:38.419 Rather, one must first verify his uprightness and precision. 00:12:38.419 --> 00:12:40.419 Ibn Sirin also said: 00:12:40.419 --> 00:12:43.419 "They used not to ask about the chain of transmission, 00:12:43.419 --> 00:12:45.419 But when the civil discord (fitnah) occurred, 00:12:45.419 --> 00:12:48.419 They said: 'Name your men to us.' 00:12:48.419 --> 00:12:51.419 So they would look to the People of the Sunnah 00:12:51.419 --> 00:12:53.419 And accept their hadith, 00:12:53.419 --> 00:12:55.419 And they would look to the People of Innovation 00:12:55.419 --> 00:12:58.419 And not accept their hadith." 00:12:58.419 --> 00:13:00.610 The author (may Allah have mercy on him) 00:13:00.610 --> 00:13:02.610 He concluded with these two reports 00:13:02.610 --> 00:13:07.610 to draw attention to the fact that when a Muslim studies the Prophetic characteristics (Shama'il) 00:13:07.610 --> 00:13:10.610 or studies any other religious matter, 00:13:10.610 --> 00:13:14.610 he must pay close attention to authentic reports 00:13:14.610 --> 00:13:16.610 that are firmly established— 00:13:16.610 --> 00:13:20.610 namely, the hadiths attributed directly to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) 00:13:20.610 --> 00:13:25.610 and those attributed to the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).