“One night it seemed to me in a dream that I was in the house of ‘Uqba b. Rafi' and was brought some of the fresh dates of Ibn Tab*. I interpreted it as meaning that to us is granted eminence (rif’a) in this world, a blessed hereafter (al- ‘aqiba) in the next, and that our religion has been good (tab)."**
Muslim transmitted it.
* While some suggest that Ibn Tab was a man who lived either in the desert or in Medina who had dates, the correct explanation is more likely that this is the name of a type of Medina dates and not a man’s name.
** A good omen is taken from the basic meanings of the parts of these names.
Narrated Jabir told that a man came to the Prophet and said:
“In a dream I seemed to see any head had been cut off." The Prophet laughed and replied:
“When the devil makes sport of any of you in a dream he should not tell people about it."
“I saw in a dream that I was emigrating from Mecca to a land containing palm-trees and I conjectured that it was to al-Yamama or to Hajar, but it was the city of Yathrib.* In this vision of mine I saw that I brandished a sword and the front part of it was cut off; this represented those believers who were smitten at the battle of Uhud. I brandished it again and it was restored to perfect condition; and this represented the victory and the community of believers which God brought about.”**
(Bukhari and Muslim.)
* The old name of Medina.
** Probably a reference to the Conquest of Mecca and the numbers who accepted Islam. Cf. Qur'an, 110
Narrated Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying:
‘‘When the time draws near* a believer’s vision can hardly be false. A believer’s vision is a forty-sixth part of prophecy, and what pertains to prophecy cannot be false."
Muhammad b. Sirin said he held that visions were of three types: ideas which come from within, terrifying caused by the devil, and good news from God; so when one sees anything he dislikes he should not tell it to anyone, but should get up and pray. He said he disliked seeing a shackle on the neck in sleep, but that people were pleased by a fetter, as it is said that a fetter indicates being firmly established in the religion.
(Bukhari and Muslim.)
Bukhari said that Qatada, Yunus, Hushaim** and Abu Hilal transmitted it on the authority of Ibn Sirin who quoted Abu Huraira's authority. Yunus said he thought that what was said about the fetter comes from the Prophet, but Muslim said he did not know whether it was in the tradition, or whether Ibn Sirin said it.
In a version there is something to the same effect, and the words “he disliked seeing a shackle on the neck ..." to the end have been inserted in the tradition.
* The suggestions made are that this means when the last hour draws near, at the equinox, or when the Mahdi comes.
** Bukhari, Ta'bir, 26, has Hisham.
