The fascinating reason Muslims are open to dreams from Jesus

Dreams are one thing that we see God use to call Muslims to Himself very often. There is a reason Muslims are so receptive to receiving revelations in their dreams. Most Muslims believe that Allah can only speak through dreams. They are even taught in the Quran and Hadith to hope for dreams from Allah; in fact, they are instructed to do certain rituals to make it more likely to receive a dream from Allah.

In Islamic communities and countries, there is a large demand for dream interpretations from imams and spiritual men and women who specialize in dream interpretation. This is more widespread in communities influenced heavily by Folk Islam. Many Muslims seek out the wisdom of interpreters regularly, and they pay a lot of money hoping to find out if Allah is speaking to them in their dreams.

What do the Quran and Hadith say about dreams and interpretations in Islam?

According to Muhammad, there are three different sources of dreams: from Allah, from one’s mind, and from Satan. 

Muhammad is quoted saying: “Dreams are of three types: a dream from Allah, a dream which causes distress and which comes from the Shaytan (Satan), and a dream which comes from what a person thinks about when he is awake, and he sees it when he is asleep.” (Sahih Muslim 2263a)

Muslims fear dreams that come from Satan, and they try to practice various religious rituals to protect their minds and avoid having them. When a Muslim has a false dream from Satan, they are supposed to spit three times, pray to Allah three times, and make sure they roll over to sleep on their opposite side. (Sahih Muslim 2261a)

Muhammad went further to teach that true Muslims will have true dreams. This is why there is such a strong desire to have dreams from Allah as it might give devout Muslims more assurance (although not a guarantee!) that they are regarded as “true Muslims” in the eyes of Allah.

“The most truthful of your dreams come to the most truthful of you in speech.” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2291)

To increase the possibility of having true dreams, religious scholars drew from various Hadith conversations of Muhammad various practices that a Muslim must do to ensure their dreams are true and from Allah, not from themselves or Satan:

• Tell the truth

• Eat halal food

• Follow Sharia law

• Avoid haram food and  actions

• Sleep in a pure state facing Mecca

• Think about Allah until you fall asleep 

According to some hadith, dreams are most likely to be from Allah if they happen right before dawn because this is when Allah draws closer to creation, and Satan and the jinn are quiet and scattered.

Why is dream interpretation so important to Muslims?

Dream interpretation in Islam is widely sought after by many Muslims because they hope that they will get proof they have heard from Allah. Muslims do not have a personal relationship with Allah, they have a “master-slave” relationship (Surah 2:186 - the true translation of this verse uses the word “slave” not “servant”).

Muslims spend their entire lives trying to earn Allah’s favor by living perfectly, doing the right rituals, fasting, and reciting prayers. But they do not and cannot have a personal relationship with Allah – there is no love or tender care. Muslims never have any personal interaction with Allah. In fact, there’s only one chance every year when a Muslim could experience Allah’s presence, it is a one second that can happen anytime during Laylat al-Qadr or the Night of Power.

Many Muslims work extremely hard to complete the requirements to have a dream from Allah because it will reassure them that he is real and that he favors them. 

Does the Bible talk about dreams?

Yes! God uses dreams both in the Old and the New Testament to speak to people, but there are no steps one has to take in order to get a dream from Him.

Today, God uses dreams among Muslims to reveal Himself to them. He breaks through the darkness and oppression with Jesus' light and good news! There are many testimonies and stories of Muslims meeting Jesus in dreams and eventually surrendering their lives to Him!

To learn more about how God uses dreams to talk to people, read this in-depth post: Does God still use dreams to reach the lost? Studying dreams in the Bible and whether God uses them today 

From the Bible, we learn that God uses dreams and visions to talk to us. In the Old Testament, He spoke in dreams and visions to many who believed in Him, like Joseph and Abraham. He also spoke to non-believers like Pharaoh in Genesis 41. In the New Testament, in the Christmas story,  God spoke through several dreams to Joseph in Matthew 2:19.

In the Bible, we see God pursuing us to reveal Himself, to save us, to send a message, and to change a path. He does this because He loves us and not because there is no other way to communicate with us. Sometimes, God reveals Himself through dreams, other times it is through different methods. And He does not wait for us to be in perfect shape spiritually before He reveals Himself!   

That is the core difference between dreams in Islam and dreams in the Bible – Allah waits for a list of requirements to be checked off. The Heavenly Father does not wait. He reaches out to us and seeks to initiate a relationship with us.

How to talk about dreams with Muslims

If you are a Christian who has a Muslim friend, don’t be afraid to ask them if they are hoping to have a dream from Allah. Ask them if they have any way to receive a message or guidance from Allah other than through a dream, then ask if you can share about your relationship with the Heavenly Father. 

You can also initiate by telling them a story where you’ve seen God use a dream – it could be your own story or one from an article like this one: Jesus appeared in a dream: True stories and interpreting what this means for you 

“Indeed God speaks once,

Or twice, yet no one notices it.

‘In a dream, a vision of the night,

When sound sleep falls on men,

While they slumber in their beds,

Then He opens the ears of men,

And seals their instruction…’”

Job 33:14-16

Prayer for Muslims who see dreams of Jesus

Dear Lord, I lift the Muslims right now who are struggling and searching for you, the true God. I pray that you would reveal yourself to them in dreams or visions. May their hearts respond and be open to receive Christ. Please bless them and lead them into Your arms. Amen.