Question
Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa
Barakatuh.
I have a question, Sheikh. Is it true that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) can be seen physically, face to face, while a person is awake after his death, or can he only be seen in dreams?
Answer
Wa Alaikumus Salam wa Rahmatullahi
wa Barakatuh.
Scholars have differed regarding
whether it is possible to see Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon
him) physically while awake after his death. There are different
interpretations of the relevant hadith, and it is important to understand the
distinction between seeing the Prophet in a dream and claiming to have
encountered him physically while awake.
1.
The Position of the Majority of Scholars
The majority of scholars maintain
that a person cannot physically see the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings
be upon him) in ordinary waking life after his death.
They explain that the Prophet has
passed away and is now in the life of Barzakh, which is distinct from the life
of this world. His death does not mean that his soul has ceased to exist;
rather, he is in the special life of Barzakh granted to the prophets.
Those who hold this position argue
that the Prophet's Companions faced serious disagreements and difficulties
after his death. Yet there is no established evidence that they physically
encountered him to seek his judgment or ask him to resolve their disputes.
For example, during the
disagreements involving Ali ibn Abi Talib and Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (may
Allah be pleased with them), there is no authentic report that the Prophet
physically appeared to settle the dispute.
This is among the arguments used by
scholars who reject claims of physical encounters with the Prophet after his
death.
2.
The Position of Some Sufi Scholars
Some scholars, particularly within
certain Sufi traditions, maintain that it is possible to see the Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) while awake after his death.
They often rely on the hadith in
which the Prophet said:
“Whoever sees me in a dream will see
me while awake.”
— Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
These scholars interpret the
expression “while awake” as referring to the possibility of seeing the Prophet
physically in this worldly life.
However, other scholars interpret
the hadith differently. They explain that it refers to seeing the Prophet in
the Hereafter, or that whoever sees him in a dream will have a true vision of
him and will not be deceived by Satan taking his form.
Thus, the hadith has been
interpreted differently, and it should not be presented as though all scholars
agree on one explanation.
3.
Is Seeing the Prophet in a Dream Authentic?
Yes. Seeing Prophet Muhammad (peace
and blessings be upon him) in a dream is established in authentic hadith.
The Prophet said:
“Whoever sees me in a dream has
indeed seen me, for Satan cannot take my form.”
— Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
This establishes the special status
of seeing the Prophet in a dream. However, scholars have discussed how a person
can establish that the figure seen in a dream was truly the Prophet,
particularly when the person does not know his physical description.
For this reason, learning about the
Prophet's appearance and characteristics through reliable works on his
biography and description, such as Al-Shamāʾil al-Muḥammadiyyah by Imam
al-Tirmidhi, can be beneficial.
4.
Can Someone Claim That the Prophet Appeared Physically and Gave Them a New
Religious Instruction?
A particularly important matter is
the claim that the Prophet physically appeared to someone after his death and
gave them a new act of worship, religious instruction, or ruling that was not
established in Islam.
Such claims cannot be accepted as
evidence for introducing new religious practices or changing the established
teachings of Islam.
Allah completed the religion before
the Prophet's death. No dream, personal experience, or claimed encounter can
introduce a new religious obligation or override the Qur'an and authentic
Sunnah.
Allah says:
“Today I have perfected for you your
religion, completed My favour upon you, and have approved for you Islam as your
religion.”
— Qur'an 5:3
Therefore, any religious instruction
attributed to the Prophet must be examined against the Qur'an and authentic
Sunnah. A claim of seeing him physically cannot, by itself, establish a new
religious ruling.
5.
What Should We Say About People Who Claim to Have Seen Him While Awake?
We should exercise caution and avoid
accepting extraordinary claims without evidence. At the same time, we should
avoid declaring every individual who makes such a claim a deliberate liar
without knowing the circumstances.
A person's experience may involve a
dream, imagination, spiritual feeling, or another experience that they have
misunderstood. What matters is that such an experience cannot serve as
independent evidence for Islamic beliefs, rulings, or acts of worship.
In particular, claims that the
Prophet appears privately to certain people to give them special religious
instructions should be examined critically and should never be allowed to
undermine the established teachings of Islam.
Conclusion
Seeing Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him) in a dream is established by authentic hadith. However,
the possibility of seeing him physically while awake after his death is a
matter over which scholars have differed.
The majority position discussed here
rejects ordinary physical encounters with the Prophet in this worldly life
after his death, while some scholars, particularly within certain Sufi
traditions, hold a different interpretation.
Regardless of this disagreement, no
personal vision or claimed encounter can establish a new religious ruling,
introduce a new act of worship, or override the Qur'an and authentic Sunnah.
Wallāhu Taʿālā Aʿlam — And Allah
knows best.
Zauren Fatawoyi Bisa Alƙur’ani da
Sunnah.
Zauren Fatawoyi Bisa Alƙur’ani da Sunnah.
ﺳُﺒﺤَﺎﻧَﻚَ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻬُﻢَّ ﻭَﺑِﺤَﻤْﺪِﻙَ ﺃﺷْﻬَﺪُ ﺃﻥ ﻟَﺎ ﺇِﻟَﻪَ ﺇِﻻَّ ﺃﻧْﺖَ ﺃﺳْﺘَﻐْﻔِﺮُﻙَ ﻭﺃَﺗُﻮﺏُ ﺇِﻟَﻴْﻚ
WALLAHU A'ALAM.
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