Dream and its connection with reality - looking for some discourse

[Ruhi_Rose]

A few years ago when I was in college with psychology as one of my majors, our psychology lecturer (though a Muslim) mentioned that from the psychological view point, dreams had nothing to do with reality.   But we know that according to certain information given in the Noble Quran, dreams do at times connote to reality or are symbolic to some future event.  For example, the dream of Prophet Joseph mentioned at the beginning of Surah Yusuf (12:4) was an indication of his wisdom, quote "When Joseph said unto his father: O my father! Lo! I saw in a dream eleven planets and the sun and the moon, I saw them prostrating themselves unto me."   Later in life, Prophet Joseph's perseverance, wisdom and insight were the causes of his success amidst very difficult circumstances as we've read in Surah Yusuf.   Thus, this dream as mentioned in Verse 12:4 was a harbinger of what lay ahead of him in his life.

Would anyone like to throw some light on why psychologists largely prefer to refute that dreams do not correspond to the future?

As-Salam Alaykom to all

[N. Truth Seeker]

Walaikum salam to u, sister    It's not surprising for psychologists to refute the concept of dreams carrying connotations of the future.   Like all sciences, the science of the mind too has its boundaries.  It can research and analyze only the earthly and perceptible aspects of the mind.  Though this perceptible sphere might be wide enough to study from the human perspective, the reality of the human mind goes farther and deeper into the spiritual sphere which doesn't give access to psychology just as science of the universe can only penetrate and read the physical aspects of the cosmos, not the spiritual ones.  Similarly, medical science can grasp many intricate details of human and animal physiology but it cannot answer a single question about the soul.

In keeping with the same law of the unseen being beyond the bounds of scientific analysis, though psychology has acquired immense expertise in researching earthly aspects of the human mind including its various neurological factors, it has no idea of the interaction between the human mind and the unseen. 

Psychology has also come up with some remarkable findings on the perception of various animals involving their responses to occurrences around them such as pets recognizing their names, dogs being aggressive toward strangers in their homes and their unconditional love for their masters, cats acquiring a sense of belonging to the place they live in etc. etc.  But, phenomena such as dogs predicting epileptic seizures, wild animals being capable of sensing approaching earthquakes & tornadoes etc. are aspects of the unseen concerning the minds of animals which psychologists haven't been able to confirm inspite of extensive research.

Mostly, dreams are simply jumbled up thoughts that get cramped in our conscious or sub-conscious minds as an aftermath of the experiences we go through in our daily lives.  But suddenly we might experience an unusual dream that feels different from the rest and has no connections with our thoughts or experiences .. sometimes it can even have a clear connection with some future incident in our lives.  This can only be explained by God Almighty, not by the psychologists.  If psychologists try to explain it, their explanation will be based on the perspection of their earthly study which isn't broad enough to cover the unseen.  Thus, psychological interpretations on facts beyond their boundaries can only comprise of presumptions or guesswork that cannot take the place of truth.

Something else worth keeping in mind.   On those occasions when a dream does apparently signify something real in life, it's never that direct.  It almost always comes as something symbolic which, only if reflected upon, can be connected with that future event.   For example, one might suddenly see in a dream that one's home has been robbed and ransacked.  They'll wake up the next morning and forget about it.  Then, later in the evening or the next morning they may get the devastating news that a parent of theirs has passed away which might shatter their lives for years to come.  Thus, seeing something unusual and negative as their home being physically ravaged in a dream can be an indication of the emotional devastation that is to follow.  Only Allah Almighty knows the final truth about all similar events/interpretations, but such a perception as described is certainly a possibility.

Similarly, the example of Verse 12:4 is a very apt one.   The future success of Prophet Yusuf is portrayed in a very subtle manner, in that, the reference is allegorical which one can grasp only after putting aside all skepticism and being focused on the truth about the flawless principles of the Divine Power.

Related posts:
Dream and its concept in our Islamic Faith.
What does Quran say about dreams?
Sleep paralysis - is it connected to being possessed by jinn?

[Ruhi_Rose]

That was pretty neat and well articulated.  I think the problem is that the human foundation of scientific data or analytical info is very opinionated .. sometimes on the borderline of arrogance.  It takes  for granted that whatever it cannot comprehend as an issue itself, that issue either has to be wrong or non-existent.  Though scientific or analytical knowledge is supposed to enhance and strengthen one's faith in God Almighty,  majority of the humans are so inherently snobbish that they have misused knowledge & academic education.  Instead of using knowledge to make themselves grow, they have used it as a retrogressive factor to acquire empty pride and independence .. the kind of independence which isn't within their bounds to achieve.

Thanks brother TS.   This piece was brilliant.

[N. Truth Seeker]

Very true sister.  The downside is that the human mind lacks diversity of thoughts with plenty of inflexibility.  There are very few accomplished modern researchers who would be brave enough to admit that whatever they know is very little compared to what they do not know .. and might never know.

Thanks for the appreciation.

[Ruhi_Rose]

Yes, that's the problem.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Classic thread with tremendous info.  Many thanks folks. 

Sister Zeynab, how about making an essay out of it and putting it up in the blog?  It's a much needed one to educate many an ignorant minds.

[Zainab_M]

Absolutely, I've been reading it and found it great.  Thanks to the questioner and the one who answered it 

Yes Heba, I also thought of making a blog version of it.  It contains very helpful info.

[Ruhi_Rose]

Hey Sister Zeynab .... As-salam Alaykum      Remember sis, you said a few weeks ago about some friend whose dream came true sometime in the past, that you would mention it here.  Still waiting to hear that.

[Zainab_M]

Yeah, good you reminded me Sister Ruhi.  Not a friend, she was my dad's aunt.  I never met her but heard the story from my dad and mom.   Happened long ago.  This lady had lost her 18-year-old son who committed suicide by throwing himself on the rail track.  He died instantly and was buried.  The family was full of grief particularly the mother.  She put his blood drenched, tattered shirt in a paper bag and kept it in her closet as remembrance.  One morning, more than a month after his death, she woke up disturbed from her sleep and ran towards the closet reaching out for his shirt.  The family got worried, asked her what happened.  She said the boy came in her dream and said he had left a bone of his body in that shirt.  They got the shirt out of the bag and began searching all over to find something.  What they found was a little cartilage or soft bone about a couple of inches long stuck with the sleeve .... or somewhere close to the sleeve.  They removed it and buried it probably in the backyard of their home.   Don't know too many details as this is a very old story, happened much before I was born, when my parents were young.  But it's a true story as both my parents mentioned. 

[Ruhi_Rose]

SubhanAllah, amazing and interesting!   I'm sure no psychologist will be able to explain this.

[N. Truth Seeker]

.. This lady had lost her 18-year-old son who committed suicide by throwing himself on the rail track.  He died instantly and was buried.  The family was full of grief particularly the mother.  She put his blood drenched, tattered shirt in a paper bag and kept it in her closet as remembrance.  One morning, more than a month after his death, she woke up disturbed from her sleep and ran towards the closet reaching out for his shirt.  The family got worried, asked her what happened.  She said the boy came in her dream and said he had left a bone of his body in that shirt.  They got the shirt out of the bag and began searching all over to find something.  What they found was a little cartilage or soft bone about a couple of inches long stuck with the sleeve .... or somewhere close to the sleeve.  They removed it and buried it probably in the backyard of their home.   Don't know too many details as this is a very old story, happened much before I was born, when my parents were young.  But it's a true story as both my parents mentioned. 

    absolutely mind-blowing!   And a very sad story too ... poor guy .. whatever reason, he must have been too distressed to do that to himself .... and that too at age 18 only. 

[Ruhi_Rose]

Yes, exactly. 

Could such a gesture indicate that perhaps he got maghfarat from Allah Almighty in the next world and so he was allowed to appear in his mom's dream and communicate?

[N. Truth Seeker]

.. 

Could such a gesture indicate that perhaps he got maghfarat from Allah Almighty in the next world and so he was allowed to appear in his mom's dream and communicate?

No sister, it doesn't mean that ... not from what I know of the principles of the Noble Quran.  Of course, he might get maghfarat and forgiveness from Allah Almighty on the Day of Judgement ... that is entirely up to Allah.  But not because of the dream.  Dreams are certainly not indicative of one's fate on the Day of Judgement.  I wouldn't know anything about that.

[Ruhi_Rose]

Right, I understand you perfectly.    It's just that some traditional Muslims presume on such lines.  But such approach is plain speculation, it never conforms with the Quran.

[Zainab_M]

Right, I understand you perfectly.    It's just that some traditional Muslims presume on such lines.  But such approach is plain speculation, it never conforms with the Quran.

Yes Sister Ruhi, some people do jump to such conclusions on matters like these.  But as Brother TS and you agreed, there's no evidence of truth here.

I recall some months ago I mentioned this story to a Wahabi lady.  As you know, Wahabis, influenced by traditional Christian beliefs, consider suicide to be haram and anyone who commits suicide will go to Jahanum.  However, she took the dream as a positive gesture for the soul of the deceased boy.  So she was confused that how could a person who dies by suicide be granted the privilege by The Almighty to appear in the dream of a member of his close family communicating important information?   But the way I see it, a deceased person appearing in the dream of a close family member is not necessarily a privilege for anyone.  Secondly, if anyone does assume it's a privilege, it apparently means suicide is not a sin in the Sight of Allah. 

These are opinions.   The final truth is known to Allah Almighty only.


Related post:
Does the Quran forbid suicide?