When you experience a bad dream, Islamic teachings provide specific actions to help you find comfort and protection. Based on a narration from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), these actions are:
Actions to Take After a Bad Dream:
| Step | Action | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spit Dryly to the Left Three Times | This is a symbolic act, not actual spitting with saliva. The action is done three times. |
| 2 | Seek Refuge with Allah from the Shaytan Three Times | Recite "A'udhu billahi minash-shaytanir-rajeem" (أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ) meaning "I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan" three times. |
| 3 | Change the Side on Which You Were Sleeping | Turn to the other side of your body that you were sleeping on. For example, if you were sleeping on your left side, turn to your right side. |
Why These Actions?
These actions are aimed at:
- Disrupting the negative influence: The Shaytan (Satan) is believed to be the source of bad dreams. These actions seek to dispel such negativity.
- Seeking Allah's Protection: By seeking refuge with Allah, you are placing yourself under His protection from the harm of the dream and the Shaytan.
- Changing Position: This act is a physical way of distancing yourself from the negative experience and encouraging a shift in mental state.
Additional Recommendations
While the actions mentioned in the hadith are key, you can also:
- Avoid dwelling on the dream: Don't overthink it or try to interpret it.
- Pray to Allah: Make du'a (supplication) to Allah for protection.
- Do not narrate the dream to others: Bad dreams are not to be discussed as it may cause worry or harm.
- Seek Allah's forgiveness: You can increase your acts of worship and charity to seek Allah's protection and forgiveness.
- Focus on positive thoughts before falling asleep again.
Reference:
The actions above are derived from the following Hadith:
- Jabir reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “If any one of you sees a dream that he dislikes, let him spit dryly to his left three time, and seek refuge with Allah from the Shaytan three times, and change the side on which he was sleeping.” (narrated by Muslim, 2262).
These Islamic practices provide guidance and comfort to individuals who experience unsettling dreams. By following these simple steps, one can seek refuge and protection from Allah.
