Encyclopedia of Muhammad

Dreams Regarding the Birth of Prophet Muhammad

Before the birth of Prophet Muhammad , Abdul Muttalib and Abdullah ibn Abdul Muttalib had certain dreams. When they narrated these dreams to the scholars, they were informed that a Prophet was to be born in their family.

Abdul Muttalib’s Dream

Abdul Muttalib had a dream which indicated that a child was to be born from his lineage, who would become a ruler of the Arabs and the non-Arabs alike. For this reason, he had very affectionate feelings for his future grandson. As Al-Qastallani states:

  كان عبد المطلب قد رأى فى المنام كأن سلسلة من فضة قد خرجت من ظهره …ثم عادت كأنها شجرة،على كل ورقة منها نور وإذا أهل المشرق والمغرب كأنهم يتعلقون بهافقصها فعبرت له بمولود يكون من صلبه يتبعه أهل المشرق وأهل المغرب، ويحمده أهل السماء وأهل الأرض. 1
  Abdul Muttalib saw a dream, in which a silver chain came out of his spine. This chain, then transformed into a tree. Each leaf of this tree was glowing and the people of the East and the West were adhered to it. Abdul Muttalib shared that dream, and it was interpreted as: one child would be born from his back (meaning his grandson), who would be followed and abided by the people of east and west; and the ones in land and sky would adore him.

The account has been seconded by Zurqani, 2 Abu Nua’ym, 3 Abd Al-Rehman Jami 4 and Imam Suhaili 5 as well. This shows that Abdul Muttalib knew that a child would be born from his lineage who would lead the people of the world.

The Nur (Light) or Seed of Muhammad

Before Abdullah was born, the forehead of Abdul Muttalib used to glow in a certain way and people stated that they could smell the fragrance of Musk from his body even though he did not wear it as a perfume. It is said that the Musk fragrance and the special glow on his forehead was due to the nur (light) of Muhammad , which was transferred to Abdul Muttalib from his ancestors. When Abdullah was born, this nur was transferred to him. Regarding this nur, Qastallani states:

  وكان عبد المطلب يفوح منه رائحة المسك الإذفر ونور رسول الله صلی الله علیه وسلم يضىء فى غرته، وكانت قريش إذا أصابها قحط تأخذ بيد عبد المطلب فتخرج به إلى جبل ثبير فيتقربون به إلى الله تعالى، ويسألونه أن يسقيهم الغيث فكان يغيثهم ويسقيهم ببركة نور محمد صلی الله علیه وسلم غيثا عظيما. 6
  Abdul-Muttalib exuded the fragrance of pure musk, and the light of the Prophet Muhammad radiated from his forehead. When Quraysh faced drought, they would take Abdul-Muttalib to the Thabir Mountain, (using him as the intercessor as he had the nur (light) of Muhammad in him) to seek closeness to Allah. (Then) They would implore him to pray for rain, and He (Allah) would bless them with abundant rainfall through the blessings of the light of (Prophet) Muhammad .

Abdullah’s Dream

When Abdullah was eighteen years old, he was an extremely handsome lad. 7 Thus, he used to receive many marriage proposals, but due to some reason, he used to refuse them all. 8 Some had proposed him due to his beauty while others did so because they felt something extraordinary about him. Those who had some knowledge about the Torah and Injeel felt that his face had a shine which could not be achieved by using any or all of the beauty mediums of the world. 9 This shine was actually due to the nur (light) of Prophet Muhammad which existed in his spine. Prophet Muhammad himself said that his nur (light) was created when Adam was being created with water and mud. 10 In another hadith, it is narrated that Prophet Muhammad said: I was the first of the prophets to be created, and the last to be sent. 11 The primordial light of Prophet Muhammad was transferred upon conception from one generation to another of his ancestors through an extremely long pedigree. This light reached Abdullah through his forefathers and shone on the forehead of Abdullah , before the conception of Prophet Muhammad .

When Abdullah was a young adult, he saw a strange dream. Yasin ibn Khairullah states:

  وذكر الحافظ النيسابوري: …ونام في الحجر فانتبه مكحولاً مدهونا قد كسي حلل المهابة، والجمال، فتحير ولم يدر من فعل به ذلك، فانطلق به أبوه إلى كهنة قريش، فقالوا: إن إله السموات قد أذن لهذا الغلام أن يتزوج، ونام مرة أخرى في الحجر فرأى رؤيا فقصها على الكاهن، فقالوا: لئن صدقت رؤياك ليخرجن من ظهرك من يؤمن به أهل السموات والأرض، وليكونن للناس علماً مبينا. 12
  Hafiz Neshapuri stated: …At one point, he (Abdullah) slept a place named ‘Hijr’. When he woke up, he found out that his hair was perfectly oiled and combed, his eyes had been beautified with antimony and he was wearing a beautiful dress. He was surprised to find himself in such a state and did not know who had dressed him up or had groomed him. Hence, he went to the soothsayers of Quraysh with his father Abdul Muttalib and told them what he had experienced. They said that the God of the Heavens orders this young adult to get married. At another point, he saw a dream and asked its explanation from a soothsayer. The soothsayer told him that if his dream was true, then a child will emerge from his offspring on whom people will believe (as a prophet) and he will be an evident guidance for humanity.

According to Imam Qastallani, this dream is associated with Abdul Muttalib. 13 After such dreams, Abdul Muttalib started to look for a suitable girl for Abdullah so that he could get married. He found that girl in the tribe of Banu Zuhra who resided near Madinah.

 

 

  • 1 Ahmed ibn Muhammad Al-Qastallani (2009), Al-Mawahib Al-Laduniyyah bil Manh Al-Muhammadiyah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 364.
  • 2 Muhammad ibn Abd Al-Baqi ibn Yusuf Al-Zurqani (1996), Sharah Zurqani Ala Al-Mawahib Al-Laduniyyah bil Minh Al-Muhammadiyah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 4, Pg. 162.
  • 3 Abu Nua’ym Ahmed ibn Abdullah Al-Asbahani (2012), Dalail Al-Nabuwwah, Maktabah Asariyah, Sidon, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 54.
  • 4 Nur Al-Din Abd Al-Rahman Jami (2012), Shawahid Al-Nabuwwah, Maktabah Nabawiyah, Lahore, Pakistan, Pg. 46-47.
  • 5 Abd Al-Rahman ibn Abdullah Al-Suhaili (1412 A.H.), Al-Raudh Al-Unf fe-Sharha Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah, Dar Al-Ihya al-Turath Al-Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 151.
  • 6 Ahmed ibn Muhammad Al-Qastallani (2009), Al-Mawahib Al-Laduniyyah bil Manh Al-Muhammadiyah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 52.
  • 7 Muhammad ibn Abd Al-Baqi ibn Yusuf Al-Zurqani (1996), Sharah Zurqani Ala Al-Mawahib Al-Laduniyyah bil Minh Al-Muhammadiyah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 207.
  • 8 Abd Al-Haq Dehalvi (2012), Madarij-un-Nabuwwah (Urdu Translation by Ghulam Moinuddin), Zia-ul-Quran Publications, Lahore, Pakistan, Vol. 2, Pg. 29-30.
  • 9 Jalal Al-Din Al-Suyuti (2008), Al-Khasais Al-Kubra, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 69.
  • 10 Husain ibn Muhammad Al-Diyar Bakri (2009), Tareekh Al-Khamees fi Ahwal Anfus Nafees, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 37.
  • 11 Abu Al-Khair Muhammad ibn Abdul Rehman Al-Sakhawi (1985), Al-Maqasid Al-Hasana fe-Bayan Kaseerin Min Al-Ahadith Al-Mushtahira Alal Alsina, Hadith: 837, Dar Al-Kitab Al-Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon, Pg. 520.
  • 12 Yasin ibn Khairullah ibn Mahmud ibn Musa Al-Khatib Al-Umri (N.D.), Al-Raudat Al-Fayha fe-A’lam Al-Nisa, Al-Maktaba Al-Islami, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol.1, Pg. 25.
  • 13 Ahmed ibn Muhammad Al-Qastallani (2009), Al-Mawahib Al-Laduniyyah bil Manh Al-Muhammadiyah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 52.