Objections on Dr. Tahir ul Qadri’s Dreams Clarified
Syed Sami-uz-Zafar Naushahi
False things have always been attributed to great personalities of Islam through out the history. Dr. Tahir ul Qadri is no exception to that. He emerged so quickly, and had so many accomplishments in such a short span of time, that some corners started their organized efforts to defame him. They attributed lots of things to him which either he never said, or were quoted out of context.
One of the most mis-reported issues is that of his dreams. In this post I would analyze this issue in a little bit detail. But before that, I would suggest the readers to obey the following teaching of Quran (Sura Hujrat 49:6)
O ye who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done.
اے ایمان والو!اگر تمہارے پاس کوئی فاسق (شخص) کوئی خبر لائے تو خوب تحقیق کر لیا کروایسا نہ ہو) کہ تم کسی قوم کو لاعل
ertainly exceptions to the above statement of Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarakرحمت اللہ علیہthough the statement itself is not mentioning any exceptions.Malik bin Dinarرحمت اللہ علیہ, another prominent figure of that era, declared: “I do not accept the witness of a scholar about another scholar because all of them are jealous.”Again, the phrase “all of them are jealous” must have exceptions, as that era included all the big names mentioned above.
Conclusion about Objection 2:
General statements automatically account for the exceptions (wherever applicable). It is not only proven by Quran, Hadith and sayings of the elders but it is a well-known rule in Islamic Fiqh.
So Dr. Sahib’s statement does not negate the existence of any good scholars in
Pakistan, rather it automatically incorporates the exceptions of good scholars. Hence the second objection on his dreams is also baseless.
Objection 3 Answered:
Now we would discuss the most important objection raised on this issue, which says:“Why did the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) ask Dr. Sahib for the arrangements of the stay or travel, including the ticket? Does the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) need such things to travel and is he dependant on Dr. Sahib for these arrangements (Na Uzu Billah)?” We would address this by discussing it from 3 angles:
1. The act of asking doesn’t show dependence
2. Similar dreams seen by scholars in past
3. Dreams are subject to interpretation
1. The act of asking doesn’t show dependence:
The act of asking can have various reasons; it doesn’t necessarily show that the person asking for something is dependent on it. E.g the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) asked for various things during his life, which many a times were meant to honor the person. E.g. the Hadith of Mishqat, which is also narrated by Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal and Bahaqi, shows that the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) asked an Ansari Sahabi to feed him. Similarly in Nur ud Din Zangi’s era, the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) came to his Dream, informed him of the conspirators who were trying to get the body of the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) from his grave, and then asked him “Save me from these two (conspirators)” (Wafa ul Wafa / Khalasa tul Wafa / Jazab ul Qaloob) Was the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) dependent on Nur ud Din Zangi (Na Uzu Billah)? Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) can ask such things from others to honor them; this doesn’t show that the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) is dependent on anyone.
If asking for something shows dependence, then is Allah also dependent (Na Uzu Billah) who is making questions in the following verses of Quran: “…give regular Charity; and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan.” (Al-Muzamil 73:20)
“Who is he that will loan to Allah a beautiful loan, which Allah will double unto his credit and multiply many times?”(Al-Baqara 2:245)
Surely no one would say that Allah’s act of asking for loan shows His dependence on that loan. It is surely meant for our own well-being.
The above example of Quran proves that the act of asking doesn’t show dependence of the questioner.
2. Similar dreams seen by scholars in past
The dreams of Dr. Sahib actually had nothing objectionable, especially when he had himself presented their possible interpretation. But a (so called) religious Jamat of Pakistan got the cassette of the speech, thoroughly tempered it by omitting various parts of it, and then distributed it in the masses to confuse the people. They changed the whole theme of the speech by cutting various parts of the speech and joining them together. This was a very shameful act which was done in an attempt to degrade Dr. Sahib.
As the Jamat which put alligations on Dr. Sahib’s dreams, primarily belongs to Deobandi school of thought, I would present a few examples of dreams reported by their own elders to show their reality.
Molana Rafi ud Din saw that Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) came in his Dream, rejected the original boundaries planned for the construction of Dar ul Uloom Deoband, and marked new boundaries on a wider area with his stick. These marks were present in the morning and we built the building based on these marks. (Mubasharat Dar ul Uloom Deoband, Page 45)
Molana Qasim Nanotvi saw that he was standing on the roof of Kaba, and canals were emerging from his feet and spreading in the world. The narrator interprets that standing on the roof of Kaba represents Dar ul Uloom Deoband and canals represent its branches. (Mubasharat Dar ul Uloom Deoband, Page 35) Qari Muhammad Tayyab narrates that in Dream he saw that Dar ul Uloom Deoband has been established on the roof of the Masjid-e-Nabavi and his (i.e. Qari Sahib’s) residential room was also present there. (Mubasharat Dar ul Uloom Deoband, Page 53-54)
Molana Qasim Nanotvi saw during his childhood that he is sitting in the lap of Allah (Mubasharat Dar ul Uloom Deoband, Page 63)
Molana Rafi ud Din saw that Molana Qasim Nanotvi’s grave is inside the grave of a Nabi (Mubasharat Dar ul Uloom Deoband, Page 70)
Molana Abdul Rashid says that the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) instructed in his Dream. “Serve Molana Zikriya, as serving him is like serving me. I visit his room quite often.” (Bahja tul Qaloob, Page 21) Molana Habib ur Rehman Usmani says that in a public gathering, which he was presiding over, the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) came on a train. (Mubasharat Dar ul Uloom Deoband, Page 67)In a Dream the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) said: “The guests of Imdad Ullah are scholars, I would cook their food myself.” Then Ashraf Ali Thanvi and Rashid Ahmad Gangohi became Haji Imdad Ullah‘s guests. (Tazkira tur Rasheed, Page 46)
Comments: The elders of every school of thought saw dreams which require their تعبیر (interpretation). I have mostly quoted the examples from Deobandi school of thought, as they were most active in the whole campaign against Dr. Sahib’s dreams. Now we would move to the issue of interpretation of dreams (Inshallah).
3. Dreams are subject to interpretation
Dreams are subject to interpretation, this is proven from Quran. Hazrat Yaqoob ( علیہ السلام) says to Hazrat Yusaf (علیہ السلام): “Thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of dreams …” (Yusuf 12:6) Hazrat Yusuf (AS) acknowledged it by saying “My Lord, You have given me the kingdom and taught me the meaning of dreams.” (Yusuf 12:101)
This sura alone has several examples where the interpretation of a Dream is different from the Dream itself. E.g. the stars in Hazrat Yusuf (علیہ السلام)’s Dream (in verse 12:4) actually meant his brothers. Similarly when “the King dreamt that seven lean cows were eating seven fat ones and that there were seven green ears of corn and seven dry ones” (Yusuf 12:43), the interpretation given by Hazrat Yusuf (علیہ السلام ) was: “Cultivate your lands for seven years as usual and preserve the produce with its ears each year except the little amount that you will consume. After this will ensue seven years of famine in which all the grain that you have stored will be consumed except a small quantity. Then there will be a year with plenty of rain and people will have sufficient milk and other produce.” (Yusuf 12:47)
The above discussion proves that dreams are subject to interpretation ( تعبیر ) and should not be taken in their literal meanings.
Interpretations of dreams given by the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم)
Example 1: Milk means knowledge
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar: I heard Allah’s Apostle saying, “While I was sleeping, I was given a bowl full of milk (in a Dream), and I drank of it to my fill until I noticed its wetness coming out of my nails, and then I gave the rest of it to ‘Umar.” They (the people) asked, “What have you interpreted (about the Dream)? O Allah’s Apostle?” He said, “(It is Religious) knowledge.” (Bukhari Vol. 87, Book 9 No. 134)
Example 2: Size of shirt means strength in religion
Narrated Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri: Allah’s Apostle said, “While I was sleeping, some people were displayed before me (in a Dream). They were wearing shirts, some of which were merely covering their breasts, and some a bit longer. Then there passed before me, ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab wearing a shirt he was dragging it (on the ground behind him.)” They (the people) asked, “What have you interpreted (about the Dream) O Allah’s Apostle?” He said, “The Religion.” (Bukhari Vol. 9, Book 87, No. 136)
Example 3: Cutting a part of the body means birth of a grand child
Hazrat Um e Fazal (رضی اللہ عنہا ), the wife of Hazrat Abbas (رضی اللہ عنہ ) saw in a Dream that a part from the body of the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) has cut, and dropped in her lap. She got worried. But the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) said that its interpretation is good. A grand child of mine would be born which would play in your lap. So Hazrat Imam Hussain (علیہ السلام ) was born. (Mishqat Sharif)
Example 4: Broken roof means return of husband
A woman asked from the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ): “I have seen the roof of my house broken.” He replied that her husband, whom was on a far off travel, would return. (Ahlam ul Anbiya wa Sulaha)
Comments so far:
The above Ahadith show that a Dream is subject to interpretation and it should not be taken in its literal meaning. So in the above Ahadith milk is interpreted as knowledge, size of shirt is interpreted as strength in religion, cutting a part of the body is interpreted as the birth of a grand child, and breaking of roof is interpreted as return of husband.
Strange interpretations related to the ziyara of the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم)
Ibn-e-Sireen ( رحمت اللہ علیھ) is a famous Tabaee and is considered among the imams of interpretation of dreams. His famous book, Tabeer ur Roya (i.e. interpretation of dreams) enlists the interpretations to thousands of dreams, some of which (related to the ziyara of the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) are given here:
Ibn e Sireen ( رحمت اللہ علیھ ), the imam of interpretation, says: 1. If someone sees that he is digging or scraching the grave of the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ), it means that he would revive a Sunnah.2. If someone sees that he is drinking the blood of the Prophet (
صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ), it means that he would be martyred in Jihad. 3. If someone sees that the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) has died at a place, it means that Sunnah would be eliminated from that place.One can see that ziyara of the Prophet (
صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) in Dream can be interpreted in various ways. Some times the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) represents his Sunnah, sometimes Islamic teachings, sometimes the Muslim Ummah and sometimes other related things.
Dream of Imam Bukhari
Imam Bukhari saw that he is removing flies from the body of the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ). An expert told him that flies represent fabricated Ahadith and he would remove / distinguish them from the authentic ones.
Dream of Imam Abu Hanifa
Imam Abu Hanifa saw that he was picking the bones of the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) from his grave and he was giving preference to some bones over other bones. He became very puzzled at seeing this (as according to Ahadith earth cannot eat the body of the prophets). Ibn e Sireen told him that the Dream is good. He said that he (i.e. Imam Abu Hanifa) would carefully study the narrations of the Sunnah of the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) and would pick the most authentic ones (to compile Fiqh).
Interpretation of Dr Tahir ul Qadri’s Dreams:
As we have seen, ziyara of the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) can be interpreted in various ways. Some times coming of the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) in dreams represents his Sunnah, sometimes Islamic teachings, sometimes the Muslim Ummah and sometimes other related things. That’s why death of the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) in Dream was interpreted as removal of his Sunnah, and flies trying to sit on his body were interpreted as false narrations attributed to him. Similarly, Dr Tahir ul Qadri’s dreams also require interpretation. So this is what he himself interpreted about them:
Note: The wording is mine, summarizing Dr. Tahir ul Qadri’s wording:
Dream : The Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) asked me to make an Islamic center (Minhaj-ul-Quran) and promised me that he would come there (in that center).
Interpretation: Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم )’s faiz would be included in that center. Dream : The Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) was going to leave this country.
Interpretation: Islamic way of life is going away from our society. Dream : The Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) asked me to make arrangements of his stay.
Interpretation: The Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) wanted me to start a struggle for the revival of Islam. Dream : The Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) asked me to make arrangements of travel including the ticket of the journey.
Interpretation: Ticket and other arrangements of travel are sign of excessive traveling required for the preaching of Islam.
Conclusion:
In this thread we discussed 3 objections commonly raised against Dr. Tahir ul Qadri’s narrated dreams. Some points of our discussion are summarized here:
1. Some critics of Dr. Tahir ul Qadri accuse him that he is “using cheap ways to win popularity” by narrating his dreams. The fact is that he only narrated 2 or 3 dreams in only one of his speeches. Narrating one’s dreams is the Sunnah of the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ), Sahaba, and scholars through out the Islamic history.
2. His statement that “the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) was angry with the scholars of
Pakistan”, was mis-interpreted. The statement does make the exception for those scholars who are genuinely working for Islam.
3. His statement that “the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) asked me to make arrangement of stay, travel and ticket” does not show that the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) is dependent on such things. The dreams are subject to interpretation and should not be taken in their literal meanings. This was proven from the examples of Quran, Hadith and sayings of the imam of interpretation of dreams. Examples of dreams of other scholars (including the dreams of Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Bukhari) were given to illustrate this point.
4. Some of the dreams, which people have wrongly attributed with Dr. Sahib, were also touched. For example Dr. Sahib NEVER said that the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) came in his Dream and asked him to come into politics or to contest election. He NEVER said that the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم ) decided the name of his Jama’at (party). Numerous dreams are falsely attributed with him, so one should verify a statement made against him. THE END
Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri promotes his (MaazAllah) false dreams to the public.
There are thousands of recorded lectures and hundreds of printed books of Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri out of which most of them are available online to listen and read. Although these lectures and books cover several aspects of Islam, none of them has any reference to any of his dreams or basharaats, yet there are some propagandists who highlight the dream matter as if it is one of the main topics of his lectures and books. Unfortunately, we the Muslims have a habit of not doing any research and relying on the rumors only.
Having said that, on a few occasions, Dr. Qadri has mentioned about some ‘basharaat’ to his close associates that was perfectly per Sunnah.
Watch this short clip that is the introduction of that specific talk and propagandists usually don’t share this clip:
Also this is worth watching as it academically clarifies how interpretations of dreams are different from the actual dreams:
Now let’s see what Islamic Shariah teaches us about basharaat (Dreams):
Here are few Hadiths from Sahih Bukhari:
The Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) said, “Whoever has seen me in a Dream, then no doubt, he has seen me, for Satan cannot imitate my shape.” (Bukhari Vol. 9, Book 87, No. 123)
The Prophet said, “Whoever sees me (in a Dream) then he indeed has seen the truth.” (Bukhari Vol. 9, Book 87, No. 125)
The Prophet said, “Who ever sees me (in a Dream) then he indeed has seen the truth, as Satan cannot appear in my shape.” (Bukhari Vol. 9, Book 87, No. 126)
Many Hadiths show us that the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیھ وآلھ وسلم) used to encourage Sahaba to narrate their dreams to him.
Anyway, that particular talk of Dr. Qadri was not meant to be made public. Somehow its recording ended up into the hands of his opponents and propagandists who took out few clips from it and presented the matter under a wrong context. It was extremely wrong thing they did as they tried to make joke of basharaats that act itself was very sinful.
In response to the propaganda, in 1990, Dr. Qadri had explained this important matter in a lot of detail in an open lecture to the public. This 4+ hours of lecture is available online on Youtube and is like an encyclopaedia of knowledge on the matter of basharaats. If someone listens to this complete lecture, it is not possible to have any confusion left on this matter. Here is the link to the lecture:
After watching Dr. Qadri’s video and reading the mentioned articles, it is not possible that any confusion remains on this matter. If someone prefer not to listen or read above quoted lecture/writing and keep his opinion based on the few propaganda clips, there is nothing we can do except prayers of hidayah for that person.
(click to read)