TRUE DREAMS

DR UMAR AZAM BA PHD DCL DIP.FJ DIP.IM

MANCHESTER UK

APRIL 2003

INTRODUCTION

Man has only limited knowledge, but Allah Most High is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. A person experiencing a dream will not know until much later whether it has turned out to be true or not. When Allah Reveals information, Allah Knows already that is a revelation of what is to be. Therefore, trur dreams make nonsense of the argument that dreams are meaningless and 'figments of the imagination'. True dreams prove that the human mind [consciousness] is able to comprehend Messages of the future, as Revealed by the Omniscient Creator: Allah Almighty.

T H E T R U E D R E A M S

DREAM NO 1

SUBJECT:EID

26 JANUARY 2002

I dreamt that our extended family all got together and it was the day of Eid. There was a blessed and happy atmosphere in this dream.

TRUTH

When I experienced this dream, it seemed unlikely that, because of severe, temporary family rifts, everyone would get together. But this did happen.

DREAM NO 2

SUBJECT: WEBSITE LEAFLETS

FRIDAY 18 JANUARY 2002

I dreamt that I went to Zarina's parents' house. There was a lovely feeling in the dream. One of her family members, I think her brother, was shown to me. He looked beautiful and I was told that he has the same genes as Zarina.

TRUTH

I really did go to her house and Zarina's mother was rather surprised to see me. I had known Zarina when we were both at Manchester University. I had wanted to marry her but, sadly, this was not to be [because of my own parents, not hers]. I gave the family a few leaflets and my book DREAMS IN ISLAM so that Zarina, who was now married and no longer living with her parents, would know when visiting how my life had been progressing since we last saw each other in 1987.

DREAM NO 3

SUBJECT : GIRL PUPIL

TUESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2002

I dreamt that my pupil, Marium Zulfiqar, signed my guestbook with the entry: 'Always friends'.

TRUTH

I had been cross with Marium because of her behaviour towards me. During the tuition lessons, she enjoyed provoking me and then watching my anger! This dream informed me that there was nothing malicious in her heart towards me. In future lessons, I discovered that there was, in fact, a veiled mutual affection between us.

DREAM NO 4

SUBJECT : TRAVELLING FOR TUITION WEDNESDAY 6 MARCH 2002

I dreamt that I was taking all kinds of trouble and overcoming three kinds of challemnges when driving from Oldham to my pupils' -Taimur and Ainee's- house in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester.

TRUTH

It became necessary for me to make such frantic [because of timetable obligations] journeys twice a week along the newly-constructed part of the M60 motorway.

DREAM NO 5

SUBJECT : PROPOSING MARRIAGE

FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2002

I dreamt that I was asking my maternal grandmother for my mother's hand in marriage.

TRUTH

This dream foretold that I would be making a marriage proposal to a female [symbolised by my mother in the dream]. A few weeks later, I proposed to Azka Naveed, who agreed. But, sadly, it was not to be!

DREAM NO 6

SUBJECT : ROMANTIC GRIEF

THURSDAY 4 APRIL 2002 [ISLAMIC NEW YEAR: MUHARRAM 1423]

I dreamt that I was looking at a list of Indian [Bollywood] films on computer. Suddenly, the computer automatically clicked on one of the films which then began to play. There was a title panel beside the computer on which was artistically displayed the title of the film, in both English and Hindi, and an illustration. The title was 'TEARS OF THE CITY' [I've forgotten the Hindi translation, but it was something that resembled 'KUM UTVATI' (word with one syllable followed by a word with three syllables). The illustration was of a fortune [represented by coins], tear-drops and [I think I recall] buildings. In the film itself, a group of PAREES [singular, PARI, or MAIDEN OF PARADISE] were singing the chorus of a song, the meaning of which was: 'YOU WERE UNABLE TO BEAR THE GRIEF OF SEPARATION FROM YOUR BELOVEDS.....' While they were singing in a compassionate, romantic chorus, there was an atmosphere of overwhelming emotional pain. Then, towards the end of the dream, I felt that they were also singing to the Prophet Muhammed [PBUM]. The grief in the dream was so vivid that I began to gasp, and then woke up from the dream with a start.

TRUTH

This dream was telling me in advance that my pupils, Azka Naveed and Marium Zulfiqar, to both of whom I was very attached [in a pure way] would be leaving my life, but the compensation for such painful separation [for me, it's like they have 'died'] will be celestial bliss. The life of the Holy Prophet [PBUM] was also full of problems.

DREAM NO 7

SUBJECT : ENVIOUS FAMILY SUNDAY 7 APRIL 2002

I dreamt that the family of a certain Muslim, male pupil, to whom I had a close bond, sacked me. His mother was learning to drive in a small car, which was going away from me. I was almost pleading with her to tell me the reason why I was being dismissed. I said to her: 'Tell me and I swear by God [Allah di Kasam] that I will not mind [won't argue or make a fuss]'. Then his mother replied, 'It's your Website!' I grew concerned and asked, 'What about my Website?' She replied, 'You show off about it too much!' I was rendered almost speechless by this answer and said something like: 'Why, you...you...!' But I kept my promise not to make a scene.

TRUTH

The pupil turned out to be someone called Sana Ullah. Although I was tutoring him for maths. GCSE exams, which take place in May/June, I was dismissed well before Easter!

DREAM NO 8

SUBJECT : GIVING A GIFT

SATURDAY 20 APRIL 2002

I dreamt that my pupil, Zeban Ahmed, said to me, 'I have no pens, so can you give me a pen?' I was pleased to give her a durable, ballpoint pen from my collection as a gift. Its barrel was an attractive shade of yellow.

TRUTH

Immediately after experiencing this dream, I gave Zeban an attractive pen. But the pen seen in the dream was not given until March 2003, when it so happened that I gave Zeban an almost-new pen from my collection!

DREAM NO 9

SUBJECT : HELPING A FRIEND TUESDAY 30 APRIL 2002

I dreamt that I embraced Nasser in a brotherly way and then he told me that he had experienced a dream. I was very interested in finding out just what it was that he had dreamt. Then he told me that, in his dream, he had seen a driverless car in the midst of an eerie atmosphere. After hearing this, I advised him: 'Don't think of the Devil!'

TRUTH

Nasser was the friend of a friend [Waseem Haque] and was always respectful and polite to me, so I liked his personality. Nasser is young [in his early twenties] and may have made mistakes in his life and used his car to make those mistakes [giving girls a 'lift', for example]. I told him what I had dreamt and urged him to repent for what he had done wrong. He is, Masha'Allah, now happily married.

DREAM NO 10

SUBJECT : USURY

WEDNESDAY 1 MAY 2002

I dreamt that money-lending companies are evil and merciless. They give a loan and then increase the amount repayable with the addition of such an excessive surcharge of interest that the borrower is submerged in debt and begins to lose hope of settlement. The dream told me it is a good thing that I have not been subjected to such outrageous usury when experiencing my financial problems.

TRUTH

Between December 2001 and April 2003, I experienced severe financial problems, far more severe than anything I had ever experienced between May 1984 - November 2001. Of course it was a source of relief to me that my financial problems were not exacerbated by loans which drove me to unabating despair!

DREAM NO 11

SUBJECT : NEW BUILDING

MONDAY 8 JULY 2002

A business, commercial or professional centre opened on Wilmslow Road in Manchester, very close to, Whitworth Park near the University of Manchester. It was a marvel of civil engineering! There was an elevated pathway, quite high from the ground, to reach its entrance, and a visitor just felt the urge to walk on this pathway! There was some kind of lake to the right-hand side. The meeting rooms were brand new and clearly-numbered and there was a 'newly-built' smell [of cement] around the whole building. There was going to be an Islamic meeting in one of the rooms. The witch-hunts against the Muslims, after the September 11 attacks on New York, had stopped, and there was an enthusiastic interest in the religion of Islam. A letter which lay on the mantelpiece of my parents' home contained a guide to this new building, and only I knew where the Islamic meeting was going to be held. A crowd of people, bustling, looking as if they couldn't wait to find the venue, crowded round me for the precise information. I told them - putting my figure on the correct place in the guidebook, for example, Room 4 [I forgot the number when I woke up, but it may have been '4'.] and they altogether descended in haste to ground level and began to wait outside Room 4 [if it was Room 4!]. I myself ambled behind them at a leisurely pace.

TRUTH

A new, impressive, enormous building has very recently opened on the corner of Hathersage Road and Wilmsow Road, opposite Whitworth Park. It's too early to have exact information but, just as my dream foretold, the building offers miscellaneous uses: student flats, shops [amongst them a 'Tesco' Supermarket which opens 24 hours a day], and offices [including meeting rooms].

DREAM NO 12

SUBJECT : DRINKING MILK

c. 1997

I had a dream that I was drinking milk.

TRUTH

'Milk, in general, symbolises the FITRATUL ISLAM [the natural religion of Islam] and the SUNNAH [example] of the Prophet [PBUM]. Thus, drinking or possessing milk suggests that the observer will attain righteousness and he will remain steadfast in his religion. If a person sees himself drinking fresh milk [not curd or whey] of a known animal, it implies that he will acquire wealth which is halal [lawful]. Cow milk, camel milk and buffalo milk all symbolise prosperity and goodness. Sheep milk also symbolises prosperity and goodness, but to a lesser extent. IBN SIREEN, p. 53. This dream was true because, in the next few years, Masha'Allah, I became even more successful in my Islamic work: my Website was set up in 2001 and I wrote numerous articles to form sections of its entity.

DREAM NO 13

SUBJECT : UNKNOWN GARDEN

c. 1997

I dreamt that I was in an unknown garden.

TRUTH

An unknown garden represents Jannah [Paradise]. Entering and touring such a garden suggests that the dreamer will attain Paradise by way of making greater progress in religious matters. IBN SIREEN, p. 52 Masha'Allah, I have made greater progress in religious matters, having written more Islamic works and having become the owner of a, Masha'Allah, important Website.

DREAM NO 14

SUBJECT : DISTRIBUTING ISLAMIC BOOKLETS

WINTER 1991

I was with a friend named Khalid Satwilker. I opened the boot of my car and stocked it with numerous copies of my Islamic booklets. Khalid and I were going to take these to the Holy City of Makkah.

TRUTH

This dream definitely came true because I visited libraries, colleges and Universities in Bradford, Birmingham, Derby, Wolverhampton, London and many other places quite far from Manchester to distribute copies of my Islamic work.

DREAM NO 15

SUBJECT : THE EMINENCE OF HELL

c. 1997

My younger brother and I were viewing a complicated diagram. This diagram suggested that Hell is actually superior to Paradise because the majority of mankind will go to Hell.

TRUTH

This dream is definitely true because the majority of mankind does not believe in the Truth. At no time in their history have Judaism [when it was 'current', Christianity [when it was 'current'] or Islam [now that it is 'current'] been the religion of the majority of the inhabitants of the Earth. Those who follow Islam are not immune from Hell: there is an eighth Hell for wicked Muslims to suffer punishment before Salvation.

DREAM NO 16

SUBJECT : HELPING FAMILY

26 MARCH 1997

My father asked me to buy a keeya [from the marrow family] vegetable for the parents and siblings. So I went into a shop and I saw a beautiful, large, healthy keeya, which was relatively lustrous: everything else in the shop was inferior to this vegetable! [I didn't see myself buying it in the dream!]

TRUTH

I did help my siblings with the shopping; once I bought apples and one of them contained the name of 'ALLAH' Most High in Arabic [it was a dark-brown outline spreading outwards from the pips and the interior of the apple had long 'vein-lines' [a tell-tale sign of an impending miracle] running through it [see the 'ASPECTS OF ISLAM' section on this Site for photographs of Islamic Miracles].

DREAM NO 16

SUBJECT : KHATAM

SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER 1996

I had a dream ordering me to tell my parents about arranging a KHATAM for chicken biryani, using five chickens. My parents said, in the same dream, 'Our son has given the most respect to Islam' [translated from the oral Punjabi].

TRUTH

At the time of the dream, my father was severely ill, even in danger of death. I did as the dream commanded and, Alhamdolillah, he eventually recovered.

DREAM NO 16

SUBJECT : COLLECTING COMMENTS

DATE NOT RECORDED

I went to collect a comment from the reader of my PRACTICAL ISLAMIC ADVICE booklet [now on this Site]. The reader's house was attractive-looking with a well-kept garden. He or she weren't home.

TRUTH

This really did happen in waking life. Garden may represent righteousness or Paradise itself [that is to say, the Booklet shows the way to Paradise].

DREAM NO 17

SUBJECT : FAILING TO HELP OTHERS

WEDNESDAY 21 JANUARY 1998 [THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADHAN]

My brother, Zaheer, was quoting from a message in English to me. He read, 'May Allah Bless You!' I read the same message to him in return! The dream was critical of the Haque family, a family we had known for more than 37 years! It informed me that the Haque family don't show anyone their files of letters for inspiration [meaning that they are selfish because they keep something, that can be helpful to others, secret]. So the dream was implying that, when I publish and publicise my Islamic work, I am being very helpful to others by inspiring them to be righteous!

DREAM NO 18

SUBJECT : HELPING MOTHER

DATE NOT RECORDED

I saw beautiful countryside. I dreamt that I could teach other people to take their mothers for drives in the countryside. I was standing in the centre of a long coach and showing off to a friend: 'I know this area like the back of my hand!'

TRUTH

I experienced this dream close to 1997. I have showed various scenic routes to a number of friends over the years. Also, in 2003, Waseem's friend, Nasser, was so pleased to visit Arley Hall and Gardens, Appleton, Warrington, Cheshire that he expressed an interest in taking his own mother and wife there for a drive.

DREAM NO 19

SUBJECT : OSTENTATIOUS RELIGION

25 DECEMBER 1997

My mother advised me to go to a religious function at a Mosque to show other people that I am a religious person! I replied to her that I don't need to prove to anyone that I am religious because people have seen my House in Paradise in their dreams!

TRUTH

I have told friend that, just because a Muslim reads Namaz five times a day, that doesn't mean that he or she is religious! It's how religion is implented in practice that matters! If a person, likewise, fasts in the Holy Month of Ramadhan to show others, he or she is remaining hungry for no reason at all!

DREAM NO 20

SUBJECT : SACRIFICE FOR ISLAM

DATE NOT RECORDED

I got the message in my dream: 'You have sacrificed everything for [the sake of] Islam!'

TRUTH

I have always tried to put Islam before anything else. Masha'Allah, I have given many sacrifices for Allah's sake [not marrying a fellow student at Manchester University, for example; I obeyed my parents instead] and this dream acknowledged that Allah will not keep any debt due to me [and it will only be 'due' because Allah, out of Divine Mercy has decided that is so] when the time for Heavenly Reward comes.

DREAM NO 21

SUBJECT : GUIDING TO BELIEF

SATURDAY 22 MARCH 1997

I dreamt that I was telling the secret of 'essence of Islam' to a close, English, non-Muslim friend of my brother. I cared for my brother's friend so much that I gave him advice frim the soul: I told him that death is inevitable and that he should convert [or 'revert'] to Islam before it is too late.

TRUTH

This dream emphasised that I must have more compassion for non-Muslims, that I should relax my customary viewpoint that if non-Muslims don't want to believe in Islam, then let them be! This dream, in fact, told me that I have a responsibility to try to tell non-Muslims the facts of Islam, in the hope that they will revert to before it is too late for them and they die. I have now written A LETTER TO NON-MUSLIMS [now on this Site] to try to guide those non-muslims who wish to revert. Perhaps more work on this subject is needed to persuade non-Muslims to revert, even if they are not thinking of reverting!

CONCLUSION

At the end of writing this research paper, I was wondering what my conclusion should [having already written the conclusions for a few similar papers on 'dreams'; see contents of this Site]. I do know, of course, that a good conclusion finishes the work from a fresh angle, a different perspective; for this particular paper, I was wondering what that perspective should be! So I am delighted to report that I had another true dream with which to finish off this paper! Allah Most High Appreciates my work and is actually Helping me in this work by confirming that, yes, the dreams which I am saying are true are, in fact, true! This is what I dreamt [I'll give it the reference 'No 22', to conclude the twenty-one dreams above:

DREAM NO 22

SUBJECT: TRUE DREAMS

WEDNESDAY 23 APRIL 2003

I had one of the sweetest dreams of my life! I can't recall anything specific, but the dream was confirming that I am destined for Paradise, Insha'Allah! By its nature, it was even more pleasant than Dream Nos 6, 12, 13 and 20 above, and seemed to lead on from two dreams in particular { Dream Nos 12 and 13} [it was like Allah Miah was telling me in the dream, 'I Know what you have been writing and, yes, what you say is the truth!'].

PRAISE BE TO ALLAH MOST HIGH, LORD OF THE WORLDS, KNOWER OF THE VISIBLE AND THE INVISIBLE, THE GUIDE TO THE RIGHT PATH!