Friday, May 16, 2008

I Dream I'm Searching for Jesus

About 11 years ago, I dreamt I was searching for Jesus. As a person who rarely remembers her dreams, even a few minutes after waking, the fact that every detail of this dream is seared into my memory even to this day is a testament to its impact. Muslims believe that on occasion, a person can experience a dream sent by God and surely, for me, this was one such dream.

My mission from the beginning of the dream was quite clear; I had to find Jesus. I was paired with another on my quest, a man I didn't know and have not met yet, to my knowledge.

The two of us began our quest in a very nice looking neighborhood with beautifully paved and clean, tree-lined streets during a sunny summer's day. We asked a few of the happy passers-by if they knew where Jesus could be found. Each smiling respondent enthusiastically pointed us in the direction of a large stadium in the distance.

Upon entering the packed stadium, the sound of hysterical laughter was deafening. Well-dressed men, women and children of various races filled every seat in the huge stadium and all were transfixed with laughter at the events taking place at the center of the stadium. There wasn't a person in the place whose face wasn't contorted with a jester-like quality and who were bent over in the throws of uncontrollable laughter. There was an unrealistic, almost forced quality to the laughter, as if it weren't genuinely produced from the soul. The absence of true joy was apparent in the eyes of the laughers as if their smiles had been unnaturally transposed over mourning faces.

My partner and I proceeded to try and ask several of the laughing people in the stadium if they knew where Jesus was, but it was so hard to distract them from their jocularity. In our confusion upon entering the stadium to this hilarious bedlam, we hadn't even glanced in the direction of the stage in the middle. When we looked...there was nothing there, just an empty stage with a spotlight shone upon it!

"What are you laughing at", I asked one of the people after shaking him out of his trance-like laughter long enough to look away from the empty stage and look at me. He was a middle-aged African-American man with glasses and looked to be an average middle-class family man.

He heavily lifted his arm and pointed his finger towards the empty stage while still contorted with laughter.

"But there's nothing there", I insisted while trying to keep him from slipping back into his laughing-trance.
"Don't you see it, it's right there, look", the man giggled and shifted his attention back to the stage.

"What, what's there, I don't see anything on stage...", but it was too late, he'd already been re-entranced by the empty stage.

Unable to snap any of the stadium-goers out of their insane laughter, we were forced to leave to continue our search despite having been instructed by various people outside the stadium that indeed, that's where Jesus is supposedly located. My partner and I decided to get into an awaiting taxi parked in front of the stadium and search in another neighborhood.

"Do you know where we might find Jesus", we enquired of the grungy cabbie upon getting into the older-model cab.

He nodded in the affirmative and proceeded to drive us a short distance to a dank, dirty, deserted part of town replete with tipped-over, rat-filled garbage cans and stagnant puddles of sewage overflow next to tall, dilapidated apartment buildings. The bright and cheerful sun which had shone in the nice neighborhood didn't appear through the smog and pollution casting tones of twilight across the dingy, urban scene like something out of an old gangster movie. The cabbie indicated to one of the condemned buildings, suggesting that would be where Jesus is located.

My partner and I entered the building and began knocking on apartment doors on every floor. Most were empty and the few people we did speak with, weren't helpful at anything but misdirection and contradiction until finally, there was only one apartment left unchecked. We opened the door to the sight of water filled up to just a few inches below the ceiling. There was an invisible barrier holding the water in the apartment and keeping it from flowing out of the open door. We could feel a type of pull, somehow we could sense that Jesus was in there and we had to enter through the door and into the water.

As we passed through the doorway, we were entirely immersed in water and were forced to float to the top. Our heads bumped against the ceiling next to the single light bulb which dimly illuminated the water below as we held our mouths above water and gasped for air. My partner and I took turns diving below the water and searching for Jesus in every cabinet and closet. We would rise to inform the other of where we'd already searched in the murky, greenish colored water and breathe while the other would dive below to continue our search, which now seemed more like a rescue mission. We treaded water for what seemed to be forever and we became exhausted.

Then finally after dozens of dives, we found him.

On my last dive into the kitchen, I'd found Jesus, weak and powerless to release himself, curled up in one of the lower cabinets in a fetal position. He wasn't dead, but practically unconscious. Upon opening the cabinet door and discovering him, the water gushed out of the apartment leaving us to carry a wet and tired Jesus out of the condemned building into the street. We rushed as fast as we could to try and find help for him and saw that the taxi which had brought us to this seedy neighborhood was still idling outside, ready to take us to the hospital. My partner and I held Jesus in the backseat of the taxi, trying to revive him. As he opened his eyes, he passed us a key that had been clenched in his hand all that time.

And I woke up.

The Meaning

There are people who are gifted with dream interpretation. A few years after having this dream, my husband contacted a sheikh who was renowned for accurately interpreting dreams. I already had an idea of what the dream meant but I wanted to have my ideas confirmed. I told him the details of my dream and he gave me the following keys:

Jesus= the true message of God. For Muslims, Jesus (PBUH) was an important Prophet and he carried with him the same message that all of God's prophets did, from Adam to Noah to Moses and beyond. Upon reading the Bible, I can spot where the original message was and where it had become changed and distorted from its original meaning. For me, Islam isn't a different religion from Christianity, hence the use of Jesus and not Mohammed (PBUH) as symbol for Islam in my dream; it's a continuation and a correction of what had come previous but had been manipulated by the hands of man.

The nice neighborhood at the beginning = the christian world

The laughing stadium goers = Christians who unbeknownst to themselves, were deluded into happiness by unsubstantial joys of this world. In error, everyone thought Jesus was there in the stadium with them but in fact, there was nothing. The forced quality of their laughter and the contradiction of their sad eyes to the apparent hilarity alluded to the fact that they suspected or knew the fallacy of the situation, but didn't want to admit it or question it.

My partner= we're not exactly sure who he is but the sheikh thought he is a person who was also going through a similar search for true Islam. I did not feel any romantic attachment to him nor do I recall any particular fondness for him... but I do know he is western-oriented like me although the details of his appearance have been obscured from my memory. All I felt is that we were linked in our search. One of my friends suggested he may be my then unborn son, who may join me on future religious projects, Allahu-aalam. A part of me feels he may be another Muslim who also had the same dream as I and may work with me in real life one day on an important Islamic project; this thought has compelled me to keep certain details of my dream out of this post in case I were to ever meet the brother, I could confirm his authenticity (far-fetched, I know).

The taxi = dawah, propagation of Islam. It's older state is a testament to outmoded methods used to promote the religion as well as its "foreignness". The grungy state of the driver, and the fact that many taxi drivers in metropolitan areas are of Muslim extraction may be of significance.

The bad neighborhood = the Muslim world today. The lack of light is how we lack enlightenment and are in a type of "dark ages". It also shows what a miserable state most Muslim countries are in.

The apartment dwellers- cultural Muslims, or Muslims-by-name-only who don't really practice the religion nor do they know much about it.

The water = fitna. This was one of the strongest symbols in my dream and the one I faced the most difficulty with. Diving down through all the fitna in the Muslim world in order to find the true message of Jesus (PBUH), which is the same as our Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), proved to be an exhausting ordeal.

The key= perhaps to the gates of heaven for finding the true message of God through all of the fitna, after having left my nice neighborhood to search for it in the foreboding Muslim world.


Upon having this dream, two years or so after I really started practicing Islam and before my husband and I had left America for Saudia, I was instantly comforted that I was on the right path. I'd been given confirmation by God that my struggles were not in vain and that my destiny was to go to the Muslim world to dive and search through the fitna to find the true message of God. It also meant that there were others like me and I was never alone in my search and they would also help me bring the true religion of God out of the Muslim world where it had formerly been held, neglected and bogged down by fitna.


always in the kitchen said...

What a wonderful powerful gift of a dream.Do you think the suffering drowning Jesus is symbolic of no one listening to the prophets and messages God sends?

My husbands aunt does dream interpretation.She always says if the water is clear in a dream you'll find your way and all will be well,but if it's dirty or murky...Was the water clear?I always check when I dream of water now,silly I know,and still...

Umm Mohammed said...

Fascinating. Made me cry. Indeed Allah has blessed you with such a dream.

The Wahhabi Misanthrope said...

Wow masha Allah. All I ever get is the one where a giant whale appears under my rowing boat.

dalioness said...

It is amazing that after ten years you remember it so vividly. I believe this is a sign in itself that shows the importance of the dream you had. Masha'Allah.
You know, while reading your post, especially the begining and middle, I could not help but think that Christians would intepret it in a totaly different way, if you know what I mean.
I dream very rarely, but when I do, my dreams are always either scary or sad, rarely happy dreams. Which is sort of ok I guess, since when I dream happy dreams and wake up to reality it is disappointing. Yet when I dream sad or scary dreams, I am happy and thankful for waking up. I know this is not unique to my case. I do however have some dreams occasionally that I take to be some sort of a sign, in the religious sense. I dreamt of Judgement Day a few times, and THAT was scary! And has anyone dreamt of falling from a ladder and hitting the ground at the moment of waking up? If yes, what does it mean??? I get these a LOT!
Anyway, sorry for my rambling. Awesome dream and an awesome post! I want more!!!

Mama Kalila said...

wow.. that was an interesting dream.

mummyjaan said...

Absolutely amazing!

Saudi Stepford Wife-Daisy said...

alwaysinthekitchen- For someone else, the suffering Jesus could indeed be symbolic of our deafness to God's messengers. For me however, the fact that this sheikh knew nothing of my life but interpreted the water to be fitna (discord,disunity and bickering) amongst Muslims, something I struggled with very much especially in those days, meant he hit the nail on the head. As far as the water, its murkiness was due mostly to the lack of light, there was only one lightbulb to light an entire apartment making it quite dim. The color was the color of cold sea water in those ocean documentaries-greenish.

ummmohammed- I do feel blessed,alhumdulillah.

thewahhabimisanthrope- whales and rowboats...Freudian perhaps? Don't lose heart, I was 20 and undergoing a major life-altering experience and have not had a dream like that since despite many difficulties that have arose during that time. Perhaps the lack of a profound dream means you don't require that type of guidance at this point in your life and are handling things well enough on your own with the resources you've been provided?

dalioness- I think you're absolutely right that a Christian would have interpreted this dream completely different, and had a Christian dreamt this same dream it may have held different meanings. For me, I had already embarked on such a search for "true religion" and with the help of the internet, read up on every different "ism" there is; Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. Having gone through most branches of Christianity already throughout adolescence by going to friends youth groups etc (many of my friends were hard-core Christians), I revisited most of them in my maturity just to make sure I hadn't missed something. Unfortunately, when the acid test of my many questions was applied, Christianity couldn't hold up and I always thought it lacked true substance under my scrutiny. I was told it was a matter of faith and a believer should overlook contradictions in text and practice to view the big picture. Needless to say, not good enough for me and my immortal soul. And btw...bad dreams are another similarity between you and my sister!

mamakalila,mummyjaan- :)

The Wahhabi Misanthrope said...

"whales and rowboats...Freudian perhaps?"

Don't get me started on Freud. Do you know what he thought about the original use of fire among men (in a footnote in 'Civilisation' somewhere)? Yeah. That's why.


Thanks. I hope that's how it is. I like being boring :)

dalioness said...

Assalamu alaykum Daisy,

You said:

"I was told it was a matter of faith and a believer should overlook contradictions in text and practice to view the big picture".

Subhan'Allah! ALL my revert friends/sisters say the very same thing! Well, although I was not brought up in another religion, still I was not raised in an islamic environment (i.e. not practising), resulting in me knowing actually very little about Islam, so I consider myself a revert too. The only major difference is that Alhamdulillah Allah spared me from the usually very long confusion and search for the truth (as told by my friends) in the sense of studying/examining the various religions.

Hm, I remind you of your sister a lot huh? Well when I was little I always asked my mother why I can't have a twin! I too have chinese eyes, does she? Please say no, otherwise I'll be scared (jk).

dalioness said...

BTW, how is your sleep these days?

Saudi Stepford Wife-Daisy said...

dalioness- another favorite of mine that was told repeatedly to a young woman I knew that had joined a Mormon church in her quest for the truth and began questioning a lot of the practices and text, "you should pray for guidance".
Even for those of us "born" into Muslim families, at some point you actually CHOOSE to be a Muslim as is the case with many others I've met.
No, my sister doesn't have Chinese eyes but don't worry, from what it sounds like they're be many more similarities for me to be surprised at:-)

and as far as my sleep...its 1:51 AM now and I'm typing this message...nuff said!

Maryam said...

Mashallah. What a dream ... !!!


Anonymous said...

assalaamu aleykum sister.

lovely detailed dream, mashallah. i've always wondered why it seems so impossible to remember our dream... even we might remember a dream for a short while, and mostly if spoken about it alot, after some time, we just forget... or is that just me!
i used to dream about water alot, a friend of my mother who has a great interest in dream interpretations, told me that being in water in a dream, is a way to heal yourself in your dream... about 2 years ago i had a miscarriage and was very upset about it for a long period of time, at that time my dreams where always about me being in water- or mostly sat in water, with water just above my stomach. so when she told me about the healing process it really made sense to me.

dalioness said...

So true Daisy, we really do "choose" to be Muslims, there are probably very, very few people born and left on their fitrah, even those brought up in strong, religious muslim households are affected by the society in one way or another, so in the end all of us really do choose to be Muslims, choose to practise and choose how strong a dedication we want to have to our Lord. Ok, did this sound weird now!?!

Yes, I can not grasp how when one has (reasonable) questions about the texts, one is told to just pray for guidance. I mean, what are the texts for if not for guidance? As such, it would make sense if the texts provide answers, and most of the questions I usually hear people (regardless if Muslims or Christians) ask about the texts are reasonable questions. Ok, I better stop since I feel "rambling" coming on again (don't want to ruin your post).

Oh my, I guess you will just have to opt out for the "plan B" and wait until school is out, and then try to adjust. Only two more weeks insha'Allah, hang in there!!

Saudi Stepford Wife-Daisy said...

maryam- :)

anon- WAS, I could see water representing healing in that context. However, I'm sure that water doesn't represent one, universal thing in dreams just like it doesn't in real life. Water kills people with its force, cuts through mountain and yet, our children play in it and it is the very source of life on our planet. I'm not gifted in interpretation however, as with literary interpretation which I AM good at, one must look at the context and know a bit about the life and times of the authors (dreamers) to glean the symbolism used in the text. Inshallah, I pray your grief has lessened and your body healed since your traumatic loss.

dalioness- Muslims need not delve into the realms of Biblical final year thesis in literature was done on this very topic and during my research I was shocked at how Christian scholars, especially since Darwin's time, pick apart the Bible until it looks like Swiss cheese and claim to be believers while maiming it! And we think we've got fitna!

dalioness said...

I read my previous comment and saw where I worded myself wrong. I meant Muslims having questions about "their" texts (Qur'an) and Christians about "theirs" (Bible). I agree with you that we do not need to delve into the biblical texts, actually, I feel there is no reason for it whatsoever (although I do like to know what people of different religions base their beliefs on). I think there is even a hadith/athar about the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam prohibiting from looking into the old scriptures.

I know this is a bit off the topic, but I am just itching to share this with you:

My friends mother is a "hard-core" Christian, who speaks in tongues (prophecying) and also interprets what was said at times (edifying). Anyway, a couple years ago I was on the phone with my friend and I heard her mother screaming at the top of her lungs, later my friend explained she was "filled with the holy ghost" and she spoke in tongues.
A few weeks later my friend told me her mother "edified" what "God has spoken to her", and the translation was:

"Oh my child, why do you not worship me as I want you to worship me? Why do you run away from me when I want you to run to me?"

Of course this increased my friends mother in "more" worship and time spent at the church, but my friend and I could not help but have our own explanation for it (which was exactly the same).

Also, her mother sometimes speaks arabic while sleeping (my friends husband heard her a few times-and understood), although she is american and does not know a lick of arabic. She spoke of those dreams at times but I won't delve into it much here. Anyway, just thought I share, I find it a bit eery.

BTW, I can't sleep either, thus my abundant comments (sorry if it is getting to much, I promise to try and keep it short and sweet from now on insha'Allah).

MommaSpaz said...

That is such a powerful and amazing dream! So often do we follow an idea, or belief like "sheep" and don't bother to look within us, or search the answers out ourselves. We would rather have other's do the work for us and tell us what to do. I am also on a quest to find my spirituality... whatever that may be....

I find here in the western world, Christianity is full of "sheep". Everyone will believe what one person will tell them, and they go on that blind faith. That part of your dream with the stadium hit that nail on the head, and reminded me why I stoped going to church and blindly following what some person interprets as truth. I would rather search the truth myself.

I am sorry if this doesn't make much sense, it is late here, and I am getting tired. Thank you for your post!

The Queen said...

That sure was a powerful dream for you to have remembered it for so long. I love trying to interpret dreams and I am most confident that had you visited a priest about your dream you would have most definitely recieved a different interpretation. Had you visited a psychologist you would have received yet another interpretation and I bet that one would have been a bit more accurate.
You must have been in quite a state. You say you were 20 years old at the time and had been Muslim for 2 years or so which would have made you 18 when you started pracicing seriously. And how old were you when you got married? Yet, you say that you were confident because you made this choice (to be Muslim) after serious, in depth seaching - on the internet in your 'maturity'. Do you still believe that a 16 - 18year old has maturity? I wonder how you as a mother will accept your 16 - 18 year old's choices as mature ones?

I'm very glad that things have worked out for you but I shudder to think of all the unnecessary pain and difficulties you had to go through.


Do you beleive that the Wahhabis that you live with in Saudi can be equated with the Christians that have 'corrupted' their book?

Very thought provoking post!

The Wahhabi Misanthrope said...

Queen: you should be deposed.

The Wahhabi Misanthrope said...

And FYI, a person becomes a 'mukallaf' (i.e. legally obligated individual) when he reaches the age of puberty. In pretty much every (pre-modern) society, this was the criterion used to distinguish between childhood and adulthood. The extension of 'childhood' beyond that age is a cultural prejudice, as opposed to an objective, God-given ruling.

And pyschologists don't even interpret dreams per se ('interpret' in the sense of a profound hermeneutic engagement). Freud has been confined to literature faculties for the past few decades- anyone who has read his 'Interpretation of Dreams' can see how arbitrary it is that he confine a 'symbol' to any one particular signification. My point is not that the interpretation of dreams is impossible- it is, and we have seen an example of it. Not that I expect you to have any appreciation of these things- your epistemology is, obviously, rather different from ours- ours being premised on an utter submission to the Prophet (sal Allahu `alayhi wa sallam), particularly with reference to the Unseen [al-Ghayb], empirical knowledge of which is necessarily restricted.

SSW, I forgot to thank you for your kind words. Thanks.

The Wahhabi Misanthrope said...

"...literary must look at the context and know a bit about the life and times of the authors (dreamers) to glean the symbolism used in the text."

Tsk, tsk. You must have gone to uni a loooong time ago- this approach is redolent of 'practical criticism'. The 'author' died some time ago.

I hope that isn't too irreverent. I meant it as a joke.

mummyjaan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Saudi Stepford Wife-Daisy said...

dalioness- "they" are filled with the Holy Ghost and "we" got a Jinn in us... same outcomes but attributed to different/opposite causes. And stop apologizing woman and keep commenting:)

mommaspaz- we've got our sheep too...we can't throw stones from inside our glass houses. But at least we are encouraged to question and ordered, "READ", although too few follow that commandment.

the queen- 18 yearolds have enough maturity to vote, marry, be held legally accountable for their actions, fight in wars, hold various public offices and engage in numerous other "mature" why do you deem that I was too immature to worship God? Would this mean the end of Sunday schools and youth groups for anyone less than 18 years old because they don't have enough maturity to decide that the church mom&dad brought them to is right for them? I make and re-make the decision to be a Muslim on a daily basis, it was not a one-time event. Upon my initial decision to live life as a Muslim I was not sucked into an intellectual vortex, preventing me from any additional contemplation of the issue and forcing me into a zombie-like adherence to Islam from that day forward. As far as your comparison of "Wahhabis" (I think that term is seriously misapplied by the general public) and Christians... as I outlined in my dream interpretation, something as a non-Muslim you may not have picked up on, discord and disunity amongst Muslims stemming from conflicting INTERPRETATIONS of Quran and Sunnah are a very real problem and something that presented a big obstacle in my personal development as well as the Muslim nation. But I'll tell you, there's no comparison between the petty squabbles we have over whether we should hold our hands over our heart or over our belly when we pray as opposed to entire verses and books of the Bible being omitted and added by different congregations. Our Quran is intact, every letter unchanged from the first day it was sent down and will remain so till the end of time. EVERY Muslim believes that, there are no "versions" of the Quran, we differ in how we implement it in practice is all and the vast majority of those differences are quibbling over minutia.

WM- I agree with your explanation of the differences between Muslim/non-Muslims approaches to dream interpretation. Must you make me drudge up the name Leavis...I wrote that name so many times in my uni notes, LOL! But I have to clarify something with you, don't you mean the exact opposite of what you typed or has it indeed been a long time since I've been to uni? Doesn't 'practical criticism' advocate taking the text as a whole unit unto itself, separate of the historical context in which it was written as well as any other outside influences? If so, count me out of that group. I feel understanding the life and times of the author is crucial to understanding their work and I feel myself as much a student of history as a student of literature.

The Wahhabi Misanthrope said...

Hmmm...I see what you mean.


'Redolent of', i.e. resembling, albeit not exactly.


I meant: the author is dead. The author, his life and context etc does not have the same significance it used to (especially when it comes to Freudianism which pretty much posits a universal type of psyche etc)- I am talking about the birth of theory. Does that make more sense?

Anonymous said...

It would be interesting to see what a Christian "dream interpreter" would make of this. Wonder how a jew would interpret it....

I tend to be sceptical and think the "Sheikh" interpreted it with a "Muslim" slant -- and don't really know whether there is any validity in dream interpretation when you have an agenda.

The Wahhabi Misanthrope said...

Hey PM!

"I...think the "Sheikh" interpreted it with a "Muslim" slant"

You don't say? :)

"...and don't really know whether there is any validity in dream interpretation when you have an agenda."

Well, since every perspective necessarily has an 'agenda'...but remember the story of Yusuf (a.s.) and the dream about cows...?

Anonymous said...

The queen brought up an interesting issue, Daisy:

At 16-18 would you accept your child deciding to leave Islam and convert to another religion. Would you consider them "mature" enough to make a well thought out decision?

Just curious ;-)

The Wahhabi Misanthrope said...

At puberty (if we assume all other conditions are present e.g. sanity) a person becomes legally responsible, hence punishable, for any crime they commit- and riddah is a crime.

Summarising from an-Nawawi's Majmu', one shaf`i author writes: 'When a person who has reached puberty and is sane voluntarily apostasises from Islam, he deserves to be killed'.

Converting to kufr from Islam is pure riddah [pronounced rid-da]. The treatise I mentioned then says that the person (i.e. the apostate) must be invited to repent, and if he does not, he is killed (by the ruler or his representative etc). Some people say he should be given three days to repent, others do not. The hanafis are well-known for their opinion that the female murtad (the murtadda) is gaoled until she repents, after which time she is released.

Some people try to fool us into feeling disgusted at our own religion, and ask us whether we would allow these punishments to be applied to our own children (e.g. if they apostasised, w'al `iyathu b'illah).

To which we say: what we accept for others, we accept for our own children because this is the way of justice. al-Habib al-Mustafa, sal Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, said that if his own daughter Fatima stole, he would punish her with the same punishment others receive i.e. the hadd for theft. This is unlike those who exempt the rich and the privileged from justice, and mete it out only to the common people.

The Wahhabi Misanthrope said...

Sorry- that's so wrong, to 'interrupt' and answer questions not addressed to me. I'm not this bad-mannered in real life. I'll keep quiet now.

dalioness said...


If you or anyone you know knows a good shaykh/dream interpreter, let me know please, I have a couple of dreams I am very curious about.
And another thing, I always thought that Ibn Sirin rahimahullah was famous for dream interpretation and even have his book, however recently I have heard that the book is not actually written by him, that many things he supposedly said were (falsely) attributed to him. Any truth to this, anyone?

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing that sis. I certainly see why I am so hesitant to open myself up in a blog--but I do believe blogs like yours have enriched me. (Look away from the propositional ending).
Love and Peace,

The Wahhabi Misanthrope said...

Dalioness, I have heard reliably that that book is a forgery full of very weird things- I have this from several trustworthy sources.

Often when a sahabi was famous for something (e.g. ibn `Abbas for tafsir), people would ascribe narrations and opinions to him in order to legitimate their own views. This seems to be a case of that, Allahu a`lam.

The Wahhabi Misanthrope said...

Silly me! Ibn Sirin wasn't a sahabi, radi Allahu `anhu- but you get my point, I hope.

dalioness said...


Yes I get what you mean. So was Ibn Sirin famous at all for intepreting dreams and then additional things were attributed to him, or is all of it fabricated and he never intepreted dreams at all? Because my understanding is he was indeed "expert" in the field, however never wrote the book in question and much of the content was fabricated, is this correct?

dalioness said...

BTW, I read most of it and yes, you are informed correctly, it is full of strange things. I now feel compelled to do a bit of research about this book...

Yallah, Daisy, what does falling from a ladder and hitting the ground at the moment of waking up mean? I literally "jump" on waking up from one of those and while "falling" my stomach actually "feels the gravity"....yallah call up a shaykh...(Dr. Evil signature move)hehehehhehe

Nicole said...

MashAllah. A powerful dream. I had a dream when I was a new Muslim and was faced with marrying someone that I was unsure about. After I reported the dream to him he was furious and was certain the dream was about him, etc. and he pulled out of the relationship. SubhanAllah. So, whatever it truly meant, it cleared him out of my life. Alhamdulillah. InshAllah next time don't add the pictures of Jesus. We don't know what he looks like and why should we stick to the Western images of his likeness. It is not part of our religion.

Anonymous said...


Mosh'Allah, what a dream! My dreams always seem to be very vivid when I'm pregnant but there never about much! I did however have a dream not too long ago that was very real and frightening. When you look out our back door it is facing east and when you look out the front door it is west.In my dream I was looking out the back door it was very gloomy looking, dark and gray, like a storm was coming and there was this HUGE grandfather clock that was as tall as the sky and the hands on it were spinning like crazy, the next thing I knew, I was looking out the front and it was sunny and peaceful, not a cloud in the sky. My 13 and 14 year old daughter and son were with me and I grabbed both of them, shouting and crying and said, why didn't you listen to me when I tried to tell you about Islam? I woke up then and was actually crying. I told my husband about it and he thought it was a sign that Judgement Day is very near, especially the part about the hands on the clock spinning out of control and reaching up to the heavens. The part about my kids is that we are still trying to get them to accept Islam and it's not going very well. They are with us half the year and the other half with their father. It is very painful as their mother to see them not care about Islam especially as puberty is setting in and soon they will be responsible for themselves. I can still see the dream in my mind as if it just happened.
Also, This was not a dream, it actually happened to me. In my early 30's I decided to search for religion and God. I was not raised in any religion and was exhausted with my life and bad choices at that time. I read the Bible 3 times and really didn't feel fulfilled with it but I was convinced I needed the Holy Ghost to completely understand it. So I started attending a church that I didn't feel comfortable in, they flopped around on the stage and spoke in tounges. I was a little frightend! After getting burn-out from being a certified nurse aide I decided to get into factory work. I did that alot, going back and forth from nursing to factory. Anyway, I really took to this girl, she was on my line. We would have breaks together and I knew she was part of some religion because she always wore skirts even when it was 100 degrees out! Thats really stereotyping isn't it?! I asked her about her religion, it was Protestant, and I attended church with her a few times. I felt a little more comfortable in her church but then they too started weeping and flopping on the stage and I thought I was doomed for answers! However, in the time I did go to her church, I was able to ask alot of people who said they had the Holy Ghost, how and when they got it and found to what I believed to be uncertain answers. So I just prayed to God and said please just send me the truth, send me Jesus(PBUH) if you are true! And the place that I worked at was full of Muslim men and one of them ended up being my husband Issa! Alhumdulillah!!! For those readers who may not know, Issa is arabic for Jesus! Through my husband I was able to find what I believe to be the true religion with no doubt in my heart, mind, body, or soul! Alhumdulillah! Peace & Blessings!Tina

The Wahhabi Misanthrope said...

"...he was indeed "expert" in the field, however never wrote the book in question and much of the content was fabricated"

I think this is right, w'Allahu a`lam.

Anonymous said...


I know Ive been out of touch I will email you soon.

PM said...

Thank you for your response WM but I would really like Daisy's response to my question regarding allowing her child to choose their religion. I am not asking your -- or the wahhabi rule -- on such an issue.

As for having an agenda in interpreting dreams, you are correct -- anyone can have an agenda. I, personally, don't read a whole lot into "dream interpretation" -- but that's just me ;-)

Salaam Alaikum,

The Wahhabi Misanthrope said...

LOL, I don't talk much here so I usually have lots to say online :)

FYI none of the authors I cited were 'wahhabis' per se. The four schools are full of 'non-wahhabis'. This (i.e. death as the hadd for ridda)was also the opinion of every sahabi (raa), a group of opinions that every sunni subscribes to.

Also, one of the books I cited, ironically, has been translated by someone who isn't a 'wahhabi' in any sense of the word...

dalioness said...

The term "wahhabi" is thrown around so often, yet the funny thing is most people who use it do not even know anything about it, and do not even know that no one from Ahlus Sunnah ( INCLUDING most Saudi scholars) "subscribes" to it in any way.
In any sense however, Al Wahhaab is one of the names of Allah, so personally, in that sense, I don't mind at all being called as such. I am just curious to know if the users of this term (in a derogatory sense)even know why they use it and why they feel justified in doing so. I hope this remains something we all try to individually ponder upon, without ruining this awesome post and straying from the topic.

Daisy, it seems your post got me to dream last night, after a very long time of "dreamless" sleep. And guess what? It was a bit scary (my mother cut my hair SHORT)! LOL

WM, jazakom Allah khayran for the clarification..

Saudi Stepford Wife-Daisy said...

WM- OK, I got your gist about practical criticism. And thanks for the info pertaining to apostates and the literature you've mentioned. DOn't worry about 'interrupting' as commenting is encouraged as long as every one's intentions are good.

dalioness- dreams,'ve asked the wrong person! My sister has weird out-of-body floating dreams where she can see herself below. I told her she should take a trip and float overseas to me next time...I miss her and it would save a lot on airfare, LOL.

PM- for my normal dreams where I find myself teaching a class in my underwear or something like that...I don't put much stock in them and consider them re-arranging my mental "files" and wouldn't bother to attempt interpreting them nor would I care what would be gleaned from them. But this dream, even smells and textures are still vivid till this day. There were emotions attached to it as well and like I'd said before, the sheikh merely articulated what I'd already felt about the meaning of the dream upon waking. As far as what I'd feel about my child following a different religion, in all honesty, I think my whole world would crash down around my ears. Since there is no compulsion in religion, as an adult I'd have no part in "allowing" her to follow another religion. If that were to happen, I'd feel as if I'd failed in my mission as a parent and that the endless hours of dedication to Islamic instruction and an Islamic way of life were in vain meaning that my life too had been a failure since my children have been made my main mission in life. I don't know if I could recover from the blow. Inshallah that will never happen to my child. My parents never dedicated that energy to my religious upbringing and concentrated on making me a 'good person', which they've reportedly succeeded with, in their opinions:)

nicole- I was debating with myself on using the images of Jesus, which I did only because it reinforced the Christian themes in my dream. As far as your dream, it sounds like you were done a HUGE favor by getting someone with a quick temper like that out of your life, alhumdulillah!

Brooke- blogging has opened up a whole world for me and despite the occasional negative aspects, overall its been much needed social/intellectual infusion and allowed me to network amongst people I'd never had access to before...I get to chat with nice people like you, for instance:)

Tina- Oh, how I loved that you prayed for Jesus and GOT HIM!!! Al-humdulillah!!! Thanks for sharing that lovely story. I'm right with you on the bizarro dreams I have when I'm pregnant. Hormones do a doozey on our dreams, I have full-fledged Bruce Lee style whoop-a** dreams where someone challenges me and I let them have it...that usually let's me know I'll start my period the next day:P Since my insomnia started, when I do get those precious few hours of sleep, I tend to dream the weirdest dreams on fast-forward, as if my mind is trying to clean itself out of a lot of backed-up garbage.

I hope I didn't forget anyone...

safiyahmujahida said...

thats a great post mashaAllah. im going to share that with a few christian friends and see what sort of response i get back :)

American Muslima Writer said...

That is not only an amazing dream to have but OBVIOUSLY from Allah to guide you to the truth. Scholors also say dreaming of Prophet Muhammad especially and the other Prophets is a sign that you will go to Jannah some day. Because most people that dream of the Prophets are searching for hte right path and this dream stays with them and helps them keep their focus.
I was feeling really low in Iman and needed help and was going to ask my friends for help the next day when I had a dream of the Prophet Muhammad in his actaul form masha'Allah and it sticks in my heart when i'm feeling down. I'm happy you have this beautiful dream to keep you company for your life.
I too didn't like the so called Jesus images you could have just found Jesus spelled out in letters in a picture instead of putting his so called image because that is not allowed in Islam. I Do understand your meaning behind it and saw your reply comment but still in Islam it's haram to show the face of the prophets and their clostest companions. Because this leads to people to focus their love and sometimes worship to the prophet instead of Allah. It's your blog and all but I don't like seeing them and find them extremely offensive and it's easy for you to remove them and find another alternative for your picture symbol of Jesus.
I just found your blog and look forward to reading more of your interesting ideas! Keep up the great writting! :)

Umm Yusuf said...

Assalaamu Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu,

Subhan'Allah, that's deep. Thanks for sharing it!

Umm Yehiya said...

jazakallahkhair for sharing!

Intlxpatr said...

It's a powerful dream, Daisy.

We make so complicated something that is supposed to be an integral part of our life - love of God and love (charity) for our neighbor. It sounds simple, anyway, the practice is SO hard.

Hope you are refreshing, wherever you are.

Zahid said...

assalamualaikum sister
i would be really really grateful if you could please help me with the contzct details of the sheikh who interpreted the dream for you.
jazakallah khair

Anonymous said...

as salaamu alaykum, wow! this post had me captivated, all the while I was trying to figure out what was going on, and then the interpretation made soo much sense ma sha Allaah. Tabarakillah!

I cannot wait until you post again,

come check me out


Layan said...

Asalamualikum wa Rahmatulillahi wa Barakathu

Such an amazing dream Daisy. It was so visual I felt I was watching a movie. I recently had a dream that my brother became muslim. It seems to take place in the future as he attended the masjid I'm currently going to during Ramadan and he came in on his own through the women's entrance! You could tell he was a new muslim by the way he prayed, the fact that he didn't know which entrance to come into and his attempt to shake the womens' hands after praying. I have not called him, I don't know if I should even tell him, how would he react? So I ask you and all the other sisters and brothers here to make sincere dua to Allah that my brother Osei is guided to Islam.

foreverloyal said...

Wow. That's a serious dream.

Caroline said...

Amazing dream - thank you for sharing it online.

Maybe the key Jesus had all along was the key to the apartment cupboard or the room. Perhaps the one intended to be rescued was not him at all but you. How do you save someone who does not think they need rescue? By coming to them in helplessness. After all, Jesus has done that before. In saving him, you might be saved also; your copmpassion forming the first step.

It is interesting that, the moment you found Jesus the danger disappeared. It suggests he, or the scenario, was awaiting your arrival - the suffering determined by how long your searching took.

I am a very independent woman, not good at seeking help when I need it. I once dreamed of an exhausted Jesus, wounded and struggling, but when I ran to brace him up and help him, he gave me strength I had needed and the direction I had been lacking - and a task to do. I am still trying to do it...

I believe God will draw us to himself by many means but cannot force us. He hides in order to be found. He is helpless in the sense that, having given us freedom, he cannot compel us to love him. He has, in effect, tied his own hands (or trapped himself in his own apartment).

May I ask, how did you feel about Jesus when you found him?


Teach said...

You kept me rapt until the end- you ave a gift for story telling which you eed to use in your projects. Great post and great interpretation of a dream. I firmly believe Allah sends us messages in dreams.

Sobia said...

Wow. what a dream!

Jennifer in the USA said...


I found your post through a link to a picture that I was looking for, but ended up reading the entire story of you dream, and most of the comments following.

I am a sincere follower of God through Jesus--what many in the west would call a Christian--although I am reluctant to use the term because of what many would associate with it. My love for Jesus is passionate and deep, and I believe that he has made a way for people to enter the Kingdom of God. I would love to discuss this with you more, if you were ever inclined. I do not believe in 3 gods. I believe in One God only. I also believe that the Quran tells us that we should read the other books--the Injeel as well as the books of David and Moses. I believe that Muhammad himself, even as the last and final prophet, pointed to the need for a savior, a redeemer, who would come for his people. One who was the very Word of God, and who breathed the Spirit of God. (In Sura 3, but also talked about in John 1 of the Bible.)

As for your dream, I have heard other stories of Muslim people searching for spiritual answers and having dreams about Jesus. I agreed with much of the interpretation that was given, but I want to focus primarily on the dream itself. For example, the empty stage very much does represent the Western Church, I fear. The Bible says that on the day of Judgement, many will cry out to God, Lord! Lord! and he will say to them, depart from me, for I never knew you. It is not enough to practice a religion, or to assemble in fancy churches, or to articulate well crafted prayers, or to read all the latest books, or to seem falsely happy in your "empty knowledge". I believe that the God of Heaven wants for us to truly know Him. You were correct that the people in that stadium did not have Jesus any more than you did. And they were too distracted by their false image, their empty joy, and the smug confirmation that they felt by being affirmed by so many others who "saw" the same thing. There is a great absence of joy in those who believe they have found Christianity, but have not found Jesus. I thought that your words there were very profound.

I agree your dream did remind me of Joseph, or Yusuf! God gave him the ability to interpret the dreams of the Pharoh and the cows. And Pharoh heard, and worshipped God. As for the water, and the difficult neighborhood--did you find it interesting that even there, many people could not help you to find Jesus? Or that their answers were contradictory or misdirected you from truly finding him? I do find that outside of the wealthy western world, that often the view of Jesus is equally confusing, contradictory, and misdirecting. No one can tell you how to find him.

As for the cabbie, why do you believe he was waiting outside the stadium? No one else was coming out. Also, he was the only helpful character in your dream. I believe that this cabbie represents the Spirit of God--his Spirit, whom he has sent to lead us in all truth. The cabbie was waiting outside where you were (in a place where you hoped to find Jesus, but did not), and took you to a place where you might truly find Jesus. Also, he did not look the way you expected him to--he was grungy, like the world you were going to. (Why would the propogation of Islam have such a negative context--that the grunginess represents its outdatedness? This old cab, this grungy man--took you to the right place.)

You said that you felt a pull--to enter through the door and into the water of the apartment. Did you know that the Injeel speaks of the way that Jesus is the door that we must enter through to enter the Kingdom? And a symbol of this entering is being washed (totally submerged) in water? For those that made comments that a follower of God through Jesus might interpret portions of this dream differently, I wonder if this is the portion that they are referring to?

Further, the cabbie, once you did find Jesus, led you to a place of healing. Where Jesus himself could be full of life--and not kept hidden under a cabinet--almost dead and lifeless in a place where no one else was looking for him or knew where they might find him if they did.

All this to say, I want to encourage you to continue to look for Jesus--in your waking hours. As well as all of those who have had real life experiences with the laughing dead "Christians" from your dream or with those who only have answers that are confusing or contradictory. This dream clearly has had importance to you, and God in his grace made it clear and bold so that you could remember every detail. Ten years later, it is so fresh that you have blogged about it again! I pray that this Jesus I know that you may know too. And that you may understand one day why he wanted you to search so hard to find him. For he certainly is searching for you too.

With love, one who has found him.

Ms.Unique said...

Subhan Allah I'm spell bound I just couldn't stop reading this post nor avoid the comments most of them though not all .... Masha Allah u have been truly guided Daisy .... I'm really happy about this .... May Allah bless u and ur family and keep helping u to follow the straight path .... Ameen ..... Jazak Allah Khairan 4 sharing ......

Anonymous said...

im am a christian and read your dream, to me it seems the most obvious part of the dream was disregarded. Jesus is not Mohammed they are two entirely different people. but i do believe a lot of so called christians have been decieved and believe they are in the presence of God wen in reality they are conforming to human standards and versions of the true gospel .

Ian said...

The tomb of Jesus's grandfather is next door to my local supermarket. Not many people know that.

Joby said...

I also interpret dreams. May I present my interpretation? Not to be a jerk and negate your current thoughts about it but this is what I interpret your dream to be.

The Sheik was right—the stadium represented not only Christians, but all people who believe they know Jesus. When in actuality they are simply very religious or believe he was a good person--- a show. Ultimately- Jesus wasn’t there.
The taxi driver represents a psychologist and also education systems. Many times paid to help others get to where they are going, paid to carry others while they are just fulfilling a job to be paid. Many care so much about helping others get to where they want to go, that they neglect themselves. When the meter is up – it’s over. But many psychologists and schools admit the need for faith in a greater power. So they usually direct people that way- people who are searching. But some don’t know exactly where—they just point you in the direction- as long as that meter is running. They want to follow up- which is why he was waiting outside for you when you came out.
The dank neighborhood represents real life. Real everyday life. Humanity.
The sunshine stadium is polished and untrue. The truth is- the world is decaying and dying. It’s broken. Dank and stale. This is sin. Separation from God and simply existing.
Knocking on all the doors led you to a final door where. When you opened it, there was water. After an exhausting search, you found him in a cabinet- STORAGE. The symbol of Jesus death and resurrection is in Baptism. Where life can end and also begin (pregnancy)- water. Baptism is a symbol to say- I am identifying with Christ- burring my old self and beginning new. Being fully submersed in water to symbolize being buried in a grave and rising again.
You were shown the real Jesus. God , in man form, on earth in the darkest shadows of reality and humanity, dyeing for us to reunited us with God. When you found Jesus he was fully human and dyeing. You had submersed yourself in his death (water). You found him in the kitchen which also symbolizes his death and power over death to prove he is God in human form. It symbolizes the last supper.
As you left with him, he hands you a key. Have you asked what door that opens? What does a key represent? Keys unlock mysteries.

The man with you the whole time was Jesus, fully God, helping you discover in your journey, never leaving you, journeyed with you to discover the truth about him.
1 Chronicles 28:9

Debra Tope Designs said...

This is definitely a prophetic dream.

I agree w/previous commenters - the 'nice neighborhood' and stadium represent the shallow well to do Christian subculture which believes it knows Jesus but merely professes religion.

Jesus was once asked why he spent time with 'undesirables' - the type of people who would live in the slum you saw in the dream. His answer was that healthy people don't need a physician - it's the sick ones that do. That's why he continually identified with the poor and needy.

The condition you found Jesus in reflects the position American Christians have placed him - the Bible warns of people in the last days "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

There is a tremendous power in the name of Jesus, who I believe is God manifest in the flesh. I would continue to pray about the key he gave you - there is great power in the name of Jesus.

Regards and thanks for your interesting blog :)

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Hajar Zamzam Ismail said...

The hairs on my arms rose, and I got goose bumps! My husband said that when we get goose bumps and cold chills, it's a good time to make dua, because it means that the spirit of Allah is near.

Anonymous said...

I had a similar dream as yours...
stay in touch with me..then I'd let you know exactly of my dreams and experiences via emails..its amazing how I 'coincidentally' bumped into this

Anonymous said...

This dream means that Jesus wants to be found in the poor and simple things and that only through Him you can enter heaven, He is the Only one with the key. People on the stadium are all the people who believe in false prophets and live in a false happiness that may end.
The water means the struggle everybody suffer to find Him and follow Him. The taxi driver was your Gardian Angel guiding you to God. Yor dream was so clear to me! Jesus is calling you to open your eyes and follow HIM. May God be with yiu, always.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your dream, thank you for searching the truth. Jesus said John 7:37-39 " The last day of the festival came. It was the most important day. On that day Jesus stood and said with a loud voice, "If a person is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. If a person believes in me, rivers of living water will flow out from his heart."
Jesus also talked about receiving the weak and poor: "I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me."
I am a born again christian, living in a secular christian world polluted by sin. Please dear friends, do not confuse "christian culture" with true followers of Christ. Jesus said that we cannot serve the world(sin) and Him at the same time, those people with fake joy are people who are in the bondage of sin, half hearted that Jesus said He will "spit them out". Jesus said that the ones that wholeheartedly seek Him, will find Him, the ones that desires the truth more than anything, will recognize His voice. He did not take away our sins, that we could continue to sin, but for us to live a life dedicated to God and serve others. He is the the way, the truth and salvation, the true joy, for us women as well.

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Anonymous said...

Oh I wish you had looked to Jesus for help. I used to follow this blog and often wondered why you suddenly disappeared. I found out through american bedu's site what happened to you. So sad, so sad. I can't wrap my brain around spousal abuse. I will say a prayer for you. I believe there is a reason why you had this dream and if you ever recover from the brain damage, I know you will have a testimony.