Mrs. R.S. of Jeddah tells me that she saw a very bad dream, or indeed a nightmare, in which her sister played a wicked role. When she told the details to her husband, he mentioned that he saw a very similar dream perhaps the same night. There were quite a few details in common. She requests help in interpreting that dream. I am afraid I cannot be of much help on this point. I do not interpret dreams, and I do not recommend anyone who does so. I do not think that anyone has the knowledge to give accurate interpretation.
From what she writes, however, I imagine that my reader has a very impressionistic mind. It may be that her husband is the same. If the dream is related to some event in their lives, or to an experience or perhaps a film they saw or a story they were told, this could explain the fact that they shared the same details.
Be that as it may, the recommended practice is that if we see a bad dream, we seek refuge with God against the wicked designs of the Devil, saying, "aoothu billahi mina shaitani rajeem." We make a gesture as if we are spitting to our left, but we do not actually spit, and we try to forget it. We do not tell it to anyone. Bad dreams may have different causes, including an uncomfortable position of the head during sleep. Hence, we do not give them much attention.
Having said that, I wish to add that it is useful to say the supplication the Prophet has recommended when we go to sleep. This says in Arabic "Bismika rabbi wadhatu janbi wa bika arfauh. In amsakta nafsi farhamha, wain arsaltaha fahfathha bima tahfathu bihi ibaadak assaliheen." Translated this means: "It is under Your protection, my Lord, that I lie my body, and by Your help I lift it up again. If You gather my soul to You, have mercy on it, and if You let it be, grant me the protection You grant to Your obedient servants."
It is also recommended to read the last three Surahs of the Qur’an, with our cupped hands on our face, then we go with our hands over our body, as far as they reach. We repeat this three times. Another recommended practice is to glorify God and praise him saying "Subhan Allah, Al-hamdu lillah, Allahu Akbar," 33 times each. If one maintains reading these before going to sleep, nothing wrong may come to him or her, by God’s grace.
The second coming of Christ
Mr. A.M. Tuano of Jeddah asks about the second coming of Jesus Christ and also about the Mahdi and the Impostor who is known as Maseeh Dajjal. We have a number of Hadiths speaking about this issue. The first of these to appear is the last one, the Impostor. From his name we know that he is a deceiver who claims to be Prophet Jesus having come back to Earth. He will be able to command great power, and will spread corruption and disbelief in God. His time will be very hard on everyone, but particularly so for those who believe, because these are the ones who will reject him and what he wants.
The Mahdi will then appear and will fight the Impostor. From his name we know that he is following true guidance. He will be joined by those who continue to believe in God and His Oneness despite all the pressures exercised by the Impostor. As we understand from the relevant Hadiths, the fight between the two camps will be hard fought. The smaller force of believers will have to withstand a determined onslaught by the Impostor aiming to exterminate it altogether. However, the climax will be when Jesus Christ is allowed to descend for his second coming. He will be the one who kills the Impostor.
There are several Hadiths that mention the Impostor and Jesus Christ, without mentioning the Mahdi. The Hadiths mentioning the Mahdi are a degree less authentic than those mentioning the second coming of Jesus and his killing of the Impostor.
My reader asks whether Jesus will have new parents in some form of reincarnation. Belief in reincarnation is not Islamic. Jesus will make his second coming by God’s will, in the way God determines. There is no need for us to speculate on this, because we believe that God is able to accomplish His purpose whatever it may be.
