Q: If I saw someone with a beard and turban in my dream advising me to keep a beard, is it necessary that it was our Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam? I’m confused. Does the hadith say that our Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said that shaitan (the devil) cannot take my form in any way and if a person has seen me he has indeed seen me?
A. The Hadeeth does mention that if a person sees Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) in a dream then it is definitely him because Shaytaan cannot come in the form and appearance of the Holy Prophet. (Ibni Maajah V2 P1284).
If you had dreamt of Our Rasool (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) then you would have known it immediately. That is how one determines whether he had dreamt of the Holy Prophet or not. It is a natural feeling of certainty one experiences in the dream and that remains in the heart after waking up. One would be sure that the person seen in the dream was indeed the Messenger of Allah. Such a dream is true and correct, and cannot be from Shaytaan.
According to what you have written it is not necessary that the bearded and turbaned person you saw was really Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam), because you would have definitely known it in the dream. It’s possible that you had seen an Angel. Nonetheless, the advice given in that dream is very true and correct, because keeping a beard is compulsory. Consider it a favour from Allah Ta’aala that through direct communication, albeit via a dream, you have been made aware of the importance of keeping a beard
Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked by: Mufti Siraj Desai