42/2. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2268e — Do Not Mention Satan’s Play in Dreams
No One Should Speak Of How The Shaitan Toyed With Him In His Sleep
Hadith About Satan Playing in Dreams and Staying Silent
Sahih Muslim : 2268e
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2268e
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَأَبُو سَعِيدٍ الأَشَجُّ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ رَأَيْتُ فِي الْمَنَامِ كَأَنَّ رَأْسِي قُطِعَ . قَالَ فَضَحِكَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَالَ " إِذَا لَعِبَ الشَّيْطَانُ بِأَحَدِكُمْ فِي مَنَامِهِ فَلاَ يُحَدِّثْ بِهِ النَّاسَ " . وَفِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ " إِذَا لُعِبَ بِأَحَدِكُمْ " . وَلَمْ يَذْكُرِ الشَّيْطَانَ .
Jabir Narrated from:
A person came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and said: Allah's Messenger, I have seen in the state of sleep as if my head had been cut off. Thereupon Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) laughed and said: When the satan plays with any one of you in the state of sleep, do not mention it to the people; and in the hadith transmitted by Abu Bakr (the words are): "If one of you is played with, and he did not make any mention of the word: "Satan."
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2268eIn-book reference : Book 42, Hadith 31USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 29, Hadith 5642
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2268e
This Hadith about Satan playing in dreams shows a simple and practical response to a troubling dream. A person came to Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and said that he had seen his head cut off in sleep. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم laughed and said that when Satan plays with one of you in his sleep, he should not mention it to people. Another wording in the report says, “If one of you is played with,” without mentioning the word Satan. The lesson stays the same: do not give a disturbing dream more attention by spreading it. This is helpful for people searching “nightmare in Islam what to do hadith,” because the Hadith gives a direct action: do not talk about it to people.
What we learn from this hadith
- A frightening dream should not be spread among people.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم treated this dream as something not worth repeating.
- The report teaches a calm response instead of fear-filled talk.
