Claims Of Seeing The Prophet In A Waking State (Yaqazah)

CLAIMS OF SEEING THE PROPHET IN A WAKING STATE (YAQAZAH)

Claims of a person seeing the Prophet in a waking state (yaqazah), whether in actual form or in spirit after His SAW demise, have never been transmitted through authentic narrations as occurring to any of the Companions RA, even during moments of distress, such as when differences of opinion arose among them. Similarly for the generation of the Tabi'in and Atba' al-Tabi'in.

The possibility of yaqazah occurring in spiritual form is a claim that is doubted and rejected by the verifying scholars (muhaqqiqin) such as al-Nawawi, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, al-Sakhawi, and likewise al-Qushayri.

Similarly, claims of seeing the Prophet's physical body in this age in a waking state are rejected. What has been transmitted from a few scholars in this matter is confusing and contradicts their own statements. Such transmissions have various different versions. Some claim to see through wijdan (vision of the heart), some claim to see between sleep and wakefulness, others claim only the image of the Prophet (له مثالا), and various others. All these claims can be given various interpretations that do not necessarily carry the meaning of yaqazah as understood by certain parties.

Furthermore, claims of seeing the Prophet in a waking state (yaqazah) are also vulnerable to satanic deception. It can open the door to corruption for various purposes such as self-admiration ('ujub) and ostentation (sum'ah). Therefore, any claims of seeing the Prophet, whether in dreams or whilst awake, that involve Shariah implications such as creedal beliefs, Shariah rulings and hadith authentication, are invalid and misguided. Similarly, claims that certain recitations can bring the presence of the Prophet into a gathering are also unfounded.