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Fatwa CenterAllaah The Almighty may reveal some unseen matters through visions or inspiration
Question
I know an old woman who prays and fasts, does good deeds, recites the Quran, and calls towards what is good. However, she foretells things that really come true. For example, she had foretold that someone would get married soon or travel abroad, and this later came true. She says that she sees visions, and sometimes she says that she sees such things while she is awake. Could you explain this to us?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
According to the Sunnah (tradition), Allaah The Almighty may let some matters of the unseen be revealed to some people either in visions or through inspiration.
Imaam Muslim 
narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that a good vision is one part of the seventy parts of prophethood. Imaam Al-Bukhari also narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that a good vision was from, Allaah The Almighty while a bad dream was from the devil. A good vision, as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, pointed out, is a glad tiding for the Muslim.
The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, also mentioned that nothing is left of prophethood except true visions that convey glad tidings. These are seen by the believer himself, or for him by another. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
There were inspired people among the previous nations and such persons are also found in this Ummah (nation). There are several opinions on the meaning of such inspiration. For example, it was said that it means a person who is not a prophet is also capable of making true prophecies.
The evidence which proves that such an inspiration really exists is the Hadeeth (narration) in which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that there had been among the people before us inspired persons and if there were any such among this Ummah, ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab 
would be one of them. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Sometimes, the scholars call knowing some matters of the unseen through this kind of inspiration Kashf. Nevertheless, it should be kept in mind that this Hadeeth is about the righteous people who have correct belief, because this kind of knowledge may be obtained by both righteous and unrighteous persons; Muslims and disbelievers; and those who are inspired and those who are soothsayers. Therefore, the righteous predecessors used to advise that no Muslim should be impressed by the deeds of a person even if he was seen walking on the water or flying in the air until he is judged according to the Quran and Sunnah.
There is no doubt that there are righteous persons among the Ummah of Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who have been granted the ability to do supernatural things. However, it is a gross mistake to hallow or sanctify a person because of his righteousness and piety. It is even worse to build domes over the graves of such righteous persons, celebrate the occasion of their birth and supplicate to them. Such acts fulfill the greatest hope of Satan. Therefore, Satan may make someone foretell some matters of the unseen so as to deceive people, especially if they are ignorant people who are obsessed with graves and the dead, and who believe someone to have supernatural powers for feeble reasons. Muslims should beware of the deception and trickery of Satan.
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