Question Summary:
Bad Dreams

Question Detail:

I saw a dream that a black dog was a about to bite me in my sleep. Is this a bad sign? Some people told me to spit lightly 3 times on my left shoulder if I see any bad dreams. Is the practice true can you please quote the relevant Hadith.

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
There is no need to be perplexed over the dream. In future, merely spit lightly towards your left shoulder and recite أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم
See the following hadith and the guidance in it regarding bad dreams.
عن أبي سلمة، قال: كنت أرى الرؤيا أعرى منها، غير أني لا أزمل، حتى لقيت أبا قتادة فذكرت ذلك له، فقال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: «الرؤيا من الله، والحلم من الشيطان، فإذا حلم أحدكم حلما يكرهه فلينفث عن يساره ثلاثا، وليتعوذ بالله من شرها، فإنها لن تضره» (الصحيح لمسلم، كتاب الرؤيا)
Abu Salamah said: I would see dreams because of which I would tremble. However, I would not cover myself (even though I would be cold). Until I met Abu Qatadah and mentioned my predicament to him. He said, “I heard Rasulullah sallaAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam saying ‘Good Dreams are from Allah, and bad dreams are from Shaitan. If any of you sees a bad dream then he should lightly spit towards his left and seek protection from its evil. Then it shall never harm him” (Sahih Muslim)
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Hisham Dawood
Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, USA 
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.