“Is fiqh now Determined based on Dreams?!” The Debate Over the Legal Value of Dreams and the Question of Religious Authority in Sunni Islam

Abstract Islamic societies have traditionally assigned dreams a high epistemic value, firmly rooted in the Tradition. Of special importance were dreams in which the Prophet Muḥammad appeared, the authenticity of which was assured by hadith. Consequently, dreams became a common tool of political, social and religious legitimization. Yet, Sunni jurists held that dreams are irrelevant as legal evidence. This article examines the juristsʼ approach to the epistemic value of dreams: First, I review the legal arguments raised against the use of dreams in the juridic discourse; then I ask why dreams were marginalized in this discourse. Finally, by comparing the attitudes of the fuqahāʾ to dreams with those of the Jewish and Christian scholars, I argue that the three traditions experienced a similar dynamic regarding both the high value ascribed to dreams, and the consequent need to restrain their authority.