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Isa Dreams
Isa Dreams refer to dreams or visions whose central character is believed to be Jesus Christ (Isa al Masih in Arabic). Because these dreams are often reported in countries with little religious freedom, data is difficult to obtain. The extent or frequency of these dreams thus, is not fully known, but anecdotal evidence from missionaries and web testimonies indicate that these dreams are happening to large numbers of people on all major continents. The dream character may say his name, be an innate impression of the dreamer during the dream, or the dreamer may later conclude the identity through other means. Dream comparisons from persons in 24 countries reveal common elements or symbols: a glowing face, glowing body or glowing clothes, a sense of peace in response, vivid colors, a struggle between good and evil, among others. [1] There is one universal element in these dreams worldwide - the lasting impression made on the dreamer, who rarely if ever forgets the experience in the years that follow. Tom Doyle, suggests in his book, Dreams and Visions, Muslims’ Miraculous Journey to Jesus, that “Jesus is introducing Himself to Muslims.” [2] Campus Crusade in North Africa has reported numerous instances where people, seeing the Jesus Film for the first time, explain that they have already seen Jesus in a dream [3]. Some Isa dreams are described as adversarial, with Isa rescuing the dreamer from a difficult situation. Most frequently, the dreamers simply recall their focus on the glowing figure, which simply stands and beckons the dreamer to approach him. The dreams often occur more than once for a given person, either being repeated over multiple nights, or with additional content that builds on the content in previous dreams. A sense of peace is widely reported by dreamers as pervading the dreams and remaining with them after waking. Islamic dreamers of Jesus are often struck by the compassion and peace emanating directly from the hands and face of Isa who is reaching out to them. [4] Dr. J. Dudley Woodberry, a professor of Islamic Studies, states, “As with Paul and Cornelius in Acts, visions and dreams play a role in the conversion of many. More than one in four Muslim converts to faith in Christ, 27 percent, noted dreams and visions before their decision for Christ, 40 percent at the time of conversion, and 45 percent afterward.” [5]

There is a long history of Islamic interest in dreams and dream interpretation. Muhammad is recorded in Sura 23 of the Quran as having received the text of the Quran in two visions of the angel Gabriel. These visions are viewed as the birth of Islam according the Concise Encyclopedia of Islam. [6] Rick Kronk, in his book Dreams and Visions: Muslims’ Miraculous Journey to Jesus, says “in contrast to Western thought, which has historically given little credence to the unconscious, Muslims are fully aware of and engaged in a daily experience that is not only open to, but depends upon supernatural encounters such as occur in dreams and visions.” [7] Muhammad instructed his followers that God would continue to reveal himself through dreams and visions to Muslims. [8] “- dream interpretation (Istikhara, in Arabic), for the Muslim, serves as a form of unmediated access to God. [9] As such,” dreams and visions have become a successor of sorts to the revealed Koranic message.”[10] Christine Darg, in her book, Miracles Among Muslims: the Jesus Visions, differentiates dreams, as “sequence of images passing through a sleeping person’s mind” from visions, which are a waking “mental image” often of a religious or mystical nature. [11] As an example of an Isa Vision, Aisha was leaving Mecca in the morning and couldn’t sleep, when suddenly a man in a gleaming white robe appeared in her tent. Instead of being scared, Aisha felt warmth and love in his presence. Without speaking, she knew he was Jesus and the thought, like speech, came to her, “Follow me.” [12] Like so many, Aisha’s waking vision of Jesus created a hunger in her. While channel surfing on TV, she was riveted to hear a Christian preacher say, “some of you have had a vision of Jesus. He has plans for you. He is calling you to follow him!”

In another vision example, an Egyptian child who was rescued after being buried in rubble told a story about a man who kept the boy alive – a man with bleeding holes in his hands! [13] Sometimes dreams and visions recur to people, often preparing them for difficulties or persecution. One Alawite Christian was warned by the blinding presence of Jesus, “Go, Hamdi! Your killers are on the way … Go now!” [14] Yousef was pursued within, struggling with guilt, when Jesus appeared to him and forgave him, giving him peace. [15]

Finally, conversion accounts that include dreams and visions nearly always describe the help of a Christian “friend” who was able to come alongside and interpret the message of the dream or vision and connect it with the Gospel message. This was the case for Saul and Cornelius from the book of Acts and continues to be the model by which God uses these phenomena today. [16] Forgiveness, caring, warmth and acceptance are incredibly compelling to Muslim dreamers, and cause them to be more open to following Jesus as an alternative to Islam, when that opportunity is presented to them in the future by a Christian.

Meaning
Some of the dream symbols often associated with Isa Dreams are as follows:

1.	Actions: approaching, extending hand – beckoning, inviting.

2.	Shining figure often interpreted as pure or holy, enthroned, raised up.

3.	Colors: (from The Seer, pp. 107, 108)


 * a.	Amber – color or presence of God


 * b.	Black – sin, death or famine
 * b.	Black – sin, death or famine


 * c.	Blue – heaven or the Holy Spirit
 * c.	Blue – heaven or the Holy Spirit


 * d.	Crimson, Scarlet – blood atonement, sacrifice
 * d.	Crimson, Scarlet – blood atonement, sacrifice


 * e.	Purple – kingship, royalty
 * e.	Purple – kingship, royalty


 * f.	White – purity, light righteousness
 * f.	White – purity, light righteousness


 * g.	Green – life, intercession
 * g.	Green – life, intercession

4.	Creatures:


 * a.	dragon, serpent = evil;


 * (dream of Jesus defeating a dragon in the Philippines http://isaalmasih.net/isa/dreams-philippines.html )


 * b.	dove = pure, innocence, peace
 * b.	dove = pure, innocence, peace

5.	Directions: up = toward God; down = the opposite.

6.	Name implication: whatever the name means – Nabal means “dolt” – he was foolish.

7.	Numbers: Six = mankind; seven = perfection, God, completion

8.	Objects: Peter = rock.

Notes:
1.	http://www.answering-islam.org/Testimonies/

2.	Tom Doyle, Dreams and Visions: Muslims’ Miraculous Journey to Jesus (Thomas Nelson Publishing, Nashville, TN, 2012), xiii

3.	http://voices.yahoo.com/supernatural-dreams-visions-compel-muslims-to-3285772.html

4.	http://www.morethandreams.org

5.	(Dr. J. Dudley Woodberry, CHRISTIANITY TODAY – 10/24/2007) Why Muslims Follow Jesus: The results of a recent survey of converts from Islam. J. Dudley Woodberry, Russell G. Shubin, and G. Marks.

6.	The Concise Encyclopedia of Islam (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1991), 335

7.	Bill Musk, “Dreams and the Ordinary Muslim,” 164

8.	Rick Kronk, Dreams and Visions: Muslims’ Miraculous Journey to Jesus (Destiny Image Europe, San Giovanni Teatino, Italy, 2010), 67

9.	John C. Lamoreaux, The Early Muslim Tradition of Dream Interpretation (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2002), 4

10.	 Kronk, p. 67

11.	 Christine Darg, Miracles Among Muslims: the Jesus Visions, (Destiny Image Europe, San Giovanni Teatino, Italy, 2006), 16

12.	 Doyle, 65

13.	 Darg, 27

14.	 Doyle, 156

15.	 Doyle, 166

16.	 Kronk, p. 133, 135

For Further Reading:
Dreams and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World? By Tom Doyle, 2012, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN.

Dreams and Visions: Muslim’s Miraculous Journey to Jesus by Rick Kronk, 2010, Destiny Image Europe, Via Maiella, 1, 66020 San Giovanni Teatino – Italy.

Miracles Among Muslims – the Jesus visions – by Christine Darg, 2006, Destiny Image Europe, Via Maiella, 1, 66020 San Giovanni Teatino – Italy.

Interpreting the Symbols and Types by Kevin J. Conner, 1992, City Christian Publishing, 9200 NE Fremont, Portland, OR 97220

The Seer by Jim W. Goff, 2004, Destiny Image Publishers, Inc. P.O. Box 310, Shippensburg, PA 17257

Sources:
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/212177.aspx

http://www.epm.org/artman2/publish/missions_true_stories/Dreams_Visions_Move_Muslims_To_Christ.shtml

http://isaalmasih.net/isa/dreamsofisa.html

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/october/42.80.html

http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/199801/018_emerging_muslim.cfm

http://www.farsinet.com/ici/

http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,402483,00.html

Stories of Muslim Converts:
http://net-burst.net/hot/muslim.htm

http://truthnet.org/dreamsandvisions/

http://www.spiritlessons.com/Documents/More_than_Dreams/More_than_Dreams.htm

Dreams on other web sites:
Dreams and Visions of Isa al-Masih (http://isaalmasih.net/isa/dreamsofisa.html )

From Dreams to Reality (video testimonies) (http://www.morethandreams.org/ )

Websites to learn more about Islam:
The Crescent Project (https://www.crescentproject.org/index.cfm/pageid/1498/index.html )

Christian Answers: About Islam (http://christiananswers.net/evangelism/beliefs/islam.html )

http://www.answering-islam.org/Testimonies/

Cross-referenced terms:
(Isa; Arabic: عيسى‎ ʿĪsā) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messiah

Atonement 	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atonement_in_Christianity http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atonement_in_Judaism

Christianity 	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity

Day of Judgment http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_Judgment

Dreams 	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreams

In Islam http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iain_R._Edgar

Istikhara (Islamic Dream Interpretation) http://dreamtalk.hypermart.net/abstracts2006/aydar.htm

Dream Symbolism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_Symbolism

Injil or Gospel	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injil

Islam		http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/islam

Jesus		http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus

Jesus Film  	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus (1979 film)

Mary (Arabic: Maryam)

Virgin Mary	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Mary

Maryam (Islam)	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryam

Masih (Messiah) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masih

Muhammad	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed

Muslim	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim

Quran		http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quran

Visions	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visions_of_Jesus_and_Mary