How should I deal with visions since becoming a Muslim?

Calmly and with caution. Visions can arise from one’s own mind, especially at a time of deep inner change, while visions from God carry a clear message and are confirmed by later events.

People who accept Islam often go through a time of deep inner change. Suddenly they are thinking about God and faith far more seriously than ever before. At such a time the mind can easily become stirred and produce images and visions.

Every human mind has the capacity to experience visions. They can arise from imagination and simply be products of one’s own psyche. So such experiences should be looked at without bias and with great caution. If a vision carries no special signs, one should give it no importance.

Visions that come from God are different. They carry a truth of their own, a message and a language that the human mind cannot invent by itself. They often foretell events, and when those events come to pass, it becomes clear that the vision was true.

The King’s dream described in the verse above is a good example. His advisers thought it was meaningless. Only Joseph (as), whom God had given the gift of interpreting dreams, read its message clearly. It concerned the next seven years, and each year confirmed it. The King himself had not understood what he had seen.

So the best advice is to stay calm and not be led by every inner image. If a vision will not let you go, you can tell it to a knowledgeable and trustworthy person who is experienced in interpretation. More important than any vision is a sincere life of faith.