Research
Publication details
Edgar, Iain R. (2006). The ‘true dream’ in contemporary Islamic/Jihadist dreamwork: a case study of the dreams of Taliban leader Mullah Omar. Contemporary South Asia 15(3): 263-272.- Publication type: Journal papers: academic
- ISSN/ISBN: 0958-4935, 1469-364X
- DOI: 10.1080/09584930601098000
- Keywords: Islam Dreaming Taliban Pakistan Afghanistan
- View online: Online version
- Durham research online: DRO record
Author(s) from Durham
Abstract
The intention of this paper is to consider and evaluate the hypothesis that Mullah Omar, the Taliban leader, was inspired and guided by true night dreams, al-Ruya, to found and lead the Taliban revolution in the 1990s in Afghanistan. The paper contains small excerpts from an interview with Ramimullah Yusufzai, the well respected BBC journalist in Peshawar, Pakistan, which offer first hand evidence that Omar’s charismatic leadership was founded on his commanders’ and followers’ belief in Omar’s divine guidance through night dreams. Such a belief in true dreams is commonplace throughout Islam and is based on the example of the Prophet Mohammed who is reported to have dreamt parts of the Koran (Machatschke 1995: 3). First though I outline the Islamic metaphysical and epistemological context that facilitates Moslem belief in true dreams.