How do you know if a dream you had has a meaning behind it? Can they really determine our future?
(not referring to Istikhara)
Edit: I found this question to be somewhat a truth claim question which would attract diversified opinions. So one request would be to ask you to mention in the heading what is your view i.e. Sunni/Salafi/Shias/Suffi etc. That would be great and a lot more helpful.
How do you know if a dream you had has a meaning behind it?
We don't know. The rule of thumb is that the dreams have no relation or meaning to our lives (except for the dreams of Prophets). If one has dreamed about something pleasant and lawful then s/he can make dua and ask Allah to make it come to true. On the other hand, if the dream is of bad or sinful nature s/he is advised to do istighfar and seek refugee from Allah. Other than that the dreams have nothing to do with this world and there little to no benefit (if not harm) in searching for their meanings.
Can they really determine our future?
No, dreams never determine ones future.
You can't know the future prophet could do that by revelation but dreams could be from Qareen Aljin or Qareen Malak if the dream is good you tell it to the one you love and if it is evil you don't tell anybody if it is good you thank god and do this dream and if it is evil you Isa'iz by god from shatan and split three times on your left (It won't harm you)
I learn from my sufi master that the outside world is Allah and the inside world is also Allah, so you can approach to your inside world with the same respect as you do with the outside. Your dreams are also Allah's manifestation, in this regard you need to reflect how the presence of Allah is represented in your dream. It is not necessarily important if the dream is about the future. If there was my case, I will try to understand what is the lesson I can learn from Allah trough my dream. In the other hand, I just heard about premonition dreams in a sufi reunion, our Sheikha did not put the emphasis in the predictive aspect of the dream. At least in this particular context it is important to tell your dreams to your Sheik. S/He probably has a better understanding of it and can guide you particularly.
better don't try to look for a meaning, because we cannot find. God has chosen prophet Joseph to interpret dreams, but we don't have this ability.
and today, any conclusion in one's life reached through interpreting dreams, there is a very high chance for it to be wrong.
