Islamic Dream Interpretations – Meaning of Dream in Islam

Islamic Dream Meanings & Dreams Interpretations 

 Dream Interpretation is the process of assigning meaning to dreams.

 Islamic Dream Interpretations by Muhammad Ibn Sirin.

Muhammad Ibn Sirin (born in Basra) was a Muslim interpreter of dreams who lived in the 8th century.

 The Great Book of Interpretation of Dreams (Tafsirul Ahlam al-Kabir), by Ibn Sirin, is in 59 chapters, thus:

    1 Seeing God Almighty
    2 Seeing the prophets
    3 Seeing archangels and angels
    4 Seeing the Prophet’s companions
    5 The various chapters of the Holy Qur>an
    6 Islam
    7 Saluting and shaking hands
    8 Cleanliness
    9 Call for prayers; praying
    10 Rites
    11 Seeing the mosque, the prayer niche, or the minaret
    12 Seeing alms-giving and the feeding of the poor
    13 Fasting and breaking the fast
    14 Pilgrimage
    15 Jihad
    16 Death, the dead, tombs
    17 Day of Resurrection; the Judgement; the Balance of the Last Day
    18 Hell
    19 Paradise
    20 Genies
    21 People, old and young
    22 Parts of the body
    23 Bodily secretions and excrements
    24 Sounds and languages of animals
    25 Pains and diseases
    26 Remedies, medicines, potions
    27 Food, cooking utensils, dining tables
    28 Harps, cups, games, perfumes
    29 Clothes
    30 Sultans, kings and their courts
    31 Warfare and weapons
    32 Craftsmen
    33 Horses and livestock
    34 Wild beasts
    35 Birds
    36 Traps, fishing hooks, snares
    37 Pests, insects
    38 Breeze, wind, rain, earthquakes, lightning, rainbow, etc.
    40 Metals, minerals, petroleum
    41 Sea, rivers, wells
    42 Fire
    43 trees
    44 Grain, legumes, melons, cucumber
    45 Pens, ink, writing
    46 Idols
    47 Rugs, beds, canopies, curtains, tents
    48 Riders, saddles, stirrups, reins, bridles
    49 Spinning, weaving, ropes
    50 Sleeping; servants and slaves
    51 Drinking and eating
    52 Calamities
    53 Pairs of opposite qualities
    54 Marriage and adultery
    55 Traveling
    56 Selling, lending, borrowing
    57 Disputes
    58 Scattered dreams
    59 Stories by holy men

Dreams are of three types: rahmaani (those that come from Allah), nafsaani (psychological, they come from within a person) and shaytaani (those that come from the Shaytaan).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 

“Dreams are of three types: a dream from Allah, a dream which causes distress and which comes from the Shaytaan, and a dream which comes from what a person thinks about when he is awake, and he sees it when he is asleep.” (al-Bukhaari, 6499; Muslim, 4200)

 The Holy Prophet, Peace be upon him (The Holy Prophet Muhammed), is reported to have said that “Sleep is the brother of death.” Man exists in this present life because he is being tested, with regard to his degree of righteousness, or evil, by Allah Almighty.

 Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, “Indeed the worst of lies is that of a person who falsely claims to have dream.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari). Also ‘Whoever claims to have dream which he did not have, will be ordered to tie two barley grains together, which he will never be able to do; and if somebody eavesdrop on some people’s conversation which they didn’t want him to hear or they tried to keep away from him, then molten lead will be poured into his ears on the Day of Resurrection; and whosoever makes a picture (of a being with a soul) will be punished on the Day of Resurrection and (will) be ordered to put a soul in it, which he will not be able to do.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari).

The truthfulness of the dream is related to the sincerity of the dreamer. Those who have the most truthful dreams are those who are the most truthful in speech. (Muslim, 4200)

The most truthful of dreams are those that are seen at the time of suhoor [just before dawn], for this is the time when Allaah descends and when mercy and forgiveness are close. It is also the time when the devils are quiet, unlike the time of darkness just after sunset, when the devils and devilish souls spread out.

(See Madaarij al-Saalikeen, 1/50-52

Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If any one of you sees a dream that he likes, this is from Allaah, so let him praise Allaah for it and talk about it to others. If he sees other than that, a dream that he dislikes, this is from the Shaytaan, so let him seek refuge with Allaah from its evil and not mention it to anyone, for it will not harm him.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6584, and Muslim, 5862).

Abu Qutaadah said: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Good dreams come from Allaah, and (bad) dreams come from Shaytaan. Whoever sees something that he dislikes, let him spit to his left three times and seek refuge with Allaah from the Shaytaan, for it will not harm him.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6594, and Muslim, 5862).

It was reported from Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If any one of you sees a dream that he dislikes, let him spit to his left three times, and seek refuge with Allaah from the Shaytaan three times, and turn over from the side on which he was sleeping.” (Narrated by Muslim, 5864)

 The Holy Prophet, Peace be upon him, has said that: “The truest dream is that (dreamt) around (the time of) daybreak. (Tirmidhi)