Interpreting through names and linguistic derivation:
If in a dream:
◈ A person named “Rashid” appears, its interpretation is “guidance and maturity.”
◈ If a person named “Salem” is seen, its interpretation is “safety.”
◈ And “Saeed” means “happiness,”
◈ “Profit” means “gain and benefit,”
◈ “Aqbah” means “a better outcome,”
◈ “Rafi” means “elevation and high status,”
◈ “Ahmed” means “praise and commendation,”
◈ And “Saleh” means “goodness and capability.”
It is narrated from Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“I saw a dream that we were sitting in the house of Aqbah bin Rafi (may Allah be pleased with him) and we ordered dates from Ibn Tab. I interpreted it as that we will be accompanied by elevation and high status in this world. Our end in the Hereafter will be better, and our religious condition will improve.”
Imam Manawi (may Allah have mercy on him), explaining the verses of Ibn al-Wardi (may Allah have mercy on him), says:
“If a patient sees in a dream that a person named Salem, Saleem, Salamah, Suleiman, Salm, Salman, Naja, or Naji has come to take care of him, its interpretation is that the patient will recover from the illness. If he sees himself traveling, leaving the house, going out of the city, moving from one place to another, or sees some travelers journeying, its interpretation is that he will soon pass away due to the current illness. The rest should be understood according to the same principle.”
If the interpretation cannot be made in light of the above three signs, then refer to authentic books of dream interpretation. We are also presenting before you a brief dictionary that contains difficult dreams along with their most accurate interpretations. Most of its content is taken from Imam Nablusi’s book because he compiled it after reviewing numerous works on the art of interpretation.
(c): After determining various signs obtained from the dream and bringing the signs or important points before a fixed rule, connect their links with each other so that a clear conclusion can be drawn.
For clarification, consider a few examples. Remember that the examples are given with reference to the pioneer of the art of interpretation, Imam Ibn Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him).
Example No. 1:
Hajjaj bin Yusuf saw this dream:
“Two houris came down from the sky, he caught one and the other went back.”
When Imam Ibn Sirin, may Allah have mercy on him, learned about this dream, he said:
“This means two trials; one will come during his lifetime and the other after his death. And then it happened just like that. The trial of ‘Ibn Ashath’ occurred during his life, and the trial of ‘Ibn Muhalib’ after his death.”
There were two main points in this dream:
➊ Two houris descending.
➋ Hajjaj catching one and the other returning.
Imam Ibn Sirin, may Allah have mercy on him, took a principle of dream interpretation in the light of Hadith for the first point, which is:
“Seeing a woman in a dream is a sign of trial.”
Because the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:
“After me, there will be no trial more harmful to men than women.”
Then, considering the second point “catching the houri,” he established a connection between the two and drew a clear conclusion. Therefore, the interpretation was exactly as it happened.
Example No. 2:
A man came to Imam Ibn Sirin, may Allah have mercy on him, and said: “I saw my fiancée in a dream; she was dark-skinned and short in stature.” He replied:
“The dark color refers to her wealth and riches, and the short stature refers to her age. Therefore, a short time passed before she passed away, and her inheritance was received by this man.”
Imam Ibn Sirin, may Allah have mercy on him, used a linguistic principle for the first thing (dark color) and kept a rule before him, which is that if someone has a lot of wealth, Arabs idiomatically say:
“He has a dark color.” For the second, he established a basis through analogy and inference, likening the human body being tall or short to age. After that, he derived a clear and evident conclusion from these two points.
Example No. 3:
Hazrat Abdullah bin Muslim (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I used to sit in the gathering of Imam Ibn Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him). I left him and started sitting with the people of the “Ibadiyyah” sect. I saw in a dream that some people were carrying the funeral bier of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and I was also with them. I narrated this dream to Imam Ibn Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him), and he said:
“You have chosen the company of such people who want to end the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).”
There are two fundamental things in this dream:
➊ The coffin of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
➋ Some people carrying it to bury it.
The first thing was interpreted by Imam Ibn Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) as the truth brought by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The second thing was taken to mean the end of the truth. After combining these two, the above interpretation was derived.
Example No. 4:
A man told Imam Ibn Sirin, may Allah have mercy on him, this dream:
“I saw that I was wearing a golden crown.”
The Imam said:
“Fear Allah, your father is alone on a journey, his eyesight has ended, and he wishes that you reach him.”
The man put his hand into his bag and took out a letter from his father, in which his father mentioned the loss of his eyesight, being alone in a foreign land, and asked him to come to him.
There are three fundamental things in this dream:
1. Head.
2. Crown.
3. Gold.
Imam Ibn Sirin, may Allah have mercy on him, established a rule and principle using the literal meanings and derivations of these three things. The head is taken to mean the leader, and the father is the leader of a person. The crown is a distinctive dress of non-Arabs, and the land of non-Arabs is a foreign land for the Arabs. Gold in Arabic is called «ذهب», which also means “to end.” From this, he inferred the ending of eyesight. Combining these three things, he derived a surprising fact that exactly matched the reality.
A noteworthy point is that the event happened exactly as the Imam interpreted the dream. One reason is that the way dreams are interpreted, the situation also arises accordingly.
Hazrat Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
“The interpretation of a dream happens exactly as it is interpreted. It is like a person who lifts his foot and waits to put it down. When one of you sees a dream, he should not tell it to anyone except a well-wisher or a knowledgeable person.”
Hazrat Abu Burdah Aqili, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
“Before interpretation, the status of a dream is like something placed on the feet of a bird. When it is interpreted, it comes true.”
It is highly advisable that as far as possible, the interpretation of dreams should be pleasant; otherwise, it is better to refrain from interpreting.
(d): If two contradictory things emerge from a dream, the one closer to the words of the dream and its principles and rules should be taken.
Imam Manawi, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote in the commentary of “Alfiyyah al-Wardi” (a thousand-line dream book by Imam Ibn al-Wardi, may Allah have mercy on him), quoting a scholar:
“The interpreter of dreams should pause and think deeply. He should establish mutual connections, remove excess elements, and focus on the essentials. After doing all this, he should bring it before the principles and rules of the art of interpretation. Then, if different interpretations arise, the one most appropriate and according to reasoning and opinion should be stated.”
(h) Sometimes the interpretation of a dream relates to the dreamer’s brother, friend, relative, or some related person. This happens when the content of the dream has no connection with you and cannot be your reference but fits better with another person. For example: if the interpretation of a dream is “death,” and the person about whom the dream was shown is healthy, but a related person is near death, then the interpretation is more suitable for the other person.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, saw in a dream that Abu Jahl was pledging allegiance to him, but this referred to his son, Ikrimah. So when Ikrimah, may Allah be pleased with him, embraced Islam, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
“This is the interpretation of that dream.”
Similarly, the Prophet, peace be upon him, saw in a dream that Sa’id ibn ‘Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, was managing the affairs of Makkah, although this position was given to ‘Atab ibn Asid, may Allah be pleased with him. The Prophet, peace be upon him, appointed him as the administrator of Makkah.
(r) If a dream reveals a hidden fault of a Muslim brother, keep it secret and do not disclose it. If it must be mentioned, do not name the person, because mentioning it is backbiting.
(d) The interpretation of a dream varies according to the status, rank, and appearance of the dreamer. Each person’s dream should be interpreted according to their position and circumstances.
The same dream can be a cause of mercy for one person and a cause of punishment for another.
A man asked Imam Ibn Sirin, may Allah have mercy on him, that he heard himself calling the Adhan in a dream. He said:
“You will perform Hajj.”
Another person narrated the same dream, and he said:
“He will have his hand cut off for theft.”
When asked about these two different interpretations, he explained that he saw the first person in a better practical state, so he interpreted it according to Allah’s command:
«وَأَذِّن فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ»
“Announce the pilgrimage among the people.”
Whereas the second person’s condition was undesirable, so he interpreted it in light of Allah’s command:
«ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَارِقُونَ»
“Then a caller announced, ‘O caravan, you are thieves.'”
Imam Ibn Sirin, may Allah have mercy on him, used to interpret the dream of preaching from the pulpit as receiving rulership, but if the dreamer was not worthy, he interpreted it as “hanging.”
(h) Sometimes a child sees a dream, but its reference is one of his parents. Or the dream of a servant relates to his master, or a wife’s dream relates to her husband or family members.
