IECRC (USA & Canada)

Tuesday, November 25, 2003

Volume 1, Issue 3 (Shawwal 1424)

Dream interpretation is a part of prophethood, therefore anyone wishing to interpret dreams should give the proper respect and commitment to this undertaking.   To be a good dream interpreter, ideally one should have sound knowledge of the Qur’an and the Hadiths (sayings and life) of Prophet Muhammad, (Peace Be Upon Him), and sayings of the Sahaba –companions of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).  Consequently, knowledge of the Arabic language will also prove to be very helpful.  Other qualities which will help one to be a good  dream interpreter are the ability to judge the character of the dreamer by their facial features, and possessing an even temperament, social manners, and sincerity of intention.

Dreams can be interpreted in many different ways, according to the circumstances, and depending upon the person who has had the dream.  Sometimes dreams can be interpreted according to verses from the Holy Qur’an, or in terms of Hadiths or sayings of the Sahaba, or even sometimes according to popular sayings, such as proverbs or idiomatic expressions.  Dreams can also be interpreted directly in terms of the thing or person being dreamt about.

Sometimes, however, dreams will have the opposite meaning from what appears in the dream.  Dream interpretation, therefore, is both a science and an art, requiring the interpreter to be knowledgeable, yet also flexible according to the given person and circumstances, in order to come to the correct interpretation.

For example, there may be a dream in which he or she sees a hand tied to the neck.  If the person who saw this dream is a very righteous and pious person, it may signify that he or she will be refrained from disobeying Allah Almighty and His Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him) and from committing some sinful act.  However, if the person who saw this dream is not strong in faith, it may indicate the opposite meaning, e.g., that he or she will be kept in a state of helplessness or suffering in the afterlife unless there is repentance for misdeeds.

Dreams can also be interpreted according to the time in which they are seen.  For example, to dream during the night of oneself riding an elephant means one will successfully handle an important matter, but the same dream in the daytime may indicate a domestic dispute.

The strongest dreams, which are most easily interpreted, occur at the end of the night just before waking.  The weakest dreams occur in winter or whenever there is rain.  The best time of year for propitious dreams is the time of fruit harvesting.

If the dream is highly symbolic and coherent, the interpreter only has to apply his or her knowledge directly to interpret the dream.  In case there are ambiguous aspects of the dream, the interpreter should find out how the person felt during the dream.  If, however, there seems to be no coherency or strong symbolism or essential principle in the dream, it should simply be dismissed.

If the dream is connected to nature or to a creature, it is important for the interpreter to understand the symbolism of the objects or creatures seen.  Usually, trees, birds, and ferocious animals represent human beings.  The species or type seen must be examined.  With trees, for example, a palm tree may indicate a person of good character with a generous nature, just as a palm tree is upright and provides abundant nourishing sweet dates, while a walnut tree could indicate a person who is harsh and aggressive, because synonymously a walnut shell is very hard, and the nut is difficult to extract, and its taste is slightly bitter.

There are different types of dream interpretation.  Following are several examples from the different sources of dream interpretation.  The purpose of this is to give a general outline of the ways in which dreams can generally be viewed and interpreted.

Dream Interpretation According to the Holy Qur’an

Examples of dream symbolism which may be properly interpreted in the light of the Qur’an are:

Eggs: An egg may be taken as a symbol of a woman, because of the verse: “as if they were closely protected eggs,” (37:49)

Stones: A stone is a symbol of hard-heartedness, as in the verse: “Then your hearts became hard after that – so that they were like stones, or even harder still.” (2:74)

Raw meat: Raw meat is indicative of slander, because of the verse:  “do not slander one another; would any one among you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? So you will hate that!” (49:12)

Keys: Keys point to an increase in material goods, as is stated in the Qur’an: “We gave him treasures, the keys alone to which made up a heavy load for a group of strong men.” (28:76)

Boats: A  boat signifies one being watched over and helped by Allah, The Most Exalted, such as when Allah rescued Prophet Nuh (Noah), peace be upon him, such as is referred to in the verses:  “We rescued him, and those with him, in the Ark” (10:73) and “So We rescued him and the Companions of the Ark.” (27:15)

Kings entering a new land or house: A king entering a new land or home can foretell a calamity for the dreamer or for his or her community or country, because of the verse: “Kings, when they enter a city, lay waste to it and make the mighty among its inhabitants abased.” (27:34)

Clothing: Clothing indicates one’s spouse, as it is written in the Qur’an: “They (women) are clothing for you and you are clothing for them.” (2:187)

Dream Interpretation According to Hadith

Examples of dreams in accordance with the Hadith of the Prophet, (Peace Be Upon Him) would be that of a mouse representing a wicked woman, as in the Hadith in which it is referred to as “a small wicked thing.”  A rib also symbolizes a woman, because of the Hadith that woman was created from a bent rib.

Dream Interpretation According to Proverbs or Idioms

Common proverbs or idioms may lend insight to dream interpretation.  Some examples are:

A long arm: A long arm symbolizes generosity, as in the saying: “So-and-so has a longer arm than you.”  This expression would mean that the other person is more generous.

Spit: Spit is a symbol of a son, as in the expression said when a boy resembles his father: “He is the spitting image of his father.”

Washing hands with soap: Washing hands with soap indicates despair, as in the expression, “I wash my hands of you.”  This means that one can expect no good outcome from the person or situation being confronted.

Dream Interpretation According to the Dream Object

Sometimes dreams can be interpreted directly by the object that is seen, such as narcissus and rose showing lack of longevity because they are not long-lasting flowers, or on the other hand, myrtle showing one’s longevity because of it being long-lasting.

Dreams With Opposite Meaning of What is Seen

Depending upon the feeling experienced by the dreamer, the meaning of a dream may actually be the opposite of what appears.  For example, tears in a dream may be an expression of joy if they are shed in silence.  Similarly, joy, laughter, and dancing may be a mask for inner sadness and worry.  In a dream of two persons fighting, the person losing may actually be the winner.

To be continued insha Allah…

Prof. Dr. Mohammad Ahmed Qadri

Dr. Qadri is Founding  Director of IECRC. He is a renowned known scholar from Pakistan, who taught at the University of Karachi for over 20 years. He has expertise in both modern education as well as traditional Islamic sciences, having completed the 18 year Dars-e-Nizami course from Pakistan. Dr. Qadri has studied with eminent scholars from Al-Azhar University, Cairo. He has dedicated his life to spreading the light and love of our Beloved Master Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).