Table of Contents
An Introduction by al-Ustadh Abū Saʿīd al-Wāʿiẓ to Ibn Sīrīn’s Book of Dreams
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
Praise be to Allah, who made the night a garment and sleep a rest, and the day for rising.
Praise be to Allah, the Eternal, the First, the Powerful, the Creator, the Faithful, the Truthful, whose praise cannot be fully comprehended by the speaker, nor is anything hidden from Him in the darkest nights. He is Ever-Living, never dying; Everlasting, never passing away; a Sovereign whose dominion never perishes; Just without fault; Knower of the unseen; Forgiver of the unseen and of sins; Remover of distress and Concealer of faults.
The Lords submit to His greatness; the mountains bow to His might; the solid rocks humble themselves before His majesty; kings obey His rule. All creatures are in awe of Him, submit to His command, and to Him is the final return.
Exalted is the True Sovereignty; there is no deity except Him, Lord of the Noble Throne.
He chose Muḥammad from among His creation, selected him from His creatures, favored him, supported him with His wisdom, guided him with His protection, and sent him with the truth as a bringer of good tidings and a warner, blessed for the people of his call. He conveyed the message he was sent with, sincerely advised his nation, and struggled in the cause of his Lord.
He was, as his Lord described him, merciful to the believers and mighty over the disbelievers.
May the prayers of Allah be upon him and upon his pure and good family.
Statement of Al-Ustādh Abu Sa‘īd al-Wā‘iẓ
As for what follows:
Since the true dream essentially informs about the realities of deeds and warns of the consequences of matters—some are commands and prohibitions, others are glad tidings and warnings—how could it not be so? For it is among the remnants and parts of prophecy, indeed one of the two divisions of prophecy. Among the prophets (peace be upon them) are those whose revelation comes by dreams, and they are called prophets. Others receive revelation through the speech of the angel while awake; these are messengers. This is the difference between a messenger and a prophet.
Hadith Reported by Abu ‘Alī Ḥāmid ibn Muḥammad ibn ‘Abd Allāh al-Rifā’
He said:
Muḥammad ibn al-Mughīrah told us, Makkī ibn Ibrāhīm told us, Hishām ibn Ḥassān told us, from Muḥammad ibn Sīrīn, from Abū Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said:
“When the time draws near, the dream of the believer is hardly ever false. The most truthful of them in dreams are the most truthful in speech. The dream of the believer is part of forty-six parts of prophecy.
Dreams are of three types:
- The good dream, which is glad tidings from Allah, the Almighty.
- The dream in which the believer talks to himself.
- The dream that saddens, coming from Satan.
So if any of you sees what he dislikes, let him not speak of it but get up and pray.”
He said:
“I love the fetter and dislike the shackle—the fetter fixed in religion.”
Narration from ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
Reported to us by Abū ʿUmar and Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad ibn Maṭar:
Ḥāmid ibn Muḥammad ibn Shuʿayb told us, Yaḥyā ibn Ayyūb told us, Ayyūb told us, from Saʿīd ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Jumaḥī, from Hishām ibn ʿUrwah, from his father, from ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said:
The Messenger of Allah (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said:
“Nothing will remain of prophecy after me except for glad tidings (mubashshirāt).”
They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what are the glad tidings?”
He said:
“The good dream that a man sees for himself or is seen for him.”
Narration on the Meaning of Divine Glad Tidings in the World
Reported to us by Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Mihbalī:
Muḥammad ibn Yaʿqūb told us, al-ʿAbbās ibn al-Walīd ibn Mazīd told us, ʿUqbah ibn ʿAlqamah al-Maʿāfirī told us, al-Awzāʿī told us, Ibn Abī Kathīr told us, ʿUbādah ibn al-Ṣāmit said:
I asked the Messenger of Allah (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) about this verse:
{For them are good tidings in the worldly life and in the Hereafter} (Qur’an 10:64).
The Messenger of Allah (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said:
“You have asked me about something that no one else has asked me before. It is the good dream that a man sees or is seen for him.”
The Dream of the Martyr Thābit ibn Qays and Its Fulfillment After His Death
Reported to us by Abū Sahl Bishr ibn Aḥmad ibn al-Faqīh:
Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad al-Firyābī told us, Hishām ibn ʿAmmār told us, Ṣidqah ibn Khālid told us, Ibn Jābir told us, ʿAṭāʾ al-Khurāsānī told us, Ibn Thābit ibn Qays said:
When Allah revealed the verse:
{O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet} (Qur’an 49:2),
Thābit ibn Qays went into his house, closed the door, and began to weep. The Prophet (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) noticed his absence and sent someone to inquire. He said:
“I am a man with a loud voice, and I fear that my deeds have been nullified.”
The Prophet said:
“You are not among them. You will live in goodness and die in goodness.”
Then when Allah revealed the verse:
{Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful} (Qur’an 31:18),
Thābit again shut himself in and wept. The Prophet (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) sent for him. He said:
“I love beauty, and I love to be honored among my people.”
The Prophet replied:
“You are not among them. Rather, you will live praiseworthy, be martyred, and Allah will admit you into Paradise.”
On the Day of al-Yamāmah, he went out with Khālid ibn al-Walīd to fight Musaylimah the Liar. When the Muslims faltered in battle, Thābit and Sālim, the freedman of Abū Ḥudhayfah, said:
“This is not how we used to fight in the time of the Messenger of Allah (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam).”
So each of them dug himself a trench and fought until they were killed.
Thābit had a precious coat of armor. A man from the Muslims passed by and took it. Later, as that man slept, Thābit ibn Qays came to him in a dream and said:
“I entrust you with a will—do not say this is just a dream and neglect it. When I was killed yesterday, a man from the Muslims passed by me. He lives on the far side of the camp. Near his tent is a horse tied up, and on it is a pot, and over that pot is a man sitting. Tell Khālid ibn al-Walīd to send someone to retrieve my armor. When you arrive in Madinah to the successor of the Messenger of Allah (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam), inform him that I owe such-and-such in debts and that so-and-so are my servants.”
The man went to Khālid ibn al-Walīd and informed him. He sent someone who brought back the armor. Then he informed Abū Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) of the dream, and Abū Bakr approved Thābit’s will.
We do not know of anyone else whose will was approved after death except for Thābit ibn Qays.
The Reality and Significance of Dreams – First Dream on Earth
Al-Ustādh Abū Saʿīd (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
These reports that we have transmitted indicate that dreams are, in and of themselves, real, and that they carry rulings and effects.
The first dream on earth was the dream of Ādam (peace be upon him), and this is what has been reported to us:
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ḥamdawayh informed us, saying:
Abū Muḥammad al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq told us,
Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn al-Barrāʾ told us,
ʿAbd al-Munʿim ibn Idrīs told us,
from Wahb ibn Munabbih, who said:
Allah, the Exalted, revealed to Ādam (peace be upon him):
“You have looked among My creation—have you seen anyone resembling yourself?”
He replied, “No, my Lord. You have honored me and elevated me, so grant me a spouse like myself, to dwell with her so that she may glorify and worship You with me.”
Allah said to him, “Yes.” Then He caused sleep to fall upon him and created Ḥawwāʾ from him, in his likeness, and showed her to him in his sleep. This was the first dream on earth.
When he awoke, she was sitting at his head. So his Lord said to him,
“O Ādam, who is this sitting at your head?”
Ādam said, “It is the one I saw in my dream, O my God.”
Proofs of the Reality and Authority of Dreams
The Dream of Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him):
Among the strongest indications that dreams are inherently true is the dream of Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him), in which he saw himself slaughtering his son. When he awoke, he prepared to carry out what he had been commanded in his dream. Allah the Exalted recounts his words:
{O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you, so see what you think. He said, O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, among the patient.} (Qur’an 37:102)
When Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him) realized the truth of the vision and exerted himself in obeying it—until Allah, in His mercy, brought relief—he came to understand that dreams hold real rulings.
The Dream of Yūsuf (peace be upon him):
Also among these is the dream of Yūsuf (peace be upon him).
Reported to us by Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad, who said:
Al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad al-Azharī told us,
Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn al-Barrāʾ told us,
ʿAbd al-Munʿim ibn Idrīs told me, from his father, from Wahb ibn Munabbih:
Yūsuf ibn Yaʿqūb (peace be upon them both) once had a dream while he was still a young boy, lying asleep in the lap of one of his brothers. Each of the brothers had a thick staff to drive off predators from their sheep. Yūsuf had a thin, small rod that he leaned on, defended the sheep with, and used to play.
When he awoke from his sleep, he said to the brother whose lap he had slept in:
“Shall I not tell you about a dream I just saw?”
They said, “Yes, tell us.”
He said: “I saw my rod planted in the earth. Then all of your staffs were brought and planted around it. Mine was the thinnest and shortest. It kept rising upward into the sky until it surpassed your staffs. It remained standing, and its roots spread beneath the earth, until your staffs were uprooted. Mine stood firm, while your staffs gathered around it and became still.”
When he related this dream to them, they said:
“It seems the son of Rāḥīl is about to claim: ‘You are my servants, and I am your master.’”
Seven years later, he saw the dream mentioned in the Qur’an:
{O my father, indeed I have seen eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me.} (Qur’an 12:4)
His father, Yaʿqūb, understood the interpretation and feared for him from his brothers. The moon represented his father, the sun his mother, and the stars his brothers. So Yaʿqūb said:
“O my son, do not relate your dream to your brothers, lest they plot against you.”
Later, when Yūsuf brought his parents and brothers to him in Egypt, Allah said:
{And he raised his parents upon the throne, and they all fell in prostration to him.} (Qur’an 12:100)
—meaning he seated them on a royal seat and brought them into his home. His parents and brothers prostrated to him in reverence. That was the common greeting of people in that time, until Islam came and abolished prostration as greeting, replacing it with the handshake.
Yaʿqūb (peace be upon him) had himself seen a dream before the events surrounding Yūsuf, while Yūsuf was still small. In the dream, ten wolves surrounded Yūsuf, who was in a valley while Yaʿqūb stood on a mountain. They pounced on Yūsuf, and Yaʿqūb looked on in fear. Then the earth opened and swallowed Yūsuf, and the wolves scattered.
Because of this dream, Yaʿqūb later said to his sons:
“Indeed, I fear that a wolf may eat him.” (Qur’an 12:13)
The Dream of Pharaoh Foretelling the Birth of Mūsā (peace be upon him):
As for the story of Mūsā (peace be upon him), Wahb reported:
Pharaoh had a terrifying dream that shook him. He saw a fire emerging from the region of al-Shām (the Levant) which spread and reached Egypt, burning everything in its path—the homes, cities, and fortresses of Egypt. He awoke frightened and disturbed.
He gathered a great assembly from among his people and told them about his dream. They said:
“If your dream is true, then someone will come forth from the children of Yaʿqūb in al-Shām, and by his hand the destruction of Egypt and its people—and your own downfall, O king—will occur.”
From that point, Pharaoh ordered the killing of all newborn boys. But Allah eventually brought the interpretation of the dream to pass. Pharaoh’s plot availed him nothing. Mūsā (peace be upon him) was raised under his own care, and Allah destroyed Pharaoh at Mūsā’s hands. Exalted is His Power and Great is His Majesty.
The Dream of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Narrated to us by Abū Sahl ibn Abī Yaḥyā al-Faqīh, who said:
Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad al-Firyābī narrated to us,
Hishām ibn ʿAmmār narrated to us,
Ṣidqah narrated from Ibn Jābir,
from Sulaymān ibn ʿĀmir al-Kalāʿī,
who said that Abū Umāmah al-Bāhilī said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:
“While I was sleeping, two men came to me and took hold of my upper arms. They led me out and brought me to a rugged mountain. They said to me, ‘Climb.’
I said, ‘I cannot.’
They said, ‘We will make it easy for you.’
So I climbed. When I reached the middle of the mountain, I heard loud voices.
I asked, ‘What are these voices?’
They said, ‘This is the howling of the people of Hellfire.’Then they took me on until we came to a group of people hanging by their heels, their jaws torn and bleeding.
I asked, ‘Who are these?’
They said, ‘These are the ones who break their fast before the lawful time.’I said, ‘The Jews and Christians are doomed.’”
(Sulaymān said: I do not know whether Abū Umāmah heard this part directly from the Prophet ﷺ or whether it was his own commentary.)
“Then they took me on, and we came to a people even more swollen and more foul-smelling than the first group—their stench was like that of latrines.
I asked, ‘Who are these?’
They said, ‘These are the adulterers—both men and women.’Then they took me on until we came to a group of young boys playing between two rivers.
I asked, ‘Who are these?’
They said, ‘These are the children of the Muslims.’Then they raised me to a high place, and I saw three men drinking wine.
I asked, ‘Who are these?’
They said, ‘These are Zayd, Jaʿfar, and Ibn Rawāḥah.’Then they raised me to another high place, and I saw three more men.
I asked, ‘Who are these?’
They said, ‘These are Ibrāhīm, Mūsā, and ʿĪsā, peace be upon them. They are waiting for you.’”
The Story of the Prophet’s ﷺ Healing from Magic
Narrated to us by Abū Saʿīd Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Ibrāhīm, who said:
ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad al-Warrāq told me,
Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Naṣr narrated to us,
Yūsuf ibn Bilāl narrated from Muḥammad ibn Marwān al-Kalbī,
from Abū Ṣāliḥ,
from Ibn ʿAbbās:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was bewitched, and it happened while he was with ʿĀʾishah. Because of this, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell ill, and we feared greatly for him.
While he ﷺ was in a state between sleep and wakefulness, two angels came—one stood at his head and the other at his feet. The one at his head said to the one at his feet, “What is his condition?” so that he ﷺ might hear and understand.
He replied, “He is under a spell.”
He asked, “Who cast it on him?”
He replied, “Labīd ibn al-Aʿṣam, the Jew.”
He asked, “Where did he place it?”
He replied, “In the well of Dhū Arwān.”
He asked, “And what is the remedy?”
He replied, “Send someone to that well to drain its water. Then he must reach a stone and lift it, under which there is a palm fiber sheath containing a thread tied with eleven knots. It should be burned, and then, God willing, he will be cured.”
Indeed, he ﷺ sent someone to extract it.
Then the Prophet ﷺ woke up, having understood what was said to him. He sent ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir and a group of his companions to that well. They found its water had changed color, as if it were henna water. They drained the water and reached the stone, which they lifted. Under it they found the palm fiber sheath, and inside it was a thread tied with eleven knots. They brought it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Then the following two sūrahs were revealed:
“Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the Daybreak” and
“Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of Mankind.”
These two sūrahs contain eleven verses.
Each time he recited a verse, a knot was untied. When the knots were fully untied, the Prophet ﷺ stood up as if he had been released from shackles.
Then the thread was burned. The Prophet ﷺ commanded that these two sūrahs be used for seeking refuge.
Labīd would come to the Prophet ﷺ after that, but the Prophet ﷺ never mentioned anything to him and nothing was seen on his face regarding it.
This account demonstrates the truth and reality of dreams, and it is supported by many other reports that are too numerous to list in this book.
Advice of al-Ustādh Abu Sa‘īd (May Allah Be Pleased with Him) on the Science of Dreams
Al-Ustādh Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
When I saw that knowledge was diversifying into types—some beneficial for this world but not for religion, and some beneficial for both—I recognized that the science of dreams (ʿilm al-ru’yā) is among the beneficial sciences in religion. I sought guidance from Allah in collecting its essence, following the path of conciseness, seeking Allah’s help to complete it in a way that pleases Him most and is most beloved to Him, while seeking refuge from His trials and tribulations. Allah Almighty is the Guardian of success, and He is sufficient for us and the best Disposer of affairs.
Etiquettes for a Valid Dream
Al-Ustādh Abu Sa‘īd said:
A person needs to observe certain etiquettes so that their dreams are closer to truthfulness. Among them is to get used to truthfulness in speech, for it was narrated from the Prophet (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) that he said:
“The most truthful among you in dreams are the most truthful in speech.”
Among the etiquettes is to consistently maintain the natural disposition (fiṭrah) as much as possible. It was narrated that the Prophet (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) used to ask his companions every day: “Did any of you see a dream last night?” They would narrate their dreams to him, and he would interpret them for them. After some days passed without anyone narrating a dream, he asked them: “How do you see yourselves with your fingernails growing long?” This refers to their neglect in trimming their nails, which is part of the natural disposition.
Among the etiquettes is to sleep in a state of ritual purity (ṭaharah). It was narrated from Abū Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said:
“My beloved (the Prophet) advised me with three things I do not abandon until I die: fasting three days every month, the two units (rak‘ahs) of Fajr prayer, and not sleeping except in a state of purity.”
Among the etiquettes is to sleep on the right side, as the Prophet (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) loved right-sidedness in all matters. It was narrated that he used to sleep on his right side, placing his right hand under his right cheek, saying:
“O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the Day You gather Your servants.”
It was narrated that ‘Ā’isha (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
“When she would take her sleeping place, she would say:
‘O Allah, I ask You for a good dream, truthful, not false, beneficial, not harmful, guarding, not forgetful.’”
In some narrations, it is among the Sunnah for the sleeper to say upon going to bed:
“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from sexual dreams and bad dreams, and from Satan playing with me while awake and asleep.”
Types of Dreams: True and False
Dreams are of two types: true and false.
As for the true dream, it is what a person sees when their natural temperament is balanced and the air is pure, from the time the trees shake until their leaves fall. It is also necessary that one does not sleep while preoccupied with a thought or desire related to something they saw in their dream. Additionally, the validity of the dream is not affected by being in a state of ritual impurity (janābah) or menstruation.
As for the false dream, it is what is preceded by self-talk, ambition, and desire without interpretation. This also applies to a nocturnal emission that requires a full ritual bath (ghusl), as it is considered similar in status to a false dream without interpretation. Likewise, frightening or disturbing dreams caused by Satan fall into this category. Allah, the Exalted, says:
“Indeed, the secret conversation is only from Satan that he may grieve those who have believed, but he will not harm them at all except by permission of Allah.” (Qur’an 58:10)
Recommended Sunnah Practices Regarding Disturbing Dreams
It is among the Sunnah for one who sees in their dream something that displeases them to turn over to the other side from which they slept, spit three times to their left, seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan, get up, and pray without telling anyone about their dream.
It was narrated that a man came to the Prophet (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) and said:
“O Messenger of Allah, I see in my dream something that saddens me.” The Prophet (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said:
“I also see in my dreams things that sadden me. So when you see that, spit three times to your left and say:
‘O Allah, I ask You for the good of this dream and seek refuge in You from its evil.’”
Confused and Disturbing Dreams
Among the false dreams are confused visions (aḍghāth aḥlām), such as seeing the sky as a ceiling and fearing it might fall on one, or seeing the earth as a grinding mill, or trees growing from the sky, stars emerging from the earth, Satan turning into an angel, elephants becoming ants, and similar things. These have no interpretation.
Also included are dreams seen when one’s humors (ṭabā’iʿ) are disturbed: the sanguine sees redness; the phlegmatic sees moisture; the choleric sees yellow; the melancholic sees darkness and blackness; the person who is hot sees the sun and fire; the cool person sees doves; the full person sees heavy things weighing on himself. This type of dream also has no interpretation.
Most Truthful Dreams
The most truthful dreams are those seen in daytime sleep or in the last part of the night. It was narrated that the Prophet (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said:
“The truest dreams are those seen at dawn.”
And he also said:
“The truest dreams are those of the daytime because Allah revealed to me during the day.”
Narration from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Ṣādiq (Peace be upon them)
He said:
The most truthful dreams are the dreams seen during the midday nap (qailūlah).
Etiquettes for the Dreamer and the Interpreter
Al-Ustādh Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
The owner of the dream has etiquettes that he needs to adhere to and limits he should not cross. Likewise, the interpreter has his own etiquettes.
As for the etiquettes of the dreamer:
- He should not tell the dream to a jealous person. This is because Ya‘qūb (peace be upon him) said to Yūsuf:
“Do not tell your dream to your brothers, lest they plot against you.” - He should not tell it to an ignorant person. It was narrated from the Prophet (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) that he said:
“Do not tell your dream except to a beloved or a wise person.” - He should not lie about his dream. The Prophet (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said:
“Whoever lies about a dream will be given two barley collars (as punishment) on the Day of Resurrection.” - He should keep it secret as it was seen and not disclose it publicly.
- He should not tell the dream to a child or a woman.
- It is better to tell the dream in the beginning of the year and the beginning of the day rather than at their end.
Etiquettes for the Interpreter of Dreams
Among the etiquettes for the interpreter:
- When his brother tells him a good dream, he should say: “I have seen good,” as it was narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) used to say when a dream was told to him:
“Good you receive and evil you avoid, good for us and evil for our enemies. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. Tell your dream.” - He should interpret the dream in the best possible way. It was narrated that the Prophet (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said:
“A dream is subject to the interpretation given to it.”
It was also narrated that he said:
“A dream is like a bird, as long as it is not spoken of, it remains; once spoken of, it happens.” - He should listen carefully to the dream and then understand the questioner’s inquiry.
- He should be patient and not rush the interpretation.
- He must keep the dream confidential and not disclose it publicly, as it is a trust.
- He should pause from interpreting at sunrise, midday, and sunset.
- He must distinguish between the owners of the dreams; he should not interpret the dream of a ruler according to that of a subject, since dreams differ according to the condition of the dreamer.
- When a servant sees something not related to him in his dream, it belongs to its owner because it is their property. Likewise, when a woman sees something she has no relation to, it belongs to her husband, since she was created from his rib. The interpretation of a child’s dream is for their parents.
- He should reflect upon the dream told to him. If it is good, he should interpret it positively and give glad tidings to its owner before interpretation. If it is bad, he should withhold interpretation or interpret it in the best possible way.
- If the dream contains some good and some bad, he should weigh between them and take the most likely and strongest in the principles.
- If he is unsure, he should ask the dreamer their name, for the Prophet (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said:
“If a dream is difficult for you to interpret, take the names and their meanings.”
For example, the name Sahl means ease, Salim means safety, Ahmad and Muhammad mean praiseworthy, Nasr means victory, and Su‘ād means happiness. - He should also consider what he encounters at the time of interpretation.
- If he sees an old woman, it means a world being managed.
- If he sees a mule, donkey, or mule, it indicates travel, as Allah says:
“And [He created] the horses, mules, and donkeys for you to ride and [as] adornment.” (Qur’an 16:8) - If he hears the cawing of a crow once, three, four, or six times, it is good. Regarding four, one is dropped, so three remain. Six is good and heard only by the elders. Hearing two is disliked.
Narration from Ibn ‘Abbās and Additional Notes on Dream Interpretation
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbās that he said:
If a crow caws three times, it is good. In Persian, it is called a “dīk.”
If a crow caws twice, it is evil. In Persian, it is called “bad.”
It is disliked to narrate a dream on Tuesday because it is a day when blood is shed, and on Wednesday because it is a day of continuous misfortune. It is not disliked to narrate dreams on other days.
This portion of our book is a treasure for those who contemplate and ponder its meanings. Had we expanded on it, it might have led to tediousness and weariness. I hope Allah Almighty benefits us by it, protects us from knowledge that does not benefit, a stomach that does not satisfy, a soul that does not humble itself, a prayer that is not heard, a nature that leads to greed, and greed where there is no hope. Truly, He is Almighty, capable of all He wills, the Doer of what He desires. Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.