Lame A lame person, said some ancient Arab dream interpreters, could not master a craft and often lives on insufficient funds.
• Being lame: Controversial interpretations. For Ibn Siren, dreaming of being lame means one will become more religious and try to learn more about religion and similar subjects. The dreamer can also be trusted when he swears. For other dream interpreters, it means the dreamer will commit adultery. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Heart The heart symbolizes the dreamer’s wife. It also refers to his courage, tolerance, forgiveness, temerariousness (guts), quality, generosity, endurance, and righteousness. Anything wrong in it in a dream applies to the body, as the heart belongs to the body and makes it live. But the interpretation of dreams involving the heart by the ancient Arabs was often paradoxical.
• The heart coming out of the body: Religious faith and fidelity.
• Emptying the heart: Truth will prevail. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Piss • Pissing in an animated area of a marketplace: The dreamer will become a familiar figure in that market.
• A horseman stepping down from a mare for some adventitious reason and pissing blood: He is indulging in adultery (because, according to the ancient Arabs, the soil is a woman and pissing is sex, while blood symbolizes what is prohibited).
• Urinating in the mihrab or prayer niche: The dreamer will have a son who will become a Muslim spiritual leader, as the mihrab basically represents the imam. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Christian (Also see Archbishop, Monk, Prelate, and Priest.) The word Nosrani used in the ancient Arab texts (plural, Nasara) is quite vague, as it could mean Nazarene, someone from Nazareth—a Christian—or Nazerite, a dissident Jew. But it generally means Christian, whose exact translation should be Messihi from Messiah.
• Seeing a Nosrani: The dreamer will triumph over his rival in an outstanding dispute, because Nosrani comes from the Arabic Nosra, meaning “triumph” or “victory.”
• Seeing a Nosrani while locked in battle: Will win. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Beehive In ancient times, if a king or ruler saw himself replacing the bees, it meant that he would select a heavily populated country, rich in legitimate resources, to add to his dominion. If he managed to enter their beehive, it meant that he would triumph and rule in the selected country. If he took the honey and left nothing to the bees, it meant that he would behave as a tyrant and confiscate the people’s property. In case he took his share and left the rest to the bees, it meant that he would be just and reap a fair profit. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Grape Grape juice, especially wine, symbolizes women, in view of its delicious taste. It also represents sex, because it is like the semen. Likewise, it refers to a generous and useful man, a good-doer, owing to the multifarious benefits of grape. He could be a ruler, a scholar, or a person who gives money to the needy. White grapes in the right season allude to the best of this world, like money that will come earlier than expected. In winter, grapes allude to rain. To the ancient Arabs, every bunch of grapes was one thousand dirham's (currency units). Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Brass For the ancient Arabs, brass or bronze and copper alluded to money obtained from Christians or Jews.
• Melting brass or bronze: (1) Will have a dispute over materialistic questions. (2) A reference to slander, degrading conversations, and decadence.
• Finding some brass or bronze in one’s hand: Beware of hostile people and prove that you heed God by observing religious tenets.
• Seeing brass, bronze, or copper: The dreamer is calumniating and insulting people. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Tree Ancient Arab dream interpreters said that whereas the tree referred to the man’s deeds, religion, or ego, its leaves symbolizes his character, its beauty his nice shape and clothing, its branches his brothers, relatives, folk, and beliefs, its heart his hidden essence and his secrets, its bark his appearance, skin, and all that he uses to adorn himself with, and its semen his faith, piety, assets, and life. The tree also represents the female kind, for it is irrigated; it bears (fruits) and delivers. It also refers to various places and persons associated with food, money, and wealth, like shops, warehouses, banquets, slaves, servants, and cattle. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Sky In Arabic, there is only one word for sky and heaven, the same as in French. The sky symbolizes the king’s court and his entourage, which are as difficult to reach as the sky is (or used to be in ancient times).
• Anything falling from the sky, be it good or bad: That thing will come from Heaven.
• Climbing to the sky on a ladder: The dreamer will be dignified and reap benefits from the king.
• Climbing to the sky without any ladder or stairs: The dreamer will be disappointed and terrorized by the sultan. If the dreamer’s intention is to overhear, he will spy on the sultan and break into his palace or treasury to rob him. In case he reaches the sky, he will succeed. The reverse is also true.
• A sick person getting to the sky and failing to return: He will die and his soul will go to Heaven. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Village Walking out of a village in a dream means escaping from evil. Seeing a destroyed village in a dream means heedlessness or a calamity caused by the sins of its dwellers. Seeing a well-built village in a dream shows the piety and righteousness of its people. Seeing ancient edifices or ruins inhabited again in a dream represents people's repentance from sin. A village in a dream also could signify injustice, innovations, corruption, disregarding the divine laws, or discarding the moral standards set by the community. A village in a dream also could represent ants underground nest or colony, while an anthill in a dream represents a village. Dream Interpreter: Ibn Sirin
Banana The banana tree symbolizes a rich, pious, and polite person. It is one of the noblest trees. Seeing bananas in a dream is a particularly good omen, because exception is made for that fruit by the ancient Arabs, regardless of its yellow color, which in other cases always symbolizes disease. It is a good dream even if the bananas are not ripe or taste sour.
• Eating bananas: (1) For a worldly person: Benefits and desires will be fulfilled. (2) For a religious individual: Stronger faith.
• A banana tree growing in a house: A male child will be born in that house. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Vagina • Dreaming that one’s wife has no vagina: A matter will be stalled, and the dreamer will be helpless and humiliated.
• The vagina being cut: Bad omen, meaning perhaps that enemies will prevail.
• Biting the vagina of an unknown woman: Relief and joy.
• The vagina of an unidentified old woman: Relief in life. Holding firm a woman’s vagina with one’s hand, which turns into a penis: Her morals will change. If it remains a penis, she will remain authoritarian, impudent, loud, and impossible to tame.
• Vaginal or pubic hair: (1) Period is on the way. (2) Poetic diatribe, a speciality of ancient Arab poets. It is noteworthy that in Arabic the words for hair and poem resemble each other. The former is shaar and the latter sheer. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Mare • A horseman stepping down from a mare for some adventitious matter and keeping back without unsaddling her: His wife has her menses, and he will stay away from her temporarily. But if he had stepped down to ride another mare, he will have a second woman. If he had turned his face after stepping down, he would stay away from his wife for some time. If, after stepping down, he pissed blood, he is indulging in adultery (because, according to the ancient Arabs, the soil [earth] is a woman and pissing is sex, while blood symbolizes what is prohibited).
• Drinking mare milk: Benefits will come from the ruler. The female draft horse should be treated in the interpretation of dreams as an ordinary mare. Anyway, she symbolizes a girl, a slave girl, or an honest free woman. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Silver But ancient Arab interpreters were divided about the interpretation of dreams involving silver. To some finding silver tablets or bars meant joy or that the dreamer would procure some in reality. To others it meant worries and sorrow; it all depended on the personality of the dreamer himself. According to Al-Kirmani, genuine and intact silver meant some truthful news would arrive. Broken silver is a reference to misleading information and animosity.
• Finding some molten piece of silver or receiving it from someone: The dreamer will marry a woman from that person’s folk.
• A golden or silver salt cellar: An agreeable woman, as in Arabic salt is melh and agreeable is maliha. But silver is always better than gold. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Ali Ibn Abi Taleb He was the fourth caliph, from A.D. 656 to 661, when he was assassinated in Koufa, his capital. The essence of the Shiite movement in Islam is the contention that Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, should have been the first caliph to succeed Prophet Muhammad (p b u h). Most often, dreaming of Ali, peace be upon him, or similar Imams means that the hero of such a dream will die as a martyr.
• A king dreaming of Ali: Will conquer a country or overrun a bastion and be highly praised.
• Seeing Ali means the dreamer will: (1) Triumph over enemies. (2) Have good and noble children and grandchildren. (3) Subdue the aliens in his Muslim country who rebel against the system, especially the Jews (according to the ancient interpreters). (4) Become a successor and a trustee. (5) Embark on difficult, strenuous trips. (6) If at war, obtain many spoils. (7) Become more knowledgeable, generous, courageous, and ascetic or selfless. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Silver The bracelet and the anklet symbolize the husband or marriage, in particular. For men they represent sorrow. Lady’s jewels could also refer to their children, since mothers are proud of them. Gold is a reference to boys and silver to girls. Likewise, whatever is masculine refers to boys and anything feminine to girls. Certain interpreters hate to hear about silver in view of the etymology of the word—in Arabic feddah from fadd or yafeddo, meaning “to disperse” or “to deflower.” In general, silver is hoarded money. An alloy of silver and gold is a beautiful white girl or slave girl (or servant in the modern sense), because silver is part of the essence of women (according to the ancient Arabs). Whoever dreams of having acquired such an alloy will seduce a pretty woman. If the piece is big, he will find a treasure. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Dove The dove symbolizes the virtuous, loving, and beloved woman who sticks to her man. It also alludes to the messenger, the letter, and the unexpected or the urgent information. According to legend, it was blessed by Noah after he was disappointed by a crow. He had sent the latter to view the condition of the water, but the crow, having seen carrion floating on the surface, forgot all about its mission. By contrast, the dove brought Noah a green leaf. Likewise, the dove refers to a girl, in particular the white one, sight of whom means good religion. Black pigeons are the leading figures of both sexes in society. But the best dove to be dreamt of is that which is green, for it means piety. The piebald or spotted doves are people of mixed blood. The baby doves are children and servants (slaves in the ancient mentality). The dovecote represents the ladies quarter. Pigeons cooing is a love quarrel. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Mouse The mouse symbolizes the dreamer’s household: those who dwell in his house—his wife and children, et cetera—a debauched woman, or, some say, a devilish Jewish woman or a Jew, as related by Al-Nabulsi. It could also refer to a thief. Many mice means profit and welfare. Mice of the same color allude to women. The rat is a digging thief.
• Dreaming of a mouse playing in one’s house: Prosperity will increase because, according to the ancient Arabs, mice invade only those places that are prosperous. And only people who are not hungry can afford to play.
• Seeing mice in one’s house: Dangerous women will enter that house.
• A mouse leaving one’s house: Livelihood and blessings will decrease.
• Owning a mouse: Will have a servant because, like servants, mice share the food of the master.
• White and black mice coming and going: Long life, as the white indicate the days and the black the nights. To borrow the expressions of Ibn Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Tree The tree symbolizes religion and sects in view of the allegory in the Holy Quran of the good tree (date palm) and the good words: “Seest thou not how Allah coineth a similitude: A goodly saying, as a goodly tree, its roots set firm, branches reaching into Heaven.” (“Ibrahim” [Abraham], verse 24.) Likewise, the Muslims Holy Prophet likened the good tree to the Muslim. The one he saw himself holding in a spiritual odyssey,52 he said, was the duty of praying, which he had brought to his followers. Ancient Arab dream interpreters said that whereas the tree referred to the man’s deeds, religion, or ego, its leaves symbolizes his character, its beauty his nice shape and clothing, its branches his brothers, relatives, folk, and beliefs, its heart his hidden essence and his secrets, its bark his appearance, skin, and all that he uses to adorn himself with, and its semen his faith, piety, assets, and life. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
Grape Black grapes during the right season symbolize fear and disease; otherwise they mean trouble and worries. They are also a harbinger of cold weather. Grapes were believed by the ancient Arabs to be harmful. They also thought that no benefit could be derived from the black color and hated black grapes in any case. Among other things, they argued that the grape was originally white, placed near the son of Nuh (Noah). When his father cursed him, it suddenly turned black. Certain dream interpreters felt that the black grape meant nothing but money that will not last. Separate from the bunch, it symbolized extreme fear or chills. Others regarded the black grape as a not so bad dream, in view of a verse in the Holy Quran: “And of the fruits of the date-palm, and grapes, whence ye derive strong drink and (also) good nourishment. Lo! therein, is indeed a portent for people who have sense.” (“Al-Nahl” [The Bees], verse 67.) They also thought so because the Prophet Zakareyyah (Zacharia) used to find it at Mariam’s (Mary’s) place. Dream Interpreter: Various Islamic Scholars
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