Animals
Dreaming of bees in Islam
In short
For al-Nabulusi, bees signify fertility and wealth, but with danger; honey may represent lawful gain, while taking it without leaving any for the bees is an injustice. The Muntakhab attributed to Ibn Sirin associates bees with attaining authority and benefit, work and earning, and also describes harm caused by their sting.
A summary of the passages quoted below. These are authors’ interpretations, not a prediction: a dream is understood through the dreamer and all its details.
What the interpretation books say
al-Nabulusi — Taʿṭīr al-Anām fī Taʿbīr al-Manām
هو في المنام خصب وغنى لمن اقتناه مع خطر.
Bees in a dream signify fertility and wealth for whoever possesses them, along with danger.
كوارة النحل واستخرج عسلا نال مالا حلالا وإن أخذ العسل ولم يترك للنحل شيئا فإنه يجور على قوم وإن ترك لها شيئا فإنه يعدل إن كان واليا أو طالب حق.
Whoever sees a beehive and extracts honey from it obtains lawful wealth. If he takes the honey and leaves nothing for the bees, he wrongs a people; if he leaves them some, he acts justly, whether he is a governor or someone seeking a right.
Muntakhab al-Kalām fī Tafsīr al-Aḥlām (attributed to Ibn Sirin)
Attribution to Ibn Sirin rejected: why
رؤيته تدل على نيل رياسة وإصابة منفعة وتدل النحل على أهل البادية وأهل الكد والسعي في الكسب والحيازة والجمع والتأليف
Seeing them indicates attaining authority and obtaining a benefit. Bees signify the people of the desert and those who toil and strive to earn, acquire, gather, and compose.
فإن اجتمعت عليه ولسعته فإنهم يتعاونون ويصيب منهم أذى
If they gather against him and sting him, they cooperate and he suffers harm from them.
Keep in mind
- An interpretation is a human effort: Abu Bakr himself was partly wrong before the Prophet ﷺ. (al-Bukhari 7046 and Muslim 2269)
- Appearances deceive: an unpleasant-looking dream may be interpreted as good, and vice versa. (al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim 15/18)
- A dream is not a fatwa: make no serious decision on its strength alone. (al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim 1/115)
If this dream upset you: what the Sunnah asks
The Prophet ﷺ taught that an unpleasant dream comes from Satan, and that it does not harm the one who does the following. (al-Bukhari 7045 · al-Bukhari 3292)
Seek Allah’s protection, three times
Against the evil of this dream and against Satan. The wording given by al-Nawawi: “aʿūdhu billāhi mina sh-shayṭāni wa min sharrihā” — I seek refuge with Allah from Satan and from the evil of this dream. (al-Bukhari 7044 · Muslim 2262 · al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim 15/18)
Blow lightly three times to your left
The narrations say “blow” (nafth), “spit lightly” (tafl) or “spit” (basq): a light breath, to drive Satan away. (Muslim 2261 · al-Bukhari 7044 · Muslim 2262)
Turn over onto your other side
Change the side you were sleeping on. (Muslim 2262)
Get up and pray
If you can; al-Nawawi recommends two units of prayer (rakʿa). (Muslim 2263 · al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim 15/18)
Tell no one about it
Neither recount it nor seek to have it interpreted. A Bedouin dreamt that his head was cut off; the Prophet ﷺ told him: “Do not tell of how Satan toys with you in your sleep.” (al-Bukhari 7045 · Muslim 2263 · Muslim 2268 · al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim 15/18)
“It will not harm him”: that is the promise of the hadith. Al-Nawawi adds that doing only some of these acts is enough, by Allah’s leave. (al-Bukhari 7045 · al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim 15/18)
Related symbols
- HoneyIn a dream told to the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr interpreted honey dripping from a cloud as the Quran and its sweetness (al-Bukhari, Muslim). For al-Nabulusi honey is lawful wealth, and for people of religion the sweetness of faith and recitation of the Quran.
- AntFor al-Nabulusi, ants represent weak and greedy people, soldiers, family, and long life; their entering a house with food signifies abundance, while their leaving with food signifies poverty. The Muntakhab attributed to Ibn Sirin repeats these meanings and also associates numerous ants with soldiers, offspring, wealth, or long life.
- WaspFor al-Nabulusi, the wasp represents a warlike enemy, an evil man, or merciless people; its sting causes harm through vile people. The Muntakhab attributed to Ibn Sirin sees it as a quarrelsome man who argues for falsehood, and says its sting is a hurtful word from contemptible people.
All the symbols in the dictionary