Faith and worship
Dreaming of making ablution in Islam
In short
Making ablution for prayer is, for both books, protection from Allah; complete ablution announces reaching one’s goal, and making it then starting to pray, the end of a worry.
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
وربما دل الوضوء على قضاء الحوائج عند أرباب الصدور فإن كمل كل الوضوء دل على بلوغ قصده وإلا فلا
Ablution may indicate having one’s needs met by people of standing: if the whole ablution is completed, it indicates he reaches his aim; otherwise not.
وإن توضأ ودخل في الصلاة فإنه يخرج من هم ويحمد ربه
If he makes ablution and begins the prayer, he comes out of a worry and praises his Lord.
Muntakhab al-Kalām fī Tafsīr al-Aḥlām (attributed to Ibn Sirin)
Attribution to Ibn Sirin rejected: why
أنه يتوضأ وضوءه لصلاة فإنه أمان من الله تعالى
[Whoever sees himself] making ablution for prayer: it is protection from Allah.
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
- PrayerFor both books, dreaming of prayer is praiseworthy for religion and worldly life alike: fulfilling a duty, a debt or a trust. Asking Allah’s forgiveness facing the qibla after prayer announces an answered supplication.
- WaterFor both books clear water is life, knowledge and ease, and drinking it is a good sign. Al-Nabulusi also reports the view attributed to Ibn Sirin: water can be a trial in religion.
- MosqueFor al-Nabulusi the mosque stands for a scholar who gathers people for good; building a mosque announces goodness, the Sunna and family ties, and seeing one’s house become a mosque, piety and honour.
All the symbols in the dictionary