Home, wealth, objects
Dreaming of a key in Islam
In short
For al-Nabulusi, a key may symbolize provision, assistance, access to knowledge and the Quran, or victory over an enemy. Opening with a key signifies obtaining what is sought with Allah’s help.
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 رزق أو عون أو فتح باب علم وقرآن يتلقاه من غيب الله تعالى خصوصا إن كان معه مفاتيح فإنه ينال رزقا وعلما وعونا على أسبابه وأعدائه
A key in a dream is provision, assistance, or the opening of a door to knowledge and the Quran, received from the unseen of Allah, Exalted is He; especially if he has keys with him, for he obtains provision, knowledge, and assistance against his adversaries and enemies.
أنه فتح بابا أو قفلا فإنه ينصر على أعدائه وربما ينصر بمعاونة رجل ذي بأس ومن فتحه بمفتاح نال ما يريد بمعونة الله تعالى
[Whoever sees himself] opening a door or a lock triumphs over his enemies, and perhaps he triumphs with the help of a powerful man. Whoever opens it with a key obtains what he desires with the help of Allah, Exalted is He.
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
- HouseThe house stands for the dreamer’s life and those who live in it: a new, well-equipped house announces ease and relief; what happens to the house happens to its occupants. The “bayt”, the room one retires to, stands for the wife.
- Money, coinsThe books speak of coins: silver dirhams and gold dinars. They mostly see in them speech, knowledge and religion; receiving money is better than giving it. Banknotes, later than these books, do not appear in them.
- Religious scholar, sheikhSeeing a jurist or scholar indicates, for al-Nabulusi, intelligence and knowledge; for the sinner, repentance; for the misguided, guidance. An unknown old man is good fortune and happiness, and following him is following good.
All the symbols in the dictionary