Animals
Dreaming of ants in Islam
In short
For 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.
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 قوم ضعفاء أصحاب حرص ويعبر بالجند والأهل وبالحياة الطويلة فمن رأى النمل دخل قرية فإن جندا يدخلها.
The ant in a dream represents weak and greedy people; it is interpreted as soldiers, family, and long life. Whoever sees ants enter a village sees soldiers enter it.
النمل يدخل داره بالطعام يكثر خير داره.
[Whoever sees] ants enter his house with food sees the blessings of his house increase.
النمل يخرج بالطعام من داره افتقر
[Whoever sees] ants leave his house with food becomes poor.
Muntakhab al-Kalām fī Tafsīr al-Aḥlām (attributed to Ibn Sirin)
Attribution to Ibn Sirin rejected: why
والنمل إنسان ضعيف حريص والكثير منه جند أو ذرية أو مال أو طول الحياة
The ant is a weak and greedy person; numerous ants represent soldiers, offspring, wealth, or long life.
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
- BeeFor 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.
- FlyFor al-Nabulusi, the fly represents a weak, contemptible, quarrelsome man or a weak enemy; killing it brings rest and bodily health. The Muntakhab attributed to Ibn Sirin also associates the fly with a weak, contemptible man, and eating it with a base gain or unlawful money.
- Worms, maggotsFor both books, worms are the children and dependants who live off the dreamer’s wealth.
All the symbols in the dictionary