Animals
Dreaming of a cow in Islam
In short
For al-Nabulusi, fat cows signify fertile years and their meat lawful gain; a cow may also symbolize elevation, honorable wealth, and fertility. The Muntakhab attributed to Ibn Sirin likewise associates fat cows with fertile years, and a cow with elevation and wealth.
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
والبقر السمان سنون ذات خصب والمهازيل سنون قحط وجدب وأكل لحم البقر في المنام إفادة مال حلال في السنة وقيل البقرة رفعة ومال شريف وخصب بقدر ما أصاب وأكل
Fat cows signify fertile years, and lean cows, years of drought and famine. Eating cow meat in a dream brings lawful gain during the year. It has been said that a cow signifies elevation, honorable wealth, and fertility, according to what one obtains and eats from it.
Muntakhab al-Kalām fī Tafsīr al-Aḥlām (attributed to Ibn Sirin)
Attribution to Ibn Sirin rejected: why
سنة وكان ابن سيرين يقول سمان البقر لمن ملكها أحب إلي من المهازيل لأن السمان سنون خصبة والمهازيل سنون جدبة لقصة يوسف عليه السلام وقيل البقرة رفعة ومال
[A cow signifies] a year. Ibn Sirin used to say that fat cows are preferable to lean ones for whoever owns them, because fat cows signify fertile years and lean cows years of famine, according to the story of Joseph, peace be upon him. It has been said that a cow signifies elevation and wealth.
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
- Sheep, ramThe ram is a noble, powerful man; the flock, spoils and wealth. Finding sheep announces, for al-Nabulusi, authority and blessings.
- MilkThe Prophet ﷺ interpreted the milk he drank in a dream as knowledge (al-Bukhari, Muslim). For al-Nabulusi milk is the innate nature of Islam and lawful wealth gained without toil.
- MeatFor al-Nabulusi cooked meat is wealth, raw meat pains and illnesses; eating a human being’s flesh means backbiting him, as the Quran likens backbiting to eating one’s dead brother’s flesh (49:12).
All the symbols in the dictionary