Actions and situations
Dreaming of travelling in Islam
In short
Travelling, for al-Nabulusi, is moving from one state to another; for the poor, becoming rich. Returning from a journey is repentance and a need fulfilled. Planes and trains, later than the book, do not appear in it.
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
(سفر) في المنام دليل على الكشف عن أخلاق الناس وإن كان المسافر فقيرا استغنى
Travel in a dream indicates discovering people’s character; if the traveller is poor, he becomes rich.
ومن رأى أنه سافر انتقل من حال إلى حال
Whoever sees himself travelling moves from one state to another.
والرجوع من السفر توبة ورجوع عن المعاصي ويدل الرجوع من سفر على قضاء الحاجة
Returning from a journey is repentance and turning back from sins; returning from a journey also indicates a need being fulfilled.
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
- FlyingFlying in a dream is, for al-Nabulusi, a journey — a restful one if flying on one’s back —; for one who is not travelling, a time of idleness. Flying over a mountain announces authority obtained without effort.
- Kaaba, MeccaSeeing the Kaaba announces good coming or evil going away, and looking at it, safety. Setting out for Hajj in its season announces, in the Muntakhab, healing, a settled debt and safety; entering Mecca, repentance.
- SeaThe sea stands for a king or anyone with authority over people; seeing it means obtaining what one hoped for. Swimming means overcoming an opponent; walking on water, firm faith.
All the symbols in the dictionary