Death in a dream: meaning in Ibn Sirin, al-Nabulsi and Ibn Shahin

306 passages from 6 sources, quoted as written, every one linked to its page.

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

It is in dreams a deficiency in religion and corruption within it, and elevation and honour in worldly matters, if it is accompanied by weeping and shrieking and being carried upon the necks of men on a bier or coffin, so long as he is not buried in the earth. But if he is buried, no righteousness is to be hoped for from him; rather his worldly life takes possession of him, and his followers under his authority will be in proportion to those who followed him in his funeral procession. In any case he will subdue men and ride upon their necks.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 344–347

(And whoever sees) that he has died, but there was none of the state of the dead present—no weeping, shrieking, washing, or shroud, nor being carried on a bier or coffin—that indicates the demolition of a house in his dwelling, or of a wall, or the breaking of a beam in it.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 344–347

And it is said: rather that is a thinness in his religion and a blindness in his inner sight, and along with that his life will be long.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 344–347

And if he sees something of the state of the dead, such as the washing and the shroud, then that is an increase in the deficiency of his religion.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 344–347

And whatever there was of weeping or wailing, that is an elevation of his standing in the world.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 344–347

And it is said: death is travel and relocation.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 344–347

Ibn Shahin al-Zahiri, al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat

Daniel said: And whoever sees that he has died and the people are weeping over him and lamenting him, and they washed him and wrapped him in the shroud and carried him on the bier and buried him in the grave — the sum of that indicates the corruption of his worldly life. And if he is not buried, then it indicates the soundness of his affairs.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 91

On the grave. Whoever sees that he died and then lived after his death, then he will sin and repent; and it is said his life will be long.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 92

So let him look into that; and it is said that he will die upon a heretical innovation, or that he will travel a journey from which he does not return.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 93

And whoever sees that he has died and was placed on the bier, and they carried his funeral procession and the people are hastening and walking in his funeral procession, then it indicates his honour and the loftiness of his standing — but it will be in his religion and corruption, because death is the severance from good things and other matters. And soundness in his religion is possible after that, especially if he knows that he was not buried.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 91

Whoever sees that a speaker said to him: "You will never die," then he will die a martyr.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 92

And it is said: Whoever sees that he carried a dead person, then he will obtain unlawful wealth.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 93

attributed to Ibn Sirin, Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam

Al-Walid ibn Ahmad al-Zawzani informed us, saying: 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Hatim informed us, saying: Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Wasiti informed us, saying: Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Burjulani related to us from Yahya ibn Bassam, who said: 'Umar ibn Subh al-Sa'di related to me, saying: I saw 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn Sulayman the devout worshipper in my sleep, and upon him were green garments and on his head a crown of pearls. I said: O Abu Muhammad, how have you been since I saw you, and how did you find the taste of death, and how did you find matters there? He said: As for death, do not ask about the severity of its anguish and its distresses; except that the mercy of Allah has covered every fault of ours, and we attained it only by His bounty, mighty and majestic is He.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 104–108

(The master Abu Sa'id, may Allah have mercy on him, said) Death in a dream is regret over a grave matter.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 104–108

So whoever sees that he died and then lived, then he will commit a sin and then repent, because of His saying, exalted is He: "Our Lord, You caused us to die twice and You gave us life twice, so we confess our sins."

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 104–108

And whoever dies without illness and without the appearance of one who is dying, then his lifespan will be long.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 104–108

And whoever sees that he will not die, then his appointed term has drawn near.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 104–108

And if the dreamer supposes in his sleep that he will never die, then he will be killed in the path of Allah, mighty and majestic is He.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 104–108

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

TO dreame to be dead, is wedding to him which is to marry, for death and mariage represent one another.

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The Second Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

And therefore for the sicke to dreame they are maried, or they celebrate theyr Weddings, is a signe of death.

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The Second Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

For him which hath a wife, to die signifies separation from her, or his companions, friends, or parents, for the dead keepe not company with the living, nor the contrary.

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The Second Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

To him which is at home, it signifies he shall go abroad,

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The Second Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

it is a good dream for fathers, for poets, Orators, and philosophers, for the first shall have children which shall live, the others shall compose workes worthy of memory:

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The Second Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

Moreover, I have made experience that this is a good dreame for those which are in heavinesse or feare: for the dead have no more feare and heavinesse.

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The Second Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

Freud and Jung, a separate view

_Whoever renounces the chance to experience must stifle in himself the wish for it, and, therefore, commits a sort of self-murder._

Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) / Collected Papers (1917), Psychology of the Unconscious, ch. IV The Song of the Moth

This is quite in conformity with psychologic thought, which results from the very general fact that death is interpreted as entrance into the mother’s womb (rebirth).

Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) / Collected Papers (1917), Psychology of the Unconscious, ch. V Symbolism of the Mother and of Rebirth

That the highest summit of life is expressed through the symbolism of death is a well-known fact; for creation beyond one’s self means personal death.

Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) / Collected Papers (1917), Psychology of the Unconscious, ch. VI The Battle for Deliverance from the Mother

it would most surely be time for him to take his departure from the stage, or, in childish language, to die.

Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) / Collected Papers (1917), Psychology of the Unconscious, ch. VI The Battle for Deliverance from the Mother

This step towards a new life means, at the same time, the death of the past life.

Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) / Collected Papers (1917), Psychology of the Unconscious, ch. VI The Battle for Deliverance from the Mother

From this the death phantasies which readily accompany the renunciation of the erotic wish are made clear.

Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) / Collected Papers (1917), Psychology of the Unconscious, ch. IV The Song of the Moth

Kinds and conditions of Death

Azrael (the Angel of Death)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

Peace be upon him. Whoever sees him in a dream, it indicates martyrdom if he is joyful.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 232–233

And whoever sees him angry, then he will die without repentance.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 232–233

death throes (agony of dying)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

It is in dreams a dispute concerning religion, or a doubt concerning the Quran.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 353

And perhaps the death throes indicate the outfitting of a traveller, the marriage of a bachelor, moving from one house to another, and from one trade to another.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 353

the Angel of Death

Ibn Shahin al-Zahiri, al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat

(And whoever sees) Azrael, the Angel of Death, let him prepare for death; and if there is a sick person there, it indicates his death. Perhaps it may also indicate an enemy who is intent upon him, so let him take heed from the bad states of the dream and what it indicates of righteousness or corruption.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 4

(And whoever sees) that he kisses him, this indicates the obtaining of an inheritance; and it is said that it indicates the dispersal of a group or the occurrence of a hateful matter.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 4

Manumission of a slave after the owner's death (tadbir)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

In a dream it indicates the nearness of relief for the one manumitted contingently (al-mudabbar), if he is in hardship.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 46

And if he has a debt upon him, he is on the verge of paying it off, because tadbir is an expression for the suspension (contingency) of the slave's status.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 46

dead brother appearing and foretelling death

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

AS Caius Gracchus slept, he dreamt he saw his Brother Tyberius, telling him that he should be killed, as himself had beene before. Many heard that he made account of this dreame, especially before he was made Tribune of the people; in which Office he received his death, agréeable to his brothers.

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The Fifth Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

after death

Freud and Jung, a separate view

The _post-mortem_ feature of the rise in temperature corresponds to the words, “after his death” in the dream content.

Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams / On Dreams / Dream Psychology, The Interpretation of Dreams, ch. VI The Dream-Work

life after death

Freud and Jung, a separate view

the profoundest unconscious reason for the belief in a life after death which represents nothing but a projection into the future of this mysterious life before birth.

Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams / On Dreams / Dream Psychology, Dream Psychology, ch. V Sex in Dreams

jaws of death

Freud and Jung, a separate view

and down into the monstrous jaws of death, the horror and narrowness of which at the same time signify the new day.

Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) / Collected Papers (1917), Psychology of the Unconscious, ch. V Symbolism of the Mother and of Rebirth

death of an absent person

attributed to Ibn Sirin, Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam

And if he sees that so-and-so has died while he is absent, news will come to him of the corruption of his religion and the soundness of his worldly affairs, without verification.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 774–777

263 more passages on this symbol are in the database and used by the interpreter.