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

209 passages from 5 sources, quoted as written, every one linked to its page.

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

In a dream it is a servant boy, or a child, or a wife, and it may indicate travel, or knowledge, because of His saying, exalted be He: "like the donkey that carries books."

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 91

It is reported of Dhu al-Nun al-Misri, may Allah Most High have mercy on him, that he said: "When I disobey Allah, Mighty and Majestic, I recognise it in the disposition of my donkey and my servant."

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 91–92

Whoever finds in his donkey something contrary to what he knows of it in waking life, and the seer is one of the people of pious fear, it indicates his slackening in his worship.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 91

And that he rides an animal in a manner unbefitting.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 91–92

The donkey may indicate one's livelihood, and the donkey indicates a scholar who does not act upon his knowledge, or a Jew.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 91–92

The donkey indicates that upon which a person treads, such as bedding, footwear, and the like.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 91–92

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

Whoever sees a donkey and it is his own property, then Allah Most High will open for him the gates of good things, and it indicates his deliverance from anxiety and grief.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 203

his livelihood, and it is said that it indicates consuming unlawful wealth.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 204–205

Whoever sees many donkeys, then it indicates an increase in his wealth and his blessing. The best of donkeys in a dream is a donkey that is very obedient to its owner. Seeing donkey meat is abundant blessing from trade and wealth.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 203

And whoever sees that he rode a donkey and it died beneath him and he fell off it, then it indicates his imminent death.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 204–205

Whoever sees that he killed his donkey and ate of its meat, then it indicates the hoarding of his wealth and straitness

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 203

And whoever sees that his donkey has died while he was not riding upon it at the time of its death, then it indicates the straitening of his livelihood and the reversal of his circumstances.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 204–205

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

(The donkey) is a person's fortune, however he sees it, whether fat or emaciated.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 329–335

And whoever sees as though a donkey copulated with him will obtain wealth and beauty beyond description on account of its abundance.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 335–341

So if the donkey is large, it is his elevation; and if it walks well, it is worldly benefit; and if it is beautiful, it is beauty for its owner.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 329–335

And the obedient donkey is the awakening of its owner's good fortune toward good, wealth, and movement.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 335–341

And if it is white, it is the religion of its owner and his splendour; and if it is emaciated, it is the poverty of its owner; and the fat one is the wealth of its owner.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 329–335

And whoever owns a donkey, or ties it up and brings it into his house, Allah will drive to him every good and deliverance from distress; and if it is laden, then the good is greater.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 335–341

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

Asses bearing charge, strong, and obedient, are good for friendship and company, and signifie the Wife, companion, or friend;

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

being not proud above their estate, or fierce, but gentle, and very obedient, and they are also good in all affairs and enterprises.

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

If the Asses or Mules are hot or mad, and do any hurt, or be savage, it argueth deceit, by some of our owne house, or subjects.

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

Freud and Jung, a separate view

like the ever-rutting ass, and so on.

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 Donkey

she-donkey own page

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

As for the she-donkey, al-Kirmani said: Whoever sees that he has ridden a she-donkey, then he will attain good and blessing.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 204–205

And whoever sees that his she-donkey has become pregnant, then it is interpreted as the attainment of a hope he aspires to.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 204–205

wild donkey (zebra/onager)

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

...transgressors because of him. And whoever sees that a wild donkey came to his house, then it indicates that a corrupt man will come to his house.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 212

Al-Kirmani said: seeing a wild donkey indicates an ignorant, foolish man, and eating its flesh indicates abundant wealth.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 212

wild donkey (zebra)

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

As for the wild donkey (zebra), there is disagreement about its interpretation. Some said it is a man, so whoever sees it, it indicates enmity between the dreamer and an unknown man, obscure and of base origin.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 360–367

And it is said that it indicates wealth. And whoever sees a wild donkey from afar, then wealth that had gone will come to him.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 360–367

donkey driver

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

He is the owner of the donkey, and in a dream he indicates matters.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 91

And the donkey: seeing it in a dream indicates livelihood derived from the mount and from journeys.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 91

colors of donkeys

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

As for the colors of donkeys, they are of several aspects: the black ones signify lordship, rank, joy, and strength.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 204–205

The white ones signify might, prestige, good fortune, rank, blessing, joy, and delights.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 204–205

wild donkey

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

As for the wild donkey, it is interpreted in several aspects: its coming toward one is spoil (booty), and its turning away is the opposite of that.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 211

Whoever sees that he has ridden a wild donkey, then he will ride upon grave acts of disobedience and will oppose the path of Islam because of the paltriness of his religion. This is if the wild donkey is obedient to him; but if it is not obedient to him, then it indicates grief and the difficulty of affairs.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 211

donkeys (general)

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

Ja'far al-Sadiq said: the vision of donkeys is interpreted in ten aspects: good fortune, dominion, the carrying out of an affair, leadership, wealth, a wife, a slave girl, joy, might, and advancement in rank. And it is interpreted in [several] aspects.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 204–205

riding a donkey

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

A rare account: It is related that a man came to Ibn Sirin and said: I saw as though I were upon a donkey, and it kept throwing me into water and mud; then I saw a slave-girl whose name was 'Aqibah, and I mounted her behind me. He said: You will be followed by offspring (i.e., have descendants).

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 261–262

braying of a donkey

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

And the braying of a donkey is defamation from a man who is a foolish enemy.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 195–196

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