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

65 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

The face in a dream, if you see it beautiful, then it indicates a good condition in the world, glad tidings, and joy.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 366–367

And if he sees it black, then it indicates glad tidings of a female for one who has a pregnant wife, because of His saying, exalted be He: "And when one of them is given tidings of a female, his face becomes darkened."

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 366–367

(And whoever sees) his face black and he has no pregnant wife, then he is disobedient (a sinner).

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 366–367

And the yellowness of the face indicates humiliation and envy, and its yellowness may be hypocrisy, because yellowness is illness and illness is hypocrisy.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 366–367

And it is said that its yellowness indicates worship, because of His saying, exalted be He: "Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration" — and that is the yellowness in their faces.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 366–367

(And whoever sees), among the Abyssinians or the Zanj, that his face is white, it indicates his hypocrisy and his lack of shame.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 366–367

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

(As for the face) it is a person's joy and his honour.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 52

Al-Kirmani said: The vision of the face is interpreted as adornment and livelihood. So whoever sees a defect in his face, then that is a deficiency in that; and likewise if he sees that it has increased with an increase that disfigures it.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 52

(Whoever sees) that the colour of his face has become red and radiant, then it indicates the occurrence of worry and grief. And it is said: he will beget a son, on account of His saying, exalted be He: "And when one of them is given news of a female, his face becomes dark" — the verse.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 52

(Abu Sa'id al-Wa'iz said): The vision of the forehead and the face together indicates three aspects: wealth, might, a beautiful wife, and standing, and the one who aims at a person; and the two temples are two noble, blessed daughters. So whatever he sees in that is attributed to those two.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 52

(Al-Kirmani also said), and al-Salimi agreed with him: (Whoever sees) his face radiant, whitened and beautiful, then that is glad tidings of the goodness of his condition and the soundness of his religion, on account of His saying, exalted be He: "Faces that Day will be bright, laughing."

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 52

And it is said: Whoever sees his face blackened, then he is a jesting liar, on account of His saying, exalted be He: "And on the Day of Resurrection you will see those who lied about Allah with their faces blackened."

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 52

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

As for the defect in the face, such as ugliness and cracking, it indicates modesty and the lack of it, just as the beauty of the face is evidence of modesty in interpretation.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 201–204

Yellowness of the face is evidence of a grief that will befall the one who saw the dream.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 201–204

Freckles on the face are evidence of many sins.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 201–204

Kinds and conditions of Face

a person being turned over (onto the face or back)

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

[Being turned over] onto his face in a dream indicates associating partners with Allah the Exalted, and loss in this world and the Hereafter.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 22

And if he is turned over from his face onto his back, he has repented to Allah the Exalted, and it indicates his facing people openly.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 22

Cheerfulness and a smiling face

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

These are two kinds of joy, and in a dream they indicate the goodness of a person's state, especially of the deceased in the sight of Allah the Exalted,

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 362

or his thanks to the one who showed a cheerful face to him, for the kindness he extended to him, or to his family, of good after him.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 362

unknown face seen in sleep

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

For certainly he knew by his dream, before he felt by effect, that the hand of Cassandra should be venemous▪ and mortall to him▪ and he was perswaded in his heart, that he should dye by her meanes, before that ever he saw her.

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

Notwithstanding, when he knew that she was the daughter of Antipater, he drove all fear and suspition away by his courage, ever repeating a Greeke Uerse, which saith, That men must not have regard of Dreames: although notwithstanding all that, the Poyson was then prepared to kill him: and men hold, that he dyed by the hand of the same Cassandra.

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

frowning face

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

Whoever sees in a dream that his face is frowning, then a daughter will be born to him.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 240

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

A frowning face indicates a daughter, because of His saying, exalted be He: "And when one of them is given news of a female, his face becomes dark and he is filled with suppressed anger."

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 717–721

hairless face

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

To seeme to be without hayre about the face, betokeneth sudden shame, hindrance of present affairs.

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

men of beautiful faces and sweet scent

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Fath al-Bari, commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Dream Interpretation

Then we set off, and behold, we came upon men of the most beautiful faces and the sweetest scent. I said: Who are these? He said: These are the truthful ones (siddiqun), the martyrs, and the righteous. The hadith.

Fath al-Bari, commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Dream Interpretation, pp. 7432–7433

dry cracked face

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

As for dryness of the face and its cracking, it signifies little modesty and little freshness in him. So whoever sees that his face is fresh and comely, then he is a man of modesty. Ugliness in it is a defect, and a defect in it is ugliness.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 212–215

slapping the face

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

As for slapping: whoever sees as though he is slapping a person, then he is admonishing him and forbidding him from heedlessness.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 745–746

striking the face

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

In a dream it indicates a male child after despairing of one, according to His saying, the Exalted: "Then she struck her face".

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 213

veil (face-cover)

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

It in a dream is contentment that he attains.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 278

falling face down

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

It is in dreams straying from right guidance. Allah the Exalted said: "And whoever comes with an evil deed, their faces will be thrust into the Fire."

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 296

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