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

254 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

Fire in a dream is glad tidings, a warning, war, torment, a ruler, imprisonment, loss, sins, and blessing.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 348–351

So whoever sees a fire that has sparks and flames burning the trees, and it has a sound and a clamour, then it is a strife (fitnah) in which a multitude of people will perish, in proportion to what it burned.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 348–351

(And whoever sees) a fire in his heart, that is an overpowering love and a subjugation from being separated from his beloved or the like.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 348–351

(And whoever sees) two fires, each of them blowing toward the other and intending to enter into it, then they are two armies, each of which has come forth against its counterpart.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 348–351

And whichever of the two had more firewood is the greater in number and the stronger in might.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 348–351

And whichever of them had the wind with it, the victory will be for it.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 348–351

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

Daniel said: Whoever sees a fire without smoke, then he will draw near to kings and sultans, his tangled affairs will be untangled, and his difficult matters will be made easy.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 187

fighting, and their wealth will be lost. Fire in the desert is wars, and the sound of fire is clamour and screaming.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 188

And whoever sees that someone cast him into the fire and it did not burn him, then it is interpreted as the sultan's oppression against him, but after that he will soon be pleased with him and he will attain good tidings, on account of the saying of Allah the Mighty: "We said: O fire, be coolness and safety."

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 187

Whoever sees that he took a live coal from a ruler, then he will obtain unlawful wealth from the ruler.)

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 188

And if the fire burned him, then he will travel unwillingly, or harm or illness will befall him, or he will fall into a trial, hardship, calamity and affliction.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 187

Whoever sees that his belly split open and he saw fire in it, then he consumes the wealth of orphans wrongfully.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 188

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

Fire indicates the ruler, because of its essence and its dominance over what is beneath it, along with its harm and its benefit. And it may indicate Hell itself, and the punishment of Allah. And it may indicate sins, transgressions, and the unlawful, and everything that leads to it and brings one near to it, whether of word or deed.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 601–605

Whoever sees in his hand a flame of fire will obtain ample favour from the ruler.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 605–609

Likewise, fire is a benefit for created beings and a source of profit for them. So if it does not overpower and blaze up, and is obedient, then it is a servant to him.

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

And it may indicate guidance, Islam, knowledge, and the Quran, because by it one is guided in the darkness, together with the saying of Moses (peace be upon him): "Or I may find at the fire guidance" — and he found it, and heard the speech of Allah the Exalted at it, with guidance.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 601–605

And if he sets it upon people, he will cause enmity among them by doing harm.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 605–609

But if it overpowers and consumes whatever it comes upon and departs from obedience, then its interpretation is war, killing, plague, pleurisy, and torment.

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

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

To sée the Elementary fire, cleane pure and cleare, not great nor thicke, are threatnings to some Nobles and men of gea

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

But large fire and th • eke, is approach of Enemies, Povertie, and Famine.

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

In what place soever the fire is: and from what place it comes, be it from the North South, East, or West, from that side shall the Enemies come, and about those Regions shall they run; or else there shall be famine:

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

but yet it is worse to dream that he carries the fire.

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

Freud and Jung, a separate view

With the changing of the erotic impression from the affirmative to the negative the symbols of light occur as the paramount object.

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

Sun and fire—that is to say, the fructifying strength and heat—are attributes of the libido.

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

Here libido becomes fire, flame and snake.

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

We already saw in the first part that the stoic representation of Fate is a fire symbol.

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

This flame is mine own soul, Insatiable for new distances, Speeding upward, upward its silent heat.

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 Fire

fire-striking stick (flint and steel)

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

The striking of fire in a dream is a searching into a matter until he profits from it and it turns out well for him, for whoever [sees it].

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 144

So whoever sees that he struck fire in order to warm himself by it has sought the aid of a hard-hearted man who possesses authority, and of a strong man of might, against his poverty, and he benefits from him.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 144

blowing (on fire, into things, the trumpet)

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

In a dream, it is fitnah (strife/temptation).

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 351–352

Blowing into the ground is the disclosure of a secret and the entrusting of a secret to one who will not keep it hidden.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 351–352

striking fire

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

Striking fire is an investigation into a matter until it becomes clear to him.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 609–611

So whoever sees as though he struck fire in order to warm himself by it, he has sought the help of a hard-hearted man who possesses authority, and of a strong, formidable man, on account of severe poverty, and he benefits from him; for when the two come together they lay the foundation of the sultan's governorships and point to them, because the stone is a hard man, the iron is a formidable man, and the fire is a sultan.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 609–611

worshipping fire

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

Whoever sees that he is worshipping fire, then he will assist the sultan.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 36

And if the fire was extinguished, then he seeks unlawful wealth.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 36

household fire

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

TO dreame you sée fire on the Harth cléere, and little, is good; but much is ill.

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

Little and cleare, is abundance of goods: dead fire is Poverty.

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

naphtha fire-arrows and missiles

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

As for naphtha fire-arrows, Khata'i arrows, flying missiles and the like, they are burning, harmful speech.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 104

So whoever sees that he struck someone with something of that, he will strike him with speech that burns him.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 104

lighting a fire under a pot

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

Whoever lights a fire and places a pot upon it with meat or food in it, then he will stir a man up to seek some benefit.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 688–691

If he sees that the meat has cooked through and he eats it, then he will obtain from him benefit and lawful wealth.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 688–691

extinguishing fire

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

Fire in a dream: whoever extinguishes a fire has quelled a sedition, or nullified a heretical innovation, or a war.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 229

And if he extinguishes a fire that is already extinguished in his dream, that may indicate the stirring up of evil, because of the ashes and smoke that stir up when it is put out.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 229

cooking on fire

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

As for whoever sees that he is cooking something on fire and it becomes done, then he will attain his desire in wealth.

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

But if it does not become done, he will not attain his desire.

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

fire on the hearth

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

the fire fayre and cleare on the Harth;

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

ship on fire

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

to see any part of the ship on fire and burn, signifyes danger, lest she break on that side, or danger to him which by that side of the ship is meant.

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

fire of Hell

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

As for the fire of Hell, mention of it has likewise already been made in one of the sections of the fourth chapter.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 189

Also in the sources

fire ladle · wading in fire · fire burning the land · Pharaoh's dream of fire

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