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

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

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

Daniel (peace be upon him) said: And if he sees his hair has grown excessively long, then it is anxiety and grief; and if a woman sees that, it is adornment and an increase of splendour.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 46

(And whoever sees) that his hair became one of the plants, then it is a change of state, and it is said: poverty and lowliness.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 48

And it is said: the vision of hair, for one who is clothed in the garb of the poor, there is no harm in it.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 46

And it is said: the vision of hair, if it is on the body and grows to an excessive length until he twists it, indicates the obtaining of abundant wealth from earning. And if he sees it white, then his food has become worm-eaten. And if he sees it scattering and falling out, then it is the loss of wealth.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 48

And Ibn Sirin said: Whoever sees that he shaved his head during the days of Hajj, then it is rectitude in religion and expiation for sins; and if it was in the sacred months or in some of them, then it is the settling of a debt and the removal of anxiety and grief.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 46

And if he sees that he oiled some of his hair, whether in the beard, or on the body, or on the head, then it is adornment, so long as it does not run; but if it runs, then it is worry and grief.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 48

Freud and Jung, a separate view

It is typical that in the state of “involution” the hair of the sun-hero always falls out from the heat.

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

who cut off Samson’s hair, the sun’s rays, thus robbing him of his strength.

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

Kinds and conditions of Hair

hair (of the head)

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

It is in dreams wealth and long life. So whoever sees that the hair of his head has grown long, then his life will be long.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 192–194

And if he sees that upon his head is a thick shock of hair and he joined it with other hair, then if he is rich his wealth increases and grows, and he borrows money and trades with it.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 192–194

shaving the head and other hair

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

Whoever shaves his head in a dream, then it refers back to the seer's habit in waking life, and likewise trimming it.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 81–82

(And if he sees) that he shaved his head, he will spend his wealth in obedience to Allah the Exalted.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 81–82

grey hair

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

It in a dream signifies dignity for the young.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 194

And it is said that it indicates long life.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 194

body hair

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

As for body hair, its growth for a man means his wife's pregnancy.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 161–164

And whoever sees that he is pulling out the hair of his body will attain an increase in his worldly fortune, and likewise every excess growth on the body when it is removed.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 762–765

lock of hair (forelock/tress)

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

In a dream it is a blessed male child for a woman who is pregnant.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 125

And it is wealth for whoever sees it on his head.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 125

curly hair

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

In a dream, for one who has no hair, it indicates acting according to the Sunnah.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 67

So if he comes to have curly hair in the dream, it indicates being compensated with wealth, or with spouses, or with garments.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 67

pubic hair / pubic region

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

In a dream, if a person shaves it or removes it, it indicates the departure of debt and of worry.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 237

And a woman's pubic region is a cultivated plot of a garden.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 237

gray hair

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

Ibn Sirin used to dislike whiteness of the hair for young men, and he would say that gray hair signifies impoverishment and worry when the hair is long.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 139–141

So if a poor man sees that, then along with his poverty a debt will accumulate upon him, and perhaps he will be imprisoned.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 139–141

black woman with disheveled hair

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

A rare account: Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) saw a dream in Medina and said: "I saw a black woman with disheveled hair go out from Medina until she alighted at Mahya'a, and I interpreted it as meaning that the plague of Medina was transferred to Mahya'a" — and that is al-Juhfa.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 259

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

Al-Muhallab said: This dream belongs to the category of interpreted dreams, and it is among those things by which a likeness is struck. The manner of the likeness is that from the name "al-sawdā'" (the black woman) is derived "al-sū'" (evil) and "al-dā'" (disease), so he interpreted her going out by what her name comprised; and he interpreted the bristling of the hair of her head to mean that what causes evil and stirs up mischief goes out of the city.

Fath al-Bari, commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Dream Interpretation, pp. 7412–7413

camel/animal hair (wabar)

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

Al-Kirmani said: camel hair, in general terms, is lawful wealth, and perhaps it comes from non-Arabs.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 234

As for what is made from it: if it is among what is worn and is of the category of garments, then it should be sought in Chapter Forty-Five as well.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 234

dyeing the hair

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

Dyeing is concealment, and if the dye is with henna it indicates his adherence to the Sunnah.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 155–157

If he sees as though he dyed his head but not his beard, then he will keep the secret of his chief.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 155–157

armpit and pubic hair

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

(And whoever sees) that he shaved the hair of his armpit or his pubic area, then it indicates the soundness of his religion. And it is said: shaving the armpit is the attainment of a desired object.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 47

(And whoever sees) that he plucks his armpit, that is better. And if he sees that the hair of his armpit has grown long, then it is something disliked in religion. And if he sees that the hair of his pubic area has grown long, then it is a foreign (non-Arab) ruler who will afflict him, one who has no religion with him. And it is said: its length is the baseness of the private parts and corruption.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 47

Also in the sources

animal hair · a woman's hair · hair falling out · Jamm (heaping/gathering; a lock of hair) · long hair · armpit hair · pubic area / pubic hair · braiding the hair · shearer of hair/wool · forelock (fringe of hair) · tuft of hair below the lower lip (goatee) · unkempt hair · wool (instead of hair) · curled hair · grey hair / whiteness of head · pubic hair · hair of the nape · Animal shearer (clipper of beasts' hair) · comb (hair-comb) · horse hair · combing the hair · black woman with dishevelled hair · rope of black hair · forelock / hair braid · fringe of hair · gray hair in the beard · tuft of hair under the lower lip · loss of body hair · hair in a morsel of food · hair cutter/shearer · forelock (lock of hair) · hair of head and body · hair in a mouthful of food · shortening (hair) · hair-seller / dealer in hair goods · Dishevelment (matted, unkempt hair)

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