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

243 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 the man's beneficence, and its back is his support. The right hand is the strength of the dreamer, his livelihood, his earning, his wealth, and his good repute.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 372–374

(And whoever sees) that his hand grew long and strong: if he is a governor, it is triumph over his enemies, the strength of his helpers and commanders, their effectiveness in their affairs, their dominance, and their obedience to him wherever he dispatches and sends them, and their victory over those who are hostile to them.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 372–374

And the hand, for the market trader, is his skill and shrewdness.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 372–374

And if he sees that another hand has been joined to his hand: if he is a governor he will possess the like of what he already possesses of lands and armies and will attain one dominion after another; and likewise the merchant and the market trader. And perhaps a brother or a son will be born to him, or someone absent will arrive to him.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 372–374

And if he sees that he sees with his hand as he sees with his eye, then he will greatly blame one whom it is not lawful for him to blame.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 372–374

And if he sees that his two hands are outspread, then he is a generous man who spends all his wealth.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 372–374

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

as a stranger, he obtains wealth and returns to his own land

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 55

(And whoever sees) that his left hand has been cut off, he will maintain ties of kinship with his relatives among his family, and he will see every good.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 55

(And whoever sees) that his hands, or one of them, have been broken, then he will be afflicted with a calamity in his person, or the loss of his wealth, or the death of someone dear to him, or he will suffer something hateful from a ruler.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 55

(And whoever sees) that his hands are gathered together before him, then it indicates acts of righteousness and refraining from sins.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 55

(And whoever sees) that his hand has become separated from him, then it is poverty in wealth, or in knowledge, or a child, or a brother.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 55

(And whoever sees) that one of his hands is more intensely white than the other, then he will be saved from evil and will prevail over the one who disputes with him, according to His saying, exalted be He: "Put your hand into your bosom; it will come out white without evil," the verse.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 55

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

As for afflictions of the hand: an affliction in the hand indicates a trial befalling brothers, and in its fingers it indicates the children of brothers.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 204–208

Whoever sees that his hand has remained cut off, and along with that there was speech indicating deeds of righteousness, then its being cut off is restraint from all forbidden things and acts of disobedience.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 783–786

Whoever sees as though he has no hands, then he seeks something he will not attain.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 204–208

Likewise, if he sees that his hand, or both his hands together, were drawn up to his neck without a collar encircling his neck, and along with that there was something indicating deeds of righteousness, such as a mosque or [something] in the path of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, then it is restraint from acts of disobedience.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 783–786

Whoever sees as though he shook hands with a Muslim man and then pulled his hand away, then a trust will be handed over to him and he will not discharge it.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 204–208

Whoever sees that a ruler or someone in authority cut off his right hand and it was severed from him, then he will swear by Allah before him a false oath.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 783–786

Kinds and conditions of Hand

right hand

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

As for the right hand, it is a cause of a man's livelihood, his wealth, and his beneficence.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 158–160

Length of the hand, in interpretation, for a governor means triumph, for a merchant profit, and for a market-man skill.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 158–160

hands

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

As for the two hands, their interpretation runs along several lines. It is said that the right hand is the cause of a man's livelihood, his wealth, his earnings, his brothers, his taking and his giving; and the left hand is a man's helper, his friend, and his expenditure which he stores up for the time of need, or a compassionate one among the relatives who assists in matters.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 54

The length of the hands is an increase in capacity, and it is also said: what he aims at within himself; and their shortness is the opposite of that.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 54

palm of the hand

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

It in a dream is the strength of the man, and the opening out of the palm is the expansion of his worldly fortune, and its dispersal is the dispersal of his worldly fortune.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 290

(And whoever sees) something happening in the palm, it concerns his strength and his worldly fortune.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 290

millstone / hand-mill

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

Then it indicates the attainment of good and livelihood, and perhaps the millstone is war, because of the saying of the Arabs: "The war turned as the millstone turns." And if it does not turn, then it is a woman whom he will obtain.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 116

And whoever sees that he is grinding with his hand, then he will obtain much good and will spend from the work of his hand, and perhaps that indicates marriage or taking a concubine.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 116

paralysis of the hands

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

As for paralysis in the hands and their joints: whoever sees that his hands have become paralysed, then he will commit a grave sin.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 204–208

If he sees that his right hand has become paralysed, then he will strike an innocent person and wrong a weak person.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 204–208

Amputation of the hand and other limbs

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

Amputation of the hand in a dream indicates abandoning the prayer, or the freedom of the one whose hand is cut off from begging, through wealth he attains, or repentance.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 283

The amputation of the hand and the foot on opposite sides indicates corruption in religion.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 283

cutting off the hand

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

A rare case: A man came to Ibn Sirin and said, "I saw that my hand was cut off." He said: You will swear a false oath.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 263–264

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

Whoever sees that his hands and feet have been cut off on opposite sides, then he will spread much corruption or rebel against the ruler, because of His words, the Exalted: "The recompense of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger" — the verse.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 208–211

hand-mill (millstone)

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

In a dream it indicates the relief of its people from their straits, or their wealth after their poverty, and it indicates a wife for the bachelor, a husband for the unmarried woman, and a servant in the house.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 132

Seeing the hand-mill in a house where it was not their custom to have one indicates troubles, being overpowered, and quarrelling.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 132

fan (hand fan)

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

It in a dream indicates rest and relief from hardships, and wealth after poverty, especially if the fan is a Yemeni one.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 330

And the fan may indicate the wife and the child.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 330

holding one's head in one's hands

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

IF one dreames that he hath his Head betweene his Hands, it is good for him that hath neither Wife nor Children, and to him that desires the returne of any one farre off.

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

And besides, if one be carefull to kembe and trim this Head, which he seems to hold between his Hands, it is a signe that he shall dispose well of his businesse, have an end of his evils and adversities.

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

people cupping their hands to take

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

His words: "and I saw the people cupping their hands to take from it" — that is, they take with their palms. In the narration of Ibn Wahb: "with their hands." Al-Khalil said: takaffuf is spreading out one's palm in order to take. And it occurs in al-Tirmidhi's narration by way of Ma'mar as "yastaqun" — with an unpointed sin, a two-dotted letter, and a qaf — that is, they take it into waterskins.

Fath al-Bari, commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Dream Interpretation, pp. 7420–7421

Al-Qurtubi said: It is possible that the meaning of "yatakaffafun" is that they take what suffices them, and this is more fitting with his saying after that: "so some took much and some took little."

Fath al-Bari, commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Dream Interpretation, pp. 7420–7421

interlocking hands

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

As for interlocking [the hands], the victor and the vanquished are analogous to what was mentioned before.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 71

Some interpreters said: Whoever sees that he is interlocking hands, then he is entering with a person into a constricted affair.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 71

Also in the sources

long hands · washing hands with potash · hand turning into Kisra's hand · writing with the left hand · hand chained to the neck · severed hand · fingers of the left hand · one's head in one's hand · withered hands · a bird dying in the hand · walking on hands or belly

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