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

277 passages from 6 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 dreams it is the man's worldly life. So whoever sees that he has a new house, plastered with clay, complete in its amenities, then if he was poor he will become rich.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 111–112

And if he was distressed, relief will come to him.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 111–112

And if he was a craftsman, he will attain authority in proportion to the beauty of the house.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 111–112

And if he was in sin, he will repent.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 111–112

For its spaciousness is the spaciousness of his worldly life, his knowledge, and his generosity,

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 111–112

and its narrowness is his stinginess.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 111–112

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

Daniel said: Whoever sees that he entered an unknown house and did not know its inhabitants, and saw dead people in it, then that indicates that it is the house of the Hereafter, and the one who enters and remains in it — this indicates the nearness of his appointed term.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 106

And whoever sees that he came out of it, then he will fall gravely ill and recover.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 106

And whoever sees that he entered a known house whose construction is of clay and mud-brick, then that indicates the seeking of lawful sustenance; and if its construction is of baked brick and plaster, then it is an indication of seeking unlawful wealth. And whoever sees that he came out of it, then he will repent from the unlawful.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 106

Ibn Sirin said: Whoever sees that the house's ceiling or roof fell upon him, or its wall, or that it burned, then he ...

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 106

And whoever sees that the ground of the house has grown larger and expanded, then it is an indication of the attainment of abundant blessing; and if it is otherwise, then the opposite.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 106

And whoever sees that he is renovating an old house, then sustenance will be broadened for him, doors will be opened for him, and abundant joy will come to him.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 106

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

(Houses) As for houses, they indicate their owners, so whatever befalls them of demolition, narrowness, spaciousness, good or evil returns upon their people, their owners and their occupants.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 491–494

As for the unknown house, other than the known one, it is the abode of the Hereafter, because Allah the Exalted named it a "house," saying, "That is the House of the Hereafter." Likewise if it is known but has a name indicating the Hereafter, such as the House of Reward (Dar 'Uqba) or the House of Peace (Dar al-Salam).

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 495–498

The walls are men and the roofs are women, because men are the guardians over women, since it (the roof) is above it and repels harms from it, so it is like the guardian. So whichever indication is confirmed, one refers back to it and acts upon it.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 491–494

So whoever sees himself in it while he is sick, he will arrive at it safe and sound, delivered from the trials of the world and its evil.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 495–498

A man's house indicates his body, his composition and his very self, because he is known by it and it is known by him, in his glory, his renown and his name, and the covering of his family. And it may indicate his wealth by which he subsists, and it may indicate his garment, because he enters into it.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 491–494

And if he is not sick, then it is glad tidings for him according to the measure of his deeds—Hajj, jihad, asceticism, worship, knowledge, sadaqah, kindness to kin, or patience in affliction. What brought him to it, and that for which he was given the glad tidings, is inferred from the additional details of the dream and the evidences of his waking life.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 495–498

Freud and Jung, a separate view

But, as Scherner and Volkelt very appropriately declare, the house is not the only group of ideas which is used for the symbolisation of the body—either in the dream or in the unconscious fancies of the neurosis.

Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams / On Dreams / Dream Psychology, The Interpretation of Dreams, ch. VI The Dream-Work

Kinds and conditions of House

house/room own page

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

A solitary house indicates a woman.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 107

Whoever sees a house upon a wooden post, then it indicates marriage to a woman of nobility and chastity, and that the burden of her maintenance will be upon his neck, and perhaps she will become pregnant by him.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 107

Entering a house or other places

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

Whoever sees in a dream that he entered a man's house, then he will overcome him regarding his worldly affairs.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 112–113

(And whoever sees) that he entered the ruler's house and settled there and felt at ease, then he will be admitted into the private matters of his affairs.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 112–113

house (room/dwelling)

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

In a dream it has several aspects: it is the man's wife to whom he retires, and from this it is said "So-and-so entered his house" when he marries.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 30–31

And perhaps his house indicates his body. So if he says, "I saw as though I had built a new room in my house," then if he was sick he recovered and his body became sound.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 30–31

door of the house

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

And if it (the house) were his garment, its door would be its collar. The door, when it stands alone, may indicate the master of the house.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 495–498

And of it, the leaf that opens and closes may indicate him, while the other leaf indicates his wife, whom he embraces at night and turns away from when entering or leaving by day. In them the male and female are inferred from the shape and the lock: the one that has the lock is the male, and the one that has the loop (hasp) is the female, his wife — because the bolt entering into the loop is male, and the whole shape, when locked, is like a married couple.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 495–498

threshold/lintel (saddah) of a house or mosque

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

In a dream it indicates what a person wears and adorns himself with, or the wealth that conceals his condition.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 187

And perhaps the thresholds indicate the winds of blockage (al-suddah) in the belly.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 187

al-Bayt al-Ma'mur (the heavenly House)

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

(Ibn Sirin said): Whoever sees that he entered it, then he will take precedence over a people and become prominent through knowledge, and he will succeed and be safe from the evil of enemies.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 6

(And whoever sees) that the Bayt al-Ma'mur is set upon the earth, then it indicates the companionship of a just king.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 6

female jinn of the house

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

In a dream it indicates the protection of women, the chastity of men, and the removal of suspicion concerning wealth and offspring.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 70

And perhaps that indicates head-wounding, and preventing the seeker from what he needs of knowledge or aid.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 70

burning houses

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

HOuses burning with a cléer fire without falling or diminishing, is Riches to the Poore; and to the Rich▪ higher Estate and Dignity:

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

But to the Houses which burn, or fall, or consume, are ill to all and signifie death of masters, children, servants, Parents, or Friends.

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

building a house

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

Al-Wa'iz: Whoever sees the building of a new house, it indicates the death of one of his close relatives.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 107

And if he sees that he is enlarging a house, grief will befall him.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 107

demolition of the house

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

Seeing that in a dream indicates the death of its owner, and death indicates the house.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 363

(And whoever sees) that he is demolishing a house or an old building, then distress and evil will befall him.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 363

house pillar/beam breaking

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

"I saw in a dream that the pillar of my house broke, and that I gave birth to a one-eyed boy." He said: "Good — your husband will return, if Allah wills, in a sound state, and you will give birth to a dutiful boy."

Fath al-Bari, commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Dream Interpretation, pp. 7418–7419

So I said: "If your dream is true, your husband will die and you will give birth to a wicked boy."

Fath al-Bari, commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Dream Interpretation, pp. 7418–7419

being placed under guard/house arrest

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

And whoever sees that he is under guard (house arrest), then he will attain good, especially if it is in his own house.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 85

(And whoever sees) that he has been released from being under guard, that too is good.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 85

Also in the sources

demolishing a house or shop · going out of the house · fountain basin (in houses/baths) · roof beam of the house · sweeping the house · collapse of the house · house turning into a church or synagogue · roof of the house · the first house and the house of martyrs · road-house · wooden house · overseer of the drink-house · ruin of house and shop · arch built between two houses · room/house (bayt) · a dead person eating in the house · house collapsing · a new house · workmen in the house · travel and moving house · House pillar (support post) · The mount/retinue of the king's house

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