Stairs in a dream: meaning in Ibn Sirin and al-Nabulsi

72 passages from 3 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 indicates the means of elevation, high rank, and good fortune in this world and the Hereafter.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 112

And it indicates possessions and being led on gradually, and perhaps it indicates the stages of a journey and the halting-places of travellers where they alight, one halting-place after another and one stage after another.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 112

And perhaps it indicates the days of one's life leading to its end.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 112

A known staircase indicates the servant of the house, the slave of its owner, and his scribe.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 112

So whoever ascends an unknown staircase: if he reaches its end and he was ill, he dies.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 112

And if he enters the uppermost chamber, he attains a degree in Paradise; and if he is held back short of it, it is veiled from him after death.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 112

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

(Stairs) indicate the causes of elevation, high rank, and prosperity in this world and the Hereafter, from the Arabs' saying "So-and-so's rank (darajah)" and "So-and-so is of lofty rank." They also indicate being given respite and being drawn on gradually, from His saying (exalted be He): "We shall draw them on gradually from where they do not know." They may indicate the stages of a journey and the halting-places of travellers, which they descend upon one station at a time and one stage at a time. They may indicate the days of one's lifespan leading to its end. A known staircase indicates the servant of the house, and the slave of its owner, and his riding beast.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 503–506

So whoever climbs an unknown staircase, you look into its matter: if he reaches its end and he was ill, he dies.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 503–506

And if he enters the uppermost chamber, his spirit reaches Paradise; and if he is held back short of it, he is veiled from it after death.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 503–506

And if he was sound of health and intended a journey, he sets out for his purpose and attains sustenance if his journey was for wealth.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 503–506

And if it was for other than that, you infer from what he ended up at, or what he met during his ascent, whatever indicates good or evil, and the completion of needs or their deficiency.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 503–506

For example, that forty men meet him, or that he finds dinars in that number—for that is glad tidings of the completion of that for which he set out. And if the number was thirty, that will not be completed for him, because thirty is deficiency and forty is completion.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 503–506

Freud and Jung, a separate view

5. A stairway dream. (Reported and interpreted by Otto Rank.) For the following transparent pollution dream, I am indebted to the same colleague who furnished us with the dental-irritation dream.

Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams / On Dreams / Dream Psychology, Dream Psychology, ch. V Sex in Dreams

If one recalls from Freud's investigation of sexual symbolism[9] that in the dream stairs or climbing stairs almost regularly symbolizes coitus, the dream becomes clear.

Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams / On Dreams / Dream Psychology, Dream Psychology, ch. V Sex in Dreams

Sexual excitement became aroused during the sleeping state (in the dream this is represented by the rapid running or sliding down the stairs)

Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams / On Dreams / Dream Psychology, Dream Psychology, ch. V Sex in Dreams

The libidinous excitement becomes enhanced and urges to sexual action (represented in the dream by the grasping of the child and the conveyance of it to the middle of the stairway)

Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams / On Dreams / Dream Psychology, Dream Psychology, ch. V Sex in Dreams

The excitement leads to an orgasm, and thus the whole stairway symbolism is unmasked as a substitute for coitus.

Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams / On Dreams / Dream Psychology, Dream Psychology, ch. V Sex in Dreams

Freud lays stress on the rhythmical character of both actions as one of the reasons for the sexual utilization of the stairway symbolism,

Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams / On Dreams / Dream Psychology, Dream Psychology, ch. V Sex in Dreams

Kinds and conditions of Stairs

descending stairs

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

or by issuing fatwas, or by preaching, or by giving the call to prayer from the minaret, or the like of such elevated, renowned matters

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 507–511

As for descending stairs: if he is a traveller, he will return from his journey.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 507–511

going down stairs

Freud and Jung, a separate view

That the act of coition in the vagina is described as a going down instead of in the usual way as a going up, I have also found true in other instances

Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams / On Dreams / Dream Psychology, Dream Psychology, ch. V Sex in Dreams

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