Swimming in a dream: meaning in Ibn Sirin, al-Nabulsi and the hadith

38 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

Whoever sees in a dream that he is swimming in the sea: if he is a scholar, he will attain his desire in knowledge.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 169

If he swims and then returns to the shore, then he will seek knowledge and then abandon it.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 169

It is said that swimming is imprisonment. So whoever sees that he is swimming on dry land will be imprisoned and will suffer distress in his imprisonment, and he will remain in it according to the difficulty or ease of the swimming, and according to his nearness to dry land.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 169

If he sees that he is swimming in a valley evenly until he reaches a place he intends, then he will enter into the service of a tyrannical, oppressive ruler and will ask of him a need of his, and he will fulfil it for him, and he will gain influence with him, and Allah the Exalted will grant him safety in proportion to his coursing through the valley.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 169

And if he is afraid, then he will fear such a ruler; and if he is saved, then he will be saved from him.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 169

If he enters the depths of the sea and swims well in it, then he will enter into a great matter or a mighty governorship, and he will gain power in the kingdom and attain might and strength.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 169

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

(As for swimming) whoever sees that he is swimming in the sea, and he is a scholar, will attain in knowledge what he needs.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 583–586

But if he swims on dry land, then he will be imprisoned and will suffer hardship in his prison, and he will remain in it in proportion to the difficulty or ease of the swimming, and in proportion to his strength.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 583–586

And if he sees that he is swimming in a valley on level ground until he reaches a place he intends, then he will enter into the service of a tyrannical, oppressive ruler, seeking from him a need which he will fulfil for him, and he will gain influence with him, and Allah the Exalted will grant him safety in proportion to his running in the valley.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 583–586

And if he fears it, then he will fear a ruler of that sort; and if he escapes, then he will escape from him.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 583–586

And if he enters the depths of the sea and swims well in it, then he will enter into a great affair and a mighty governorship, and he will gain command of the kingdom and attain honour and strength.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 583–586

And if he swims on his back, then he will repent and turn back from disobedience.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 583–586

Kinds and conditions of Swimming

usurer swimming in a river of blood

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

His statement: (for he is the devourer of usury). Ibn Hubayrah said: The devourer of usury was punished by having to swim in the red river and by having stones stuffed into his mouth only because the basis of usury operates in gold, and gold is red. As for the angel's stuffing the stone into his mouth, that is an indication that it avails him nothing; and likewise usury, for its practitioner imagines that his wealth is increasing while Allah, behind him, is wiping it out.

Fath al-Bari, commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Dream Interpretation, pp. 7432–7433

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