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

155 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

Water in a dream is a laughing, cheerful woman; and if a woman sees it, then it is a man of good character.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 28–29

And the well is wealth, or knowledge, or marriage, or a bulky man, or a prison, or a shackle, or deception.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 28–29

Whoever sees that he dug a well and there was water in it will marry a wealthy woman and will deceive her, because digging is deception.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 28–29

But if there is no water in it, then the woman has no wealth.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 28–29

And if he sees that he drank of its water, then he will obtain wealth through deception, if he was the one who dug it; otherwise it will be at the hand of the one who dug it, or his namesake, or his descendant after him.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 28–29

And if he sees an old well in a quarter, or a house, or a village, from which those coming and going draw with a rope and bucket, then there is there a woman, or a woman's husband, and her guardian by whom people benefit in their livelihoods, and he will have in that a good renown, on account of the rope by which they let down to the water.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 28–29

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

It is fundamentally interpreted as the woman, its water as the woman's wealth, and its bucket is interpreted as the man.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 122

A curious anecdote: It is related that a man came to one of the interpreters and said: "Take this dirham and interpret for me what I saw." So he took it from him and said: "Tell me what you saw" — and this was after the break of dawn. He said: "I saw as though I came to a well and threw myself into it, and I kept going down, down" — and he did not cease repeating his words "going down" until near midday. Then he said: "So I reached the bottom of the well." The interpreter said to him: "You arrived safely?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Praise be to Allah for the safe arrival. Then what?" He said: "I went around" — and he did not cease repeating his words "I went around" until near the afternoon. Then he said: "Then I found a millstone, and I put my head into it, and I climbed up, climbed up." The interpreter said to him: "Stop right there, and take back your dirham and be off from us, and my wage is with Allah. You descended into the well empty-handed after the dawn prayer, and you did not reach its bottom until midday; then you went around in it, and did not finish until the afternoon; then you found a millstone and put it around your neck — so when will you reach the top?"

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 269–270

So whoever sees that he drank from a well, and the well is of baked brick, then wealth will reach him from his wife, and she will be a woman related to a man of standing.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 122

And whoever sees that the water of a well has sunk away, then that is the righteousness of his wife and the ruin of his wealth.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 122

And whoever sees that he lowered his bucket then pulled it up and the bucket came away empty, then it indicates that a deficient child will be born to him, and perhaps it will be a miscarriage.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 122

And whoever sees that he is watering some plants with the water of a well, then he will obtain wealth and marry with it or take a concubine; and if something sprouts by it or bears fruit, then it indicates the obtaining of a child.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 122

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

As for the well of the house, it may indicate its master, for he is its custodian; and it may indicate his wife, because he lowers his bucket into her and lets his rope down into her to draw out the water, and she carries the water in her belly, and it is feminine in gender.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 515–518

then he will deal with a man possessing tyrannical authority, and he will be afflicted by his scheming and his oppression

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 519–522

And if the one drawing with the bucket is a seeker of knowledge, then the well is his teacher from whom he draws his knowledge, and what he has gathered of the water is his portion, his allotment, and his share.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 595–598

And if its interpretation is a man, then its water is his wealth and his livelihood with which he is generous to his family; and the more abundant it is, the more abundant his good, so long as it does not overflow into the house. But if it overflows, that is his secret and his speech.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 515–518

And if the water is clear, then he will deal on behalf of a righteous man and be content with just enough

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 519–522

The less its water, the less his earnings and the weaker his provision.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 515–518

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

In the like sort is it to set in his ground or house a Well, which was not there before: and it also signifieth wife or children, to those which have none:

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

to see a Well full of water in the house, is good, if it be open above, and strangers draw not out of it, for that should be losse of wife, children, or goods:

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

Kinds and conditions of Well

drawing water from a well

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

While I was at a well drawing water from it, Abu Bakr and Umar came to me. Abu Bakr took the bucket and drew a bucketful or two, and in his drawing there was weakness — may Allah forgive him. Then Ibn al-Khattab took it from Abu Bakr's hand, and it turned in his hand into a large bucket, and I never saw a man of such prowess among the people performing as he performed, until the people had made their camels kneel at the watering place.

Fath al-Bari, commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Dream Interpretation, pp. 7399–7400

Al-Qadi 'Iyad said: The apparent meaning of this hadith is that what is intended is the caliphate of 'Umar.

Fath al-Bari, commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Dream Interpretation, pp. 7400–7401

unlined well (pit)

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

It is the well that has not been lined with stone, and in a dream it indicates worry, distress, and prison.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 68–69

And whoever was in any of that, his worry and grief will depart from him, and he will become connected with the great ones and attain honour and elevation.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 68–69

Zamzam (the well of Zamzam)

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

Whoever sees in a dream that he drank from the water of Zamzam, then it is an indication of healing from illnesses.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 141

Especially if he drank it for a specific purpose, such as drinking it to acquire wealth or to learn, then he will attain that.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 141

jar lowered into a well

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

(And Ibn Sirin was asked) about a man who took a jar, fastened a rope to it, and lowered it into a well; and when the jar was full, the rope came loose and the jar fell. He said: the rope is a covenant, the jar is a woman, the water is temptation, and the well is deceit. This is a man whom a companion of his sent to ask for a woman's hand in marriage for him, but the man practised deceit and married her himself.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 591–595

And another came to him and said: I saw upon my palm a jar of water, and the jar fell and broke, and the water remained. He said: your wife is pregnant. He said: yes. He said: then she will die and the child will remain.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 591–595

Hellfire coiled like a well

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

A rare account: Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: I was a young unmarried lad in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and I used to sleep in the mosque. Whoever saw a dream would relate it to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). So I said: O Allah, if there is any good for me with You, then show me a dream that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) will interpret for me. Then I slept, and I saw two angels who came to me and took me away. Another angel met them and said to me: You shall not be frightened; you are a righteous man. Then the two took me to the Fire, and behold, it was coiled like the coiling of a well, and in it were people, some of whom I recognized. Then the two took me off to the right. When morning came, I mentioned that to Hafsah, and she related it to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and he said: Indeed Abdullah is a righteous man, if only he would pray much at night.

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

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