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Jinn in a Dream in Islam: Meaning by Ibn Sirin
الجن في المنام
In Islam, seeing jinn in a dream points, according to the Ibn Sirin collection, to “people of cunning in the affairs of this world and its illusions”. Jinn standing near the house announce a loss, a humiliation or an unfulfilled vow. If they enter the house, thieves or enemies get inside. Teaching the Qur’an to the jinn, on the other hand, announces a position of leadership.
والأصل في رؤيا الجن أنهم أصحاب الاحتيال لأمور الدنيا وغرورهاIn the Ibn Sirin collection: “The rule for jinn seen in a dream is that they stand for people of cunning in the affairs of this world and its illusions.”
Muntakhab al-kalâm, chapter 20, vol. 1, p. 128
This rule is by Abu Sa’id, the author of the collection, in chapter 20, which is devoted to the jinn and the devils. He adds straight away: “As for Satan, he is an enemy in religion and in this world, cunning and deceitful, who cares about nothing. He can stand for the ruler, and sometimes for the family.” Another chapter also says: “The jinn are the cunning people”, as one says of a clever man that he is a real jinn (vol. 2, p. 345).
What to do after a frightening dream
The collection quotes no hadith on the jinn themselves. For any dream that one dislikes, Abu Sa’id al-Khudri heard the Prophet ﷺ say:
إذا رأى أحدكم رؤيا يحبها فإنما هي من الله، فليحمد الله عليها، وليحدث بها، وإذا رأى غير ذلك مما يكره، فإنما هي من الشيطان، فليستعذ من شرها، ولا يذكرها لأحد، فإنها لا تضره“If anyone of you sees a dream that he likes, then it is from Allah, and he should thank Allah for it and narrate it to others; but if he sees something else, i.e., a dream that he dislikes, then it is from Satan, and he should seek refuge with Allah from its evil, and he should not mention it to anybody, for it will not harm him.”
Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 6985, narrated by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri
The meaning according to what you saw
Most of these cases come from chapter 20 of the Ibn Sirin collection, on the jinn and the devils, in the order of the text. The last two come from other chapters.
| In your dream | Meaning in the collection |
|---|---|
| You yourself become a jinn | Your cunning grows stronger.vol. 1, p. 127 |
| Jinn stand near your house | One of three things: a loss, a humiliation, or a vow you owe and have not fulfilled.vol. 1, p. 127 |
| You teach the Qur’an to the jinn, or they listen to you reciting it | You receive a position of leadership and authority.vol. 1, p. 127 |
| Jinn enter your home and do some work there | Thieves enter your home and harm you, or your enemies attack you in your house.vol. 1, p. 128 |
| Satan touches you while you are calling on Allah | You have many enemies who want your ruin, but they do not get what they want.vol. 1, p. 128 |
| Satan frightens you | Your religion is sincere, and you will be safe after a fear you are going through.vol. 1, p. 128 |
| Satan follows you | An enemy deceives you, pushes you towards evil and lessens your good deeds and your rank.vol. 1, p. 129 |
| You command the devils, or you chain up Satan | Commanding devils who follow and obey you: a position of leadership, prestige and victory over your enemies. Chaining up Satan: a victory.vol. 1, p. 129 |
| Satan teaches you words | You say invented words, you use cunning against people, or you recite lying poems.vol. 1, p. 129 |
| You kill Iblis | You outwit a cunning and deceitful man.vol. 1, p. 129 |
| You touch a fox | According to one opinion, a fright caused by the jinn strikes you. (another opinion quoted in the collection)vol. 1, p. 380 |
| A fire speaks inside a jar, a waterskin or a vessel | The person this vessel stands for is struck by a fit caused by the jinn, and a jinn speaks through his mouth.vol. 2, p. 189 |
Before you interpret your dream
Not every dream carries a meaning. The Prophet ﷺ described three kinds: a good dream, which is glad tidings from Allah; a distressing dream, which comes from Satan; and what a person tells himself during the day (Sahih Muslim, no. 2263). Only the first is read with a collection like Ibn Sirin’s. See the three kinds of dreams, and if your dream frightened you, what to do after a bad dream.
Frequently asked questions
What does seeing jinn in the house mean in a dream in Islam?
Jinn standing near the house announce a loss, a humiliation or an unfulfilled vow. If they enter and do some work there, thieves come in and cause harm, or enemies attack the dreamer in his home (vol. 1, pp. 127 and 128).
What does reciting the Qur’an to jinn in a dream mean?
Whoever teaches the Qur’an to the jinn, or whom they listen to reciting it, receives a position of leadership and authority (vol. 1, p. 127). The collection quotes the verse: “Say, [O Muhammad], ‘It has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened.’”
What does jinn possession in a dream mean in Islam?
The collection only speaks of it through indirect images: a fire speaking inside a vessel (vol. 2, p. 189), or a camel entering the dreamer’s throat or one of his vessels, which means that a jinn enters him or a member of his household (vol. 1, p. 349). In the first case, the person the vessel stands for is struck by a fit caused by the jinn, and a jinn speaks through his mouth.
Is killing a jinn in a dream good in Islam?
The collection does not speak of killing a jinn. It speaks of killing Iblis: this means outwitting a cunning and deceitful man. Chaining up Satan announces a victory (vol. 1, p. 129).
Does the collection speak of a jinn in human form?
No. The collection speaks neither of a jinn in human form nor of an invisible jinn in the house. For a frightening dream, the Prophet ﷺ advised seeking refuge with Allah from its evil and telling no one about it (al-Bukhari, 6985).
Sources
- Muntakhab al-kalâm fî tafsîr al-ahlâm, collection attributed to Muhammad ibn Sirin, chapter 20, vol. 1, pp. 127 to 129; chapter 33, vol. 1, p. 349; chapter 34, vol. 1, p. 380; chapter 42, vol. 2, p. 189; chapter 58, vol. 2, p. 345 (Arabic text, Shamela edition, OpenITI corpus).
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of the Interpretation of Dreams, no. 6985 (English translation by Muhammad Muhsin Khan).
- Sahih Muslim, no. 2263, for the three kinds of dreams.
- English translations of the Ibn Sirin collection: tafsir-a7lem.com.