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Rain in a Dream in Islam: Meaning by Ibn Sirin
المطر في المنام
In Islam, rain in a dream most often announces the mercy of Allah, relief and plenty. The Ibn Sirin collection also sees in it knowledge, the Qur’an and wisdom, because water gives life. Rain becomes a bad sign when it causes harm, falls out of season, or carries stones, fire or blood.
ليس في كتاب الله تعالى فرج في المطر إذا جاء اسم المطر فهو غم … وإذا لم يسم مطرا فهو فرج الناس عامةIbn Sirin said: “In the Book of Allah there is no relief in rain: where the word matar (rain) comes, it is distress. […] When it is not called matar, it is relief for all people.”
Muntakhab al-kalâm, chapter 38, vol. 2, p. 44
Ibn Sirin gives two examples from the Qur’an: “And We rained upon them a rain” and “and rained upon them stones”. For the good meaning, he quotes: “And We have sent down blessed rain from the sky” (Surat Qaf, verse 9). The collection draws a rule from this for dreams: the words ghayth (beneficial rain) or “water coming down from the sky” are better to interpret than the word matar.
The meaning according to what you saw
The Ibn Sirin collection deals with rain in chapter 38, with the sky, the winds, the clouds, thunder and snow. Here are the cases it describes.
| In your dream | Meaning in the collection |
|---|---|
| Rain falls over the whole land | If people are in hardship, plenty and falling prices. If they suffer injustice or illness, relief, provided the rain is useful at that time.vol. 2, p. 43 |
| Harmful rain, with stones or fire | People’s misfortunes double and follow one another, according to the strength of the rain.vol. 2, p. 43 |
| Light rain | What it announces stays light.vol. 2, p. 43 |
| A rain of blood | Unrest and bloodshed.vol. 2, p. 43 |
| Rain out of season that causes harm | Illnesses and epidemics. The meaning is stronger still if the rain falls on only one house, village or district.vol. 2, p. 43 |
| You are in the rain, or held under a roof by it | Harm that reaches you through words and insults, in proportion to the rain you receive. Held under a wall: a halt in your work or your journey, an illness or prison.vol. 2, pp. 43 and 44 |
| You wash or make ablution with rainwater | The non-Muslim embraces Islam, the sinner repents, Allah makes the poor man rich, and a request made to a ruler succeeds. Washing your face with this water: your sight is restored.vol. 2, p. 44 |
| It rains milk, honey, wheat or dates | The good meaning is even stronger: goods and provision. A rain of honey also announces sound religion and a blessing for all.vol. 2, p. 42; vol. 1, p. 234 |
| It rains swords | People are tried by disputes and quarrels.vol. 2, p. 45 |
| It rains watermelons | People fall ill.vol. 2, p. 45 |
| Rain with thunder and lightning | Fear for the traveller and hope for the one who stays at home.vol. 2, p. 50 |
| The gutters of the houses run after the rain | People’s worries clear away and their provision flows. If they run without rain: a trial (fitna) and unlawful money.vol. 2, pp. 53 and 54 |
Ibn Sirin’s story about the gutters
رأيت الميازيب تسيل من غير مطر ورأيت الناس يأخذون منه فقال ابن سيرين ألا تأخذ فقال الرجل إني لم أفعل ولم آخذ منه شيئا فقال قد أحسنتA man came and told Ibn Sirin: “I saw the gutters running when there was no rain, and people were taking from them.” Ibn Sirin asked him: “And did you not take?” The man answered: “No, I did not take anything from it.” Ibn Sirin told him: “You did well.” A short time later, the fitna of Ibn al-Muhallab broke out.
Muntakhab al-kalâm, chapter 38, vol. 2, pp. 53 and 54
The collection gives the rule right after: gutters that run without rain announce a trial and unlawful money. The man who took nothing from them had stayed away from it.
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
Is seeing rain in a dream good in Islam?
In general, yes. The collection says that rain stands for the mercy of Allah, relief, knowledge and plenty. It becomes a bad sign when it causes harm, falls out of season, or carries stones, fire or blood (vol. 2, pp. 42 and 43).
What does heavy rain mean in a dream in Islam?
The collection does not rank rain by how much falls. It says its effect follows its strength: useful rain over the whole land announces plenty, harmful rain makes misfortunes worse, light rain makes the matter light (vol. 2, p. 43). A flood entering a town is a different symbol: an epidemic or an enemy (vol. 2, p. 53).
What does standing in the rain mean in a dream?
The collection sees in it harm that reaches the dreamer through words, in proportion to the rain received. The meaning changes if he washes with this water or makes ablution with it: repentance, entering Islam, wealth for the poor (vol. 2, pp. 43 and 44).
What does rain inside the house mean in a dream?
The collection does not describe rain falling inside a house. It speaks of rain that falls on only one house or village, and counts it among the signs of illness (vol. 2, p. 43). The gutters of the houses running after rain announce, on the other hand, the end of worries.
Why was Ibn Sirin wary of the word “rain”?
Because in the Qur’an, the word matar goes with punishment, as in “and rained upon them stones”. When the Qur’an speaks of water sent down from the sky without saying matar, it is a blessing. The collection concludes that the words ghayth or “water coming down” are better to interpret in a dream.
Sources
- Muntakhab al-kalâm fî tafsîr al-ahlâm, collection attributed to Muhammad ibn Sirin, chapter 38, vol. 2, pp. 42 to 54, and chapter 27, vol. 1, p. 234 (Arabic text, Shamela edition, OpenITI corpus).
- Sahih Muslim, no. 2263, for the three kinds of dreams.
- English translations of the Ibn Sirin collection: tafsir-a7lem.com.