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Sky in a Dream in Islam: Meaning by Ibn Sirin
السماء في المنام
In Islam, the sky seen in a dream points first to what comes from Allah: what comes down from it arrives by His will, with no human cause. The Ibn Sirin collection also sees in it the ruler’s entourage, his palace and his treasury, because the sky towers over all creatures. Climbing to the sky by a ladder announces a rise, and the sky coming closer announces nearness to Allah.
السماء تدل على نفسها فما نزل منها أو جاء من ناحيتها جاء نظيره منها من عند الله ليس للخلق فيه تسببIn the Ibn Sirin collection: “The sky stands for itself. Whatever comes down from it or comes from its direction, its equivalent will come from Allah, without the creatures being its cause.”
Muntakhab al-kalâm, chapter 38, vol. 2, p. 10
This is the first sentence of chapter 38, on the sky, the wind, rain and the stars. The collection adds that the sky can stand for the ruler’s entourage, his palace and his treasury, because people see it above them without being able to reach it or get out from under it. What falls from the sky in a dream is therefore read as a decree: a blessing, like honey or oil, or a trial, like fire.
The rope stretched to the sky, in the hadith
A man told the Prophet ﷺ about a dream he had seen. Among other things, he said to him:
وإذا سبب واصل من الأرض إلى السماء، فأراك أخذت به فعلوت … وأما السبب الواصل من السماء إلى الأرض فالحق الذي أنت عليه تأخذ به فيعليك الله“And behold, there was a rope extending from the earth to the sky, and I saw that you (the Prophet) held it and went up…” Abu Bakr asked to interpret this dream and said, among other things: “The rope which is extended from the sky to the earth is the Truth which you (the Prophet) are following. You follow it and Allah will raise you high with it…”
Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 7046, narrated by Ibn Abbas
At the end, the Prophet ﷺ said to Abu Bakr: “You are right in some of it and wrong in some”, without saying on which point. The collection goes in the same direction: climbing to the sky by a ladder or a rope announces a rise (vol. 2, p. 11).
The meaning according to what you saw
The sky opens chapter 38 of the Ibn Sirin collection. Here are the main cases it describes, in the order of the text.
| In your dream | Meaning in the collection |
|---|---|
| Fire falls from the sky onto houses | Illnesses among people, birsam (a fever with delirium), smallpox and death.vol. 2, p. 10 |
| Honey, oil, straw or barley falls from the sky | Fertility, provision and wealth. People receive useful rains, and the benefit lies in the thing that fell.vol. 2, p. 10 |
| You climb to the sky by a ladder or a rope | A rise in standing with the ruler and his favour. Climbing without a ladder or a rope announces, on the other hand, great fear coming from the ruler.vol. 2, p. 11 |
| The gates of the sky open, in a time of drought | Abundant rain, after the verse: “Then We opened the gates of the heaven with rain pouring down” (Surah 54, verse 11).vol. 2, p. 12 |
| The sky comes closer to you | Nearness to Allah, for people of obedience and good deeds. It can also announce that the prayer of someone who calls on Allah in distress is answered.vol. 2, pp. 12 and 13 |
| The sky falls onto the earth | The death of the ruler if he is ill, or his arrival in that land if he is travelling. It can also concern the person in charge of the dreamer: his father, his husband or his master.vol. 2, p. 13 |
| You rise to the sky and enter it | Martyrdom, the generosity of Allah and His nearness, with honour and renown. But if the dreamer enters the sky and does not come out of it, he dies or comes close to death (vol. 2, p. 16).vol. 2, pp. 14 and 16 |
| The sky turns green or yellow | Green: abundant crops that year. Yellow: illnesses.vol. 2, p. 15 |
| You fall from the sky | The collection sees in it a sign of disbelief (kufr).vol. 2, p. 15 |
| You see the sky | You take on an affair that you will not achieve.vol. 2, p. 15 |
| You rise to the sky without effort | Power, a blessing, and safety from the schemes of your enemies.vol. 2, pp. 15 and 16 |
Ibn Sirin’s story about the sky
رأيت ثلاثة نفر لا أعرفهم رفع أحدهم إلى السماء ثم حبس الآخر بين السماء والأرض وأكب الآخر على وجهه ساجدا فقال ابن سيرين أما الذي رفع إلى السماء فهي الأمانة رفعت من بين الناسIt is reported that a man came to Ibn Sirin and said: “I saw three men I did not know. One was raised to the sky, the second was held between the sky and the earth, and the third threw himself face down, prostrating.” Ibn Sirin replied: “The one who was raised to the sky is trustworthiness (amana), which has been taken away from among people. The one held between the sky and the earth is trustworthiness that has been cut off. The one prostrating is the prayer: it is to the prayer that the community comes in the end.”
Muntakhab al-kalâm, chapter 38, vol. 2, p. 16
The Arabic text gives the word amana twice, for the first two men. We translate it as it stands.
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 the sky in a dream a good sign in Islam?
Often yes. The sky coming closer announces nearness to Allah, and climbing to the sky by a ladder announces a rise (vol. 2, pp. 11 and 12). The collection also cites cases of trial: fire falling from the sky, a yellow sky, or the dreamer falling from the sky.
What does rising to the sky mean in a dream in Islam?
Climbing by a ladder or a rope announces a rise and the ruler’s favour. Climbing with no support at all announces great fear. Entering the sky announces martyrdom and the generosity of Allah (vol. 2, pp. 11 and 14). But whoever enters it and does not come out dies or comes close to death (vol. 2, p. 16).
What does something falling from the sky mean in a dream?
According to the collection, what falls from the sky comes from Allah, and its meaning depends on its nature. Honey, oil or barley announce fertility and useful rains. Fire announces illnesses (vol. 2, p. 10).
What does the sky opening mean in a dream in Islam?
The gates of the sky opening, when people are in drought, announce abundant rain, after Surah 54, verse 11 (vol. 2, p. 12). The collection does not speak of a light coming out of the open sky.
Does the meaning change for a married, single or pregnant woman, or for a blue or pink sky?
No. The collection makes no distinction of this kind for the sky. It only singles out the sick person, for whom rising to the sky without coming back down announces death (vol. 2, p. 11). Nor does it speak of a blue, pink or starry sky.
Sources
- Muntakhab al-kalâm fî tafsîr al-ahlâm, collection attributed to Muhammad ibn Sirin, chapter 38, vol. 2, pp. 10 to 16 (Arabic text, Shamela edition, OpenITI corpus).
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of the Interpretation of Dreams, no. 7046 (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.