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King in a Dream in Islam: Meaning by Ibn Sirin
الملك والسلطان في المنام
In Islam, seeing a king in a dream has no single meaning. The Ibn Sirin collection says that seeing yourself become a king announces wealth in this world, but with a corrupted religion. On the other hand, a king who speaks to you, gives you something or receives you in his home announces elevation, honour or ease. The meaning depends on what the king does and on your situation.
ومن رأى أنه تحول ملكا من الملوك أو السلاطين نال جدة في الدنيا مع فساد دينIn the Ibn Sirin collection: “Whoever sees that he has become one of the kings or sultans obtains wealth in this world, with a corruption of religion.”
Muntakhab al-kalâm, chapter 30, vol. 1, p. 263
The collection gives a whole chapter to sultans, kings and their circle. In it, it often uses the word “imam” in the sense of head of state. The other cases concern the king as a person: what he says to you, what he gives you, the state of his health.
The meaning according to what you saw
Here are the cases the collection describes, mostly in chapter 30, which is devoted to sultans and kings. Each line refers to the volume and page.
| In your dream | Meaning in the collection |
|---|---|
| You become a king or a sultan | Wealth in this world, with a corruption of religion. According to another opinion, someone who is not worthy of it dies soon, and a sick person dies. For a slave, it means being set free. (another opinion quoted in the collection)vol. 1, p. 263 |
| You walk with the ruler | You follow his example. If he bumps into you as you walk, you oppose him.vol. 1, p. 263 |
| You eat with the ruler | An honour in proportion to the food eaten. According to another opinion, a war and an open confrontation. (another opinion quoted in the collection)vol. 1, pp. 263 and 264 |
| The ruler speaks to you | Elevation, based on the verse about Yusuf: “Indeed, you are today established [in position] and trusted” (Surah 12, verse 54). For a merchant, a profit. For someone in a dispute, victory. For a prisoner, release.vol. 1, p. 264 |
| The king gives you something | You gain honour.vol. 1, p. 264 |
| You enter the ruler’s residence | You take charge of his family’s affairs and you gain a comfortable life. If you enter it prostrating, you gain forgiveness and a position of leadership.vol. 1, pp. 264 and 265 |
| The king enters a place where his arrival is a surprise | The people of that place, house, quarter or village, are struck by a great misfortune.vol. 1, p. 264 |
| The king is ill or dies | His illness points to his injustice, and his body stays in good health that year. His death points to disorder that strikes his kingdom.vol. 1, p. 266 |
| You pass near a sultan, or you enter his home | Passing near him: power. Entering his home: wealth and joy.vol. 1, p. 267 |
| You kiss a sultan or a judge, or he kisses you | If you kiss him, he accepts your word. If he kisses you, you obtain something good from him.vol. 2, p. 342 |
Ibn Sirin’s story about the emir
أن رجلا أتى ابن سيرين فقال رأيت كأن بيدي رمحا وأنا ماش بين يدي الأمير فقال إن صدقت رؤياك لتشهدن بين يدي الأمير حقA man came to Ibn Sirin and said: “I saw that I had a spear in my hand and that I was walking in front of the emir.” He replied: “If your dream is true, you will bear witness to a truth before the emir.”
Muntakhab al-kalâm, chapter 31, vol. 1, p. 279
The collection places this story in the passage on the spear. Ibn Sirin reads the spear here as words carried before the governor.
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 becoming a king in a dream mean in Islam?
It is not entirely good. The collection says that someone who sees himself become a king obtains wealth in this world, with a corruption of religion. It also quotes another opinion: someone who is not worthy of it dies soon (vol. 1, p. 263).
What does meeting or talking with a king in a dream mean in Islam?
If the ruler speaks to you, the collection sees elevation in it, relying on the verse about Yusuf. It specifies: a profit for the merchant, victory for someone in a dispute, release for the prisoner (vol. 1, p. 264).
What does eating with a king in a dream mean?
Eating with the ruler brings an honour in proportion to what you ate. Another opinion quoted by the collection sees in it, on the contrary, a war and a confrontation (vol. 1, pp. 263 and 264).
What does seeing a dead king in a dream mean in Islam?
The collection says that the ruler’s death in a dream points to disorder that strikes his kingdom. His illness points to his injustice (vol. 1, p. 266).
Does dreaming of a well-known king have a separate meaning?
The collection does not name any present-day king. It deals with the king, the sultan and the emir in general. The meanings on this page therefore apply to any ruler seen in a dream.
Sources
- Muntakhab al-kalâm fî tafsîr al-ahlâm, collection attributed to Muhammad ibn Sirin, chapter 30, vol. 1, pp. 263 to 267; chapter 31, vol. 1, p. 279; chapter 58, vol. 2, p. 342 (Arabic text, Shamela edition, OpenITI corpus).
- Qur’an, Surah 12 (Yusuf), verse 54 (Sahih International translation).
- Sahih Muslim, no. 2263, for the three kinds of dreams.
- English translations of the Ibn Sirin collection: tafsir-a7lem.com.