Ibn Sirin - Works

Works

The most notable of the books attributed to him is Dreams and Interpretations. Ibn Al-Nadim says that he was the author of "Taabirul Ro'oya" (What Dreams Express), which is different from or an abridged version of : Muntakhabul Kalam Fi Tafsir El Ahlam"(A Concise Guide for the Interpretation of Dreams) first printed in Bulaq, Egypt, in 1284 H, in Lucknow in a.d. 1874 and in Bombay in 1296 H. It was subsequently reprinted numerous times in various parts of the Arab World under different titles.

But that book, allegedly written by Ibn Sirin, who died in 110H, comprises many discrepancies (anachronic passages). For instance, it tells a story about Imam Shafe'i who died in 204H. It also quotes Is'haq Ibrahim ibn 'Abdullah Al-Kirmani, who died in 400H.

Scholars are of the view that most if not all of the works related to Ibn Sirin might be apocryphal. They seem certain that at least one of them "Muntakhabul Kalam ..." is definitely non-genuine, for the simple reason that it relates those stories that happened long after Sirin's death as already stated. Nevertheless, they feel the books, which were probably written by another expert or by Ibn Sirin's students and/or admirers, still reflect his teachings. The major suspect is a Muslim preacher by the name of Abu Sa'id Al-Wa'ez, himself author of several books on Islamic oneiromancy.

What lends credence and adds weight to the theory that Ibn Sirin never wrote anything is the established fact that he abhorred books. He always relied on his excellent memory and was of the view that it is books that led to the perdition and doom of past generations. Whenever he wanted to memorize a "Hadith" (quotation of Muhammad), he wrote it down on a piece of paper which he destroyed as soon as he learned it by heart. One night, a friend begged him to keep in his house a book he was carrying, which he categorically refused by saying he had vowed that never "shall a book" spend a night at his home. Although he was known for correctly interpreting dreams, this book cannot be authentically traced back to him.

The rare second edition in Italian of his interpretation of Egyptian and Persian dreams was translated from Leo Toscano's Latin into Italian by the famous cheiromantist Patricio Tricasso, who, in his foreword to Alessandro Bicharia, explains that he has omitted many of the original interpretations owing to many dreams being inspired either by melancholy or evil spirits. The original Arabic, Greek and Leo Toscano's Latin texts seem not to have survived and this is the second of three Italian editions of the sixteenth century, the others appearing in 1525 and 1551.