Between "Blessed Provision" and "Eating Fire".. A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Consumption Symbols 1. Introduction: The Philosophy of "Hunger and Satiety" in the Unconscious Food is humanity's primary instinct; it is the first thing a child seeks upon entering life, and the sustenance of survival. In the dream world, food transforms from mere fuel for the body into "fuel for the soul" and a symbol of destiny. Fruit in a dream is not just a plant; it is a reminder of "Paradise" (Gardens of Pleasure) or a warning of the "Forbidden Tree" (Sin). The symbol here is complex, carrying the duality of "Need" and "Desire." Hunger in a dream may be better than excessive satiety, and eating rotten food may reveal corruption of the soul. Since humans "eat to live," seeing food clearly reflects how the dreamer "lives": Do they eat from lawful means? Do they backbite? Do they harvest the fruits of their labor in season, or do they rush destiny? In this massive reference, we decode the banquet, relying on Ibn Sirin (who linked food to Time), Al-Nabulsi (who linked it to Marriage and Religion), and Ibn Shaheen (who scrutinized Cooking and Taste), to provide a roadmap for everything you might taste in your sleep. 2. General Interpretation (Perspective of the Three Scholars) The three scholars agree that the basic principle of food is "Provision" (Rizq), and fruit is "Goodness," but they set strict conditions. Ibn Sirin (Imam of Time): Establishes the strict "Rule of Time." Fruit in its season is provision, blessing, and stability. Out of season, it is hardship and wasted effort (except for enduring fruits like dates/raisins). He views "Food" as the sustenance of religion and the world; good food implies inner goodness, and foul food implies inner malice. He also considers "Hunger" better than Satiety, as satiety may cause arrogance, while hunger induces humility. Al-Nabulsi (Philosopher of Symbols): Starts from the Quran, seeing fruits as definitive proof of "Marriage" , citing the verse about the people of Paradise and their spouses. Moist fruits are fleeting provision (due to spoilage), while dry fruits are lasting savings. He links food to "Knowledge" ; delicious food is wisdom, while very hot food is eating "Fire" or Usury. Ibn Shaheen (Scrutinizer of Condition): Focuses on "Temperature" and "Ingredients." Hot food is distress; cold food is a cure. He distinguishes meats: Bird meat is travel/provision, Beast meat is money from a tyrant, Fish is booty. His golden rule: "Anything eaten without chewing (drinks) is easy provision; what requires chewing is provision with hardship." 3. Detailed Nuances: Colors and Tastes Before positive/negative, one must understand the "Language of Attributes": Yellow: Disliked by all three (Quince, Bananas for some), symbolizing "Bitterness" and sickness (Bile). Green: Unripe fruit indicates rushing provision; green vegetables represent Islam/Instinct. Sourness: Sour food (unripe grapes/lemon) is "hurtful words," illness, or suspicious money. Sweetness: Sugar/Honey is the "Sweetness of Faith" or pure lawful money. 4. Positive Interpretation: Tables of Paradise Seasonal Fruit (Ibn Sirin): Picking fruit in season means attaining knowledge, marriage, a child, or profitable trade. "Picking" signifies harvesting results. Pure White Bread (Al-Nabulsi): Bread is the "Basis of Life." White soft bread is a good life, pure religion, and a righteous wife. Distributing bread indicates authority or being a source of livelihood for others. Cooked Meat (Ibn Shaheen): Fully cooked meat (especially lamb) is goodness. Broth and fat indicate wealth and easy profit. The Banquet (Generosity): Inviting people to food indicates leadership and a good reputation. 5. Negative Interpretation: Poisoned Food Very Hot Food (Consensus): Eating boiling food is consuming Usury (Riba) or orphan's money, or a great calamity, as fire is not in the food of Paradise. Raw Meat (Ibn Sirin): Eating raw meat is "Gossip and Backbiting" (eating the flesh of one's brother). Seeing it without eating is loss. Out-of-Season Fruit: Black grapes or figs in winter may indicate punishment or sudden worries like illness. Rotten/Infested Food: Ingratitude, health turning to sickness, or forbidden money mixing with lawful money. 6. Interpretation by Dreamer's State Single Woman: Fruit is a clear omen of marriage. Cooking food that ripens means success in a new phase. Married Woman: The table symbolizes family stability. Red fruits (Cherries/Strawberries) indicate love. Burnt food warns of marital strife. Pregnant Woman: Apples often symbolize a boy; Peaches a girl (folklore). Milk and Dates are the best vision (blessed child). Hunger is natural anxiety. Divorced Woman: Sweet food is divine compensation. Eating with a stranger is remarriage; with the ex-husband implies dialogue. Man: Watermelon implies heavy worries/debt. Grapes: Black is worry, White is money, Juice is a prestigious job. Eating an animal's head is attaining leadership. 7. Psychological Analysis (Freud & Jung) Freud (Oral Stage): Links food (especially round fruits) to repressed sexual desires. Gluttony reflects "Emotional Hunger" or sexual deprivation. Jung (Spiritual Food): Food is "Transformation." Cooking turns raw to cooked, symbolizing personality maturation. Bread is "Life Experience." Sharing food is social integration. Eating Disorders: Refusing to eat or vomiting may reflect rejection of reality or expelling toxic thoughts. 8. Complex Visions Eating with the Dead: Good food means the dead is in bliss. Eating together prolongs the dreamer's life. If the dead takes food away, it is poverty or high prices. Raining Food: Honey/Dates = Blessing. Bitter food = Epidemics. Food Not Cooking: Frustration in business; hidden obstacles (envy/poor planning) preventing results. Swallowing without Chewing: Greed, rushing provision, or usury. 9. Stories from Heritage A man told Ibn Sirin: "I saw myself eating dates and spitting out the pits." Ibn Sirin said: "You are a man who practices the Lawful and avoids Doubts." Another said: "I ate dates with tar." Ibn Sirin said: "You divorce your wife secretly and take her back illegally, or mix Halal with Haram." 10. Modern Interpretations Canned/Fast Food: Quick livelihood with no blessing; lack of family bonding. The Fridge: Full = Job security/Savings. Empty = Financial fear. Allergies: Eating food you are allergic to implies forcing yourself into toxic situations. 11. Actionable Advice Check Income: If you see rotten/raw food, audit your finances for Haram. Feed Others: The best reaction to food dreams is charity (Sadaqah). Health: Yellow/Bitter food is a health warning; get a checkup. Guard the Tongue: If eating raw meat, stop gossiping immediately. 12. Conclusion Food in dreams mirrors the "Inside" of the human. Do you fill it with the Lawful (Ripe Fruit), the Unlawful (Raw Meat), or Wisdom (Bread)? Ibn Sirin teaches "Timing," and Al-Nabulsi reminds us of "Spiritual Partnership." A good table in a dream means a good life; otherwise, clean the "kitchen of your life."