Islamic Interpretation
If a free man sees himself as a slave and recognizes his master in the dream, it means that he will serve that person or may even hold something over him. Becoming a slave also signifies excessive borrowing until one becomes bound to creditors, heavy interest that burdens one’s household, reorganization of business affairs, working for a lender to settle debts, or suffering from heart trouble or another debilitating illness. Being sold as a slave in a dream can indicate the restoration of honor and dignity, though it may also warn of falling into a trap, since selling a free person implies humiliation; however, selling a human being may also point to a good outcome, as in the story of Prophet Joseph, peace be upon him. If a bondman sees himself freed, it means relief after hardship, settling debts, recovery from illness, fulfillment of aims, or becoming a sincere servant of God who enjoins good, forbids evil, maintains prayer, gives charity, and avoids wrongdoing. Slavery in a dream also denotes distress. Being sold signifies worries, unless the buyer is a woman, in which case it means honor and kind treatment, with comfort proportionate to the price. If an unmarried woman is sold as a slave, it means marriage to her buyer. If a man sells his wife, it signifies divorce. Being captured and enslaved by an enemy means learning the reality of humiliation and submission.