4th Dream in the Qur’an - DREAMS IN ISLAM

4th. Dream:

The same surah (chapter) of the Qur’an (Yusuf) which contains the three previous dreams, also contains a fourth dream.  The King of Egypt himself saw seven fat cows, then seven lean cows devouring the fat cows etc:

“The King said: I saw seven fatted cows which seven lean ones devoured; and seven green ears (of wheat or corn) and seven others dry.  O my nobles, tell me the meaning of this dream, if you can interpret dreams.  They said: They are confused dreams; nor are we skilled in the interpretation of dreams.”

 (Qur’an: Yusuf:-12:43-4)

He considered the dream to be so important that he searched the land for someone to interpret it. No one could do so. Eventually Joseph himself had to be approached in prison to interpret the dream, which he did:

“For seven consecutive years shall you sow.  But leave your entire harvest of wheat (or corn) in the ear (the better to preserve it) except a little which you may consume (i.e., consume the minimum amount of food for those seven years). 

Then there will follow seven years of drought (and thus hardship) which will force you to consume all but a little of the food which you stored.

Then there will come a year of abundant rain in which people will press the grape.”

(Qur’an: Yusuf:-12: 47-49)

   

Using the symbolism of fat and lean cows, and ears of corn which were full and bare, the dream prophesied that seven continuous years of drought would follow seven continuous years of  harvest - something which experts in climatology may wish to reflect over before concluding on the nature of contemporary climatic changes.  The correct interpretation of the dream permitted the Egyptian ruler to take appropriate action which averted a national and, even, regional disaster.  Joseph sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam was placed in charge of all food supplies of Egypt.  For seven years he diligently stored the grain.  Then, exactly as the dream had indicated, seven years of drought  followed.  This, in turn, was followed by a year of abundant rainfall and bumper harvests.  And so the dream came true.  By acting in a manner appropriate to the interpretation of the dream the King of Egypt saved his people and the entire region from disaster.

In this modern age of stupendous scientific progress, however, it would be considered by some to be ridiculous for affairs of State to be so dramatically influenced by dreams.

Yet the significance of this event, narrated by no less an authority than the Book of Allah Most High itself, is that dreams can transcend the personal affairs of the individual dreamer to prophesy future events and convey information of strategic national importance affecting an entire country or region.  Also there is the important recognition that there are some dreams which can only be interpreted by those so gifted by Allah Most High or by those who diligently pursue the science of the interpretation of dreams within an overall context of the enhancement of piety (taqwa). Such a man was the great psychologist of Islam, Ibn Sireen, whose classical work, Tafseer al-Ahlam, remains the only comprehensive work on the subject by a Muslim theoretician up to this day.

We wish to here enter a reminder to Islamic revolutionary forces struggling around the world to restore Islam as an authentic civilization that such a goal cannot be achieved if one ignores this vitally important and last remaining medium (i.e., dreams) through which Allah  Most High communicates with His servants.

Source: Dreams in Islam by Imran Hosein
To be continued ....