Tafseer of Joseph · Yusuf · 12:43
And [subsequently] the king said, "Indeed, I have seen [in a dream] seven fat cows being eaten by seven [that were] lean, and seven green spikes [of grain] and others [that were] dry. O eminent ones, explain to me my vision, if you should interpret visions."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the word of Allah, the Exalted: وَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ إِنِّي أَرَى سَبْعَ بَقَرَاتٍ سِمَانٍ يَأْكُلُهُنَّ سَبْعٌ عِجَافٌ وَسَبْعَ سُنْبُلاتٍ خُضْرٍ وَأُخَرَ يَابِسَاتٍ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلأُ أَفْتُونِي فِي رُؤْيَايَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لِلرُّؤْيَا تَعْبُرُونَ (And the King said: I see seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green ears of grain and others dry. O nobles, give me an explanation of my dream if you can interpret dreams.) [12:43]
Abū Jaʿfar said: Allah, the Exalted, means by His word: The King of Egypt said: I see in a dream seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean cattle. [note 17] He said إِنِّي أَرَى (I see) without mentioning that he had seen it in his sleep or elsewhere, because the Arabs among themselves, in their usage of speech, when one of them says: "I see that I am doing such and such," understand that this is a report about seeing it in a sleep — even if the sleep is not mentioned. Allah, the Exalted, therefore conveyed the report in the form that the Arabs are accustomed to use in this matter.
وَسَبْعَ سُنْبُلاتٍ خُضْرٍ — he says: and I see in my dream seven green ears of grain. وَأُخَرَ — he says: and seven others of the ears. يَابِسَاتٍ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلأُ [note 18] — he says: O prominent ones among my men and my companions [note 19]. أَفْتُونِي فِي رُؤْيَايَ — explain it to him. إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لِلرُّؤْيَا — interpreters of it. [note 20]
The interpreters are in agreement with what we have said concerning this.
Mention of who said that:
19330 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: ʿAmr ibn Muḥammad related to us, on the authority of Asbāṭ, on the authority of al-Suddī — who said: "Allah showed the King in his sleep a dream that frightened him; he saw seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green ears of grain and others dry. He gathered the magicians, the soothsayers, the astrologers and the trackers (qāfa), [note 21] and told them the dream. They said: أَضْغَاثُ أَحْلامٍ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَأْوِيلِ الأَحْلامِ بِعَالِمِينَ ." [note 22]
19331 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq — who said: "Then the King al-Rayyān ibn al-Walīd had the dream that he saw, and which frightened him; he knew that it was a true dream, but he did not know its interpretation. He said to the nobles around him of his royal court: إِنِّي أَرَى سَبْعَ بَقَرَاتٍ سِمَانٍ يَأْكُلُهُنَّ سَبْعٌ عِجَافٌ up to His word بِعَالِمِينَ ."
