43–49 “The king said, ‘Indeed, I saw seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green ears of grain and others that were dry. O notables, advise me concerning my dream, if you can interpret dreams.’”

When Allah Most High willed to release Joseph from prison, He showed the king this extraordinary dream, whose interpretation concerned the entire nation. Its interpretation was to come through Joseph, so that his virtue and knowledge would become manifest, thereby elevating him in both this world and the Hereafter. It was also fittingly ordained that the one who saw the dream should be the king, to whom the affairs of his subjects were entrusted, since their welfare was bound up with him.

He had seen a dream that alarmed him, so he assembled his people’s scholars and men of sound judgment and said: “Indeed, I saw seven fat cows being eaten by seven”—that is, seven cows—“that were lean.” This was astonishing: seven lean, emaciated cows whose strength had failed them were devouring seven fat cows that had reached the height of strength.

“And”—I also saw—“seven green ears of grain” being devoured by seven “dry” ears. “O notables, advise me concerning my dream,” for all of it had a single interpretation and one meaning, “if you can interpret dreams.” They were bewildered and could make no sense of it.