analogies, by offering an approximation, by referring to what they share with other things, or by other means. This third sense and established usage is that of the language in which the Quran was revealed. We have already explained this.

Examples include Jacob’s words to Joseph, peace be upon him:

“Thus will your Lord choose you, teach you the interpretation of dreams, and perfect His favour upon you.”

And His words:

“Two young men entered the prison with him. One of them said, ‘I saw myself pressing wine.’ The other said, ‘I saw myself carrying bread on my head, from which birds were eating. Tell us its interpretation, for we see that you are among those who do good.’”

“He said, ‘No food provided for you will come to you without my telling you its interpretation before it comes to you.’”

And the words of the chiefs:

“Confused dreams! We have no knowledge of the interpretation of dreams.”

“The one of the two who had been saved, remembering after a time, said, ‘I will tell you its interpretation, so send me.’”

And Joseph’s words when his family came to him in Egypt:

“He took his parents into his embrace and said, ‘Enter Egypt, Allah willing, in safety.’”

“He raised his parents onto the throne, and they fell down before him in prostration. He said, ‘My father, this is the fulfilment of my earlier dream. My Lord has made it come true.’”

Thus, the ta’wīl of dreams seen in sleep is the very reality they signify and in which they find their fulfilment, as Joseph said:

“This is the fulfilment of my earlier dream.”

The one who knows their ta’wīl is the one who tells of that reality. As Joseph said:

“No food provided for you will come to you”—meaning in a dream—“without my telling you its interpretation before it comes to you”—meaning before its fulfilment comes to you.