waking life, nor does the Quran say that he told them what provisions they would receive while awake. How, then, could he make the unrestricted statement:

“No food will come to you as your provision”?

Only Allah can provide such comprehensive information. The prophets relate some such matters, but not all of them. Moreover, describing food and its quantity is not its interpretation. Furthermore, Allah only stated that He had taught him the interpretation of dreams. Jacob, peace be upon him, said:

“Thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of dreams.”

Joseph, peace be upon him, said:

“My Lord, You have granted me a share of sovereignty and taught me the interpretation of dreams.”

He also said:

“This is the fulfillment of my earlier dream.”

When the king had his dream, the man who remembered after some time said to him:

“I will tell you its interpretation, so send me.”

The king had said:

“O eminent ones, explain my dream to me, if you can interpret dreams.”

“They said, ‘A confused jumble of dreams, and we have no knowledge of the interpretation of dreams.’”

Here the word ta’wīl occurs in several places, always with the same meaning.

Allah Most High also said:

“If you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and best in outcome.”

Mujāhid and Qatādah explained this as “recompense and reward.” Al-Suddī, Ibn Zayd, Ibn Qutaybah, and al-Zajjāj explained it as “the eventual outcome.” Another explanation reported from Ibn Zayd is “confirmation,” as in His words:

“This is the fulfillment of my earlier dream.”

All these explanations are correct and convey the same meaning. This is the interpretation given by