The truths shown to the prophets, either directly as visual scenes or through true dreams (ru’ya al-sadiqah), sometimes correspond exactly to the observation and at other times require interpretation. In the first instance where observations correspond to the results, there is no confusion or ambiguity. They are clear to the prophets and also easily understood by their audiences. This is because what the prophet sees is either an exact reflection of the past or present event, or is destined to happen in the near future. An example is the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) direct observation of the physical structure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. He observed it once during the night of Isra in a dream and on another occasion in a state of wakefulness when the disbelievers rejected his claim. When the rejecters asked for the detailed description of Al-Aqsa Mosque to validate their rejection, Allah presented the mosque before the Prophet who described its full details while looking at it directly.
As for those observations that are not meant to be understood literally, they require interpretation and explanation. They are generally shown in the realm of dreams. Some of these scenes are presented in the form of allegory and similes, where the purpose and reference are not literal but metaphorical and allegorical. According to Javed Ahmed Ghamidi, these types of observations imply revelation through manifestation. Hence, they need to be understood in terms of interpretation and allegory rather than literally. Regarding the hadith reports about the signs of the Day of Judgment and tribulations, Javed Ahmed Ghamidi writes:
The events related to the signs of the Day of Judgment and tribulations described in the narratives were not communicated but shown to him (the Prophet), regardless of whether they were in a state of dream or wakefulness. For this reason, the mixture of real events and allegory found in such observations need serious consideration for their explanation. (Monthly Ishraq, Lahore, December 2021)
The Qur’an mentions many instances of such dreams. Some examples are as follows:
In Surah As-Saffat, it is mentioned that Prophet Abraham (PBUH) saw in his dream that he was slaughtering his son, Prophet Ishmael, peace be upon him. The apparent interpretation, of course, was that he must devote his son to the service of the Kaaba for the sake of Allah. However, instead of interpreting the dream, he chose to follow it literally. Prophet Ibrahim’s aimed to leave no shortcoming in following the command and to apply it with utmost perfection. Allah Almighty praised Prophet Abraham's immense spirit of submission and consent, and with utmost love and attention, explained the reality that it was a dream that needed interpretation rather than literal application.
فَلَمَّا٘ اَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهٗ لِلْجَبِيْنِ . وَنَادَيْنٰهُ اَنْ يّٰ٘اِبْرٰهِيْمُ . قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّءْيَا...
Then when both of them submitted and the father laid down his son on his forehead and We called out to him: ‘Abraham! You have made your dream come true,’... (Surah As-Saffat 103-105)
In his dream, Prophet Joseph (PBUH) saw the sun, the moon, and eleven stars prostrating before him. It did not imply that these celestial bodies would bow before him. Rather, it meant that his parents and eleven brothers would bow before him respectfully. It is clear from the Qur’an that when this incident occurred, Prophet Joseph regarded it as the fulfillment of his dream:
فَلَمَّا دَخَلُوْا عَلٰي يُوْسُفَ اٰوٰ٘ي اِلَيْهِ اَبَوَيْهِ وَقَالَ ادْخُلُوْا مِصْرَ اِنْ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ اٰمِنِيْنَ . وَرَفَعَ اَبَوَيْهِ عَلَي الْعَرْشِ وَخَرُّوْا لَهٗ سُجَّدًاﵐ وَقَالَ يٰ٘اَبَتِ هٰذَا تَاْوِيْلُ رُءْيَايَ مِنْ قَبْلُﵟ قَدْ جَعَلَهَا رَبِّيْ حَقًّا....
Then when these people came over to Joseph, he gave his parents a special place near him and said: ‘Stay in Egypt, if God wills, with peace.’ [After reaching his house,] he made his parents sit on the throne and everyone bowed before him in prostration. Joseph said: ‘Father! This is the interpretation of my dream that I saw earlier. My Lord made it a reality.’ (12:99-100)
According to Javed Ahmed Ghamidi, this method is adopted regarding the circumstances and incidents to happen in the future. They appear in the realm of dreams allegorically or metaphorically. The nature of these dreams is such that the events going to unfold in the future appear in the form of examples. It is as if the example takes physical form, appears in the form of an event, or sometimes describes the event in words. In all cases, the relationship between the event and the example is that of a simile. This is the reason why these observations need interpretation rather than literal application.
Among such dreams mentioned in the Qur’an and hadith, some have been interpreted within the Qur’an and hadith themselves, while others have converted into established historical facts. They no longer require interpretation or explanation. However, prophetic dreams that have yet to be fulfilled are, by all means, subject to interpretation. People of knowledge and wisdom can ponder upon them and interpret and explain them.
A prominent example is the dream of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in which he saw himself migrating towards a land with palm trees and observed the tip of his sword breaking and then becoming whole again. The interpretation was that he would go to Yathrib (Medina), where the battle of Uhud would occur. Muslims would first experience defeat and then emerge victorious. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself informed of these interpretations. In Sahih Muslim, there is a narration by Abu Musa Ash‘ari that reads:
عن النبي صلى اللّٰه عليه و سلم قال رأيت في المنام أني أهاجر من مكة إلى أرض بها نخل فذهب وهلي إلى أنها اليمامة أو هجر فإذا هي المدينة يثرب ورأيت في رؤياي هذه أني هززت سيفًا فانقطع صدره فإذا هو ما أصيب من المؤمنين يوم أحد ثم هززته أخرى فعاد أحسن ما كان فإذا هو ما جاء اللّٰه به من الفتح واجتماع المؤمنين ورأيت فيها أيضًا بقرًا واللّٰه خير فإذا هم النفر من المؤمنين يوم أحد وإذا الخير ما جاء اللّٰه به من الخير بعد وثواب الصدق الذي أتانا اللّٰه بعد يوم بدر.
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: In my dream, I saw that I was migrating from Mecca to a land with palm trees. I thought perhaps it was Yamamah or Hajar, but it turned out to be Medina, Yathrib. In this same dream, I shook my sword, and its tip broke off, and that was what befell the believers on the day of Uhud. Then I shook it a second time, and it became as perfect as it was before, and that was the victory that Allah brought, and the believers (after they had scattered) came together again. I also saw cows in this dream, which by Allah, was good too. The cows meant the group of (martyred) believers on the day of Uhud, and the good that came was the goodness and the true reward that Allah brought to us after the day of Badr. (Sahih Muslim No. 2272)
Javed Ahmed Ghamidi’s position on such dreams is that:
Therefore, according to Javed Ahmed Ghamidi, the traditions reported about the Second Coming of Jesus, the appearance of the Dajjal, the emergence of Gog and Magog, and the great wars and tribulations of the last era are description of the truthful dreams of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). They are based on allegorical and metaphorical style. They should be interpreted, and if an interpretation cannot be understood, the authenticity of the narrative should be accepted while suspension of judgment about their meaning is advised.
He writes:
... The tribulations, wars, and signs of the Day of Judgment described in the narratives should be viewed from this perspective. Where the interpretation is not clear, the matter should be entrusted to Allah because such things usually become clear only after their actual occurrence, and the intended purpose is that they become clear at their appointed time. (Monthly Ishraq, Lahore)