How does dream interpretation distinguish itself from fortune telling?

Sources

• ✓ 12:36 · Yusuf

  12:36 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  وَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ ٱلسِّجْنَ فَتَيَانِ ۖ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَآ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰنِىٓ أَعْصِرُ خَمْرًۭا ۖ وَقَالَ ٱلْءَاخَرُ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰنِىٓ أَحْمِلُ فَوْقَ رَأْسِى خُبْزًۭا تَأْكُلُ ٱلطَّيْرُ مِنْهُ ۖ نَبِّئْنَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِۦٓ ۖ إِنَّا نَرَىٰكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

  And two young men went to prison with him. One of them said: I dreamed that I was pressing wine. The other said: I dreamed that I was carrying upon my head bread whereof the birds were eating. Announce unto us the interpretation, for we see thee of those good (at interpretation).

• ✓ Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 12:36

  Sunni

  Tafsir Ibn Kathir · 12:36

  Qatada said that the two men mentioned were the king’s wine-pourer and his baker. Muhammad ibn Ishaq named the wine-pourer “Nabawa” and the baker “Majlath.” As-Suddi explained that the reason the king imprisoned them was because he suspected they had attempted to poison his food and drink. Joseph (peace be upon him), during his time in prison, was known for his generosity, trustworthiness, truthful speech, good conduct, frequent worship, and kindness toward the prisoners. He visited their sick and fulfilled their rights. When these two young men came to prison, they became close to him and loved him deeply, telling him, “By God, we have grown very fond of you.” Joseph replied, “May God bless both of you. No one has loved me without harm coming from their love. My aunt loved me, and through her, harm came; my father loved me, and through him, I was hurt; the wife of Al-Aziz loved me, and the same occurred.” The two said, “By God, we can only love you.” Then the two men each saw a dream. The wine-pourer saw himself pressing wine—meaning grapes—and according to Abdullah ibn Mas’ud’s recitation, he said, “I see myself pressing grapes.” This reading was also reported by Ibn Abi Hatim, from Ahmad ibn Sinan through multiple chains of narration. Ad-Dahhak explained that when the verse says “I am pressing wine,” it means grapes, since the people of Amman called grapes “wine.” Ikrimah also recounted the dream: he saw that he planted a vine, which grew and produced clusters. He then pressed these and gave the juice to the king, explaining that the wine-pourer spent three days in prison before going to serve the king’s wine. The baker’s dream was that he carried bread on his head from which birds ate, and he asked Joseph to explain the meaning because they regarded Joseph as among the righteous. The commonly accepted interpretation is that both men dreamed these dreams and sought explanation. Ibn Jarir narrated that Ibn Waki‘ and Ibn Humayd told him from Jarir, from ‘Umara ibn Al-Qa‘qa‘, from Ibrahim, from Abdullah, that the two men did not actually see these dreams but only imagined them to test Joseph.

• ✓ Sahih al-Bukhari 91:34

  Sunni SAHIH

  Sahih al-Bukhari · Book 91, Hadith 34 · Narrated by Abu Huraira

  The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "When the time approaches, the believer's dream is seldom false. A believer's dream is part of forty-six parts of prophethood, and what belongs to prophethood cannot be false." Then it was said that dreams are of three kinds: self-talk, frightening from Satan, and glad tidings from Allah. Whoever sees something he dislikes should not relate it to anyone, should get up and pray. He disliked wrestling during sleep and liked the chain, which was said to be firmness in religion. Qatada, Yunus, Hisham and Abu Hilal narrated from Ibn Sirin from Abu Huraira from the Prophet (ﷺ). Some included all in this hadith and the hadith of Auf clarified it. Yunus said, 'I do not think it was except from the Prophet (ﷺ) regarding the chain.' Abu Abdullah said, 'Chains are only around the necks.'"