Allah narrates the reply Ya`qub gave his son Yusuf when he narrated to him
the vision that he saw, which indicated that his brothers would be under his
authority. They would be subjugated to Yusuf's authority to such an extent that
they would prostrate before him in respect, honor and appreciation. Ya`qub
feared that if Yusuf narrated his vision to any of his brothers, they would envy
him and conspire evil plots against him. This is why Ya`qub said to Yusuf,
[لاَ تَقْصُصْ
رُءْيَاكَ عَلَى إِخْوَتِكَ فَيَكِيدُواْ لَكَ كَيْدًا]
(Relate not your vision to your brothers, lest they should arrange a plot
against you.) This Ayah means, "They might arrange a plot against you that
causes your demise.'' In the Sunnah, there is a confirmed Hadith that states,
«إِذَا رَأَى
أَحَدُكُمْ مَا يُحِبُّ فَلْيُحَدِّثْ بِهِ، وَإِذَا رَأَى مَا يَكْرَهُ
فَلْيَتَحَوَّلْ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ الْآخَرِ، وَلْيَتْفُلْ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ ثَلَاثًا،
وَلْيَسْتَعِذْ بِاللهِ مِنْ شَرِّهَا، وَلَا يُحَدِّثْ بِهَا أَحَدًا فَإِنَّهَا
لَنْ تَضُرَّه»
(If any of you saw a vision that he likes, let him narrate it. If he saw a
dream that he dislikes, let him turn on his other side, blow to his left thrice,
seek refuge with Allah from its evil and not tell it to anyone. Verily, it will
not harm him in this case.) In another Hadith that Imam Ahmad and collectors of
the Sunan collected, Mu`awiyah bin Haydah Al-Qushayri said that the Messenger of
Allah said,
«الرُّؤْيَا عَلَى
رِجْلِ طَائِرٍ مَا لَمْ تُعْبَرْ، فَإِذَا عُبِرَتْ وَقَعَت»
(The dream is tied to a bird's leg, as long as it is not interpreted. If it
is interpreted, it comes true.) Therefore, one should hide the prospects or the
coming of a bounty until it comes into existence and becomes known. The Prophet
said,
«اسْتَعِينُوا عَلَى
قَضَاءِ الْحَوَائِجِ بِكِتْمَانِهَا، فَإِنَّ كُلَّ ذِي نِعْمَةٍ مَحْسُود»
(Earn help for fulfilling needs by being discrete, for every owner of a
blessing is envied.)
[وَكَذلِكَ
يَجْتَبِيكَ رَبُّكَ وَيُعَلِّمُكَ مِن تَأْوِيلِ الاٌّحَادِيثِ وَيُتِمُّ
نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى ءالِ يَعْقُوبَ كَمَآ أَتَمَّهَآ عَلَى أَبَوَيْكَ مِن
قَبْلُ إِبْرَهِيمَ وَإِسْحَـقَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ]
(6. "Thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of
dreams (and other things) and perfect His favor on you and on the offspring of
Ya`qub, as He perfected it on your fathers, Ibrahim and Ishaq aforetime! Verily,
your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise.'')