Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Yusuf -> The Dream of the King of Egypt

The King of Egypt had a dream that Allah the Exalted made a reason for Yusuf's release from prison, with his honor and reputation preserved. When the king had this dream, he was astonished and fearful and sought its interpretation. He gathered the priests, the chiefs of his state and the princes and told them what he had seen in a dream, asking them to interpret it for him. They did not know its interpretation and as an excuse, they said,

﴿أَضْغَـثُ أَحْلَـمٍ﴾

(Mixed up false dreams), which you saw,

﴿وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَأْوِيلِ الاٌّحْلَـمِ بِعَـلِمِينَ﴾

(and we are not skilled in the interpretation of dreams.) They said, had your dream been a vision rather than a mixed up false dream, we would not have known its interpretation. The man who was saved from the two, who were Yusuf's companions in prison, remembered. Shaytan plotted to make him forget the request of Yusuf, to mention his story to the king. Now, years later, he remembered after forgetfulness and said to the king and his entourage,

﴿أَنَاْ أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِتَأْوِيلِهِ﴾

(I will tell you its interpretation,) he interpretation of this dream,

﴿فَأَرْسِلُونِ﴾

(so send me forth.) to the prison, to Yusuf, the man of truth. So they sent him, and he said to Yusuf,

﴿يُوسُفُ أَيُّهَا الصِّدِّيقُ أَفْتِنَا﴾

(O Yusuf, the man of truth! Explain to us..) and mentioned the king's dream to him.