When do we interpret a dream and when do we take it at face value?

The questioner : Sometimes a report of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is interpreted differently from what the dreamer saw.

The Shaykh : Sometimes.

The questioner : It is interpreted differently from what the dreamer saw, like the story of the cows in the story of Yusuf, which was interpreted as years, and here the shortening was interpreted as shortening, as it is. For example, a person, as a rule, interprets the dream and takes it at face value.

The Shaykh : In any case, the dream is according to the state of the dreamer. And we have mentioned to you that the muezzin, if he sees himself calling the adhan, is interpreted with one interpretation, and is interpreted with another interpretation if another person sees it, according to the state of the dreamer.

The questioner : If he sees a shortening now, we ask Allah for the one who was shortened, do we say this is a shortening?

The Shaykh : It may be, we may say this, and we may say it is another meaning, an example of something else.