As for the "Prison": it follows the same course as that which our Master—exalted be his glory—manifested such as ophthalmia (al-ramad), the solar eclipse, the lunar eclipse, and similar instances of Cloaking and Testing. As for the "two youths": many interpretations appeared regarding them; among them, that they are the Name and the Gate.
Others said: they are Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, and the crucified one is the Third. [In another manuscript: and Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya. A group said: they are the two Orphans. The people of Reality said: rather, they are Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, and the crucified one is Sajkuq ibn Dafi’—may God curse him].
{And the king said, "Indeed, I see seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green spikes [of grain] and others [that are] dry. O assembly, explain to me my vision, if you should interpret visions"}1.
It was related that the seven fat cows represent the seven essential manifestations. The seven lean ones are the manifestations of the Second; for he must manifest a cycle alongside every Call. His Veil in this Hashemite Cycle was Abu Jahl along with Umar—may God curse them both. Regarding this are the words of the Mighty and Sublime: {And the disbeliever is ever against his Lord a helper}2.
When the Aziz [Meaning] broadcast the Call and manifested it, they disbelieved in it and denied it, saying: {[They are but] muddled dreams, and we are not learned in the interpretation of dreams}3. "Dreams" are a type of falsehood because His saying: {Indeed, I see in a dream}4 means at night, which carries the meaning of secrecy and concealment. It is the Science of the Inward concealed by the Outward. The Quraysh said the same, and they lied.