Prophet Daniel is one of Allah’s Prophets. He is not mentioned in the Qur’an, but we can read of him in the Hadeeth and the Islamic tradition. We can find His full story in the Tawrat.
Nebuchadnezzar had one more dream, which Daniel also interpreted. Many years had passed since the first dream, when he was still asserting himself as king. This second dream occurred when his great projects had already been realized, and his power was at its height. Babylon was the most powerful empire on Earth, but no power can compare to the power and authority of Allah.
So, this was the king’s dream: “The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.” – Daniel 4:10-12. This great beautiful tree of the dream would be cut down with the order of a heavenly being and its fruits would be scattered, the birds and animals that took shelter in it were chased away and its trunk and roots left in the earth tied with iron and bronze chains : “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion of it be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.” – Daniel 4:13-15.
The king, recognizing that the blessing of Allah was upon Daniel, asked him again to interpret the dream. And the prophet, now more experienced, received the revelation of the dream, which shocked him, but he told the king everything: “The tree you saw, […] it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong . Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’ this is the interpretation, O king: It is a That you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.” – Daniel 4:20-27.
Because of his arrogance, Nebuchadnezzar would be driven out from among men and make his home with the beasts of the field, he would eat with the oxen of the grass of the earth, until seven times (seven years) had passed, and he recognized that Allah has dominion over the kingdom of men and give it to whomever He wants. During this period, the kingdom would be preserved and the king could take it back if he changed his heart. The prophet Daniel advised him to repent of his sins humbly so that perhaps Allah would have mercy on him and prolong his prosperity (verse 27).
Twelve months later, however, as he was walking through the palace boasting about the great Babylon he had built, Allah carried out the sentence he had announced in the dream, and Nebuchadnezzar began to behave like a wild animal. After seven years he came to his understanding and was re-established in the kingdom of Babylon, as Daniel had said, and recognized the power and authority of Allah as ruler of the universe (verses 36-37).
- The importance worshiping Allah, and not idols.
- Allah is in control and the importance of submission to His well.
- Allah speaks to us through dreams.
