The Islamic world has hardlly seen a true dream interpreter as original and popular as Ibn Sireen (Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Sirin Al-Ansari (33-110H; a.d. 653–728). In this poem, the poet is told that it was the intellectual lethargy which arrested the growth of the domain of dream interpretation.

In my dream came the sire Ibn Sireen
The sun of meaning rose on the terrene

The physician came with the remedy
The merchant came with his goods

How could I miss a chance such?
Gold so near, how could I not touch?

I put forward my honest ignorance
For a moment, I put aside my arrogance

My cup was empty
I was full of noise

My veins charged with curiosity
For old questions seeking new answers

“Why Time gave us not like you any
No child like you born to mother any

Interpret for me my own question
Take pity on my curious condition”

Ibn Sireen replied so
For the dream I saw

“Your world is lost in imitation
Brains wasted in replication

No fresh efforts are put,
Who then will crack the hard nut?

All want the easy way out
Not a sweat to solve their doubt

They carry a book called Quran
Yet their hearts in it have never ran

This is the reason why
From my path did they shy

Therefore go back to sleep, O Jaihoon
Your day and night are equally steep

The old among you are in their youth
They have no time to think of the truth

Men of wisdom, aged and hair gray
Yet from a fresh thought they are stray

No fresh efforts are put,
Who then will crack the hard nut?

All want the easy way out
Not a sweat to solve their doubt

July 10 2010