In the winter of 1945, when the Second World War had just ended, I had two dreams within the period of one month. The question of Palestine was coming to a head, and conferences and meetings were constantly being held by the Arab countries, and by the British and their Western allies. The Jews were soliciting support from world Jewry and the Western powers, who were all supporting them without reserve. At this time, things looked as black as they could possibly be. It was during this time that I had the first dream.

As you approach aẓ-Ẓahrān coming from al-Khubar, a wadi descends from the heights of aẓ-Ẓahrān. (Aẓ-Ẓahrān itself means ‘prominence’.) Both sides stand on very high ground, with two twin hillocks on the right known as the ‘Maiden Bosom’. In my first dream there was a table located between these two hillocks where four men were taking their seats: Mr F. A Davies, Manager of Aramco at the time; his deputy, Mr Floyd Ohliger; the Saudi government’s representative at the oil company, Shaikh ‘Alī Sulṭān; and myself, sitting as translator amongst them. There were people gathered all around, who seemed to be company workmen and employees; they were all looking down the valley. Suddenly the wadi was filled with two long lines of chairs, the farthest side ending in a horseshoe-shaped circle. As the scene unfolded, heads of states, presidents, kings and many famous men started to assemble and take their seats – men like Churchill, Roosevelt, Hitler, the Shah of Iran and King Fārūq of Egypt.

When all of the seats were filled, one chair remained empty at the top of the horseshoe circle. Then suddenly all were transfixed by the brilliance of the scene, as His Majesty King ‘Abd al-‘Azīz ibn Sa‘ūd arrived from the open end of the horseshoe. He towered above all with his majestic figure, his resplendent Arab dress of flowing robes studded with gold brocade, and a golden head-dress. He was a truly magnificent sight. As he proceeded towards the top of the horseshoe, everyone remained immobile, overcome by a feeling of honour and esteem. Finally, the King reached the empty chair, where he turned and faced the assembled company before sitting down himself. Then all resumed their seats, and a feeling permeated the assembly that this was the most powerful monarch and the greatest personality of the age. It seems that this prophetic dream is being realized today. Its truth can be judged by the great power accorded to the Saudi dynasty.

In Islam, the whole world is a mosque and there is no priesthood. Anyone can lead the prayers, provided that he can recite some verses from the Qur’ān and believes in all the prophets, including Jesus. When camping or out in the desert, His Majesty used to pray in the open with his followers five times a day without fail. My second dream unfolded with a line of worshippers sitting somewhere in the desert. His Majesty was facing them, sitting at an altar, dressed in his long white robe and a simple white head-dress. This scene remained for a while, then he descended from the altar and advanced towards the line of worshippers, extending his hand in salute to a turbaned shaikh sitting in the middle. The King hauled him to a standing position and everybody watched this turbaned dignitary; it turned out to be the Muftī of Jerusalem. It dawned on all the assembled company that King ‘Abd al-‘Azīz was the great man who would rescue and save Palestine. The dream ended.

Dreams are described as a succession of images, thoughts or emotions passing through the mind in sleep – a means of gaining access to the unconscious mind. Our materialistic, Western friends may not believe in dreams, but we Moslems and Arabs believe and listen. We feel that the unconscious has much to say about the past, present and future. It has been said that ‘the truth shall set you free’. The unconscious mind is truth in the telling!