New Page 1

In the Name of Allah (SWT), the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. Peace and blessings be upon our master, the most noble Prophet Muhammad (SAWS[1]). We praise Allah (SWT), thank Him, seek His help, guidance and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah (SWT) from the evil in our souls and the sinfulness of our deeds, "He whom Allah guides, he is the rightly-guided; but he whom He sends astray, for him you will find no guiding advocate.”

Today, we shall talk about the story of Prophet Yusuf (AS), as related in the Holy Qur’an. However, we should all keep in mind that every word in the Qur’an is meant for us and that the Qur’an is but the cure of our hearts. If you read Surat Yusuf, you will surely find one of the problems you are facing lying there between its lines. Hence, we have to read this Surah with the intention that it is a cure for our souls. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And We are sending down, of the Qur’an, that which is a cure and a mercy to the believers.” (TMQ, 17:82)[2]. Thus, the Qur’an cures one from his worries, vanity, and hardheartedness.

The word 'cure' was mentioned only twice in the Holy Qur’an; when talking about honey and when talking about the Qur’an. Honey cures body's diseases whereas the Qur’an cures heart's diseases. Thus, it should be clear for all of us that we will not find the cure of our hearts anywhere else except in the Qur’an. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “… And We have been sending down on you the Book as an evident (exposition) of everything, and as a guidance, and a mercy, and as good tidings to Muslims (i.e., those who surrender to Allah).” (TMQ, 16:89). I once visited a man and talked to him about some problems I was facing at that time. When I asked him for a solution, he just stretched his arm, got the Holy Qur’an, and went on skimming through its Ayahs. Then he stopped at a particular Ayah and said, “I think the solution of your problem lies in this Ayah.” Surat Yusuf is definitely one of the best heart-curing Surahs in the Qur'an.

Surat Yusuf was revealed in Makkah, and before it was Surat Hud. It was revealed in ‘the year of sadness’ after the death of Abu-Taleb (RA) and Lady Khadijah and after the Prophet (SAWS) had been exposed to severe harm and conspiracies. It was sent to him as a consoling message; for, like him, Yusuf (AS) had been wronged by his family members, driven away from his country, and eventually blessed by victory from Allah (SWT). Thus, this Surah was revealed to comfort the Prophet (SAWS) and all the believers facing any calamities until the Day of Judgment. Surat Yusuf relieves anyone who is sad. It is really the Surah of the sad and miserable, the lonely, and the wronged ones. It is said that Omar Ibnul-Khattab (RA), out of his great interaction with this particular Surah, used to cry whenever he read it.

Today we shall discuss five Ayahs only, but let us agree together that we shall memorize the whole Surah, so that by the time we finish discussing the story, we will have finished memorizing the Surah and applied all what is mentioned in it. Omar Ibnul-Khattab (RA) spent three years memorizing Surat al-Baqara and in some narrations a whole year. The reason behind this is that he never moved on from one Ayah to the next unless he applied all the teachings given in the first one. Thus, he learnt and applied. Let us agree then on applying what we learn and memorize.

Despite all the afflictions mentioned in Surat Yusuf, it provides relief and content to those who read it and despite knowing how it ends, we never feel bored reading it over and over. Normally, if we watch a movie more than once, we get bored. However, the case differs with Surat Yusuf which we read hundreds of times and never feel bored. This is one of the miracles of the Holy Qur’an. Repetition in songs, movies, and books cause boredom, but the Qur’an does not.

In Surat Yusuf, many incidents do not accord with logic as we, human beings, perceive it. The strong fatherly love that Yusuf (AS) enjoyed caused his brothers’ extreme hatred. He was thrown into the well, which we would consider a bad turn of events. However, this led to his being taken to Egypt. There he was imprisoned; yet, that which we consider a disaster caused him to hold a high position in Egypt. Thus, we have to learn to trust in Allah (SWT). This special meaning will be stressed on as we proceed in the story.

Later on, we will tackle all the afflictions with which he was stricken in detail, but for now, let us compare between these afflictions and the ones you have faced all through your life. If you were put in the same situation as Prophet Yusuf (AS), you would probably collapse, and might not be able to go on with your life. If you had to face the ordeals he faced, you might be filled with a great desire for vengeance, and even if you were able to go on with your life, you would still suffer from psychological disturbances. Any one of us might be put in the same situation as Yusuf (AS), but how far can we stand it?

Listen to this Hadith; it is narrated on the authority of Hudhaifa, “We were sitting in the company of Omar and he said, "Who amongst you has heard the Messenger of Allah talking about the turmoil?" Some people said, "It is we who heard it." Upon this he remarked, "Perhaps by turmoil you presume the unrest of man in regard to his household or neighbor." They replied, "Yes." He (Omar) observed, "Such (an unrest) would be done away with by prayer, fasting and charity. Who amongst you has heard the Apostle (SAWS) describing that turmoil which would come like the wave of the ocean?" Hudhaifa said, "The people hushed into silence. I replied, 'It is I.'" He (Omar) said, "Ye, well, your father was also very pious." Hudhaifa said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah observing, 'Temptations will be presented to men's hearts as reed mats are woven stick by stick and any heart which is impregnated by them will have a black mark put into it, but any heart which rejects them will have a white mark put in it. The result is that there will be two types of hearts: one white like a white stone which will not be harmed by any turmoil or temptation, so long as the heavens and the earth endure; and the other black and dust-colored like a vessel which is upset, not recognizing what is good or rejecting what is abominable, but being saturated with lust.'" Hudhaifa said, "I narrated to him (Omar), 'There is between you and that (turmoil) a closed door, but there is every likelihood of its being broken.'" Omar said, "Would it be broken? May you be rendered fatherless! Had it been opened, it would have been perhaps closed." I said, "No, it would be broken," and I narrated to him, "Verily that door implies a person who would be killed or die. There is no mistake in this Hadith.” (Sahih Muslim, Book 1, 2067).

This brings us to the importance of patience as manifested in Prophet Yusuf’s story. Actually, there are three kinds of patience:

Prophet Yusuf (AS) practiced the three kinds of patience. He was patient in the face of seduction. He was patient in Allah's obedience when he was given money and spent it for the sake of Allah (SWT) and when he forgave his brothers. He was also patient during all the hardships and afflictions he had been through.

Now we come to the question: which kind of patience do you think was preferable to Allah (SWT)? Is it Yusuf’s patience in prison or his patience against the seduction of the Aziz's wife? In other words, which do you think is more preferable to Allah (SWT); patience during afflictions or patience in the face of sins? Actually, patience against sins is better as it is optional. When it comes to afflictions, you are helpless. You can never prevent an ordeal from striking you, thus, you have no other choice but to be patient, whereas in the case of sins, you make the choice yourself; whether to commit them or not. Hence, patience in the face of sins is more preferable to Allah (SWT).

Again, was it Yusuf’s patience in prison or his patience in the well that was more preferable to Allah (SWT)? It is his patience in prison that was more preferable to Allah (SWT) as he said, "He said, “Lord! Prison is more beloved to me than what they call me to.”(TMQ, 12:33). It was he who chose to be put in prison, whereas, being thrown in the well was never his choice.

Another question to pose: was it his patience against seduction or his patience in obedience after he had been given great wealth that was more preferable to Allah (SWT)? In other words, which is better: patience in the face of sins or patience in Allah's obedience? Some scholars believe that patience in the face of sins is far more preferable to Allah (SWT) because resisting your inner self and desires is very arduous, whereas patience in obedience is much easier since the love of worship is instinctive in man and gives him pleasure every time he performs it.

On the other hand, a minority of scholars believes that patience in obedience is more preferable to Allah (SWT). The comparison they draw is between two persons, one who always worships Allah (SWT) patiently, but at the same time commits all kinds of sins, and another who neither worships Allah (SWT) nor commits sins. Certainly, the former is better than the latter, as he has performed the role for which he has been created, whereas he, who neither worships Allah (SWT) nor commits sins, has never known the purpose of his existence. Another example is of a person who worships Allah (SWT) and commits sins equally. In this very case, Allah’s mercy dominates His anger. Allah (SWT) says in a Qudsi Hadith, “My Mercy dominates My Anger.” Therefore, patience in Allah's obedience is more preferable to Allah (SWT) than patience in the face of sins.

Hence, moving from the better to the good, the three kinds of patience will be arranged as follows:

Moreover, patience is one way of worshipping Allah (SWT). In times of welfare, one worships Allah (SWT) by thanking Him for His grants, whereas in times of afflictions, one worships Him by being patient. Those who are not patient during hardships do not know the wisdom that Allah (SWT) hides deep in the ordeals they are in. As a matter of fact, we worship Allah (SWT) best in times of afflictions. It is the time when one feels very close to Allah (SWT), and tastes the sweetness of worship, which rarely happens in times of welfare. Thus, Yusuf’s story teaches us that the best way to worship Allah (SWT) in times of afflictions is to be patient and to raise your hands and heart up to Him, asking Him for relief.

Now, let us move on to Surat Yusuf in the Qur’an. At the very beginning of the Surah, you will read, “Alif-Lam-Ra.”(TMQ, 12:1) Those letters have been mentioned in many other Surahs. It is as if Allah (SWT) is telling us these are the letters of your language, a language out of which the Qur’an has shone as a miracle until the Day of Judgment.

Listen to this story to feel how miraculous the Qur’an is. In one of America’s greatest universities, a Muslim student got amazed at the huge number of laws of inheritance books his Professor possessed. The student said, "I am amazed! In the Qur’an the laws of inheritance are summarized in only three Ayahs, whereas your laws need this great number of enormous books!" The Professor was greatly surprised and asked the student for a translation of those Ayahs. He took the translation and returned after a week asking the student about the procedures of embracing Islam. Thus, the Qur’an is an everlasting miracle.

Now let us go back to the Ayahs. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Those are the ayat (Verses, signs) of the Evident Book” (TMQ, 12:1) By ‘Evident Book,’ Allah (SWT) means ‘miraculous.’ However, in what way is the Holy Qur’an miraculous and how is it the miracle of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS)?

2. Scientific inimitability: the newly set down scientific theories have been mentioned in the Qur’an 1400 years ago.

3. Objective inimitability: whoever follows the teachings of the Qur’an is granted honor and leadership in life. A clear proof for this can be detected in:

· The way the Prophet's companions differed before and after Islam. They used to worship idols. In their journeys, they used to leave their idols behind so that they would not be heavy to carry and they used to fetch some other rocks to make other idols to carry along with them and then throw away as soon as they go back home. Omar Ibnul-Khattab (RA) used to worship an idol made out of dates so that whenever he became hungry he ate it. Those companions, who used to bury newborn girls alive before Islam, became the leaders of the whole world after embracing Islam.

· Again, we ourselves represent a good example for such inimitability. Those of us who are controlled by sins, and pulled away from the path of Allah (SWT) change completely the minute they repent to Allah (SWT) and return back to the teachings of the Qur’an. It is as if they become completely different persons.

Musa’s (AS) (Moses) miracle lied in his stick, while Isa’s (AS) (Jesus) was in bringing back life to the dead ones upon Allah’s will. Nevertheless, however great those miracles were, they died the minute those Prophets breathed their last. The miracle of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS), the last of all Prophets, on the other hand, remains until the Day of Judgment so long as we apply all the teachings of the Qur’an. We have to fear Allah (SWT), so that we become true representatives of the Qur’an and a good proof of its inimitability. The only way to achieve this is to become successful persons and good role models for whoever meets us.

· In the following Ayah, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Surely We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an, that possibly you would consider.” (TMQ, 12:2). Arabic is the language spoken by people in paradise, by Adam (AS), and by the angels too.

Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “We, Ever We, narrate to you the fairest of narratives in that We have revealed to you this Qur’an.” (TMQ, 12:3).

This Ayah was revealed when some of the companions asked Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) to tell them some stories. Allah (SWT) then revealed what can be translated as, “We relate unto you (Muhammad) the best of stories through Our Revelations unto you, of this Qur’an.” (TMQ, 12:3). We learn from this that using stories is a very important technique in teaching people and in Da’wa (inviting others to Islam) work in general. We have to invite people to Islam in a nice way, a way that they would like.

This was the first Surah in the Holy Qur’an that relates a complete story. Other stories are cut down into episodes each of which is related in a separate group of Ayahs. These different ways of relating stories are meant to teach us more.

In one of the greatest Arab Universities, a professor of literature and fiction mentioned that he had studied fiction for 30 years; yet, upon reading the Holy Qur’an thoroughly, he was amazed to find in it all the fruits of his 30-year studies. In the Qur’an, he found short stories like the one of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) (Abraham) when about to slaughter his son. The short story also shows in the highly sophisticated dialogue between Musa (AS) and the Pharaoh. He also found in the Qur’an dramatic monologues like the one in which Ibrahim (AS) talks to himself. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Then, as soon as he (Ibrahim) saw the moon emerging, he said, “This is my Lord.”” (TMQ, 6:77). He went through with his observation until he reached the story of Prophet Yusuf (AS); which has all the elements of a complete story.

Now, why do you think Allah (SWT) has described Prophet Yusuf’s story as “fairest of narratives” (TMQ, 12:3)? Well, this is because:

1. It includes many lessons and pieces of wisdom that benefit all Muslims, in this life and in the hereafter. It is the greatest of all stories. In it, you can read about economics, trade, the science of Ro’yah (vision) interpretation, management, planning, psychoanalysis, as well as values and ethics.

2. It is the only story with a happy ending for all the characters involved. Prophet Yusuf (AS) was very happy at the end; Prophet Yaqub (AS) (Jacob) finally reunited with Yusuf (AS), restored his eyesight, and enjoyed the reconciliation between his sons, the Aziz’s wife confessed to her mistake, the king became happy after his country had been saved, and Yusuf’s brothers reconciled with him. Thus, the story ended up with everyone being happy.

In the following Ayah, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “We, Ever We, narrate to you the fairest of narratives in that We have revealed to you this Qur’an, and decidedly before it you were indeed one of the heedless.” (TMQ, 12:3). This was the first time Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) learned about that story. Were it not for the revelation, Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) would have never known anything about it.

Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “As Yu‍suf said to his father, “O my father, surely I saw (i.e., in a dream) eleven planets and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me.”” (TMQ, 12:4). The story started by relating a vision and ended when that vision came true. Then, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And he said, “O my father, this is the interpretation of my vision earlier; my Lord has already made it true;” (TMQ, 12:100). This of course is meant to attract the reader’s attention.

The name Yusuf is an Arabic one, derived from the Arabic word Asaf (apology). This signifies how Yusuf (AS) used to repent and apologize to Allah (SWT) a lot. Yusuf (SAWS) is the son of Yaqub (AS), son of Ishaq (AS) (Isaac), son of Ibrahim (AS). Hence, he, his father, and his grandfather are all Prophets. Even his great grandfather was the one whom Allah (SWT) has taken for a friend. However, despite that, he was stricken by many afflictions. When Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) was once asked about the best of people he said that he is the one who fears Allah (SWT) most. When the companions said that they were not asking about that, he said, “It is Yusuf, the Prophet of Allah, son of the Prophet of Allah, son of the Prophet of Allah, son of the friend of Allah." (The complete version of this Hadith is in Sahih Muslim, Book 030, Number 5862).

Once, Omar Ibnul-Khattab (RA) passed by a man telling his friend, “Do you know who my father is? I am the son of so and so…etc” and he went on telling his full lineage. The names he mentioned were either those of hypocrites or disbelievers, yet, rich people. “Do you know Yusuf?” asked Omar (RA). “Yes,” answered the man. “Do you know who his father is?” asked Omar (RA), “He is a Prophet, son of a Prophet, son of a Prophet, and you are an evil man, and so are your ancestors, and in the Day of Judgment, you will all be dipped deep in hell.”

Yaqub (AS) had eleven sons together with Yusuf (AS) and Benyamin (Benjamin) who were from a different mother. “… and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me.” (TMQ, 12:4) The Qur’anic expression ‘The Moon’ refers to the mother whereas ‘The Sun’ represents the father who gives knowledge. The sun gives out bright light and represents strength and knowledge, whereas the moon, with its tender light beams, fits the mother who is the source of compassion.

“He said, “O my son, do not narrate your vision to your brothers” (TMQ, 12:5). We know from this Ayah that Yaqub (AS) was an expert in vision interpretation. He inherited this God-given gift from his grandfather Ibrahim (AS). Despite knowing the interpretation of that vision, Yaqub (AS) did not tell his son about it. He wanted him to face his fate without being dependant on anyone or anything and without waiting for what was to come. Actually, this is the wisdom of Allah (SWT) that He grants a very few number of people the gift of vision interpretation so that we would not be dependant on the visions we see and stop working to achieve what we want.

Vision interpretation was acknowledged in the days of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). He himself used to interpret visions and dreams. Of the companions, Abu-Bakr (RA) was the one who did that the most. Khaled Ibnul-Walid once had a vision. He saw himself moving from a very narrow land to a much wider one. Abu-Bakr (RA) interpreted this as Khaled’s conversion from disbelief to Islam. Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) himself had many visions, one of which was about the battle of Uhud. He saw cows slaughtered, his sword’s blade partly broken, and his hands in an impervious armor. He interpreted this as follows: his companions would be killed and one of his family members would be martyred, whereas the impervious armor stood for al-Madinah. This is one of Prophet Muhammad’s famous visions.

Ibn-Sireen is considered the most popular Muslim Scholar in the field of dream interpretations. One day, a man came to him seeking an interpretation for a vision where he had seen himself saying the Adhan (call for prayer). Ibn-Sireen, knowing that this man was a devoted Muslim, interpreted the vision saying that this man would perform Hajj (pilgrimage). However, when a sinner related to him the same vision, Ibn-Sireen interpreted it saying that this man would be publicly shamed. He derived the two interpretations from the Holy Qur’an. In the first one, he depended on the Ayah in which Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And announce to mankind the Pilgrimage;” (TMQ, 22:27), whereas in the second, he depended on the one in which Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Thereafter a crier announced, (Literally: an announcer announced) “O you (of) the caravan, surely you are indeed thieves!" (TMQ, 12:70). As we can see, the science of vision interpretation is based on the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah, and requires quick-wittedness and sharp intelligence.

“He said, “O my son, do not narrate your vision to your brothers” (TMQ, 12:5). We should note here that there is a difference in Arabic between Ro’yah (vision of the eyes when one is awake) and Ro’ya (vision of the mind or the mental images one sees when one is asleep). Hence, according to this Ayah, you can hide some of the graces that Allah (SWT) blesses you with if you are afraid of being envied. However Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And as for your Lord’s favor, then discourse about it! (i.e., proclaim it).” (TMQ, 93:11). Normally, you are supposed to tell about those graces, but not in detail so that your enemies would not envy you. Thus, everyone can have a vision; whether they are believers or disbelievers (like Khaled’s vision before embracing Islam), young or old.

The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said, "Nothing is left of the prophethood except al-Mubashirat." They asked, "What are al-Mubashirat?" He replied, "The true good dreams (that conveys glad tidings). (Narrated by Abu-Huraira in Sahih Bukhari Volume 9, Book 87, Number 119). He also said, "A good vision (that comes true) of a righteous man is one of forty-six parts of prophethood." (Narrated by Anas Ibn-Malik in Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 87, Number 112). The 23 years of Mohammad's prophethood were preceded by a period of six months of true visions. If we divide six months by 23 years, we will find out that they constitute one part of 46 parts. In other words, the period of these six months of true visions constituted an integral part of the forty-six parts of prophethood. In another Hadith, the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said, “The good vision is one part of the 70 parts of prophethood.” (Narrated on the authority of Nafi' in Sahih Muslim, Book 029, Number 5634). The more pious you become, the more parts of prophethood you acquire.

We should not refuse to acknowledge good visions, as they come true, however, we should never set up a legitimate rule based on the visions we have. Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) saw that his hands were in an impervious armor and interpreted this as a symbol that he should remain in al-Madinah. However, he had to give the upper hand to consultation, being a legitimate rule. He consulted his companions and, following their opinion, went out of al-Madinah. He gave consultation the priority over vision, since no legitimate rule can be set up on the latter.

There was a very famous incident in 1978 in which a group of young men occupied the Holy Haram in Makkah. As a result, prayers were stopped in the Haram and eventually police forces had to kill these men. It was later discovered that they all had the same vision where they saw one of them being the expected Mahdi and that they had to occupy the Holy Ka’ba. That is why we say that visions are not a source of legislation.

What do you think is the difference between a vision, a dream, and a Satan's trick? Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) says, "There are three types of dreams: the reflection of one's thoughts and experiences one has during wakefulness, what is suggested by Satan to frighten the dreamer, or glad tidings from Allah (SWT). If someone has a dream which he dislikes, he should not tell it to others, but get up and offer a prayer." (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 87, Number 144). In visions, you might see mind-boggling images; you might for example see yourself falling down and turning into chickens and pigeons; all fantasy. Al-Bukhari said that he used to remain sick for days after having a bad dream until he heard a Hadith narrated by Abu-Qatada in which he said, "I too, used to see a dream which would make me sick until I heard the Prophet (SAWS) saying, "A good dream is from Allah, so if anyone of you saw a dream which he liked, he should not tell it to anybody except to the one whom he loves, and if he saw a dream which he disliked, then he should seek refuge with Allah from its evil and from the evil of Satan, and spit three times (on his left) and should not tell it to anybody, for it will not harm him." (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 87, Number 168).

1. Any Muslim may have a vision; whether he is young or old, a sinner or a devoted practicing person. A vision is more likely to come true as long as it does not contradict any legitimate rule.

2. If you have a good vision, relate it to those whom you love. If, on the other hand, you have a bad dream, you should never relate it to anyone; just spit on your left and turn to the other direction.

3. If you feel that the vision you had needs to be interpreted, search for a devoted Muslim who knows how to interpret dreams and ask him for an interpretation.

One day, a man came to Ibn-Sireen seeking an interpretation for a vision he had. He saw that all his teeth fell out and was told that this was a symbol that all his family members would die soon. Shocked, the man came to Ibn-Sireen seeking another interpretation. Ibn-Sireen interpreted the vision saying that the man would be the last one to die in his family. Hence, vision interpreters can be bearers of good tidings or bringers of bad news.

[1] Sala-llahu Alaihi Wa-Sallam = All Prayers and Peace of Allah be upon him.

[2] TMQ=Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah:Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.

AmrKhaled.net © جميع حقوق النشر محفوظة
This Article may be published and duplicated freely for private purposes, as long as the original source is mentioned. For all other purposes you need to obtain the prior written approval of the website administration. For info: dar_altarjama@amrkhaled.net

· In the following Ayah, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Surely We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an, that possibly you would consider.” (TMQ, 12:2). Arabic is the language spoken by people in paradise, by Adam (AS), and by the angels too.