PROPHET YUSUF (AS) –
Part I:
The story of Yusuf AS is a unique
one among the stories of prophets in
the Qur’an. Yusuf AS is the son of
Yaakub AS, grandson of Ishaq AS
and the great-grandson of Ibrahim
AS. The uniqueness of his story is
that it is the only story of a prophet
that is told in entirety in a single
surah in the Qur’an, Surah Yusuf,
Chapter 12.
This is the most detailed and
fascinating story in the Quran,
involving both human weaknesses
such as jealousy, hatred, pride,
passion, deception, intrigue, cruelty,
and terror as well as noble qualities
such as patience, loyalty, bravery,
nobility, and compassion. We learn
about Yusuf’s AS joys, troubles and
sorrows, and move with him through
the years of his life as he arms
himself with piety and patience, and
in the end emerges victorious.
Yusuf AS is revered for his noble
character and outstanding beauty. As
stated by Prophet Muhammad SAW,
“Yusuf and his mother were given
half of all the beauty in the
world.” (Tabari)
Narrated in Sahih Bukhari, when
asked who is the most honourable in
Allah’s sight, Prophet Muhammad
SAW said, “…Yusuf, Allah’s Prophet,
the son of Allah’s Prophet, the son of
Allah’s Prophet, the son of Allah’s
Khalil (i.e. Ibrahim).”
Yusuf AS was young boy, handsome,
happy and very much loved by his
father. He lived in the house with his
younger brother Binyamin and 10
older half-brothers. Qur’anic
accounts make it clear that Yusuf AS
excelled his brothers as the sun
outshines the stars, as might indeed
be expected since he had been
chosen by Allah for prophethood. It
was his very excellence that gave his
half-brothers cause for envy and
enmity.
It was clear to his brothers that he
was dearer to their father than
themselves. As a prophet, Yaakub AS
naturally recognised the excellence of
Yusuf’s AS character and his
spiritual gifts and hence he cherished
him like a treasure among his other
sons.
YUSUF’S AS VISION
Allah describes the story of Yusuf AS
as “the best of stories” (Qur’an
12:3). The story of Yusuf AS begins
with a dream, and ends with the
dream’s interpretation.
Yusuf AS relates his dream to his
father.
“O my father, indeed I have seen [in
a dream] eleven stars and the sun
and the moon; I saw them prostrating
to me.” (Qur’an 12:4)
Yaakub AS listened attentively to his
beloved son and his face shone with
joy, for Yusuf AS related a dream that
spoke of the fulfilment of a prophecy.
Yaakub AS immediately grasped the
meaning of his son’s vision – that
Yusuf AS would be the one to carry
the ‘Light of Allah’s house”. However
as quickly as the joy had sprung into
Yaakub’s AS face, it vanished, and he
cautioned the innocent lad to keep
what he had seen to himself.
He said, “O my son, do not relate
your vision to your brothers or they
will contrive against you a plan.
Indeed Satan, to man, is a manifest
enemy. (Qur’an 12:5)
These words suggested that Yaakub
AS had had sufficient evidence of his
sons’ enmity towards the young
Yusuf AS to make him concerned that
they might scheme against him. The
ten older brothers were already
jealous of their younger brother. They
recognised their father’s particular
affection for him. Yaakub AS was a
prophet, a man dedicated to
submission to One True God and he
treated his family and his community
with fairness, respect and equitable
love; however his heart was drawn to
the gentle qualities evident in his son
Yusuf AS. Yusuf’s AS younger
brother Binyamin, at this stage of the
story, was too young to be involved
in any of the trickery and deception
brewing.
Yaakub AS informed Yusuf AS the
meaning of what he had seen, clearly
an auspicious future that was in
store for his beloved son.
And thus will your Lord choose you
and teach you the interpretation of
narratives and complete His favour
upon you and upon the family of
Yaakub, as He completed it upon
your fathers before, Abraham and
Isaac. Indeed, your Lord is Knowing
and Wise.” (Qur’an 12:6)
These words would serve as a
reminder to Yusuf AS that no matter
what difficulties he might face, all
things are in the hands of the All-
Knowing, All-Wise Lord, who is
indeed the Best of Planners. Yusuf’s
AS story inspires us with a feeling
for the depth of Allah’s power and
supremacy and the execution of His
rulings despite the challenge of
human intervention .
Yusuf AS heeded his father’s
warning. He did not tell his brothers
what he had seen. It is well known
that they hated him so much that it
was difficult for him to feel secure
telling them what was in his heart
and in his dreams.
YUSUF AS AND HIS BROTHERS
The brothers of Yusuf AS did not like
that he should become the only
centre of their paternal love. The
jealousy the brothers felt toward
Yusuf AS blinded their hearts,
disoriented their thinking and made
small things seem insurmountable,
large things seeming insignificant.
They decided to get rid of him. One
of them suggested that he should be
put to death but the others did not
agree with him because it was a
terrible thing. Then another brother
proposed to throw him into a pit. All
of them unanimously voted in favour
of this scheme.
“Kill Yusuf or cast him out to
[another] land; the countenance of
your father will [then] be only for you,
and you will be after that a righteous
people.” (Qur’an 12:1)
But one among the ten brothers was
of a better nature. He suggested, “Do
not kill Yusuf but throw him into the
bottom of the well; some travellers
will pick him up – if you would do
[something].” (Qur’an 12:10)
The other nine brothers agreed to
this plan and laid the plot. They
believed, in their blindness, that the
absence of Yusuf AS would remove
him from their father’s thoughts.
They approached Yaakub AS with a
plan to take Yusuf AS into the desert
with them, on the pretext of letting
him play and enjoy himself. Fear
leapt into Yaakub’s AS heart. He
suspected treachery and expressed
his fear that a wolf would take Yusuf
AS. Yaakub AS attempted to protect
the son whom he loved so dearly.
He said, “Indeed, it saddens me that
you should take him, and I fear that a
wolf would eat him while you are of
him unaware.” (Qur’an 12:13)
The brothers protested falsely, “If a
wolf should eat him while we are a
[strong] clan, indeed, we would then
be losers.” (Qur’an 12:14)
Yaakub AS was powerless to protect
his beloved son indefinitely from his
brothers’ evil – or indeed from
anything else with which his Lord
might see fit to test him.
At the same time, Yusuf’s AS vision
had made it clear that a very special
future lay ahead of him. Because of
this Yaakub AS possessed the
assurance that no matter what
troubles might befall Yusuf AS during
his life, he would reach the exalted
rank that had been promised through
his vision. The final outcome,
arranged by his Lord, would be for
the best. Even though separation and
sorrow would now come upon him
and his beloved Yusuf, nothing could
destroy Yaakub’s AS certainty and
trust in Allah’s wisdom and mercy.
And he surrendered himself inwardly
to whatever the All-Wise Lord might
decree.
Shaytan works in subtle and deceitful
ways, and with his words, Yaakub AS
unwittingly supplied his sons with
the perfect reason for Yusuf’s AS
disappearance. The brothers
immediately knew they would blame
Yusuf’s AS disappearance on a wolf,
and this became part of their
dastardly plan. Eventually Yaakub AS
agreed and the treacherous brothers
took the unsuspecting Yusuf on their
journey into the desert.
As soon as they departed and went
to a distance, they started swearing
and abusing him. They humiliated
him and threatened him. Then they
agreed to throw him into the depth of
a well. The brothers felt secure in
their plan that a traveller would find
Yusuf AS and sell him into slavery.
As Yusuf AS called out in terror, the
brothers took a small goat or sheep
from their flock, slaughtered it and
wiped the blood over one of Yusuf’s
AS garments. Completely consumed
by their jealousy, the brothers took
an oath to keep their foul deed secret
and walked away pleased with
themselves.
CRYING IS NOT EVIDENCE OF THE
TRUTH
And they came to their father at
night, weeping false tears. It was
dark, and Yaakub AS was sitting in
his house anxiously awaiting the
return of Yusuf AS. The sound of ten
men crying confirmed his deepest
fear. The darkness of the night was
matched only by the darkness in
their hearts. The lies rolled easily
from their tongues and Yaakub’s AS
heart constricted in fear.
“O father, they cried, “indeed, we
went racing and left Yusuf with our
things, and a wolf devoured him.”
Then observing Yaakub’s AS
disbelief, they added: “But you would
not believe us even if were truthful!”
And to convince that they were not
lying , they produced his shirt with
false blood upon it. (Qur’an
12:16-18)
We can only imagine Yaakub’s AS
feelings at that point: his terrible
anxiety over Yusuf’s AS unknown fate
– had his brothers then killed him, so
that this blood was really his? – and
at the same time, his horror at the
naked evil that he saw so clearly
within his sons. And although he was
their father and a prophet, he had no
power to deal with them. There were
ten of them, acting as a body in their
wickedness, entirely out of his
control, impelled by the worst of all
ill feelings, envy.
Yaakub AS had already understood
and accepted that some calamity
would befall his beloved son. He
knew his sons were lying. It is said
that they forgot to tear the clothes,
and it is said that the forgetfulness
never lets a lie prosper. The signs of
suspicion arose and so they could
not convince their father about their
claim, but what were his options? At
the same time, there was Yusuf’s AS
vision like a bright beacon of hope,
assuring him that his dearest son
would live to see a distinguished
future.
Yaakub’s AS trust in Allah did not
waver. “Rather, your souls have
enticed you to something,” the noble
prophet said to his sons,
surrendering his will and purpose to
his Lord, “so patience is most fitting
And Allah is the one sought for help
against that which you
describe.” (Qur’an 12:18)
"Skin k liye Wazoo ka Paani."