Yusuf Verse 111 - in their stories there is a lesson for the ûli’l elbâb

Mecca111 VersePage 235

Joseph

Alif-Lâm-Râ. These are the Verses of the explained Book.

Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’ân in order that you may be mindful.

We narrate to you the best of the narratives by Our revealing to you this Qur’ân. And though before this you were certainly one of the ignorant.

Joseph had said to his father: “O my father! Surely, I saw eleven stars and the sun and the moon. I saw them bowing down to me”.

(His father) said: “O my (dear) little son! Do not tell your dream to your brothers! Then (if you relate) they should plot against you. Surely Satan is an open enemy to man.

And thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of sayings (events) and make His Gift complete to you and to the family of Jacob, as He made it complete before to your fathers, Abraham and Isaac. Surely your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise”.

Certainly in Joseph and his brothers there are Verses (lessons) for the inquirers.

When they said: “Certainly Joseph (Yûsuf) and his brother are dearer to our father than we, although we are a group. Most surely our father is clearly making a mistake.

Kill Joseph or throw him out in some place so that your father’s face may be a friend for you (let the affection of your father be exclusively for you). And after that you may become righteous people”.

A speaker from among them said: “Do not kill Joseph. Throw him into the bottom of a well if you must do something. Some of the travelers should pick him up.”

They said: “O our father! Why do you not trust us with Joseph, because most surely we are his sincere well-wishers.

Send him with us tomorrow he may eat well and play. And surely we will guard him well”.

(Their Father) said: “Surely it grieves me that you should take him off, and I fear lest the wolf devour him while you are heedless of him.”

They said: “Surely if the wolf should devour him, while we are a strong group, then surely, we are the losers.”

So when they had gone off with him and agreed that they should put him down at the bottom of the well We revealed to him (Joseph): “You will most certainly inform them of their affair while they do not realize.”

And they came to their father at nightfall weeping.

They said: “O our father! We went off racing and left Joseph by our belongings. Right then the wolf devoured him. You will not believe us though we are truthful.”

And they brought his shirt with false blood upon it. (Their Father) said: “No. Your souls have tempted you to do something. After this (what I need to do) is good patience. Allah is the (only) one to seek for help against that which you describe.”

And there came a caravan (travelers). They sent their water-drawer and he let down his bucket (into the well). He said: “O good news! This is a child (boy).” They concealed him as an article of merchandise. And Allah is All-Knowing of what they do.

And they sold him for a low price, for a few silver coins, because they attached no value to him.

And the one who bought him in Egypt said to his wife: “Make his stay comfortable. Maybe he will be useful to us, or we may adopt him as a son.” And thus did We placed Joseph in the land and that We might teach him the interpretation of sayings (events). And Allah is the Winner over His Command, and but most people do not know.

And when he (Joseph) had attained his full manhood (reached of eternal praise), We gave him judgment (wisdom) and knowledge. This is how We reward the Muhsinîn (owners of eternal praise).

The woman, in whose house he (Joseph) was, sought to seduce him. She closed the doors tightly and said: “Come to me, I'm yours.” He said: “I take refuge in Allah. He is my Lord. He made good my abode. Surely, the tyrants cannot have Salvation.”

And she surely desired him and he himself would have desired her, were it not that he had seen the manifest evidence of his Lord. This is how We turn away from him the evil and fornication. Surely, he is one of our utterly purified servants (Muhlesîn; submitted soul to Allah and is the owner of the ikhlas Post).

So they both raced to the door. (She) tore his shirt from the back and they met her husband at the door. (She) said: “What is the punishment of one who intends evil to your family except imprisonment or a painful torment?”

(Joseph) said: “It was she who sought to seduce me “. A witness of her own household bore witness: “If his shirt is torn from the front, she speaks the truth and he is one of the liars.

And if his shirt is torn from the back, she tells a lie and he is one of the truthful”.

So when (her husband) saw his shirt torn from the back, he said: “Surely it is a plot of yours! Assuredly, your plot is great.

Joseph, turn aside from her. And you (woman) ask replacement of your sins with good. Surely you are one of the deliberate guilty ones”.

And women in the city said: “The wife of Al-Azîz (vizier) wants to seduce her young slave. Surely the love has penetrated into her heart. Most surely we see her in sheer perversion.”

When she heard of their gossip, she sent for them (an invite) and prepared for them places to sit down face to face. She gave each of them a knife (to peel the fruits) and said (to Joseph): “Come forth to them!” So when they saw him, they admired him and cut their hands. And they said: “Allah, preserve us! This is not a human; this is but a noble angel.”

(She) said: “This is he whom you did blame me! And I swear that I wanted to seduce his soul, but he resisted firmly. And if he does not do what I order him, he shall certainly be cast into prison and be of the most humiliated ones.”

(He) said: “My Lord! Prison is dearer to me than that to which they invite me. Unless you turn away their plot from me, I will feel inclined towards them and become of the ignorant.”

Then his Lord answered him. So turned away from him their plot. Verily, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

Later it seemed suitable for them after they had seen the evidences that it was best to imprison him till a time (until the gossip stops).

And two young men also entered the prison with him. One of them said: “I see myself (in a dream) pressing grapes.” And the other (also) said: “I see myself carrying bread on my head, of which the birds were peck. Inform us of its interpretation. Surely, we see you are from Muhsins (wise).

Joseph said: "They will not have time to serve you the food that you are fed, as I will tell you the interpretation of this (your dreams) before they bring it to you.These two are what my Lord has taught me. Surely, I have forsaken the religion of a people who do not believe in Allah, and they deny their hereafter (having their spirits reach Allah before death).

And I have followed on the Religion of my forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It does not beseem us that we should associate anything with Allah as a partner. This is the Fazl (light and generosity) of Allah upon us and upon mankind. But most people are not grateful.

O my mates of the prison! Are many different lords better, or Allah, the One, the Crushing, the Dominating, the Victory)?

What you have been serving besides Him are nothing but you and your fathers have named (idols) that Allah has not sent down any proof for them. Judgment however is only Allah’s. He has commanded that you worship none but Him. This is the lasting religion (that will last from Adam up to the Day of Resurrection) but most people do not know.

O my mates of the prison! As for one of you, he will give his lord to drink wine, but the other will be hanged, so that the birds willl peck from his head. The matter is decreed concerning the interpretation, which you inquired”.

And he said to the one whom he knew to be delivered of the two: “Mention me to your master.” But Satan caused him to forget mentioning it to his master. So he remained in the prison a few years.

And the king said: “I see seven fat cows which seven lean ones devoured and also seven green spikes (of grain) and seven others dry. O elite ones (of the nation)! Explain my dream if you can interpret dreams.”

(They) said: “These are confusing dreams and we are not the knower of the interpretation of (such) dreams.”

And of the two who had found deliverance remembered (what he had forgotten) and said: “I will inform you of its interpretation soon, so let me go immediately.”

O, faithful Joseph! Explain to us seven fat cows which seven lean ones devoured; and the seven green spikes (of grain) and the others which were dry. I hope I may go back to my people, so that they may know (about you and the interpretation of the dream).

He said: “You will plant, as usual, for seven years continuously. Then what you harvest leave in its spikes, except a little from which you will eat.

After a while there will come seven years of hardship (famine) which will consume what you saved for them, except a little from which you shall store.

Then there will come after that a year in which people will have abundant crop and in which they will press fruits”.

And the king said: “Bring him to me.” So, when the messenger came to him, Joseph said: “Go back to your master and ask him, what the case of the women who cut their hands is”. Surely my Lord knows their plot the best.

(The king) said: “What do you say about how you wanted to seduce Joseph?” They (the women) said: “Allah forbid, we knew of no evil on his part.” The wife of Al-Azîz said: “Now the truth has become manifest; it was I who wanted to seduce him, and he is surely of the faithful (of his master).”

(Joseph said to the messenger): “This is that he (my master) might know that I did not betray him in his absence and that Allah does not cause the plot of the betrayers to succeed.

And I cannot exonerate my soul. Most surely the soul always commands what is evil, except (the souls) such as on whom my Lord influences Himself with His Name of Most Merciful. Surely my Lord is Oft-Forgiving (the One Who replaces the sins with good), the Most Merciful (the One who sends the Light of Mercy, Merciful)”.

And the king said: “Bring him to me! I chose him for myself.” So, when he had spoken with him, he said: “Surely you have an honorable position in our presence today, and you are safe.”

(Joseph) said: “Appoint me responsible over the treasures of the land! Surely, I am a good keeper, knowing well.”

Thus We established Joseph (Thus did We give authority to Joseph) in the land. He dwelled in it wherever he liked. We reach with Our Mercy whom we will. And We do not annul the reward of the Muhsinîn.

And certainly the reward of the hereafter (wishing to render the spirit back to Allah before death) is much better for those who are âmenû (who wish their spirits to reach Allahwhile they are alive). And they have become the owners of takwa (spiritual armor).

And Joseph’s brothers came and entered upon him. He recognized them while they did not recognize him.

And when he furnished them with their provision, he said: “Bring to me the other brother of yours from your father. Do you not see that I give full measure and I am the best of those who regale?

But if you do not bring him to me, you will have no measure (provision) from me, nor will you come near me.”

They said: “We will strive to make his father yield in respect of him and verily we will do it.”

And he (Joseph) said to his young menservants: ";Put their money (back) in their saddle-bag. May be, when they go back to their families, they will notice them and come back."

So when they returned to their families they told (their father): “O our father! The measure is hindered from us. Therefore send with us our brother, so that we may get the measure (provision). We will most surely guard him.”

(Jacob) said: Am I to entrust him to you as I once entrusted his brother to you before? But Allah is the best guardian, and He is the most merciful of the merciful."

And when they opened their goods, they found their capital returned to them and they said: “O our father! What else can we desire? This is our capital returned to us, and we will bring food (again) for our family and guard our brother, and will have in addition the measure of a camel’s load. This is a small quantity (food brought by us).”

(Jacob) said: “I will never send him with you until you give me a (firm) covenant in Allah’s Name that you will most surely bring him back to me, unless you are completely surrounded.” And when they gave him their covenant, he said: “Allah is the Surrogate (Witness) of what we say.”

And (he) said: “O my sons! Do not enter from one gate but enter from different gates. I cannot remove from you anything that comes from Allah. Judgment is only Allah’s. In Him I put my trust and let all those who trust put their trust in Him”.

And they entered in the manner their father had advised, but it did not benefit them in the least against the Decree of Allah. It was but a wish in Jacob’s soul which he had thus fulfilled. And indeed, he was a possessor of knowledge because of what We had taught him. But most of the people do not know.

And when they entered upon Joseph, he hugged his (blood) brother to himself. He said: “I am indeed your brother, therefore do not grieve at what they do.”

So when he had furnished them forth with their provisions, he put the drinking cup into his brother’s (Benjamin's) saddle-bag. Then a crier shouted out: “O caravan! You are most surely thieves.”

They said turning towards them: “What is it that you have lost?”

(They) said: “We have lost the king’s drinking cup and he who will l bring it shall have a camel-load (of provision) and I guarantee this.”

By Allah! You know for certain that we have not come to spread lawlessness in the land, and we are not thieves.

(They) said: “What will be then the punishment of this, if you are liars?”

They replied: "The punishment of the one in whose saddle-bag it (the bowl) is found is himself (held as slavery for a whole year). This is how we punish the tyrants!

So, he began (the search) with their sacks before the sack of his brother, then he brought it out of his brother’s sack. Thus did We plan for Joseph. It was not (lawful) that he would take his brother under the king’s law unless Allah willed. We raise the degrees of whomsoever We will. And above every one possessed of knowledge is the All-Knowing.

They said: “If he has stolen, a brother of his has also stolen before.” But Joseph kept it secret in his heart and did not disclose it to them. (He said): “You are in a worse case, and Allah is the Best Knower of what you describe.”

(They) said: “O exalted sir, behold! He has a father, a very old man, so take (retain) one of us in his place. Surely we see you are from among the muhsins (wise).”

I take refuge in Allah that we should take anyone but him with whom we found our property. Indeed (if we did so) we would be tyrants.

Then when they despaired of him, they secluded themselves in private consultation. The eldest of them softly said: “Do you not know that your father took from you a covenant in Allah’s Name, and the mistake that you deed earlier with Joseph? Therefore, I will by no means depart from this land until my father permits me or Allah judges for me, and He is the Best of the Judges.”

Go back to your father and say: “O our father! Surely your son has committed a theft, and we did not bear witness except to what we have known (seen). And we were not witnesses of the unseen either.

And inquire in the town in which we were and the caravan in which we came. Most surely we are truthful”.

(Jacob) said: “No, but your souls have tempted you to this. So, patience is most fitting. Perhaps Allah will bring them to me all together. Truly He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!”

And he turned away from them, and said: “My poor Joseph!” And his eyes turned white because of the grief, even though he was a repressor of his grief.

(His sons) said: “By Allah! You keep mentioning Joseph until you become fatally ill or until you are of those who perish.”

(Jacob) said: “I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah, and I know from Allah what you do not know.

O my sons! Go and inquire about Joseph and his brother, and do not despair of Allah’s Relief. Surely none despairs of Allah’s Relief except the disbelieving people”.

So when they entered upon him, they said: “O exalted one! A hard time has hit us and our family and we have brought but poor capital. So give us full measure and be charitable to us. Surely Allah rewards who give the charitable.”

Joseph said: “Do you know (remember) what you did with Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant?”

They said: “Is it truly you? You are indeed Joseph!” “I am Joseph and this is my brother. Allah has gifted us. Because, whoever is the owner of takwa (spiritual armor) and patience, surely Allah does not annul the reward of Muhsinîn (those who submitted their spirit, physical body, soul and free will to Allah).”

They said: “By Allah! Indeed, Allah has preferred you above us, and we certainly have been (deliberate) sinners.”

He said: “There is no reproach on you this day. May Allah replace your sins with good you and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.

Take my very shirt and cast it on my father’s face. His sight will be back. And bring me your family, all together”.

And when the caravan had departed (from Egypt), their father said: “Surely, I perceive Joseph’s scent (the breeze coming from Joseph) if you do not say that I am a dotard.”

They said: “By Allah, you are most surely in your former Darkness (caused by your old grief).”

Then, when the bearer of glad tidings came, he cast it (Joseph’s shirt) on his (father’s) face. Immediately his sight returned. Jacob said: “Did I not say to you! I know from Allah (through revelation) what you do not know?”

(Joseph’s brothers) said: “O our father! Ask for replacement of our sins with good, surely we were (deliberate) sinners.”

(He) said: “Soon I will ask for replacement of your sins with good from my Lord. Verily He is the Oft-Forgiving (Replacing sins with good), the Most Merciful.”

Then when they entered upon Joseph, he took his parents with him and said: “With Allah’s willing, enter Egypt in safety.”

100

And he raised his parents upon the throne and they bowed down to him in prostration. Joseph said: “O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream of long ago. My Lord has indeed made it to be true. And He made (designed) indeed the best for me when He brought me forth from the prison. And brought you from the desert after Satan had sown dissension between me and my brothers. Surely my Lord is Benignant to whom He wills. Verily He is the All- Knowing, the All-Wise.

101

My Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me the sovereignty and taught me of the interpretation of the events (dreams). Originator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Friend (Walî) in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die as a submitted one (who submitted free will to You) and join me with the righteous ones”.

102

That is of the news of the Unseen which We reveal to you. And you were not with them when they resolved upon their affair, and they were devising plans.

103

And most of them will not become believers though you desire it eagerly (that they become believers).

104

And you do not ask them for a reward for this. It is nothing but a reminder for the worlds.

105

There are many signs (evidences) in the heavens and the earth. Yet they turn aside from them (evidences) as they pass by them.

106

And most of them do not believe in Allah without associating others with Him.

107

Do they then feel secure from the coming against them of the covering veil (torment that covers everything) as a Torment of Allah, or of the coming (not coming) against them of the Hour, all of a sudden while they do not perceive?

108

Say: “This is the way that we call to Allah as I and those who take allegiance to me on clear evidence (on sagacity, by sighting with the eye of the heart, by sighting Allah). Glory be to Allah! And I am not of the polytheists.

109

We did not send before you any but men from the people of the towns, to whom We revealed. Do they not travel through the earth? They now should look! What was the end of those before them? And certainly, the Abode of the Hereafter is best for those who are the owners of takwa (spiritual armor). Do you not then understand?

110

Our Help came to them when the Messengers despaired and thought that they were denied. So whomsoever We willed were rescued. Our severe punishment is not averted from the guilty people.

111

Verily, in their stories there is a lesson for the ûli’l elbâb (owners of divine secrets). It is not a narrative invented, but it confirms of what is before it and explains all things. It is a Return (submission of spirit, physical body, soul and free will to Allah) and a Mercy for a people who believe.

12:111

Hud

Ar-Ra'd

لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ ۗ مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَىٰ وَلَٰكِنْ تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ

Lakaad keana fee kaasaasıhim ibratun li ooleel albeab(albeabi), mea keana haadeesan yuftarea va leakin taasdeekaallazee bayna yadayhi va taafseela kulli shay’in va hudan va raahmatan li kaavmin yu’minoon(yu’minoona).

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