The beautiful story of Joseph (Yusuf (as))

How beautiful is the Quran, and the instruction contained within it. 

When we approach S Yusuf, the first question that we must ask ourselves is it’s time of descent- was it sent down in the Meccan period spanning the first 13 years of the Messenger’s (saw) mission or in the last 10 years where he established the Islamic Polity at Medina?

For the stories of the Prophets most often came down in the Meccan period by way of consolation to the Messenger, so that he would know that the troubles that he had to endure, others had endured before him. 

The story of Yusuf (as) is unlike any of those, for he was not sent to a People neither as a Warner, nor as a Bringer of Glad Tidings. 

Furthermore the first that our Messenger (saw) came into contact with Bani Israel was in Medina. And here it is that the vast portion of the Qur’an that talks about them was revealed. Both as an appeal to them, of the Unitary origin of all revelation and as an instruction for the Community of the Messenger that we should not fall into the same errors that they made. 

So the question begs is the Story to Yusuf a consolation to the Messenger, with it’s beauty, or a means of communal instruction for the Messenger’s Nation?

It is clear that the story is both beautiful and a source of instruction, but the instruction contained within it is deeper and more cryptic than a Medinan revelation. And that it is also unlike the Meccan Surah’s that console the Messenger in regards to the persecution that was metted out to both him and the believers. 

The fact of its unusualness is further brought more home when we consider that far greater Prophets from Bani Isreal are not honoured by having a Surah named after them. 

For of the five greatest Prophets, the two from Bani Israel, whilst figuring greatly in the revelation are not honoured directly with a Surah being named after them - Musa (as) and Isa (as). 

For sure Taha, and many other Surahs concern themselves with the life of Musa, and S Maryam is devoted to the mother of Isa and his miraculous birth. 

But even then it’s clear that there is something special about the story of Yusuf. 

And this alone should make us think that it was sent down within the first 13 years whilst the Messenger (saw) faced persecution within Mecca. 

As a consolation to him in a manner unlike the stories of the Prophets that faced trials and tribulations with their people, and as a cryptic source of instruction. 

The Surah begins with a verse that indicates that the conversations contained within it may have taken place in a language other than Arabic, but they are related in Arabic for our instruction. 

And then Yusuf (as) narrates his famous dream. 

The verse  (5) following on from that is unusual in that it is not how we Muslims are supposed to be. 

  

It’s evident from the Seerah and our way that we do not worry about the plots of Shaitan, that is not to say that they cannot be harmful but that we take them in our stride and continue past them. 

They do not affect us in the slightest, for our honour dictates that we do not revenge, but in stead bear with patience any and all that betray their trust. 

But not only do we not revenge, but whilst we may take precautionary measures against betrayal these measures should not prevent us from being fully open, even with our erstwhile enemies. 

This is the injunction contained within Baqara- “if they incline to peace, then you too incline to peace.”

Worries about betrayal have no place here, for this is the command of God. 

And even if our enemies betray, then that is their loss and our gain. No matter how much pain might come our way because of that betrayal. 

As a Muslim the command of God is greater than any pain that we may suffer due to it. 

This pure honesty we can see within the conduct of Yusuf further into the story. 

For his companion in the jail forgot about him, and then when he comes for advice about the seven lean cows consuming the seven fat cows, we do not see Yusuf scolding him. Nor do we see Yusuf withholding aught of his knowledge and saying bring me out from this place and I will instruct you in the interpretation of the dream. 

Instead Yusuf’s demeanour is completely open, in complete harmony with how our manner is to be. Completely trusting of God’s plan and that ultimately it will be for the best. 

But the greatest clue of what the Story of Yusuf is really to instruct us in is contained in verse 6. 

Reading the verse in the pure Arabic we have a simple conjunction …

“Wa kathalika…..”

Wa is simply “And”

When you approach this first you would clearly assume that the speech of Yaqub (as) continues on from v5 because of the simple conjunction of “and”. 

Remember in verse 5 we have - Qa La - He said, and it’s clear from the content and the fact that in verse 4 Yusuf is addressing his father, that Yaqub is speaking. 

But when you look at v6 and try to understand what is going on, it is clear that v6 is God’s speech and not Yaqub’s speech. 

Essentially God says here :

“so that We could teach Yusuf the interpretation of (dreams / things), so that We could raise him by degrees”. 

“Wa KaDhalika” is simply “And so that”. 

But what is most interesting about this is that the conjunction “Wa - And” is just not necessary and stands out like a sore thumb. 

After all the verse could have read Kathalika - So that We might …

And we would understand that it is simply God’s speech. 

The WA conjunction is simply not logical. 

And that’s what makes it completely interesting and furthermore meaning generating. 

And when we deliberate on it then we see that if it had been missed in error, then it being missing would not have been noticed. 

And this is the miracle of the protection of the Quran. 

For with it, it is as if God links the speech of Yaqub (as) with His speech, as if to say that those words of worry from Yaqub were in some way inspired by Him. 

And then it is as if God says here because of that conjunction 

“and We did this so that We could teach Yusuf (as)…”

Then we would understand from it that the origin of the whole story begins really not with the dream, but with the speech of Yaqub (as). 

It is this that sets in train the whole motion of events. 

Indeed it is clear that when one close to God makes an error then God immediately sends something to correct them, this is God’s blessing upon them. 

And when someone who is distant from God makes an error, then God gives them respite that they might repent and make good their ways and return back to Him. 

The speech of Yaqub (as) was not an error, as God attributes it to Himself, but it set in motion everything. 

If we want to know what S Yusuf is there to instruct us about, we simply have to look at Yusuf’s (as) last words on the matter. 

From it we can see that Yusuf only attributes goodness to God, even despite all that he has been through. 

That the trials that he faced are simply for that reason, to teach him (and us) that how we interpret our lives is the measure of all of us. 

And those who are best interpret them in the best of manners, attributing the best to God and focusing on his blessings. 

The greatest thing about this is that this is exactly what sets the Quran apart from all prior revelations, and this we can see because it always descended after the fact to teach us the proper interpretation of events. 

And that is why S Yusuf is such a special story in regards to its relationship with the Quran. 

Look now again at verse 6. 

How you interpret your life will determine your worth in your future life, both here in this world and then because of that spur to good deeds- in the life to come. 

END 

Knowledge is sought through contemplation and study. 

Not lectures, nor talks, nor necessarily this above.