The lesson in the story of Joseph, peace be upon him

Surah Yusuf is one of the noble surahs that herald that relief is inevitable no matter how severe the hardships and tribulations are, And that is by explaining what our master Yusuf – peace be upon him – went through from hardships, temptations, and calamities starting with his story with his brothers, throwing him into the well, and then moving to the house of Al-Aziz,

And the Al- Aziz’s wife was attached to him and tried to seduce him, including his imprisonment, and his patience over everything that happened to him for the sake of God. And bear the burdens of calling to God. And then the situation changed when he was released from prison, and he became the king of Egypt.

God Almighty said: “و كذلك مكنا ليوسف في الأرض و لنعلمه من تأويل الأحاديث و الله غالب علي أمره و لكن أكثر الناس لايعلمون”

“We established Yusuf in the land that we might teach him the interpretation of events (dreams). and Allah is predominant over His affair, but most of the people don’t know”

The story of Yusuf – peace be upon him – is considered one of the greatest stories of the Noble Qur’an, for God called it the best of stories Because it contains important indications and great lessons that every Muslim needs. And because of the wonders in it, and the fluctuation of conditions between distress and relief, richness and poverty, and mentioning the affairs of this world and the hereafter.

The most important topics in the noble surah:

First: The dream of Joseph – peace be upon him: Where the events of the story of Yusuf begins as he tells the vision to his father Jacob – peace be upon him – as in the words of God: “اذ قال يوسف لأبيه يا أبتياني رأيت احد عشر كوكبا و الشمس والقمر رأيتهم لي ساجدين”

“When Yusuf said 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”. His father knew that this dream was telling of Yusuf’s dignity with God and that the eleven stars were a reference to Yusuf’s eleven brothers.

Second: Hiding what he saw(in the dream) because of the envy of Joseph’s brothers: After Jacob, peace be upon him, interpreted the dream of his son Yusuf And knowing the dignity in it, he commanded him to conceal it and not tell it to his brothers As it came in the saying of God: «قالَ يا بُنَيَّ لا تَقصُص رُؤياكَ عَلى إِخوَتِكَ فَيَكيدوا لَكَ كَيدًا إِنَّ الشَّيطانَ لِلإِنسانِ عَدُوٌّ مُبينٌ»

“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”

Third: The jealousy and cunning of Yusuf’s brothers: After their hearts were filled with envy and hatred for him because of their father’s love for him, they decided to get rid of him by any means, so they conspired to kill him or throw him in the desert to perish far from them. And their father devotes himself to them, takes care of them, spends his time with them, and then repents after that.

Fourth: The plot to get rid of Yusuf: After a conversation between Yusuf’s brothers, they decided to take him with them and put him in a far well, then tell their father Jacob – peace be upon him – that the wolf had eaten him. And this is what happened when they put Yusuf – peace be upon him – in the well, then they brought the blood of a sheep and put it on his clothes, and returned to their father crying, They told him that Yusuf had been eaten by a wolf.  When Jacob saw the shirt, he did not find any rips or tears in it, so he knew that they were lying.

As evidenced by the words of God: « وَجاءوا عَلى قَميصِهِ بِدَمٍ كَذِبٍ قالَ بَل سَوَّلَت لَكُم أَنفُسُكُم أَمرًا فَصَبرٌ جَميلٌ وَاللَّـهُ المُستَعانُ عَلى ما تَصِفونَ».

” And they brought upon his shirt false blood {Jacob} said: rather your souls enticed you to something, so patience is most fitting and Allah is the one sought for help against that which you describe”

Fifth: Yusuf’s exit from the well: And while Yusuf – peace be upon him – was sitting on a rock in that well, When a caravan passed by the well, they sent one of them to bring water. When he went to the well, he found Yusuf – peace be upon him -, so they were happy with what they found.

And they hid him from the eyes of the people until they reached Egypt, so they sold him to a man there for a few dirhams, and the dear of Egypt, who is the Minister of Finance, bought him, and he was a sterile man. So he commanded his wife to honor Joseph, peace be upon him, so he lived honorably in his house, and after he reached his maturity, he became the commanding one in the house of the Aziz.

{stay tuned for the second part of the article}.