Surah Yusuf; The time and circumstances of the revelation of the Surah
Selections from the Book The Prophet Minister Joseph al-Siddiq…
Written by Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi...
Episode (3)
Surah Yusuf is unanimously considered to be revealed in Makkah. It consists of a total of 111 verses, with the number of words being 1,776 and the number of letters reaching 7,160.
Surah Yusuf was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, after Surah Hud, specifically during a challenging and difficult period in his life. This was a time when hardships and calamities intensified for him and the believers, especially after the loss of his wife, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), and his uncle Abu Talib, who had been a strong supporter and protector against the persecution of Quraysh. With their passing, the adversity and trials increased upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the believers, marking this year as the "Year of Sorrow".
In that difficult period of the Prophet Muhammad's life, peace and blessings be upon him, when he and the believers were experiencing loneliness, estrangement, and isolation in the midst of Quraysh's ignorance, Allah revealed this Surah to console and alleviate the Prophet's pain by recounting the stories of the messengers. It was as if Allah was saying to His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him; "Do not grieve, O Muhammad, and do not distress yourself over the rejection and harm inflicted by your people. After hardship comes relief, and after constriction comes expansion. Look at your brother Joseph, and reflect on the various trials, tribulations, and colors of adversity he faced: the trial of envy and scheming by his brothers, the ordeal of being thrown into the well, the trial of being seduced by the Aziz's wife, and then the trial of imprisonment, and despite all these challenges, he eventually attained honor and a comfortable life."
And the divine discourse in comforting His noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, continues by saying, "Look at him, O Muhammad! When Joseph endured harm for the sake of Allah and patiently faced distress and adversity, Allah elevated him from prison to the palace, making him an honored figure in the land of Egypt, and He entrusted him with its treasures, and Joseph became a respected ruler, dignified and honored. Similarly, I will do for My righteous servants; Whoever endures adversity and strengthens themselves to bear it, following the example of the previous messengers, will be elevated. Allah says: {So be patient, [O Muhammad], as were those of determination among the messengers} [Al-Ahqaf: 35]. And He also says, {And be patient, [O Muhammad], and your patience is not but through Allah. And do not grieve over them and do not be in distress over what they conspire} [An-Nahl: 127].
- Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi, The Prophet Minister Joseph al-Siddiq, pp. 26-27.
- The Story of Joseph is a Moral School, Muhammad Mahmoud Hammad, Modern Library, first edition, 1437 AH - 2016 AD, p. 7.
For further information and review of the sources for the article, see:
The Book of The Prophet Minister Joseph al-Siddiq on the official website of Sheikh Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi:
