The importance of the story of Joseph, peace be upon him, its characteristics and purposes; P.2
Selections from the Book The Prophet Minister Joseph al-Siddiq…
Written by Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi...
Episode (8)
Dr. Ali Mohieddin Al-Qaradaghi says in his book, “Joseph, peace be upon him, a role model for Muslims outside their homes” as he mentions his goals in his book: to benefit from the lessons of history and the lessons of the stories of predecessors in the branches, and to learn from what happened to others. Allah Almighty said in condemning those who do not benefit from the past and from others: {Do they not see that they are tried every year once or twice but then they do not repent nor do they remember?} [At-Tawbah: 126]; The verse indicated the necessity of benefiting from the revelation by returning to Allah Almighty, and benefiting from the mind by remembering, pondering, and foresighting, and analyzing and considering the outcomes. The wise person is he who takes advice from others, and who knows himself and works for his future in this world and the hereafter.
If you contemplate the story of Joseph, peace be upon him, with the two inmates, you will find a fundamental aspect of the methodology of calling to monotheism. When the two prisoners asked Joseph about the interpretation of their dreams, he began by emphasizing monotheism and invited them to it despite the circumstances of his imprisonment. The prison did not hinder him from spreading the message; rather, the Surah summarizes the methodology of his call, stating: {Say, “This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of those who associate others with Him”} [Yusuf: 108]. Callers in all corners of the world need to be reminded to adhere to this methodology.
Dr. Ali Al-Qaradaghi mentioned in his book about Joseph, peace be upon him, that one of his goals in his book was to highlight the greatness of the Quran in its unique approach to renewing its meanings, lessons, and traditions. He aims to benefit from it in various contexts. He stated: "... but Allah has guided me in my book, 'Us and the Other,' to the fact that the story of Joseph, peace be upon him, is a complete model, a comprehensive example, and a great role model for the Islamic minority. Its circumstances resemble those of our master Joseph, peace be upon him. It is a success story for a Muslim individual within a non-Muslim society—Egypt at that time. We seek such success for the Muslim minority through the values embodied by Joseph and the methods he adopted to achieve success in this world and the Hereafter."
- Another reason is what I found of the strong correlation between hardship and relief - and we are in dire need of spreading hope in the nation - from the beginning of the surah to the end! Examples of this include; When Joseph, peace be upon him, was thrown into the well, Allah revealed to him that He would inform them of this matter of theirs while they did not realize it. Likewise, when he told his brothers that it was Joseph, they were frightened and hastened to apologize: {They said, “By Allah, certainly has Allah preferred you over us, and indeed, we have been sinners”} [Yusuf: 91], so he said to them directly: {He said, “No blame will there be upon you today. Allah will forgive you; and He is the most merciful of the merciful”} [Yusuf: 92]. This instantly removed their remorse, and there are multiple examples of this connection throughout the surah.
- In Surat Yusuf, there is a call for optimism and good faith in Allah Almighty, and Joseph and Jacob, peace be upon them, never left their optimism, even in the most difficult circumstances. Examples of this include; When Jacob, peace be upon him, lost three of his sons, he said: {So patience is most fitting. Perhaps Allah will bring them to me all together. Indeed it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise} [Yusuf: 83].
- Another reason for choosing this Surah is its addressing of a dangerous triad, each pole of which is destructive. The Surah, as a whole, prevents entering them, it prevents entering the dangerous sea of compromise that has no bottom or shore, it also prevents falling into the abyss of haste, and blocks entry into the desolate wilderness of despair. Joseph and his father, peace be upon them, were not accompanied by haste, despair, or compromise. When these three enter an individual, they cut off his desires, and when they enter a nation, they force it to be the tail of nations. Haste has severe consequences, and it is established that whoever rushes into something before its time is punished by being deprived of it, both in decree and reality. As for compromise, it is the ailment that many people fell into with oppressors, so naturally, the expected success is not achieved. And as for despair and pessimism; when despair enters the souls, it weakens and burdens them. If one's soul is feeble and shaky, how can victory be attained? The self's abandonment of its owner is one of the first reasons for the triumph of its enemy.
- One of the lessons of this Surah is the steadfastness in the methodology of Joseph, peace be upon him, his consistency, and the absence of vacillation from the beginning of his life until the last moments of his life. He remained consistently committed to his moderate approach, whether in the well, in prison, with the king, or when he elevated his parents to the throne. In every circumstance outlined in the Surah, we observe remarkable consistency. The callers to Islam, students of knowledge, and indeed the entire nation, with its peoples and countries, all need steadfastness and consistency on the correct path, especially in these circumstances where the winds of tribulations are stirring hearts and leading them astray.
- The Surah highlights the importance of storytelling and its impact on the lives of both the caller to Islam and the one being called. The Quran contains numerous stories, as emphasized by Allah in this Surah. There is a pressing need to adopt the Quranic approach of storytelling by the preachers, students of knowledge, and reformers.
- Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi, The Prophet Minister Joseph al-Siddiq, pp. 46-50.
- Joseph, peace be upon him, Dr. Ali Al-Qaradaghi, Dar Al-Nidaa, Istanbul - Türkiye, first edition, 2018, pp. 14-15.
- Signs for those who ask, previous reference, pp. 10-14.
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:
