Yusuf (surah)
Quran |
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Yusuf (
Regarding the timing and contextual background of the believed revelation (
Unlike the accounts of other Islamic prophets,[4] different elements and aspects of which are related in different surahs, the life-history of Yusuf, is narrated in this surah only, in full and in chronological order.[2][5] This surah, which also tells of the truth, according to Muslims, contained in dreams, presents many principles of how to serve Islam by relating the life-history of a prophet, who became the most renowned and respected figure in the country to which he had been sold as a slave.[2]
The surah was first translated into Latin by
Summary
- 1–3 The Prophet is acquainted by inspiration with the history of Joseph
- 4 Joseph tells his father of his vision of eleven stars and the sun and the moon bowing down to him
- 5 Jacob warns Joseph against the jealousy of his brethren
- 6 Jacob understands the dream to signify Joseph's future prophetic character
- 7 Joseph's story is a sign of God's providence
- 8 Joseph's brethren are jealous of him and of Benjamin
- 9 They counsel together to kill or to expatriate him
- 10 One of them advises putting him into a well
- 11–12 They beg their father to send Joseph with them
- 13 Jacob hesitates through fear that Joseph may be devoured by a wolf
- 14–15 Joseph's brethren, receiving their father's consent, take him with them and put him in a well
- 15 God sends a revelation to Joseph in the well
- 16–17 The brethren bring to Jacob the report that Joseph had been devoured by a wolf
- 18 Jacob does not believe the story of his sons
- 19–20 Certain travelers find Joseph and carry him into bondage
- 21 An Egyptian purchases Joseph and proposes to adopt him
- 22 God bestows on his wisdom and knowledge
- 23 The Egyptian’s wife endeavors to seduce Joseph
- 24 By God’s grace he was preserved from her enticements
- 25 She accuses Joseph of an attempt to dishonor her
- 26–27 The rent in his garment testifies to Joseph's innocence
- 28–29 Azeez believes Joseph and condemns his wife
- 30 The sin of Azeez’s wife becomes known in the city
- 31 The wives of other noblemen, seeing Joseph’s beauty, call him an angel
- 32 Azeez’s wife declares her purpose to imprison Joseph unless he yields to her solicitations
- 33 Joseph seeks protection from God
- 34 God hears his prayer and turns aside their snares
- 35 Joseph imprisoned notwithstanding his innocence
- 36–37 He undertakes to interpret the dreams of two of the king’s servants who were also imprisoned with him
- 38–40 Joseph preaches the Divine unity to his fellow-prisoners
- 41 He interprets the dreams of the two servants
- 42 Joseph asks to be remembered by the king but is forgotten
- 43 The dreams of the king of Egypt
- 44 The king's interpreters fail to interpret the king’s dream
- 45–49 Joseph remembers and interprets the king’s dream
- 50 The king calls Joseph out of prison
- 51 The women of the palace acknowledge their sin in endeavoring to entice Joseph to unlawful love
- 52–53 Joseph vindicated. The wife of Azeez does not acquit herself of blame.
- 54 The king restores Joseph
- 55–57 Joseph made king’s treasurer at his own request
- 58 His brethren come to him but do not recognize him
- 59–61 Joseph requires his brethren to bring to him their brother Benjamin
- 62 Their money returned in their sacks to induce their return
- 63–66 Jacob reluctantly permits Benjamin to go to Egypt with his brethren
- 67 Jacob counsels their entering the city by several gates
- 68 This counsel is of no avail against God’s decree
- 69 Joseph, receiving Benjamin, makes himself known to him
- 70–76 He, by guile, brings his brethren under the charge of theft
- 77, 79 He insists on retaining Benjamin instead of a substitute
- 80–82 After consultation, Benjamin’s brethren all return to Jacob but one
- 83– Jacob refuses to credit their story, yet puts his trust in God
- 84–86 Jacob grieves for Joseph and yet tells of his hope
- 87 Jacob sends his sons to inquire after Joseph
- 88-90 Joseph makes himself known to his brethren
- 91–93 He pardons his brethren and sends his inner garment to his father to restore his sight
- 94–97 Jacob foretells the finding of Joseph and receives his sight
- 98–99 He asks pardon for his wicked sons
- 100 Joseph receives his parents unto him in Egypt
- 101 Jacob and his sons and wife all do obeisance to Joseph
- 102 Joseph praises God for his mercies and professes the Muslim faith
- 103–107 The infidels will not believe the signs of the Qurán
- 108 God's order to the messenger to proclaim the Muslim faith
- 109 God’s apostlesin all ages have been but men
- 109–110 Unbelievers are invariably punished for rejecting the messengers of God
- 111 The Quran is no forgery, but a confirmation of the writings of former prophets[7]
Narrative
The story of
A witness, after Yūsuf defends his innocence, testifies "if his shirt is torn from the front, then she has told the truth, and he is of the liars but if his shirt is torn from the back, then she has lied, and he is of the truthful." The shirt was indeed torn from the back. Soon after this accident, the women of the city talk of how the wife is seeking to seduce Yūsuf. The wife of 'Al-Aziz invites them to a banquet, gives each of them a knife, and then tells Yūsuf to come out. The women cut their hands in astonishment. 'She said, "That is the one about whom you blamed me. And I certainly sought to seduce him, but he firmly refused; and if he will not do what I order him, he will surely be imprisoned and will be of those debased."[8] Yūsuf prefers prison to what they call him so he prayed to God. Yūsuf is sent to prison.
In the prison, Yūsuf met two other men and interprets one of the prisoner's dreams. The prisoner is then released and Yūsuf asked the prisoner to mention his talent to the king. One day, the King had a dream and the prisoner who had been released mention Yūsuf. He interprets the King's dream, which is about Egypt having a seven-year drought. To reward him, the King requests his release from jail and the King also investigates his case. The wife who tried to seduce Yūsuf testifies that he was innocent, and the truth unveils. Yūsuf is given authority in Egypt.
During the seven-year drought, Yūsuf's brothers visit Egypt to get food for their family. Upon seeing his brothers, Yūsuf recognizes them though they did not recognize him.[9] Yūsuf, in a high position of authority, requests that the next time they come, they bring their youngest brother Benjamin with them. When the brothers returned with their youngest brother, Yūsuf takes him aside and tells him his identity. Yūsuf plots a theft case where his youngest brother is found guilty of theft when he is truly innocent and is detained from his family, so he could stay with him. Later, when the father and brothers face poverty they come back to Yūsuf and Yūsuf then helps them and reveals his identity asking them to come and live with him.[10]
Revelation
There is no confirmed time when Surah Yūsuf was supposedly revealed, but it is estimated to be either in the 10th or 11th year of
Other findings
Along with the three crucial events that marked the revelation for Muhammad, scholars have mentioned other incidents that led to the revelation of the sura. The
Hadith culture
It has been narrated by Ja'far al-Sadiq, a great-grandson of Muhammad, that the individual who recites Surah Yūsuf during every day or every night will be resurrected on the Day of Judgement with beauty resembling the beauty of Yūsuf. He will not fear the Day of Judgement and will be among the best of the believers.[14]
Muhammad is reported to have encouraged the teaching of Surah Yūsuf to slaves, claiming that "whenever a Muslim recites it and teaches it to his family and slaves, Allah would ease for him the pangs of death and make it so that no Muslim would envy him".[15]: 315
Major themes
The faith of the prophets
The faiths of the prophets before Muhammad were the same as his. The prophets Ibrahim, Ishaaq, Ya'qūb and Yūsuf invited the people to the same message as Muhammad.[16]
Character of a Muslim
- Has awareness of Allah and accountability of one's deeds
- Pursues one's goals while remaining under the limits prescribed by the Divine Law
- Believes that success and failure are entirely in the hands of God, that whatever Allah wills will happen and no one can prevent it
- Applies their efforts towards the truth and puts one's trust in Allah[16]
Confidence and courage
Throughout the story of Yūsuf, Allah taught the believers that a person who possesses true Islamic character can master the world with the strength of their character. The example of Yūsuf shows that a person of high and pure character can overcome severe circumstances and be successful.[16]
Objectives of this Surah
- To provide proof that Muhammad's prophethood and his knowledge is not based on unsubstantiated information, rather but was gained through revelation.
- It applies the theme of the story to the people of Quraysh (The tribe of the leaders in Makah) and warns that the conflict between them and Muhammad would end in his victory over them. As stated in verse 7: "Indeed there are signs in this story of Yūsuf and his brothers for the inquirers"[16]
References
- ^ [1]|The Noble Quran (Surah 12)
- ^ OCLC 1002857525.)
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has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ Deris, SM (15 January 2012). "Surah Yusuf: The Story That Brings Comfort (Part 1 of 5)". Retrieved 28 March 2012.
- OCLC 1128453246.
- ^ a b Qadhi, Yasir (22 April 2011). "The Best of Stories: Pearls from Surah Yusuf | Part 1". Retrieved 27 March 2012.
- ISBN 9789004147614
- Sale's Text, Preliminary Discourse, and Notes. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, and Co. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Surah Yusuf [12:32]". Surah Yusuf [12:32].
- ^ "Surah Yūsuf (Joseph) in English Translation".
- ^ "PROPHET Joseph(YUSUF) (peace be upon him)". Retrieved 28 March 2012.
- ^ Qadhi, Yasir (22 April 2011). "The Best of Stories: Pearls from Surah Yusuf | Part 1". Retrieved 27 March 2012.
- ^ "Yusuf". Profile of the Sura. Archived from the original on 18 June 2008. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
- ^ "Knowledge of tawheed". Retrieved 28 March 2012.
- ISBN 9781312807587.
- ^ Tabarsi, Sheikh Hasan (1963). Majma al-bayan fi tafsir al-Quran (reprint ed.). Iran: Dar al-Marefah. p. Volume 5.
- ^ ISBN 0-911119-80-9.
External links
- Quran 12 Clear Quran translation