Benefits Derived from the Story of Yusuf
-sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam-
By the
Shaykh ‘Allama
AbdurRahman bin Nasr as-Sa’adi
Chapter 10
The Stance of the Chosen Ones of Allaah when Afflictions Occur
The saying of Allaah Ta’ala about Yaqoob when his sons first carried out what they did to their brother Yusuf:
بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنْفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ
<< Nay, but your own selves have made up a story. So (for me) patience is most fitting. And it is Allaah (Alone) Whose help can be sought against that which you assert. >>[1]
Likewise, what Yaqoob said when the trial became extremely difficult for him when his other son was detained:
بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنْفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ عَسَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَنِي بِهِمْ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ
<< ‘Nay, but your own selves have enticed you into something. So patience is most fitting (for me). May be Allaah will bring them (back) all to me. Truly He! only He is All-Knowing, All-Wise.’>>[2]
In what happened to Yaqoob is evidence that if catastrophes and calamities befall those chosen ones of Allaah, initially they confront them with patience and with seeking aid from Allaah, the Master.
When these problems reach their limit, then they confront this with patience, with a desire for relief from this grief and with a desire for ease, the result being that Allaah gives them the capability to worship Him in both conditions. Then, if and when they are relieved from the trial, they face that situation with gratitude and praise for Allaah, and they come to realise more about Allaah’s kindness. This is due to the saying of Yusuf:
يَا أَبَتِ هَذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُؤْيَايَ مِنْ قَبْلُ قَدْ جَعَلَهَا رَبِّي حَقًّا وَقَدْ أَحْسَنَ بِي إِذْ أَخْرَجَنِي مِنَ السِّجْنِ وَجَاءَ بِكُمْ مِنَ الْبَدْوِ مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ نَزَغَ الشَّيْطَانُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ إِخْوَتِي إِنَّ رَبِّي لَطِيفٌ لِمَا يَشَاءُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ
<< O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream aforetime! My Lord has made it come true! He was indeed good to me, when He took me out of the prison, and brought you (all here) out of bedouin-life, after Shaytan had sown enmity between me and my brothers. Certainly, my Lord is the Most Courteous and Kind unto whom He will. Truly He! Only He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. >>[3]
From the benefits:
The saying of Allaah Ta’ala:
مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ أَنْ نَأْخُذَ إِلَّا مَنْ وَجَدْنَا مَتَاعَنَا عِنْدَهُ إِنَّا إِذًا لَظَالِمُونَ
<<“Allaah forbid, that we should take anyone but him with whom we found our property. Indeed (if we did so), we should be Zalimoon (wrong-doers).”>>[4]
This indicates that no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another; and from this point is a specific issue which is that being good can only be deemed so, if it does not include a prohibited action or include leaving an obligation.
Yusuf’s brothers requested him to be good to them by freeing one brother so he could go back to his father, and that Yusuf take one of them instead in his place, but Yusuf refused and said:
قَالَ مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ أَنْ نَأْخُذَ إِلَّا مَنْ وَجَدْنَا مَتَاعَنَا عِنْدَهُ إِنَّا إِذًا لَظَالِمُونَ
<< “Allaah forbid, that we should take anyone but him with whom we found our property. Indeed (if we did so), we should be Zâlimoon (wrong-doers).”>>[5]
Therefore, if Ihsaan (being good to someone) excludes justice then it is oppression. This is why specifying some children over others, and some wives over others, – even if it means being good to those specific people and showing favouritism to them – then this is not allowed because it is leaving justice and fairness, and likewise those things which are similar to these matters, and Allaah knows best.
From the benefits:
That no matter which of the Ayaat of Allaah there are, the questioner who wants guidance benefits from those Ayaat, i.e. he is the one who intends to become acquainted with the truth and follow it, due to the saying of Allaah Ta’ala:
<< Verily, in Yusuf and his brethren, there were Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for those who ask. >>
As for neglectful rejecters or stubborn opposers to the truth, then against them is the saying of Allaah Ta’ala:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ()
وَلَوْ جَاءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ آيَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُا الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ
<< Truly! Those, against whom the Word (Wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them, – until they see the painful torment.>>[6]
So, whoever looks into the recited Ayaat of Allaah (the Qur’aan) and the universal signs of Allaah (the creation etc) then this benefits the one who intends the truth, just as Allaah Ta’ala said:
يَهْدِي بِهِ اللَّهُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ رِضْوَانَهُ سُبُلَ السَّلَامِ
<< Wherewith Allaah guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace>>[7]
How many benefits are there in the Qur’aan where gaining that benefit is only for the person who actually intends the truth, for example:
إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
<< Indeed there are Ayaat for the believers>>[8]
وَفِي الْأَرْضِ آيَاتٌ لِلْمُوقِنِينَ
<< And on the earth are signs for those who have Faith with certainty, >>[9]
لَآيَاتٍ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ
<<Ayaat for those who possess wisdom>>[10]
إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِأُولِي الْأَبْصَارِ
<<for those who possess wisdom and insight>>[11].
From the benefits:
That consultation is beneficial for all things even in reducing evil. This is why Yusuf’s brothers consulted each other in what to do with him: whether they should kill him or cast him away on the earth. Then they agreed upon the opinion of the one they consulted; to throw him into the bottom of a well in that some travellers would pick him up. Hence, there is a proof for the well-known principle: it is better to carry out the lesser of the two evils than carrying out the worse of the two.
When it was decided that the person in whose bag the golden bowl was found would be detained, Yusuf’s brothers began arguing with Yusuf and wanted him take one of them instead, due to them knowing that this would be hard on their father. So, when Yusuf refused, they then secluded themselves in private consultation. They concurred on the decision of the eldest of them, that he would remain in Misr (Egypt) and watch over the issue of his brother while they would go and provide for their family and inform their father of the issue in detail.
There was no doubt that the elder brother staying behind in Egypt was easier on Yaqoob and more promising for achieving the end goal. In this, is a type of compassion which the elder brother had for his two brothers Yusuf and Benjamin, this is why he said:
عَسَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَنِي بِهِمْ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ
<< Maybe Allaah will bring them (back) all to me. Truly He! only He is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” >>[12]
[1] (Yusuf: 18)
[2] Yusuf:83
[3] Yus:100
[4] Yusuf: 79
[5] Yusuf 79
[6] [Yunus: 96-97]
[7] Maidah:16
[8] Al-Hijr: 77
[9] Dhuriyyat: 20
[10] Ala-Imraan: 190
[11] Ala-Imraan :13
[12] Yusuf: 83
translated by Abbas Abu Yahya