Chapter 7
The Soul Inclines Towards Evil
فـوائـد مسـتـنبطة
مـن
قـصة يوسف
Benefits Derived from the Story of Yusuf
-sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam-
By the
Shaykh ‘Allama
AbdurRahman bin Nasr as-Sa’adi
Translated by
Abbas Abu Yahya
Chapter 7
The Soul Inclines Towards Evil
The saying of Allaah Ta’ala:
إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّي
<< Verily, the (human) self is inclined to evil, except when my Lord bestows His Mercy (upon whom He wills). >>[1]
This is evidence for the description of the essence of the soul – the soul does not leave this description of inclining towards evil except with Allaah’s mercy and concern from Him, because the soul is oppressive and ignorant.
Nothing comes from oppression and ignorance except every evil. Therefore, if Allaah has mercy on His slave and blesses him with beneficial knowledge and makes him follow a path of justice in his manners and his actions, then his soul loses this description, finds tranquility in the obedience of Allaah and His remembrance and the soul does not command its companion except to do good, and this leads to the grace of Allaah and His reward.
Allaah Ta’ala said:
يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ () ارْجِعِي إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً () فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي () وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي
<< (It will be said to the pious): ‘O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! ‘Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing unto Him! ‘Enter you, then, among My honoured slaves, “And enter you My Paradise!’>>[2]
Therefore, it is upon the slave of Allaah to work on himself to rectify his soul, and to take this despised characteristic out of it, which is that the soul inclines towards evil. This is done by striving and having the best of manners, asking Allaah to be continuous upon that and repeating the following narrated supplication plentifully:
اهْدِنِي لأَحْسَنِ الأخْلَاقِ، لا يَهْدِي لأَحْسَنِهَا إلَّا أَنْتَ،
وَاصْرِفْ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا، لا يَصْرِفُ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا إلَّا أَنْتَ
‘O Allaah guide me to the best of actions and manners, no-one guides to the best of them except You, and turn me away from evil actions and evil manners no-one can turn me away from their evil except You.’[3]
In the context of the story of Yusuf, there are many different points showing the excellence of knowledge. There is an explanation that it is a reason for attaining high status in this world and the Hereafter and that it is the cause for rectification in the Deen and in this world.
Yusuf did not achieve what he achieved except with knowledge. This is why his father said to him:
وَكَذَلِكَ يَجْتَبِيكَ رَبُّكَ وَيُعَلِّمُكَ مِنْ تَأْوِيلِ الْأَحَادِيثِ
<< Thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of dreams (and other things) >>[4]
The time that Yusuf –alayhi sallam- stayed with the Azeez of Misr was a blessing for him because he was free to gain knowledge. He achieved the status of Ihsaan (perfection in worship) with knowledge and, likewise, he left prison in a state of honour and nobility due to knowledge.
He held high rank with the King of Misr – the King personally employed him to work for him after he had spoken to Yusuf and found that he had knowledge. Yusuf –alayhi sallam- then organized and managed the state of the people in the lands of Misr by rectifying their worldly matters.
He correctly organized the manner in which to preserve the stores of the land, he dealt with this matter and distributed them with knowledge. At the end of his time, he requested his Lord to give him authority in the Dunya, with knowledge, when he said:
رَبِّ قَدْ آتَيْتَنِي مِنَ الْمُلْكِ وَعَلَّمْتَنِي مِنْ تَأْوِيلِ الْأَحَادِيثِ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَنْتَ وَلِيِّي فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ تَوَفَّنِي مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ
<< ‘My Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me of the sovereignty, and taught me the interpretation of dreams; The (only) Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Walî (Protector, Helper, Supporter, Guardian, etc.) in this world and in the Hereafter, cause me to die as a Muslim (the one submitting to Your Will), and join me with the righteous.’ >>[5].
The excellence of knowledge and its magnificent benefits continue to be for the present and the future, they cannot be enumerated or limited.
- From the benefits:
Just as the cure for illnesses is using real medicines, likewise they can also be cured using divine means, to the extent that there are illnesses that can be cured with this type of treatment which cannot be cured with other types of treatments.
Yaqoob –alayhi sallam- lost his eyesight due to sorrow and went blind, then Allaah cured him and returned his eyesight through Yusuf’s shirt when they threw it on his face – his eyesight was restored with the scent of Yusuf.
The disease of his eyes was because of his sorrow for Yusuf, so the shirt off Yusuf’s body became the only cure, by the permission of Allaah.
As for those who said that the shirt was from Paradise, then they have no proof for that.
Allaah is capable of curing him without using any such means, however Allaah is al-Hakeem (the Most-Wise), He made matters occur via different means, due to reasons and via different rules which may or may not lead people’s intellects to understand.
Similar to this, is what happened to Ayoob –alayhi sallam. The disease and the harm that afflicted him reached the extent that it was impossible to cure him and the doctors were unable to treat him. So, when Allaah wanted to cure him, He commanded Ayoob to strike the ground with his foot and a spring of cool water came up, Allaah commanded him to drink from it and wash with it. Then Allaah removed that which was inside of him and what was evident from the harm of disease, and returned him to the best of appearances.
Allaah Ta’ala said:
ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ هَذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ
<< (Allaah said to him): ‘Strike the ground with your foot: This is a spring of water to wash in, cool and a (refreshing) drink.’ >>[6]
So Allaah Ta’ala cures His worshippers with medicines, known tangible means and with divine means:
وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ
<< And if Allaah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He >>[7]
Similarly, Allaah Ta’ala brings something into existence through known, tangible means and likewise through divine means which intellects cannot comprehend, like miracles of the Prophets and the Aawliyaa (those who are close to Allaah) or by Allaah’s signs and universal Ayaat. He is praised for these and for the first type.
From the benefits:
Is the permissibility to seek and request things from the creation, especially kings, when there is a need for it, due to the saying of the brothers of Yusuf:
يَا أَيُّهَا الْعَزِيزُ مَسَّنَا وَأَهْلَنَا الضُّرُّ وَجِئْنَا بِبِضَاعَةٍ مُزْجَاةٍ فَأَوْفِ لَنَا
الْكَيْلَ وَتَصَدَّقْ عَلَيْنَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَجْزِي الْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ
<< ‘O ruler of the land! A hard time has hit us and our family, and we have brought but poor capital, so pay us full measure and be charitable to us. Truly, Allaah does reward the charitable.’>>[8].
They asked for preference in dealings and charity without having to pay anything back. Indeed, I have specifically mentioned about asking from kings because kings are not entreated for their own wealth, rather they are entreated for wealth from the treasury, which is for the general benefit of everyone, the most important of which is removing harm from those who are in need.
From the benefits:
That ignorance (Jahal) – just as it applies in respect to not having knowledge – also applies to not having gentleness and to committing sins, due to the saying of Allaah:
وَإِلَّا تَصْرِفْ عَنِّي كَيْدَهُنَّ أَصْبُ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَكُنْ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ
<< Unless You turn away their plot from me, I will feel inclined towards them and be one (of those who commit sin and deserve blame or those who do deeds) of the ignorant. >>[9]
And His saying:
هَلْ عَلِمْتُمْ مَا فَعَلْتُمْ بِيُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ إِذْ أَنْتُمْ جَاهِلُونَ
<< ‘Do you know what you did with Yusuf and his brother, when you were ignorant?’>>[10]
Here it does not mean not having knowledge rather it means not acting upon that knowledge and plunging into sin.
From that is the saying of Musa –alayhi sallam:
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ
<< ‘I take Allaah’s Refuge from being among Al-Jâhileen (the ignorant or the foolish).’>>[11]
And Allaah’s saying:
إِنَّمَا التَّوْبَةُ عَلَى اللَّهِ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السُّوءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِنْ قَرِيبٍ
<< Allaah accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon afterwards.>>[12]
Everyone who disobeys Allaah is ignorant in respect to not acting upon knowledge because he is ignorant of real knowledge (i.e. the more a person learns the more he realizes he is ignorant). However, he is still obliged to act upon the knowledge he has.
From the benefits:
The saying of Allaah Ta’ala:
وَلِمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِ حِمْلُ بَعِيرٍ وَأَنَا بِهِ زَعِيمٌ
<<and for him who produces the stolen item is (the reward of) a camel load; I will be bound by it.>>[13]
This is used as a proof for three aspects from the different aspects of knowledge:
- rewarding someone for carrying out work which is difficult to determine precisely.
2) Guarantees for wealth.
3) Sponsorship of a person.
Because the saying of Allaah: << and for him who produces the stolen item is (the reward of) a camel load >> is a form of rewarding someone for carrying out work which is difficult to determine precisely and of making something understood or closer to being understood – like the equivalent of a camel load of goods, since that payment is understood to the one who works for him.
Therefore, regardless of whether an action is known or unknown, this is permissible due to the benefit for the one who needs work done and to the worker.
As for his saying: << I will be bound by it>> means a guarantor and sponsor, and it is for documented contracts that are bound within rights and by which dealings and their requirements are fulfilled.
- From the benefits:
That by implementing the Sharia’, there is rectification for the land and country and so matters proceed correctly.
Sinning, like stealing and other crimes, causes corruption on the earth; due to the saying of Yusuf’s brothers:
تَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ مَا جِئْنَا لِنُفْسِدَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا كُنَّا سَارِقِينَ
<< ‘By Allaah! Indeed, you know that we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are not thieves!’ >>[14]
How many times has it been mentioned clearly in the Qur’aan, that sinning and opposing the Messengers corrupts the earth, and also that following the Messengers is absolute rectification, the rectification of the Deen and the Dunya.
- From the benefits:
An indication of a major principle which Allaah re-iterates and makes clear in His Book:
That every soul will earn what it will from goodness and reward and it will earn what it will from evil and punishment, and that no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another due to His saying:
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).’ >>[15]
- From the benefits:
The encouragement to implement those means, which lead to goodness and guard against disliked matters.
There are places in the story of Yusuf, which indicate this major principle, that you utilise means whilst seeking aid from Allaah and trusting in Him. Yaqoob –alayhi sallam- took the means he had control over when he entrusted his sons with Yusuf –alayhi sallam-, then with Yusuf’s brother when he sent him with them saying:
فَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ حَافِظًا وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ
<< But Allaah is the Best to guard, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.>>[16]
Also, if problems distress the slave of Allaah and he is overcome by calamities, then it is upon him to be patient and seek aid from Allaah against those things.
When the brothers of Yusuf did what they did and Yaqoob –alayhi as-sallam- was overcome with a major calamity he said:
وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ
<< And it is Allaah (Alone) Whose help can be sought against that which you assert>>[17]
Likewise, patience upon obedience, being patient with abstaining from prohibitions and patience with calamities cannot be complete and a person cannot triumph over them except by seeking aid from Allaah.
Also, a slave of Allaah must not rely upon himself. Yusuf said:
وَإِلَّا تَصْرِفْ عَنِّي كَيْدَهُنَّ أَصْبُ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَكُنْ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ
<< Unless You turn away their plot from me, I will feel inclined towards them and be one (of those who commit sin and deserve blame or those who do deeds) of the ignorant. >>[18]
[1] [Yusuf: 53]
[2] [Fajr: 27-30]
[3] Collected by Muslim & Tirmidhi
[4] [Yusuf: 6]
[5] [Yusuf: 101]
[6] [Saad: 42]
[7] [Ana’am: 17]
[8] [Yusuf: 88]
[9] [Yusuf: 33]
[10] [Yusuf: 89]
[11] [Baqarah: 67]
[12] [Nisa’: 17]
[13] [Yusuf: 72]
[14] [Yusuf: 73]
[15] [Yusuf: 79]
[16] [Yusuf: 64]
[17] [Yusuf: 18]
[18] [Yusuf: 33]