Yusuf 12:85–90

When the sons of Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) saw the extreme suffering and patience of their father, they said: قَالُوا تَاللَّهِ تَفْتَأُ تَذْكُرُ‌ يُوسُفَ (By God, you will not stop remembering Yusuf ...), meaning thereby that every shock ends, after all, and so does every sorrow. The passage of days in life makes one forget them. But, he continues to be where he was, even after the passage of such a long time with his sorrow being as fresh as when it came.

After hearing the concern of his sons, Sayyidna Ya'qub (علیہ السلام) said: إِنَّمَا أَشْكُو بَثِّي وَحُزْنِي إِلَى اللَّهِ that is, ` I complain of my anguish and sorrow, not to you, or to anyone else, but to Allah jalla thana'uh Himself. Therefore, leave me alone as I am.' And, along with what he said, he also indicated that ` this remembrance of his will not go to waste for he knew from Allah Ta` ala what they did not know - that he has been promised by Him that He would bring them all together with him.'

Verse 87 begins with the order given by Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) : بَنِيَّ اذْهَبُوا فَتَحَسَّسُوا مِن يُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ (0 my sons, go and search for Yusuf and his brother ...).

It was after the passage of such a long time that Sayyidna Ya’ qub (علیہ السلام) asked his sons to ` go and search for Yusuf and his brother' - and not to lose hope in finding them. Before this, he had never given an order of this nature. All these things were subservient to the Divine destiny. Meeting them earlier than that was not so destined. Therefore, no such action was taken either. And now, the time to meet had arrived. Therefore, Allah Ta’ ala put in his heart the way-out appropriate to it.

And the direction in which the search was to be made was turned to-wards nowhere but Egypt itself - which was known and definite in the case of Benyamin. But, there was no obvious reason, given the outward conditions, to look for Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) in Egypt. But, when Allah Ta’ ala intends to do something, He arranges to put together appropriate causes for its execution. Therefore, this time, he instructed his sons to go to Egypt once again for the purpose of this search. Some commentators have said that Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) ، by noticing that the ` Aziz of Misr had treated them unusually the first time when he had returned their capital by putting it within their baggage, had got the idea that this ` Aziz seems to be someone very noble and generous, perhaps he may be Yusuf (علیہ السلام) himself.

Points of Guidance

Patience in Pain is Obligatory on Every Muslim

Imam Al-Qurtubi has said: The event relating to Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) proves that it is Wajib on every Muslim when faced with distress or pain in the case of his person, children, family or property that he or she should seek redress from it by resorting to patience (sabr) at its best and by becoming resigned to and content with the decree of Allah Ta’ ala - and follow the example of Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) and other blessed prophets.

The Merit of Swallowing Anger and Pain

Imam Hasan Al-Basri (رح) has said: Out of what one swallows, two are the best in the sight of Allah Ta’ ala: (1) To do Sabr on pain or distress, and (2) to swallow anger.

Complaining of pain before everyone

In another Hadith from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said: مِن بَثَّ لَم یَصبِر ، that is, one who goes about narrating his distress before everyone has not observed Sabr.

The Reward for Sabr

Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has said: Allah Ta’ ala conferred upon Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) the reward of Shuhada (martyrs in the way of Allah) for this Sabr. And, in this Ummah too, whoever observes Sabr while in distress shall receive a similar reward.

The Reason why Sayyidna Ya` qub I was put to Trial

Imam Al-Qurtubi has given a reason for this severe trial and test of Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) as it appears in some narrations. It is said that one day Sayyidna Yaqub (علیہ السلام) was doing his Tahajjud prayers and Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) was sleeping before him. All of a sudden a sound of snoring by Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) caused his attention to be diverted to him. This happened twice, and thrice. Then, Allah Ta’ ala said to His angels: Look, this is My friend, and My favoured servant, see how he, in the middle of his address and approach to Me, turns his attention to someone other than Me. By My Honour and Power, I shall take these two eyes of his out, the eyes with which he has turned his attention to someone other than Me, and the one to whom he has turned his attention, I shall separate from him for a long time.

How About Looking at Someone During Salah?

Therefore, in a Hadith of Al-Bukhari narrated by Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ ، it appears that she asked the Holy Prophet ﷺ ` How is it to look elsewhere during Salah?' In reply, he said: ` Through it, the shaitan snatches the Salah of a servant of Allah away from him.' May Allah sublhanahu wa Ta’ ala keep us protected.

Commentary

Mentioned in the verses appearing above is the remaining part of the story of Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) and his brothers. It tells us that Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) asked his sons to go and search Yusuf (علیہ السلام) and his brother. So they travelled to Egypt for a third time - because they knew that Benyamin was there and they had to try to get him released first. As for Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) ، though his presence in Egypt was not known to them but, when the time comes for something to happen, human plans too start falling in place, unconsciously and without an intentional effort. This is confirmed by a Hadith which says: When Allah Ta’ ala intends to do something, He makes its causes get together automatically. Therefore, to search Yusuf (علیہ السلام) too, the very travel to Egypt was appropriate, though taken up unconsciously. Then, they needed food grains, after all. And yet another factor was that they hoped to see the ` Aziz of Misr on the pretext of their request for food grains, when they could put forward their plea for the release of Benyamin.

The first verse (88) begins with the words: فَلَمَّا دَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ قَالُوا (And when they came to him, they said...). It means: When the brothers of Yusuf (علیہ السلام) reached Egypt as ordered by their father and met the ` Aziz of Misr, they talked to him in a flattering tone. Presenting their need and helplessness, they told the ` Aziz that they and their family were suffering because of the famine, so much so that they did not have even adequate funds to purchase food grains. Compelled by circumstance, they had brought a capital which was not good enough for that purpose. Thus, their request was that, given his generosity, he should accept whatever they had and give them the full measure of grains as is usually given against things of good value. Not being their right in any way, they pleaded that the grains should be given to them as if given in charity because ` Allah rewards the charitable.'

What was this ` capital of very little worth'? The Qur'an and Hadith have not clarified it. The sayings of the commentators differ. Some say that they were bad dirhams which were not acceptable in the open market. Others say that this comprised of household articles. This expression - ` capital of very little worth' - is a translation of the meaning of the word: مُّزْجَاةٍ ('muzjatin' ) which really means something which does not move on its own, but has to be moved by someone else forcefully.

When Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) heard these submissive words from his brothers and saw their broken-down condition, he was naturally coming to a point where he would have no option but to disclose the truth as it was. And the drift of events was showing that the restriction placed by Allah Ta` ala on Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) that he would not disclose the truth of the matter about himself was not going to be there anymore for the time had come close when it would be taken back. Based on a narration of Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، it has been reported in Tafsir al-Qurtubi and Mazhari that Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) had, on this occasion, sent a letter in writing and had addressed it to the ` Aziz of Misr. The letter said:

"From Ya` qub Safi Allah Ibn Ishaq Dhabih Allah Ibn Ibrahim Khalil Allah to the ` Aziz of Misr. After offering praise to Allah: Our entire family is known for hardships and trials. My grandfather, Ibrahim Khalil Allah was tested through the fire of Nimrud. Then, my father, Ishaq was put to a hard test. Then, I was tested through a son of mine whom I held very dear - to the limit that I lost my eyesight when separated from him. After that, there was his younger brother, a source of comfort for me in my grief, whom you arrested on a charge of theft. And let me tell you that we are the progeny of prophets. Never have we committed a theft, nor has there ever been a thief among our children. And peace on you!"

When Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) read this letter, he trembled and broke into tears and decided to let his secret out. To start with, he first asked his brothers if they remembered what they had done with Yusuf and his brother at a time when they were ignorant, unable to distinguish between good and bad, and quite neglectful of acting with foresight.

When his brothers heard his question, they were dumbfounded. What has the ` Aziz of Misr got to do with the story of Yusuf (علیہ السلام) ? Then, they recollected the dream seen by young Yusuf (علیہ السلام) the interpretation of which was that he would achieve some high rank and they would have to bow down before him. Could it be that this ` Aziz of Misr is none else but Yusuf (علیہ السلام) himself? Then, as they exerted and deliberated a little more, they recognized him by some signs. Still, to confirm it further, they asked him:

أَإِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ يُوسُفُ (Are you really the Yusuf?). Then, Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) said: ` Yes, I am Yusuf and this is my brother, Benyamin.' He supplemented his statement by adding the name of his brother so that they become certain about him. In addition to that, he also wanted them to become sure right then about the total success of their mission, that is, the two they had started to search for were there before them, both at the same time and place. Then, he said: قَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا ۖ إِنَّهُ مَن يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ‌ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ‌ الْمُحْسِنِين ، that is, ` Allah has been very kind to us [ that he first gave both of us two qualities, those of patience (Sabr) and the fear of Allah (Taqwa), qualities which are a key to success and a security shield against every hardship. Then He changed hardship into comfort, separation into union, and our paucity of wealth and recognition into its total abundance. ` Surely, whoever fears Allah [ and abstains from sins ] and observes patience [ while in distress ], then Allah does not waste the reward of the good-doers [ like these ].'