Sūrah Yūsuf

Overview

Sūrah Yūsuf is a Makkan sūrah with 111 āyāt. It is named after Prophet Yūsuf, for no other sūrah holistically and comprehensively covers the story of a prophet as Sūrah Yūsuf speaks about his narrative. Allah opens the sūrah with a proclamation that “We relay to you the best of stories” (12:3), setting the tone for one of the greatest and most engrossing qur’anic tales. Yūsuf was a young boy living in the household of his noble father Yaʿqūb. He saw an awesome vision, and confided in his role model and teacher about it: “I saw eleven stars and the sun and the moon—I saw them fall prostrate before me” (12:4). His father counsels him and advises him not to recount this dream to his brothers, for the devil was to sprout a seed of envy between them. Indeed, what Yaʿqūb foresaw was afoot. The brothers of Yūsuf took permission from their father to take him out. They promised to protect him, but returned at night without him. Yaʿqūb was devastated, but maintained a “beautiful patience” fitting for a prophet (12:18). Yūsuf was placed in a well by his brothers, sold into slavery, tempted by his mistress, unjustly imprisoned, and forgotten by an inmate whom he helped. He remained resilient and hopeful for Allah’s relief throughout his trials. Thereafter, the king of Egypt saw a dream which led to Yūsuf being exonerated, assuming a position of administrative authority, having his brothers remorseful before him, and eventually reuniting with his family in a scene of tremendous joy, forbearance, and reconciliation. Yūsuf reminded his father: “Dear father, this is the interpretation of my dream from before!” (12:100). The story concludes with a moving invocation from Yūsuf where he asks Allah to take him back to him submitting and make him reach the station of the righteous (12:101). The sūrah does not finish there, as Allah emphasises the moral of the story to all those who would pay heed: “In their (the messenger’s) narratives there is truly a lesson for people of understanding. This message cannot be a fabrication, rather it is a confirmation of what came before it, a detailed explanation of all things, a guide, and a mercy for a believing people” (12:111).

Context

The early Muslims experienced severe persecution in Makkah, none more so than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. In what is known as the Year of Sorrow, the prophet ﷺ lost both his uncle Abū Ṭālib and his most beloved Khadījah in the tenth year from the advent of prophecy. Due to Abū Ṭālib’s status, the idolaters would sometimes hold back their harming the Prophet ﷺ. After he passed away, their transgression knew no bounds. The Prophet ﷺ would seek out alliances by travelling to neighbouring tribes and calling them to Islam. One such tribe was that of al-Ṭāʾif. Tragically, they refused him ﷺ in the most heinous of ways, sending their children to pelt him with stones until his blessed feet bled. It was during this arduous time that the Companions requested from the Prophet ﷺ: “Would that you narrate to us [stories to console us].” Allah revealed: “We relay to you the best of stories in what We reveal to you of this Qur’an, though before it you were among the heedless” (12:3). A narrative of profound morals and immense hope then followed, with Yūsuf facing a plethora of challenges before finally being granted divine opening after divine opening. It was exactly the solace which the Prophet ﷺ and the believers needed to hear.

Themes

The singular theme which flows throughout Sūrah Yūsuf is trusting qadr: the masterplan of Allah. Life is a test, but through faith in Allah, trust in His decree, and seeking iḥsān (excellence) in everything we do, He sets our affairs straight and bestows upon us His mercy.

Unique Features

• Sūrah Yūsuf contains all qur’anic mentions of Yūsuf (26 in total) but for two: Sūrah al-Anʿām (6:84) and Sūrah Ghāfir (40:34).
• Uniquely when referencing Egypt’s ruler, the sūrah uses the word malik (king) instead of the usual firʿawn (Pharaoh). Recent Egyptological findings attest to the Qur’an’s accuracy in terminology, since the title ‘Pharaoh’ was not used at the estimated historical time of Yūsuf.
• Every other story of any prophet or messenger in the Qur’an is mentioned multiple times in various sūrahs. Sūrah Yūsuf is the only sūrah which exclusively expatiates on one prophetic narrative: that of Prophet Yūsuf.

Lessons

Sūrah Yūsuf contains numerous lessons in:

• Bringing up children: The relationship between Yūsuf and Yaʿqūb is replete with benefits and guidance for proper parenting.
• Social interaction: There must be boundaries that maintain social order and encourage communal cohesion, especially when men and women interact.
• Finance and treasury: Yūsuf is described as ḥafīẓ as well as ʿalīm—implying moral uprightness as well as technical prowess. Both are necessary for progress.
• Politics and governance: Geopolitical trade is implied in the sūrah. Yūsuf managed to be a catalyst for prosperity in the region.
• Kindness to parents: The interactions between Yaʿqūb as the head of his family with his sons give us lessons in how to honour our parents.
• Daʿwah: The way Yūsuf invited his two inmates to pure monotheism gives us a model of wisdom and eloquence to apply in our day-to-day engagements.
• Good character: Yūsuf is recognised as a muḥsin both as a prisoner and the grand minister of Egypt. Perfectionism in everything we do is a religious mandate.

Virtues and Valuable Information

The quintessential moment of forgiveness in the sūrah, when Yūsuf pardons his brothers, is echoed in the Sīrah of the Prophet ﷺ. When the Messenger ﷺ finally returned to Makkah as a conqueror, the Quraysh feared that he would seek retribution for all the harm they had inflicted upon him and his companions. Yet, he ﷺ chose forbearance. He said to them: “I say to you what my brother Yūsuf said, ‘There is no blame upon you today, may Allah forgive you. He is the most merciful of the merciful.” (12:92)