Prophet Yusuf and His Brothers

Yusuf's Dream Allah says, `Mention to your people, O Muhammad, among the stories that you narrate to them, the story of Yusuf.' Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) mentioned his dream to his father, Prophet Ya`qub (Jacob), son of Prophet Ishaq (Isaac), son of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), peace be upon them all. `Abdullah bin `Abbas stated that the dreams of Prophets are revelations from Allah. Scholars of Tafsir explained that in Yusuf's dream the eleven stars represent his brothers, who were eleven, and the sun and the moon represent his father and mother. This explanation was collected from Ibn `Abbas, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, Sufyan Ath-Thawri and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. Yusuf's vision became a reality forty years later, or as some say, eighty years, when Yusuf raised his parents to the throne while his brothers were before him, وَخَرُّواْ لَهُ سُجَّدَا وَقَالَ يأَبَتِ هَـذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُؤْيَـى مِن قَبْلُ قَدْ جَعَلَهَا رَبِّى حَقًّا (and they fell down before him prostrate. And he said: "O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream aforetime! My Lord has made it come true!")

Ya`qub orders Yusuf to hide His Vision to avoid Shaytan's Plots Allah narrates the reply Ya`qub gave his son Yusuf when he narrated to him the vision that he saw, which indicated that his brothers would be under his authority. They would be subjugated to Yusuf's authority to such an extent that they would prostrate before him in respect, honor and appreciation. Ya`qub feared that if Yusuf narrated his vision to any of his brothers, they would envy him and conspire evil plots against him. This is why Ya`qub said to Yusuf, لاَ تَقْصُصْ رُءْيَاكَ عَلَى إِخْوَتِكَ فَيَكِيدُواْ لَكَ كَيْدًا (Relate not your vision to your brothers, lest they should arrange a plot against you.) This Ayah means, "They might arrange a plot against you that causes your demise." In the Sunnah, there is a confirmed Hadith that states, «إِذَا رَأَى أَحَدُكُمْ مَا يُحِبُّ فَلْيُحَدِّثْ بِهِ، وَإِذَا رَأَى مَا يَكْرَهُ فَلْيَتَحَوَّلْ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ الْآخَرِ، وَلْيَتْفُلْ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ ثَلَاثًا، وَلْيَسْتَعِذْ بِاللهِ مِنْ شَرِّهَا، وَلَا يُحَدِّثْ بِهَا أَحَدًا فَإِنَّهَا لَنْ تَضُرَّه» (If any of you saw a vision that he likes, let him narrate it. If he saw a dream that he dislikes, let him turn on his other side, blow to his left thrice, seek refuge with Allah from its evil and not tell it to anyone. Verily, it will not harm him in this case.) In another Hadith that Imam Ahmad and collectors of the Sunan collected, Mu`awiyah bin Haydah Al-Qushayri said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «الرُّؤْيَا عَلَى رِجْلِ طَائِرٍ مَا لَمْ تُعْبَرْ، فَإِذَا عُبِرَتْ وَقَعَت» (The dream is tied to a bird's leg, as long as it is not interpreted. If it is interpreted, it comes true.) Therefore, one should hide the prospects or the coming of a bounty until it comes into existence and becomes known. The Prophet said, «اسْتَعِينُوا عَلَى قَضَاءِ الْحَوَائِجِ بِكِتْمَانِهَا، فَإِنَّ كُلَّ ذِي نِعْمَةٍ مَحْسُود» (Earn help for fulfilling needs by being discrete, for every owner of a blessing is envied.)

Interpretation of Yusuf's Vision Allah says that Ya`qub said to his son Yusuf, `Just as Allah chose you to see the eleven stars, the sun and the moon prostrate before you in a vision, وَكَذلِكَ يَجْتَبِيكَ رَبُّكَ (Thus will your Lord choose you) designate and assign you to be a Prophet from Him, وَيُعَلِّمُكَ مِن تَأْوِيلِ الاٌّحَادِيثِ (and teach you the interpretation of Ahadith).' Mujahid and several other scholars said that this part of the Ayah is in reference to the interpreting of dreams. He said next, وَيُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكَ (and perfect His favor on you), `by His Message and revelation to you.' This is why Ya`qub said afterwards, كَمَآ أَتَمَّهَآ عَلَى أَبَوَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ إِبْرَهِيمَ (as He perfected it aforetime on your fathers, Ibrahim...), Allah's intimate friend, وَإِسْحَـقَ (and Ishaq), Ibrahim's son, إِنَّ رَبَّكَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ (Verily, your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise.) Allah knows best whom to chose for His Messages.

Yusuf in Egypt Allah mentions the favors that He granted Yusuf, peace be on him, by which He made the man from Egypt who bought him, take care of him and provide him with a comfortable life. He also ordered his wife to be kind to Yusuf and had good hopes for his future, because of his firm righteous behavior. He said to his wife, أَكْرِمِى مَثْوَاهُ عَسَى أَن يَنفَعَنَآ أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَدًا (Make his stay comfortable, maybe he will profit us or we shall adopt him as a son.) The man who bought Yusuf was the minister of Egypt at the time, and his title was `Aziz'. Abu Ishaq narrated that Abu `Ubaydah said that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "Three had the most insight: the `Aziz of Egypt, who said to his wife, أَكْرِمِى مَثْوَاهُ (Make his stay comfortable...), the woman who said to her father, يأَبَتِ اسْتَـْجِرْهُ (O my father! Hire him...), 28:26 and Abu Bakr As-Siddiq when he appointed `Umar bin Al-Khattab to be the Khalifah after him, may Allah be pleased with them both." Allah said next that just as He saved Yusuf from his brothers, كَذَلِكَمَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ (Thus did We establish Yusuf in the land), in reference to Egypt, وَلِنُعَلِّمَهُ مِن تَأْوِيلِ الاٌّحَادِيثِ (that We might teach him the interpretation of events.) the interpretation of dreams, according to Mujahid and As-Suddi. Allah said next, وَاللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِهِ (And Allah has full power and control over His affairs,) if He wills something, then there is no averting His decision, nor can it ever be stopped or contradicted. Rather, Allah has full power over everything and everyone else. Sa`id bin Jubayr said while commenting on Allah's statement, وَاللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِهِ (And Allah has full power and control over His affairs,) "He does what ever He wills." Allah said, وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (but most of men know not.) meaning, have no knowledge of Allah's wisdom with regards to His creation, compassion and doing what He wills. Allah said next, وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ (And when he attained), in reference to Prophet Yusuf, peace be upon him, أَشُدَّهُ (his full manhood), sound in mind and perfect in body, آتَيْنَاهُ حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا (We gave him wisdom and knowledge), which is the prophethood that Allah sent him with for the people he lived among, وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الْمُحْسِنِينَ (thus We reward the doers of good.) because Yusuf used to do good in the obedience of Allah the Exalted.