The Story of Joseph (part 1 of 7)
- Categories: Stories of the Prophets -
This is a tale of intrigue and deception, of jealousy,
pride, and passion… and it is not The Bold and the Beautiful. It is
a saga of patience, loyalty, bravery and compassion… and it is not
Dr Phil or Oprah. It is the story of Prophet Joseph, may God shower
him with His praises. The same Joseph known from the Andrew Lloyd
Webber production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,
and the same Prophet Joseph known in Christian and Jewish
traditions. God revealed this story to Prophet Muhammad when an
Israelite asked him to tell him what he knew about Joseph.[1] Stories in Quran are usually told
in small bit and made known over several chapters; the story of
Joseph however, is unique. It was revealed in one chapter, from the
beginning to the end. It is the complete story and experience of
Prophet Joseph. We learn about Joseph's joys, troubles and sorrows,
and move with him through the years of his life as he arms himself
with piety and patience, and in the end emerges victorious. The
story of Joseph begins with a dream, and ends with the dream's
interpretation.
{We relate unto you (Muhammad) the
best of stories through Our Revelations unto you, of this Quran.
And before this (i.e. before the coming of Divine Inspiration to
you), you were among those who knew nothing about it.}
[Quran 12:3]
{نَحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ أَحْسَنَ
الْقَصَصِ بِمَا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ وَإِن كُنتَ
مِن قَبْلِهِ لَمِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ} [يوسف:٣]
Transliteration: Naĥnu Naquşşu `Alayka 'Aĥsana
Al-Qaşaşi Bimā 'Awĥaynā 'Ilayka Hādhā Al-Qur'āna Wa 'In Kunta Min
Qablihi Lamina Al-Ghāfilīna
Joseph's
Childhood
Joseph was young boy, handsome, happy and very much loved by his
father. He awoke one morning excited about a dream and ran straight
to his father happily explaining what he had seen in his dream.
Joseph's father listened attentively to his beloved son and his
face shone with joy, for Joseph related a dream that spoke of the
fulfilment of a prophecy. Joseph said,
{O my father! Verily, I saw (in a
dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them
prostrating themselves to me.} [Quran 12:4]
{إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَا
أَبَتِ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا وَالشَّمْسَ
وَالْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِي سَاجِدِينَ} [يوسف:٤]
Transliteration: 'Idh Qāla Yūsufu Li'abīhi Yā 'Abati
'Innī Ra'aytu 'Aĥada `Ashara Kawkabāan Wa Ash-Shamsa Wa Al-Qamara
Ra'aytuhum Lī Sājidīna
Joseph was one of 12 brothers whose father was Prophet Jacob and
whose great grandfather was Prophet Abraham. This prophecy spoke of
keeping Abraham's message to worship One True God alive. Prophet
Abraham's grandson Jacob interpreted the dream to mean that Joseph
would be the one to carry the 'Light of God's house"[2] However as quickly as the joy had
sprung into Jacob's face, it vanished, and he implored his son not
to relate his dream to his brothers. Jacob said,
{O my son! Relate not your vision to
your brothers, lest they arrange a plot against you. Verily! Satan
is to man an open enemy! Thus will your Lord choose you, teach you
the interpretation of dreams (and other things), and perfect His
Favour on you and on the offspring of Jacob, as He perfected it on
your fathers, Abraham, and Isaac aforetime! Verily! Your Lord is
All-Knowing, All-Wise.} [Quran 12:5-6]
{قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تَقْصُصْ
رُؤْيَاكَ عَلَىٰ إِخْوَتِكَ فَيَكِيدُوا لَكَ كَيْدًا ۖ إِنَّ
الشَّيْطَانَ لِلْإِنسَانِ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
﴿٥﴾ وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَجْتَبِيكَ رَبُّكَ
وَيُعَلِّمُكَ مِن تَأْوِيلِ الْأَحَادِيثِ وَيُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُ
عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ يَعْقُوبَ كَمَا أَتَمَّهَا عَلَىٰ أَبَوَيْكَ
مِن قَبْلُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ عَلِيمٌ
حَكِيمٌ} [يوسف:5-٦]
Transliteration: Qāla Yā Bunayya Lā Taqşuş Ru'uyā Ka
`Alá 'Ikhwatika Fayakīdū Laka Kaydāan 'Inna Ash-Shayţāna
Lil'insāni `Adūwun Mubīnun (5) Wa Kadhalika Yajtabīka Rabbuka Wa
Yu`allimuka Min Ta'wīli Al-'Aĥādīthi Wa Yutimmu Ni`matahu `Alayka
Wa `Alá 'Āli Ya`qūba Kamā 'Atammahā `Alá
'Abawayka Min Qablu 'Ibrāhīma Wa 'Isĥāqa 'Inna Rabbaka `Alīmun
Ĥakīmun
Jacob knew that his sons (Joseph's brothers) would not accept the
interpretation of this dream or the advancement of Joseph over
themselves. Jacob was filled with fear. The ten older brothers were
already jealous of their younger brother. They recognised their
father's particular affection for him. Jacob was a prophet, a man
dedicated to submission to One True God and he treated his family
and his community with fairness, respect and equitable love;
however his heart was drawn to the gentle qualities evident in his
son Joseph. Joseph also had a younger brother named Benjamin, who,
at this stage of the story, was too young to be involved in any of
the trickery and deception brewing.
While Prophets and righteous men are eager to spread the message of
submission to God, Satan is waiting to entice and incite mankind.
He loves trickery and deception and was now sewing the seeds of
discord between Jacob and his elder sons. The jealousy the brothers
felt toward Joseph blinded their hearts, disoriented their thinking
and made small things seem insurmountable, large things seeming
insignificant. Joseph heeded his father's warning and did not speak
of his dream to his brothers; but even so, they became obsessed and
overwhelmed by their jealousy. Without knowing about Joseph's
dream, they hatched a plan to kill him.
Joseph and Benjamin were the sons of Jacob's second wife. The older
boys considered themselves men. They were older, they were stronger
and saw in themselves many good qualities. Blinded by jealousy,
they perceived Joseph and Benjamin as too young and without
consequence in the life of the family. They refused to understand
why their father doted on them. The older boy's crooked thinking
made them accuse their father of being misguided which, in reality,
was far from the truth. Satan made their thoughts fair seeming to
them and their utter misguidance was shown clearly, when they spoke
of killing Joseph and immediately repenting to God for this
despicable act.
{They said, "Truly, Joseph and his
brother are loved more by our father than we, but we are a strong
group. Really, our father is in a plain error. Kill Joseph or cast
him out to some (other) land, so that the favour of your father may
be given to you alone, and after that you will be righteous folk
(by intending to repent).} [Quran 12:8-9]
{إِذْ قَالُوا لَيُوسُفُ وَأَخُوهُ
أَحَبُّ إِلَىٰ أَبِينَا مِنَّا وَنَحْنُ عُصْبَةٌ إِنَّ أَبَانَا
لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿٨﴾ اقْتُلُوا يُوسُفَ
أَوِ اطْرَحُوهُ أَرْضًا يَخْلُ لَكُمْ وَجْهُ أَبِيكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا
مِن بَعْدِهِ قَوْمًا صَالِحِينَ} [يوسف:8-٩]
Transliteration: 'Idh Qālū Layūsufu Wa 'Akhūhu
'Aĥabbu 'Ilá 'Abīnā Minnā Wa Naĥnu `Uşbatun 'Inna 'Abānā
Lafī Đalālin Mubīnin(8) Aqtulū Yūsufa 'Awi Aţraĥūhu 'Arđāan Yakhlu
Lakum Wajhu 'Abīkum Wa Takūnū Min Ba`dihi Qawmāan
Şāliĥīna
One amongst them felt the error of their ways and suggested that
rather than killing Joseph, they should drop him into a well. When
found by some passing traveller he would be sold into slavery, thus
rendering him as good as dead to the family. They believed, in
their blindness, that the absence of Joseph would remove him from
their father's thoughts. The brothers continued to hatch their evil
plan. Satan was toying with them, casting thoughts into their minds
and whispering misguidance into their ears. The brothers finished
their discussion pleased with themselves and believing they had
drafted a clever plan. They approached Jacob with a plan to take
Joseph into the desert with them, on the pretext of letting him
play and enjoy himself. Fear leapt into Jacob's heart.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Footnotes:
[1] Ibn Katheer. Stories of the
Prophets.
[2] Ibid.
By Aisha Stacey
IslamReligion.com