[القلب الحزين]

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The beaker of the king

Joseph ordered his guys to put the king's beaker which was used to weigh corn in his brother's luggage. Then, he ordered them to declare it stolen and look for it! They started the search for the king's beaker in Joseph's brothers 'luggage. Suddenly, they got the beaker from the younger brother's luggage. Here, Joseph's guys declared that the younger brother was the thief of the beaker and he had to go to prison!

Joseph's brothers said: We did not come here to steal, but this young kid was a thief, nonetheless, we had to take him back to his father because he would be very sad. Joseph told them: Who stole would be sent to prison and I would not let him go with you. They said: O Aziz our brother has an old father and we cannot go back without him. Then, they begged Aziz a lot, but he refused to send his younger brother with them. He had him stay in the palace with him and he was very generous to him. He started to talk with him about their father Jacob. Almighty says, "They said: "O exalted one! Behold! he has a father, aged and venerable, (who will grieve for him); so take one of us in his place; for we see that thou art (gracious) in doing good." 79 He said: "(Allah) forbid that we take other than him with whom we found our property: indeed (if we did so), we should be acting wrongfully." [Yousif: Joseph: 78-79]

Joseph's brothers in confusion

Joseph's brothers were increasingly dithered in this situation, and they did not know what to do after they had given their father a promise and testament to bring his younger son. Therefore, the elder brother said to them: Go back to your father and tell him what happened and say that your younger son stole and we are sincere. Here, the Book of Allah Almighty describes this difficult situation, Allah Almighty says, "Now when they saw no hope of his (yielding), they held a conference in private. The leader among them said: "Know ye not that your father did take an oath from you in Allah’s name, and how, before this, ye did fail in your duty with Joseph? Therefore will I not leave this land until my father permits me, or Allah commands me; and He is the best to command. 81. "Turn ye back to your father, and say, 'O our father! behold! thy son committed theft! we bear witness only to what we know, and we could not well guard against the unseen! " [Yousif: Joseph: 80-81]

They went back to their father

Thus, Joseph's brothers went back to their father, Jacob, (pbuh), told him what happened with them and their younger brother had stolen and gone to prison! Here, this father's sadness increased and told them: You must have done him harm. I will be patient until Allah returns him and also Joseph with him. “Jacob said: "Nay, but ye have yourselves contrived a story (good enough) for you. So patience is most fitting (for me). Maybe Allah will bring them (back) all to me (in the end). For He is indeed full of knowledge and wisdom" [Yousif: Joseph: 83] Jacob was sad of his sons and he did not find in front of him anything but resorted to Allah Almighty in this difficult circumstances and distanced himself from them saying, " and said: "How great is my grief for Joseph!" [Yousif: Joseph: 84] He repeats this statement and felt sorry for Joseph and his brother and how he had sent him with them.

Jacob loses his sight

Jacob became blind from great sadness. He lost sight because he was very sad for the loss of his sons. His sons were trying to reduce his sadness but it increased with grief and pain for his sons were the most precious thing in his life.

They came again and told their father: Do not remember Joseph because this affects your health a lot. However, he complained his sadness to Allah almighty. The Quran tells us about Jacob's speech, his talk to Allah "He said: "I only complain of my distraction and anguish to Allah, and I know from Allah that which ye know not..." [Yousif: Joseph: 86] Anguish is extreme sadness. Consider with me this wonderful speech when Jacob was on the climax of sadness but he did not lose hope in Allah, "and I know from Allah that which ye know not..." but I am sure that Allah will return them to me soon!!! This is the patience of prophets. Where are we from this patience?!

Do we have the ability for such patience? When we encounter any calamity, do we remember the story of Joseph and Jacob's sadness for his sons, how he lost his sight but he did not lose hope in Allah Almighty. How to lose hope in Allah, and Allah is the most merciful?

Then, our Prophet Jacob started a practical example for this trust in Allah, and he said to his sons: go and look for Joseph and his brother, and do not give up of Allah mercy!! Let us read this in the Holly Quran's words. "O my sons! go ye and enquire about Joseph and his brother, and never give up hope of Allah’s Soothing Mercy: truly no one despairs of Allah’s Soothing Mercy, except those who have no faith." [Yousif: Joseph: 87] Thus our Prophet Jacob (pbuh) asked his sons to search and look in every place, not in a hurry but quietly and not to despair of the mercy of Allah Almighty.

The brothers went back again

Joseph’s brothers have suffered a lot on their father. They went back to Egypt to see Aziz (Joseph) who they did not know that he was Joseph, their brother. They arrived at Joseph and said to him: We have suffered a lot, our father has lost his sight, and we do not have anything left. We beg you to send our younger brother with us. Maybe, when we return him to his father, he regains his sight.

Joseph said: Now you become begging, do you know what you had done to your brother Joseph before?? Do you remember when you threw him in the well?? They promptly screamed: Are you Joseph!!!? He said: Yes and this is my younger brother. We were patient a lot and therefore Allah had blessed us and saved us from you. “They said: "Art thou indeed Joseph?" He said, "I am Joseph, and this is my brother: Allah has indeed been gracious to us (all): behold, he that is righteous and patient,- never will Allah suffer the reward to be lost, of those who do right." 91. They said: "By Allah. indeed has Allah preferred thee above us, and we certainly have been guilty of sin!" 92. He said: "This day let no reproach be (cast) on you: Allah will forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy!” [Yousif: Joseph: 90-92]

Jacob regains his sight

Joseph (pbuh) said to them: But now take my shirt to your father. Put this shirt on his face, and his sight will be back. I request that you bring with you all your family to the palace. When they returned to their father carrying the shirt and before they reached their house, Jacob, the father, (pbuh) smelt Joseph’s sweat. Immediately, he said: I smell my son, Joseph. Those who around him said: Do you still remember Joseph who was eaten by a wolf?

Joseph’s brothers arrived and put the shirt on their father’s face. His sight was back as it had been before!! Jacob said to them: I have told you that I knew things from Allah you do not know. Here, Joseph’s brothers felt their mistake and guilt, thus they sought pardon and forgiveness and they said to their father: “They said: "O our father! ask for us forgiveness for our sins, for we were truly at fault." 98. He said: "Soon will I ask my Lord for forgiveness for you: for he is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." [Yousif: Joseph: 97-98] They admitted their mistake. That was a good thing. Jacob (pbuh) promised them to ask Allah for forgiveness and repentance to their sins.

The dream comes true

Jacob praised Allah a lot after he rejoiced that his son Joseph was still alive and became king of Egypt, besides regaining his sight. He took his sons, headed to Egypt and entered the palace of the king, Joseph. The custom was that anyone who appeared in front of the king had to prostrate and kneel in front of him. When Joseph's father and his mother came into the palace, Joseph raised them on the throne in respect and tribute to them.

Then, his eleven brothers came in and prostrated to him. By doing this, Joseph's dream came true when he said, "Behold! Joseph said to his father: "O my father! I did see eleven stars and the sun and the moon: I saw them prostrate themselves to me!" [Yousif: Joseph: 4] .What is meant by eleven stars was that his brothers were eleven and the sun and the moon denoted to his father and mother. Thus, the dream that he had seen when he was young came true. In this scene, Joseph stayed in modesty in front of his parents and modesty to Allah Almighty. He remembered Allah grace and never forgot it. He addressed his father saying, "And he raised his parents high on the throne (of dignity), and they fell down in prostration, (all) before him. He said: "O my father! this is the fulfilment of my vision of old! Allah hath made it come true!” [Yousif: Joseph: 100]

Our Prophet Joseph's (pbuh) supplication

Our Prophet Joseph had made a great supplication in this situation in which he expressed his thanks to Allah Almighty. He remembered the greatness of the Creator Almighty and admitted that he is Allah's slave no matter how much dominance he had obtained. He asked Allah Almighty to breathe his last on faith and Islam. He asked Allah to make him one of the good people and unite with them on the Day of Resurrection. Let us read the wonderful style of the Quran in illustrating our Prophet Joseph (pbuh), "O my Lord! Thou hast indeed bestowed on me some power, and taught me something of the interpretation of dreams and events,- O Thou Creator of the heavens and the earth! Thou art my Protector in this world and in the Hereafter. Take Thou my soul (at death) as one submitting to Thy will (as a Muslim), and unite me with the righteous." [Yousif: Joseph: 101]

Finally, Allah Almighty sealed this beautiful story by addressing our beloved Apostle Mohammed (pbuh) saying, “Such is one of the stories of what happened unseen, which We reveal by inspiration unto thee; nor wast thou (present) with them then when they concerted their plans together in the process of weaving their plots.” [Yousif: Joseph: 102] This story is about unseen news which only Allah Almighty knows. You O Allah’s Apostle, you did not have knowledge of this story and the deception that Joseph's brothers made unless Allah was who told you that.

Sermons and lessons from Joseph's story

• Allah had saved Joseph when he was in the well, because he was a believer in Allah and confident of Allah’s Almighty grace. He was obedient to his parents. Here, we learn that whoever obeys Allah, his Apostle, and his parents, Allah will bless his soul and save him from the perils. If you want Allah to be on your side in difficult times, be with Allah in your regular times. When our Prophet Joseph (pbuh) was exposed to Aziz's wife assault, he refused to disobey Allah because he feared Allah and therefore Allah saved him.
• Even in difficult times when he went to prison, we find him to be patient and preferred prison to sin and he said, "He said: "Before any food comes (in due course) to feed either of you, I will surely reveal to you the truth and meaning of this ere it befall you: that is part of the (duty) which my Lord hath taught me. I have (I assure you) abandoned the ways of a people that believe not in Allah and that (even) deny the Hereafter. 38. "And I follow the ways of my fathers,- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and never could we attribute any partners whatever to Allah. that (comes) of the grace of Allah to us and to mankind: yet most men are not grateful." [Yousif: Joseph: 37-38]
• This story teaches us patience in all its kinds. Patience of the father on his sons, the brother on his brothers and the believer when he encounters difficult situations where he resorts on Allah Almighty. It teaches us that lying does not last long. Joseph's brothers lied to their father and said that the wolf had eaten Joseph. But this lie did not continue, and what they are was revealed. Then, they felt their error, remorse and grief. We also learn that Allah Almighty does not abandon patient believers. In spite of all the situations that Joseph experienced in his life, he always found Allah to his side and this is the true believer.
• The believer must not be arrogant when Allah has bestowed on him grace, office and wealth. The believer who Allah loves is the one who becomes more modest whenever his wealth, knowledge and rank increase. Thus, Joseph said a great saying that reflects his strong faith in Allah: “They said: "Art thou indeed Joseph?" He said, "I am Joseph, and this is my brother: Allah has indeed been gracious to us (all): behold, he that is righteous and patient,- never will Allah suffer the reward to be lost, of those who do right." [Yousif: Joseph: 90]

5. So, piety and patience are the only way to charity which leads to paradise. Here, patience must be for the sake of Allah Almighty.

• Our Prophet Jacob (pbuh) had a great position reflected in his absolute confidence in the mercy of Allah while he was highly distressed! Nonetheless, he ordered his sons not despair of the mercy and grace of Allah Almighty. So, he said, “He said: "I only complain of my distraction and anguish to Allah, and I know from Allah that which ye know not... 87. "O my sons! go ye and enquire about Joseph and his brother, and never give up hope of Allah’s Soothing Mercy: truly no one despairs of Allah’s Soothing Mercy, except those who have no faith."[Yousif: Joseph: 86-87] A disbeliever is the one who is despair of the generosity and grace of Allah while a believer whenever he encounters calamity, he will resort on Allah who he finds him near and responsive.
• Our Prophet Joseph (pbuh) was on top of sovereignty in the greatest country of its time but he did not forget that he would die and go back to Allah and Allah would reward him on his deeds. So, he said, “Take Thou my soul (at death) as one submitting to Thy will (as a Muslim), and unite me with the righteous." [Yousif: Joseph: 101]

Now my beloved brother

You can memorize this story after you have understood it. That is you should select a number of verses that make an independent portion. The Surah portions may count to twenty for example. You memorize the first portion followed by the second one, and then you join the two and memorize them together.

After that, you start with the third portion followed by the fourth, and then you join them together and memorize them continuously. Next, you memorize the four portions before you take the rest. You start repeating the four portions as if they are one portion until you memorize them all. Then, you move to the fifth followed by the sixth and then you join between them… and so according to the chain of portions until you finish the whole Surah successfully if Allah Almighty wills.

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By: Abduldaem Al-Kaheel