Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf The story of Yaqub (alaihis salam) given in Surah Yusuf, is a moving story, imparting a strong lesson in patience, loyalty, nobility, and compassion. It also serves as an example of Allah’s power and supremacy and the execution of His rulings. Allah says: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf And Allah has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not. (Surah Yusuf 12:21) The story begins with a dream and ends with its interpretation fulfilled. Yusuf (alaihis salam), son of the Prophet Yaqub (alaihis salam) awoke from his sleep and filled with excitement, ran to his father and related his dream: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf “(Remember) when Yousuf (Joseph) said to his father, ‘O my father! Verily, I saw (in a dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon, I saw them prostrating themselves to me.’” (Surah Yusuf 12:4) Yaqub (alaihis salam)’s face lit up. Being the son of Prophet Ishaq (alaihis salam), and grandson of Prophet Ibrahim (alaihis salam), he foresaw that his son would be the one through whom the prophecy of his grandfather, Ibrahim (alaihis salam), would be fulfilled, and he would keep the light of Ibrahim’s house alive spreading Allah’s message to mankind. Dreams of Prophets are revelations from Allah as stated by `Abdullah bin `Abbas. Scholars of Tafsir explained that in Yusuf (alaihis salam)’s dream the eleven stars represented his brothers, who were eleven, and the sun and the moon represent his father and mother. This vision became a reality forty (some say, eighty) years later, when Yusuf (alaihis salam) raised his parents to the throne while his brothers were with him. (Explanation collected from Ibn `Abbas, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, Sufyan Ath-Thawri and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam). However, Ya’qub (alaihis salam), well aware of the jealousy of Yusuf (alaihis salam)’s brothers, warned him against telling his dream to his brothers: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf “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 and teach you the interpretation of dreams (and other things) and perfect His Favor on you and on the offspring of Ya’qub, as He perfected it on your fathers, Abraham, and Isaac aforetime! Verily! Your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” (Surah Yusuf 12:5-6) Eighteen year old Yusuf heeded his father’s warning. He was very handsome and robust, respectful, kind, considerate, and had a gentle temperament. His brother Benjamin was equally pleasant. Both were from one mother. Because of their refined qualities, the father loved them more than his other children, and would not let them out of his sight. Satan aroused jealousy in the other brothers’ heart and they plotted against Yusuf (alaihis salam). Allah says: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf “When they said: “Truly, Yusuf and his brother are dearer to our father than we, while we are `Usbah (a group). Really, our father is in a plain error.” “Kill Yusuf or cast him out to some (other) land, so that the favor of your father may be given to you alone, and after that you will be righteous folk.”(by intending repentance before committing the sin). One from among them said: “Kill not Yusuf, but if you must do something, throw him down to the bottom of a well; he will be picked up by some caravan of travelers.” (Surah Yusuf 12:8-10) Judah (Yahudh), the eldest and most intelligent among them, suggested throwing Yusuf into a well. He might be picked up by a passing caravan and would disappear from their father’s sight. Their purpose would be served with his exile. And then they would repent for their crime and become good people once again. It was the cleverest of ideas seemingly safe. The brothers approached their father. Allah says: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf They said: “O our father! Why do you not trust us with Yusuf though we are indeed his well wishers? Send him with us tomorrow to enjoy himself and play, and verily we will take care of him.” He (Ya’qub) said: “Truly, it saddens me that you should take him away. I fear lest a wolf should devour him, while you are careless of him.” They said: “If a wolf devours him, while we are Usbah (a strong group) (to guard him), then surely we are the losers.” (Surah Yusuf 12:11-14) The brothers then went to the well as planned. The struggling Yusuf’s shirt was removed and he was thrown into the deep well. His piteous pleas had no effect on their cruel hearts. Leaving him in the desolate place and taking an oath to keep their evil deed a close secret, they killed a sheep and soaked Yusuf’s shirt in its blood. Allah says: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf And they came to their father in the early part of the night weeping. (Surah Yusuf 12:16) When Ya’qub (alaihis salam) asked: “Why this weeping? Has anything happened to our flock?” they answered crying: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf O our father! We went racing with one another, and left Yusuf by our belongings and a wolf devoured him; but you will never believe us even when we speak the truth.” (Surah Yusuf 12:17) islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf And they brought his shirt stained with false blood. (Surah Yusuf 12:18) Deep down in his heart Ya’qub (alaihis salam) knew that his beloved son was still alive and that his other sons were lying. He held the blood stained shirt in his hands, spread it out and remarked: “What a merciful wolf! He ate up my beloved son without tearing his shirt!” Their faces turned red when he demanded more information, but each swore by Allah that he was telling the truth. The brokenhearted father burst into tears: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf “Nay! But your own selves have made up a tale. So (for me) patience is most fitting. And it is Allah (Alone) whose Help can be sought against that (lie) which you assert.” (Yusuf 12:18) Here is an example for us all in Ya’qub (alaihis salam)’s recourse to prayer and patience, that is totally free of doubt. His firm trust in Allah Alone for help against the plotting his own sons, is a strong lesson in Eeman / Faith. Many years later when Yusuf (alaihis salam) had patiently and successfully gone through all the trials and tests of Faith in Allah, and had become Chief Minister to the King of Egypt, he was visited by his brothers who needed his help. He recognized them but they didn’t. He had them bring his younger brother Benjamin and detained him on charges of theft so that he could keep him and protect him. The other brothers returned home and told their father what had happened. Ya’qub (alaihis salam) could scarcely believe what he heard. Allah tells us what happened at the meeting of the sons and their father: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf So, when they despaired of him, they consulted in private. The eldest among them said: “Know you not that your father did take an oath from you in Allah’s Name, and before this you did fail in your duty with Yusuf. Therefore I will not leave this land until my father permits me, or Allah decides my case and He is the Best of the judges. “Return to your father and say: ‘O our father! Verily, your son (Benjamin) has stolen, and we testify not except according to what we know, and we could not know the unseen! And ask the people of the town where we have been, and the caravan in which we returned and indeed we are telling the truth.” He (Ya’qub) said: “Nay, but your own selves have beguiled you into something. So patience is most fitting for me. Maybe Allah will bring them back all to me. Truly He! Only He is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” And he turned away from them and said: “Alas, my grief for Yusuf!” And he lost his sight because of the sorrow that he was suppressing. (Yusuf 12:80-84) Ya’qub (alaihis salam) was overwhelmed with sorrow and wept. “Patience be with me; perhaps Allah will return all of them to me. He is Most Knowing, Most Wise.” Once again he was faced with unbearable grief but his Trust in Allah remained steadfast – his only source of consolation. Only prayer could comfort him and strengthen his faith and patience. Weeping all those years for his beloved son Yusuf – and now with one more of his best sons being snatched away from him – he almost lost his sight. The other sons pleaded with him: “O father, you are a noble prophet and a great messenger of Allah. Unto you descended revelation and people received guidance and faith from you. Why are you destroying yourself in this way?” Ya’qub (alaihis salam) replied: “Rebuking me will not lessen my grief. Only the return of my sons will comfort me. My sons, go in search of Yusuf and his brother; do not despair of Allah’s mercy.” Allah, the Almighty tells us: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf They said: “By Allah! You will never cease remembering Yusuf until you become weak with old age, or until you be of the dead.” He said: “I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you know not. O my sons! Go you and inquire about Yusuf and his brother and never give up hope of Allah’s Mercy. Certainly no one despairs of Allah’s Mercy, except the people who disbelieve.” (Yusuf 12:85-87). The brothers left, depressed, and on reaching Egypt they collected Judah and called on Yusuf, with whom they pleaded: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf “O ruler of the land! A hard time has hit us and our family, and we have brought but poor capital, so pay us full measure and be charitable to us. Truly, Allah does reward the charitable.” (Surah Yusuf 12:88). At the end, they begged Yusuf. They asked alms of him, appealing to his heart, reminding him that Allah rewards alms givers. At this moment, in the midst of their plight, Yusuf (alaihis salam) spoke to them in their native tongue saying: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf “Do you know what you did with Yusuf and his brother when you were ignorant?” They said: “Are you indeed Yusuf?” He said: “I am Yusuf, and this is my brother (Benjamin). Allah has indeed been Gracious to us. Verily, he who fears Allah with obedience to Him (by abstaining from sins and evil deeds, and by performing righteous good deeds), and is patient, then surely, Allah makes not the reward of the good doers to be lost.” They said: “By Allah! Indeed Allah has preferred you above us, and we certainly have been sinners.” (Yusuf 12:89-91) The brothers began to tremble with fear, but Yusuf (alaihis salam) comforted them: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf “No reproach on you this day, may Allah forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy!” (Yusuf 12:92) He embraced them, and together they wept with joy. It was not possible for him to leave his responsible office, so he advised his brothers: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf “Go with this shirt of mine, and cast it over the face of my father, he will become clear-sighted, and bring to me all your family.” (Yusuf 12:93) And so they returned to Ya’qub (alaihis salam). He stood up all of a sudden, dressed and went out. Then he lifted up his face to Heaven and sniffed the air. His sons’ wives were surprised that he had come out of his room and asked him how he felt. There was a hint of a smile on his face. He answered: “I can smell Yusuf in the air.” They left him alone, saying to one another that there was no hope for the old man, suspecting that he had gone mad and would die weeping over Yusuf. That day Ya’qub (alaihis salam) wanted a cup of milk to break his fast, for he had been fasting. At night he changed his clothes. The caravan was traveling in the desert with Yusuf’s shirt hidden among the grain. It neared Ya’qub (alaihis salam)’s estate. He prayed a long time, lifting his hands to heaven and sniffing the air. He was weeping as the shirt was nearing him. Allah Says: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf And when the caravan departed, their father said: “I do indeed feel the smell of Yusuf, if only you think me not a dotard (a person who has weakness of mind because of old age).” They said: “By Allah! Certainly, you are in your old error.” Then, when the bearer of the glad tidings arrived, he cast the shirt over his face, and he became clear sighted. He said: “Did I not say to you, I know from Allah that which you know not.” They said: “O our father! Ask Forgiveness from Allah for our sins, indeed we have been sinners.” (Yusuf 12:94-97) The story began with a dream and it ends with the interpretation of the dream. Almighty Allah narrated: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf He said: “I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you, verily, He! Only He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.” Then, when they entered unto Yusuf, he betook his parents to himself and said: “Enter Egypt, if Allah will, in security.” And he raised his parents to the throne and they fell down before him prostrate. And he said: “O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream of old! My Lord has made it come true! He was indeed good to me, when He took me out of prison, and brought you all here out of the Bedouin life, after Satan had sown enmity between me and my brothers. Certainly, my Lord is the Most Courteous and Kind unto whom He will. Truly He! Only He is the All Knowing, the All-Wise.” (Yusuf 12:98-100) Yusuf, having become an asset to the kingdom, was granted permission by the king to settle his family with him in Egypt. He prostrated to Allah in gratitude. Before he died, Ya’qub (alaihis salam) advised his children to adhere to the teachings of Islam, the religion of all of Allah’s prophets. Allah the Almighty revealed: islam on Story of Prophet Yaqub / Jacob (alaihis salam) – Story narrated in Surah Yousuf Or were you witnesses when death approached Ya’qub? When he said unto his sons: “What will you worship after me?” they said: “We shall worship your Ilah (God-Allah) the Ilah (God) of your father. Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, One Ilah (God), and to Him we submit in Islam.” ( Al-Baqarah 2:133)
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 20:14:27 +0000
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