12. Yusuf

After his release from prison, Joseph had to play a role at the national level. So it was necessary that his personality should become well-known country-wide. This was achieved through the incident of the king’s dream. The king was so anxious to know the interpretation of his peculiar dream that he made a public announcement and gathered all the scholars; the priests and wise people of the country assembled in his court to give their interpretation of this dream. But they all failed to do so. In this way the incident of the dream became a matter of general fame. As soon as Joseph gave the interpretation of the dream, and it was liked by the king, he suddenly came to be known by the whole populace. After hearing the whole history of Joseph’s imprisonment, the king made inquiries of the concerned women. All of them unanimously declared him to be innocent. The wife of the nobleman of Egypt (Zulaykha) did not spare herself in the admission of truth. She declared in clear terms that her friends were telling the truth. She said that she had been entirely to blame in this matter and that Joseph was totally innocent. This admission on the part of the wife of the nobleman was such a noble action that it would not have been surprising if she had been guided towards the true faith thereafter.

When the king called Joseph to his court, he did not leave the prison immediately but said that first of all that incident on the pretext of which he had been imprisoned should be investigated. Though he was completely innocent before God, as a consequence of the aforesaid incident, he was accused of being disloyal and dishonest towards his master. This was a critical issue, because he had to render the service of prophethood to the people, that is, he was required to convey the message of guidance entrusted to him to the subjects of God. Prior to his appearing before the general public, it was necessary that this allegation against him should be disproved; because one whom the people do not consider trustworthy in his dealings will not be considered trustworthy in the role of God’s envoy. A man of faith has two options before him at all times. He has to choose between man and God. Sometimes it happens that, when dealing with human beings, he has to utter some words of clarification which appear to be a tall claim on his part, although even at that time his heart is full of feelings of humility and modesty, and even if, when he looks at himself in relation to God, he is nothing but humble. The concept of God keeps a believer balanced at every moment. Joseph’s above-mentioned utterance gives a picture of this unique character of a believer’s personality.

When the king called Joseph to his court, he did not leave the prison immediately but said that first of all that incident on the pretext of which he had been imprisoned should be investigated. Though he was completely innocent before God, as a consequence of the aforesaid incident, he was accused of being disloyal and dishonest towards his master. This was a critical issue, because he had to render the service of prophethood to the people, that is, he was required to convey the message of guidance entrusted to him to the subjects of God. Prior to his appearing before the general public, it was necessary that this allegation against him should be disproved; because one whom the people do not consider trustworthy in his dealings will not be considered trustworthy in the role of God’s envoy. A man of faith has two options before him at all times. He has to choose between man and God. Sometimes it happens that, when dealing with human beings, he has to utter some words of clarification which appear to be a tall claim on his part, although even at that time his heart is full of feelings of humility and modesty, and even if, when he looks at himself in relation to God, he is nothing but humble. The concept of God keeps a believer balanced at every moment. Joseph’s above-mentioned utterance gives a picture of this unique character of a believer’s personality.

‘Place in my charge the storehouses of the land.’ (The original Arabic word translated here as storehouses [or granaries] literally means ‘treasure’). Seeing that he had the attention of the king, Joseph made this request to him, so that with the help of government resources he should be empowered to construct large granaries throughout the whole country, where surplus corn acquired from the farmers and could be stored for the first seven years. The king agreed to this and, exercising his constitutional royal authority, gave Joseph all kinds of power to facilitate this task. The king of Egypt was a polytheist. Verse 76 shows that after the appointment of Joseph the religion of the same king prevailed in Egypt for about ten years. This tradition of the Prophet of God shows that acceptance of a subordinate post under a non-Muslim government is not against Islam. On the same basis our predecessors accepted the posts of ‘Qazi’ under tyrant kings. (Tafsir an-Nasafi). What was Joseph’s purpose in assuming authority in Egypt? The information given in the Quran indicates that his purpose seems to have been to save the subjects of God from famine and then, as a result of this, to create opportunities for the Children of Israel to settle in Egypt.

‘Place in my charge the storehouses of the land.’ (The original Arabic word translated here as storehouses [or granaries] literally means ‘treasure’). Seeing that he had the attention of the king, Joseph made this request to him, so that with the help of government resources he should be empowered to construct large granaries throughout the whole country, where surplus corn acquired from the farmers and could be stored for the first seven years. The king agreed to this and, exercising his constitutional royal authority, gave Joseph all kinds of power to facilitate this task. The king of Egypt was a polytheist. Verse 76 shows that after the appointment of Joseph the religion of the same king prevailed in Egypt for about ten years. This tradition of the Prophet of God shows that acceptance of a subordinate post under a non-Muslim government is not against Islam. On the same basis our predecessors accepted the posts of ‘Qazi’ under tyrant kings. (Tafsir an-Nasafi). What was Joseph’s purpose in assuming authority in Egypt? The information given in the Quran indicates that his purpose seems to have been to save the subjects of God from famine and then, as a result of this, to create opportunities for the Children of Israel to settle in Egypt.

‘Place in my charge the storehouses of the land.’ (The original Arabic word translated here as storehouses [or granaries] literally means ‘treasure’). Seeing that he had the attention of the king, Joseph made this request to him, so that with the help of government resources he should be empowered to construct large granaries throughout the whole country, where surplus corn acquired from the farmers and could be stored for the first seven years. The king agreed to this and, exercising his constitutional royal authority, gave Joseph all kinds of power to facilitate this task. The king of Egypt was a polytheist. Verse 76 shows that after the appointment of Joseph the religion of the same king prevailed in Egypt for about ten years. This tradition of the Prophet of God shows that acceptance of a subordinate post under a non-Muslim government is not against Islam. On the same basis our predecessors accepted the posts of ‘Qazi’ under tyrant kings. (Tafsir an-Nasafi). What was Joseph’s purpose in assuming authority in Egypt? The information given in the Quran indicates that his purpose seems to have been to save the subjects of God from famine and then, as a result of this, to create opportunities for the Children of Israel to settle in Egypt.

There were bumper crops during the first seven years of Joseph’s power. He had big granaries constructed throughout the whole country in which he stored surplus corn bought from the farmers every year. Thereafter when the years of famine commenced, he arranged to have this corn stored in the capital and started selling it at a fair price. This famine prevailed not only in Egypt but also in the surrounding areas, that is, in Syria, Palestine. Transjordan, etc. When the news spread far and wide that corn was being sold at a fair price in Egypt, Joseph’s brothers also came to Egypt to purchase corn. Although they were seeing Joseph after twenty years, they saw a resemblance to their brother in him. But immediately this thought vanished from their minds, because they could not understand how someone whom they had pushed into a dry well could assume the highest office of Egypt. Joseph arranged one camel-load of corn per head for his brothers. Now they wanted to have one more camel-load of corn in Benjamin’s name too. They said that one of their brothers had been detained by their old father to be with him, therefore they said that it would be very kind of him if Benjamin’s share could also be given to them. Joseph said that it was against his principles to hand over the share of an absentee. He also said that when they came again, they should bring their brother with them and then only could they have his share. Joseph added, ‘You have experienced my generosity. Even after this, are you reluctant to bring your brother with you? If you are unable to bring this brother the next time, it will be presumed that you were telling a lie and only wanted to get one more camel-load of corn by deceit. The punishment for this will be that in future you will be deprived of even your own share of corn.’

There were bumper crops during the first seven years of Joseph’s power. He had big granaries constructed throughout the whole country in which he stored surplus corn bought from the farmers every year. Thereafter when the years of famine commenced, he arranged to have this corn stored in the capital and started selling it at a fair price. This famine prevailed not only in Egypt but also in the surrounding areas, that is, in Syria, Palestine. Transjordan, etc. When the news spread far and wide that corn was being sold at a fair price in Egypt, Joseph’s brothers also came to Egypt to purchase corn. Although they were seeing Joseph after twenty years, they saw a resemblance to their brother in him. But immediately this thought vanished from their minds, because they could not understand how someone whom they had pushed into a dry well could assume the highest office of Egypt. Joseph arranged one camel-load of corn per head for his brothers. Now they wanted to have one more camel-load of corn in Benjamin’s name too. They said that one of their brothers had been detained by their old father to be with him, therefore they said that it would be very kind of him if Benjamin’s share could also be given to them. Joseph said that it was against his principles to hand over the share of an absentee. He also said that when they came again, they should bring their brother with them and then only could they have his share. Joseph added, ‘You have experienced my generosity. Even after this, are you reluctant to bring your brother with you? If you are unable to bring this brother the next time, it will be presumed that you were telling a lie and only wanted to get one more camel-load of corn by deceit. The punishment for this will be that in future you will be deprived of even your own share of corn.’

There were bumper crops during the first seven years of Joseph’s power. He had big granaries constructed throughout the whole country in which he stored surplus corn bought from the farmers every year. Thereafter when the years of famine commenced, he arranged to have this corn stored in the capital and started selling it at a fair price. This famine prevailed not only in Egypt but also in the surrounding areas, that is, in Syria, Palestine. Transjordan, etc. When the news spread far and wide that corn was being sold at a fair price in Egypt, Joseph’s brothers also came to Egypt to purchase corn. Although they were seeing Joseph after twenty years, they saw a resemblance to their brother in him. But immediately this thought vanished from their minds, because they could not understand how someone whom they had pushed into a dry well could assume the highest office of Egypt. Joseph arranged one camel-load of corn per head for his brothers. Now they wanted to have one more camel-load of corn in Benjamin’s name too. They said that one of their brothers had been detained by their old father to be with him, therefore they said that it would be very kind of him if Benjamin’s share could also be given to them. Joseph said that it was against his principles to hand over the share of an absentee. He also said that when they came again, they should bring their brother with them and then only could they have his share. Joseph added, ‘You have experienced my generosity. Even after this, are you reluctant to bring your brother with you? If you are unable to bring this brother the next time, it will be presumed that you were telling a lie and only wanted to get one more camel-load of corn by deceit. The punishment for this will be that in future you will be deprived of even your own share of corn.’