The Messengers of God
the story of prophet yusuf
The Story of Joseph: Birth and Childhood
The father of the Prophet Joseph was none other than the prophet Jacob. He was the number eleven of the twelve sons of Jacob.
However, Joseph was born to Jacob's second wife, Rahil, and he had a sister named Bunyamin.
Little Joseph was very loved by his father, especially after knowing the dream he experienced.
In QS Yusuf verse 4, the story of the Prophet Joseph dreaming is told. Upon waking up, he came to his father and told him that he had a dream of watching the sun, moon and eleven stars prostrate before him.
Hearing the dream, the Prophet Jacob realized his son would experience a great and glorious event later.
According to that dream, Jacob knew that Joseph would be his successor.
As Allah said in Surat Yusuf verse 6 “And thus, your Lord has chosen you (to be a Prophet).”
In this verse it is also explained that Allah gave the gift to the Prophet Joseph in the form of the ability to preach dreams.
The prophet Jacob warned his son not to tell his brothers about the dream.
When the other brothers found out, the prophet Jacob feared that there would be malice in them.
It could be that they will formulate evil plans so that the harmony of brotherhood will be destroyed.
The Story of the Prophet Yusuf Dumped into a Well and Sold as a Slave
The prophet Jacob loved all his children, and Joseph was no exception. But the eleven brothers thought the father was unjust because his attention was paid only to Joseph and Bunyamin.
One of them proposed two options. The first is to kill the Prophet Joseph and the second is to throw him somewhere.
Finally, they chose to throw the Prophet Joseph into the well. The story of the Prophet Joseph banished by his brothers is written in QS Yusuf verse 10. Their goal was for his sister to be taken by a passing traveler.
After investigating, the brothers of the Prophet Joseph asked the Prophet Jacob for permission. However, he strongly objected to releasing his beloved son.
The prophet Jacob feared that the brothers of the Prophet Joseph were negligent in guard so that the Prophet Joseph was threatened with being eaten by wild animals.
Confidently, the brothers of the Prophet Joseph promised to keep them so that they would be allowed to leave.
Upon arrival at the planned site, the young Prophet Joseph was then pushed to the well. He cried and begged to be expelled but not ignored.
The Prophet Yusuf's brothers immediately left after smearing his clothes with animal blood.
Arriving at home, they pretend to be sad and explain the design of the story that they own.
The story of the Prophet Yusuf was sold as a slave starting from a group of travelers who found him in the well.
Then, he was presented to the Minister of Egypt in a market. They appreciated the Prophet Joseph very cheaply, just a few pieces of dirham.
The Story of Joseph Living in Egypt Until Zulaikha Seduced
Arriving at the place of his Master the Prophet Yusuf, he was introduced to his Master's wife.
His name is well known today, Zulaikha. In QS Yusuf verse 21, the Egyptian minister said to his wife:
“Give him a good place and service. Hopefully he can bring benefits or we just lift him to be a child.”
The Prophet Yusuf grew up to be a man of intelligence, good character and very good man. A complete pleasure from God that every human being desires. The charm of the Prophet Yusuf turned out to be the cause of the coming new test.
Unexpectedly, Zulaikha was secretly attracted to him. Zulaicha's feelings for the Prophet Yusuf led him to do mischief so that he devised a plan. The story of the Prophet Yusuf who was seduced by Zulaikha is contained in QS Yusuf verses 23 to 25.
In the verse, it is described that the Prophet Joseph was ordered into the room of Zulaikha.
Then all the doors were shut and Zulaikha began to tempt Joseph. Thanks to such a strong faith, he was able to turn away from such obedience. He asked God for protection and ran straight to the door.
Immediately, Zulaikha pursued Joseph and pulled the back of his shirt to shreds.
When the door opened, stand before them the Egyptian minister. Zulaikha was shocked and immediately positioned himself as a victim.
He said “What is the reply for a person of ill will to your wife other than prison or grievous torture?” (QS Yusuf verse 25)
Hearing this, the Prophet Yusuf immediately refuted. Then a witness from the family of the woman came.
He argued that if the Tear of the Prophet Joseph was on the front, Zulaikha was right. If the shirt is on the back, Zulaikha is guilty.
It turned out that the tear was in the back so it was clear that his wife had invited Joseph to worship. Then he asked the Prophet Joseph not to ask his wife for forgiveness.
The Story of the Prophet Joseph Being a Royal Office
Before being appointed as an official, the Prophet Yusuf was in prison. The cause is his own request to avoid obedience.
The story of the Prophet Yusuf interprets the dream to occur twice during his imprisonment. There were two other people in the cell. The dream of A is to squeeze wine and the dream of B carrying bread on the head.
The Prophet Yusuf interpreted the dream of the A that he would serve his master the khamr drink. While the B dream is interpreted that he will die on the cross and his head is eaten by birds.
A few years later, the king of Egypt asked Joseph to interpret his dream.
The king's dream is 7 fat heifer that is eaten by 7 skinny heifer, and 7 green oats and 7 other stalks that die.
By Allah's permission, Joseph was able to reveal the dream. QS Yusuf verse 47 – 49 contains the interpretation of the Prophet Yusuf.
Briefly, the dream is interpreted as an order to stay for 7 years as preparation for the lean season. Then, there will come back the rainy season and the big harvest.
Thanks to this interpretation, the king finally took Joseph out of prison and made him the royal treasurer. The reason is, he is very clever, thorough and able to manage property.
The Story of the Prophet Joseph Reuniting with His Family
Once upon a time, there was a drought in Egypt. The sons of Jacob went to ask the Egyptian authorities for food.
It was Joseph who was in charge of sharing and he immediately recognized who they were. Unfortunately, his brother did not recognize the Prophet Joseph.
Then they returned with Bunyamin at the request of Joseph. Long story short, the prophet Jacob felt that Joseph was still alive.
Then he sent his sons to Egypt. Upon meeting the Prophet Joseph again and hearing his confession, they were shocked to discover that they did not recognize their brother at all.
Finally, the Prophet Yusuf met his parents again. He invited both of them to sit in the royal seat.
Then all the brothers, the prophet Jacob and his mother bowed down before the Prophet Joseph. In QS Yusuf verse 100, Prophet Yusuf said “O father, this is the lesson of my dream long ago.”
The lesson from the story of the Prophet Joseph is to be patient, forgiving and always keeping faith in God.
The prophet Joseph exemplified how he was patient in the face of trials, willing to forgive his brothers and always remember Allah in any circumstances. It is estimated that Joseph died at the age of 110.
Joseph's Dream and the Assassination of Joseph
Joseph was still living with his family and at that time Joseph was a child. One night, Joseph dreamed of seeing 11 stars, the sun, and the moon prostrate to him. When I woke up, Joseph told his father, the Prophet Ya’qub as and his father advised that the dream should not be told to anyone including his brothers because they were worried that they would all be spiteful and envious to Yusuf.
Joseph lived with his father and 11 brothers. The 10 are other half-siblings mothers, the 1 siblings whose name is Benjamin. The prophet Ya’qub loved Joseph more than any other brother, causing hatred from the other brothers. So they planned to kill Joseph or throw Joseph away to a faraway place where Joseph could never come back.
One day, another brother of Joseph came to his father to ask permission to bring Joseph to play somewhere. However, the father refused for fear that something might happen to Joseph. However, Joseph's brother continued to argue and promised to take good care of Joseph.
When they got their permission and played with Joseph, they realized their plan by putting Joseph in the old well and they returned to their father pretending to be sad by showing Joseph's clothes covered in fake blood and giving false information that Joseph was eaten by wolves.
And the Prophet Ya’qub as grieving and crying continuously which caused both eyes to be blinded by the loss of his dear Joseph.
Joseph Entered the Kingdom of Egypt
After Joseph was put in the old well, he was in it for some time. Until one day, there came a caravan that passed through the place for their journey to Egypt. When they saw the well, they stopped with the intention of taking water as a provision for their journey. But how surprised they, when they want to draw, suddenly they see a small child in the well.
Once they reached Egypt, they sought out those who would buy Joseph as a slave or as a son. So they found a magnate who bought Joseph on the advice of his wife and then they both took Joseph to the palace to be cared for until he grew up. As an adult, God gave to Joseph knowledge and wisdom so that the more perfect the good looks of Joseph that made the wife of the ruler fascinated to Joseph.
Zulaikha's Temptation and Slander Against Joseph
As Joseph grew older and more attractive to Joseph, Zulaicha became infatuated with Joseph and tried to seduce him. Until one day, there was a chance to tempt Joseph. At that time, Zulaicha's house was deserted because her husband was going to the kingdom, so Zulaicha seduced Joseph. But Joseph rejected Zulaikha's appeal which angered Zulaikha.
Eventually, Zulaicha forced Joseph to fulfill his love for Joseph until Zulakiha pulled Joseph's shirt to pieces. And at the same time, Zulaikha's husband entered the house and discovered the incident. Spontaneously, Zulaikha was angry and said that the one who tempted him was Joseph.
The magnate was confused to face such a situation, finally he asked his assistant for advice and opinion on the incident. Then there was a discussion between the two to determine who was at fault in this matter.
Chief: In your opinion, who is guilty?
Assistant: If in my opinion, in this case, no witnesses have seen this, then we have not determined who is at fault. But I have advice to solve this.
Manager: What is your advice?
Assistant: Let's see the condition of the clothes worn by Joseph. When Joseph's shirt is torn in front, it means that the guilty in this is my master's wife, but if Joseph's shirt is torn in the back, it means that the guilty in this is Joseph.
Producer: Then check the condition of the clothes worn by Joseph.
Assistant: All right, my lord.
When he was examined, the assistant said to the governor.
Assistant: After I checked, I found out that the condition of the shirt worn by Joseph was torn in front, meaning in this case the guilty one is my own master's wife.
Authority: The authority accepts the decision, if it turns out that the guilty in this case is his own wife.
After knowing the fact, the governor said to Joseph: “Please keep this incident a secret, lest anyone know of this incident.” And he said to his wife: “Pardon your sins for they are indeed guilty.”
After that incident, Zulaikha became even more infatuated. However, news of the incident was heard throughout the Egyptian kingdom and the Egyptian dignitaries gossiped about Zulaikha for being considered to violate the existing order in the Egyptian kingdom. In such conditions, Zulaikha invited the dignitaries to come to the banquet he held at Zulaikha's house. Then Zulaicha gave them fruits and knives to each of them.
When they were busy peeling the banquet, Zulaikha told them to walk in front of them. So fascinated were the royal women so that without feeling not the fruit that they peeled but their own hands that they hurt, so they said: “This is not a human but this is a noble angel.”
When Joseph passed by, they realized that they had wounded their own hands, and Zulaicha said: “You have all seen Joseph at a glance, it is like that, moreover, I have to see Yusuf every day.”
But finally, to cover up the disgrace of the magnate, Joseph was put in prison. In prison, Joseph met two court servants. One served food and the other served drinks. Joseph asked the two of them why they could go to prison. So they both explained that because they went to prison, they were accused of putting poison in the king's food or drink.
After a long time in prison with the two men, the two men dreamed and told Joseph about their dreams. The one in charge of serving food said that he dreamed he brought bread on his head and then there was a bird who ate the bread. Others told me that he dreamed of wine. They both asked Joseph to preach (interpret meaning) their dreams.
So Joseph declared both their dreams. If your dream sees you carrying bread on your head and a bird eating it, it will be put to death, while you who dream of blushing wine, he said, you will be free and work again in the palace. And the conclusion of the dream was true because it was a miracle of the Prophet Joseph as.
The King's Dream
After the Prophet Yusuf as proclaimed the dream of the two friends in prison, the Prophet Yusuf as advised the person who would be free to tell the incident he had experienced to the king. However, when people were free, he forgot the message of Prophet Yusuf as for several years.
Until finally, one night the king dreamed of seeing green wheat and containing as many as seven stalks then changed into dry and unfulfilled wheat, and the king dreamed of seeing seven healthy and fat cows eaten by seven skinny cows.
So the next day, the king gathered all the astrologers to preach the dream, but none of them could preach the dream. When the king heard the dream, the servant remembered the Prophet Yusuf as who had preached his dream and proved the truth of the judgment. So the servant said to the king: “Oh my lord the king, when I was in prison, I was in a cell with a man named Joseph and he preached my dream and proved it to be true.”
So the king sent the servant to the Prophet Joseph and asked him to preach his dream. When he met the Prophet Joseph as, the king told him about his dream. So the Prophet Yusuf explained the meaning of the dream. The dream is that Egypt will experience fertile period for seven years but after that will experience drought and famine for seven years as well. Then the king asked the Prophet Yusuf as to anticipate drought and famine for seven years.
So the Prophet Yusuf as gave a solution to the king to be presented to the people of Egypt so that during the fertile period that seven people must save most of the agricultural products to be stored and eat some just small. Finally, from the explanation of the Prophet Yusuf as the king raised the Prophet Yusuf as the ruler of the Egyptian kingdom which may be called the minister of agriculture today.
Egypt is in Drought
After serving as minister of agriculture, Prophet Yusuf as managed the agricultural system as well as possible so that the harvest is extraordinary. The Prophet Yusuf also applied the management of agricultural products in such a way that it would be able to face drought and famine after the fertile period for seven years later.
Then the conclusion of the dream of the Prophet Yusuf as, after experiencing fertile for seven years, was fulfilled, Egypt experienced drought and famine for seven years as well and it was felt by the regions around Egypt including the region of Madyan where the father and brothers of the Prophet Yusuf as lived.
The father who was none other than the Prophet Ya’qub as said to his ten children: “Oh my children, we are in a drought so long that the food is running out. I heard in Egypt there are good and wise young ministers. All of you go to ask for help and food assistance for us.” But before leaving Nabi Ya’qub as advised that they split so that they could get a lot of help.
So they went to Egypt. Once in Egypt, they were waiting in line for food aid. When it was time for their turn, they, Prophet Yusuf saw them all and Prophet Yusuf as knew that they were brothers of Prophet Yusuf as but Prophet Yusuf as at the time did not say anything to them except to say that they were when they returned to Egypt, they had to take Benjamin, otherwise Joseph would not have given them any food.
At last they returned home, when they arrived at their home, telling the young Egyptian minister's request that they should bring Benjamin, otherwise he would not be willing to give them any food aid. After the food supply was exhausted, they headed for Egypt and with a heavy heart, the Prophet Ya’qub as allowed Benjamin to be brought to Egypt so that they could get food from the minister.
When Joseph saw Benjamin, Joseph was sad that he had been separated for many years. Then the Prophet Yusuf made a plan so that Benjamin could meet him. The prophet Yusuf inserted a large pen tool into the sack of Benjamin. After being given help, the company of the Prophet's brother Yusuf was about to return home, suddenly there was an announcement from the palace that the palace lost a large penengakar. So all the groups were examined, not least the company of the Prophet Yusuf's brother as.
And according to the plan, a large pen tool found in the sack of Benjamin was brought to the palace to meet the minister. But the other brethren rebutted that they were not the ones who took it, but they could not avoid it because the evidence already showed that Benjamin was guilty. Finally, the brothers of the Prophet Yusuf apologized for the incident and so that Benjamin was not held captive in Egypt and they were willing for one of them to be Benjamin's successor so that their father would be sad if it came to Benjamin they were arrested in Egypt, but the Prophet Joseph would not, and they returned with sorrow.
Once at home, they told him about the incident, then the more sad Prophet Ya’qub as because dozens had lost Joseph now Benjamin. Finally, the Prophet Ya’qub asked them to return to Egypt and ask for mercy to the young Egyptian minister to free Benjamin, then they set out for Egypt again.
The Wanted Meeting
While in Egypt, once Benjamin was arrested in Egypt, the Prophet Joseph asked Benjamin to be confronted by him. Once he had met, the Prophet Yusuf as told his true identity that he was Joseph son of Ya’qub brother Benjamin. So there was a very moving meeting between brother and sister who had been separated for many years and Benjamin lived in the palace with his beloved brother, Prophet Joseph as.
After arriving in Egypt, the Prophet's brother Yusuf asked to meet with the Prophet Yusuf as to ask for the release of Benjamin so that their father would not grieve anymore. So they were invited to meet with the Prophet Joseph, but to their surprise when they found Benjamin in the house of Joseph and were treated with honor without any lack.
Then they asked the young minister and there was a dialogue between them:
Brother: Isn't Benjamin guilty, but why was he treated so honorably?
Young Minister: Do you not recognize me anymore, all my brothers?
Brother: Who is my master?
Young Minister: I am Yusuf your brother who you threw into the well
Brother: Is my lord Joseph our brother?
Young Minister: Yes, right. I am your brother, Joseph.
Brother: So all the brothers of Joseph wept, and they apologized to Joseph for their former deeds, which were driven by envy and envy, and they did harm to their own brother.
Young Minister: Finally, Joseph forgave them and asked to tell them about the condition after Joseph died.
Brother: Father was very sad to know that you were wretched by wolves because of all our lies, and was too sad to cry continuously until my father blinded his eyes.
Young Minister: Go home and bring me this shirt and you rub it into my father's face, with the permission of Allah, you will be able to see again. After that, bring me here to meet me and we all live together in Egypt
So the brothers of the Prophet Joseph returned to their father's house and arrived there, they all told him that the young Egyptian minister was Joseph their own brother and they apologized to his father for their past deeds to Joseph. And Prophet Ya’qub as also forgave them all.
Then they sent a message to rub Joseph's clothes into his father's face and then asked them all to Egypt to stay there. Finally, after the clothes of the Prophet Yusuf as rubbed into the face of the Prophet Ya’qub as, then with the permission of Allah swt Prophet Ya’qub as could look back and they rushed off towards Egypt.
Arriving in Egypt, the son met the father in a very moving condition because he had been separated for many years. And finally they lived together in the palace of Egypt forever.
On the other hand, Zulaikha who loved the Prophet Yusuf so much as had been left dead by her husband and became a widow, but his love then remained burning and never dashed in the slightest. So that one day, Zulaikha heard that the Prophet Yusuf as was appointed to be the ruler of the kingdom and would conduct inspections to several villages, so Zulaikha prepared to meet with his idol.
Until finally, the Prophet Joseph arrived in a village and heard a voice he had heard first while saying: “Luckily people hold the truth in the way of Allah swt.” So the Prophet Yusuf turned his head and recognized that it was Zulaikha. Finally there was a conversation between the two and the Prophet Yusuf finally found out that Zulaikha had been widowed. So the destiny of Allah runs on both of them who bring the two of them back together and they get married and together in the palace of Egypt.
Wisdom from the Story of the Prophet Joseph
From the story of the Prophet Joseph above, wisdom can be quoted as follows:
We must learn to be wise in dealing with life and life because in this world more people are envious and spiteful than good so it is not uncommon for envious and spiteful people to use all means to realizing his malice.In terms of facing any problem, we should learn to listen from various sides and ask for opinions from various parties and do not let us decide something based only on one-sided information that is not necessarily true. As Sayyidina Ali bin Abi Talib once said: “ Feeling right with just one glance is a form of deception.” Some wise men say: “The wise man always hears with two ears and always asks for a fatwa to his heart not his lust.”We must learn to be wise in the face of the trials and trials of world life by constantly trying to be patient and grateful in any condition even though it feels very bad in doing so. As we often hear: “The magnitude of the reply is proportional to the magnitude of the test.”Success and success must begin with misery and a test that is not light, so do not ever despair of the grace of Allah swt because behind all events there must be wisdom.Patience and sincerity is a very valuable and strong capital in facing the challenges of life that are so hard and sometimes too prophet Yusuf as once said two things in the affairs of office, namely:Never give positions to people who spend a lot of money to obtain them.Do not ever give positions to people who ask for positions either directly or indirectly.
Reference:
The Book of Qashash al-AnbiyaKitab al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah by Imam Ibn KathirQS. Joseph
والله أعلم بالصواب
والله الموفق إلى أقوم الطريق