Keep Patience as Allah does not Let Reward of Good Doers Go to Waste
By Mufti Jaseemuddin Qasmi
Lecturer & Coordinator, Online Darul Ifta (MMERC, Mumbai)
[Juz: 12/ Surah Hud, Ayah 6 to Surhah Yusuf, Ayah 52]
Allah Almighty says in the first ayah of Part 12 of the Quran, “Allah has taken responsibility of the every creature on the earth to provide it with sustenance and He knows its permanent and temporary residence too. Everything is available in a Clear Book.”
In ayah 7 of Surah Hud, it is mentioned that Allah’s Arsh (throne) was on the water. It is understood from this ayah that Arsh and water were created before the earth and sky.
Ayah 9 and 10 mentioning the human nature say, “And when We gave a taste of mercy to mankind from Us and then take it back, they become despairing, ungrateful. But if We give them a taste of prosperity after hardship has touched them, they say, “My bad times are gone,” and become totally exultant and boastful.”
Ayah 12 says that all the parts of Allah’s Revelation are to be abided by compulsorily and they cannot be ignored unless its command is abolished.
Ayahs from 25 to 49 mention the story of Prophet Noah’s (as) people, their disobedience and punishment given to them. The story of Prophet Noah (as) is also mentioned in Surah Muminoon, Surah Shura and Surah Nuh with some details. Ayahs from 50 to 60 tell the story of Prophet Hud (as), his efforts of preaching, how his people disobeyed and how disbelievers were punished while believers were saved.
In ayah 60 of Surah Hud, Allah says about them, “They were pursued by a Curse in this world as they will be on the Day of Resurrection. Unquestionably, the Aad denied their Lord. So away with the Aad, the people of Hud!”
Surah Aaraf, Surah Shu’ara and Surah Fussilat also mention Prophet Hud (as) and his people in detail.
People of Samood are mentioned in ayahs from 61 to 68. Their brief introduction has been mentioned in Part 8. Their tales are also mentioned in Surah Shura, Surah Namal and in Surah Qamar in details.
Ayahs 69 to 76 tell the story of prophet Ibrahim (as) in which, an angel visits him whom Ibrahim (as) tries to serve with a fried calf meat and then the angel gives him glad tiding that he would be blessed with a child which surprises prophet Ibrahim’s wife. This story is also mentioned in Surah Ibrahim, Surah Hijr, Surah Saaffaat and Surah Zariyaat.
Where did Lut community dwell
Ayahs of Surah Hud from 77 to 83 talk about Lut community. This community was residing in an area known as Sodom. Male members of this community was involved in homosexuality, that’s why, perhaps the word sodomy is derived from the Sodom. Some people say that when Allah Almighty turned over their city Sodom, Dead Sea was produced, therefore this sea has no connectivity with any other big sea. This story has been also mentioned in Part-8 briefly. It is also mentioned in Surah Hijr, Surah Shura, Surah Namal and Surah Ankaboot etc.
From ayah 84 to 95, tale of Prophet of Shuyeb (as) is mentioned. It is also mentioned in the end of Part-8 and in the beginning of Part-9. Surah Shura and Surah Ankaboot also mention Prophet Shuyeb (as) and his community’s disobedience.
Ayah 105 and 106 of Surah Hud talking about the horrifying situation of the Day of Judgment say, “When that Day comes, no one can speak except by His leave. Then some of them will be the wretched and others will be blessed. As for the wretched, they will be in the Fire where they will moan and sigh.”
Ayah 114 says “(O, Prophet,) perform Salah at the two ends of the day. Verily, good deeds do away with bad deeds. It is a reminder for those who pay heed.” Here the Two Ends mean Fajr and Asr salahs, and the bad deeds mean minor sins. Ayah 115 reads, “And keep patience, for, Allah does not waste the reward of good-doers.”
In the last ayah of Surah Hud, Allah says, “And to Allah belongs the unseen of the heavens and the earth and to Him will be returned the matter, all of it, so worship Him and rely upon Him. And your Lord is not unaware of that which you do.”
Story of Prophet Yusuf (as)
Surah Yusuf begins from here. This is Makkan surah and it has 111 ayahs. According to some narrations, Jews had asked Prophet (saws) through someone about Banu Israel community that Banu Iseael were the citizens of Palestine but how they moved to Egypt and settled there. Jews had asked such a question because they knew that Prophet Muammad (saws) had no source to know the history of Banu Israel, so he will not be able to answer this question and thus they will get chance to propagate against him that he is not a messenger of Allah. To reply to their question, Allah Almighty had revealed this entire Surah.
Yaqub (Jacob) (as) was a Prophet. He was known as Israel. He had 12 sons including Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) and Binyameen. These two were biological brother from both mother and father side while rest of 10 brothers were from other mother. 12 tribes of Banu Israel were descended from these 12 brothers. There was also soothing aspect for Prophet (saws) in the story of Prophet Yusuf (as) because Prophet Yusuf (as) suffered hard times due to his own brothers’ conspiracy but at last Allah Almighty granted him honour, supremacy and power, and the ones who caused him harm, they had to bow down before him, in the same, though Prophet (saws) was suffering difficulties but a time was to come when all the enemies were to bow down before him, and finally it happened.
This surah tells the story of prophet Yusuf (as) in detail. The story begins from ayah 3. Once, Prophet Yusuf (as) said to his father that he had dreamed that eleven starts, sun and moon were prostrating before him. His father Yaqub (as) who was a prophet, understood the meaning of the dream that Yusuf (as) will get such a high status in future that his brothers and his parents will live under his supervision. His dream came true in the same way, when he became finance minister of Egypt then his entire family came to live under his rule.
Prophet Yaqub (as) after listening to the dream, advised Yusuf (as) not to mention the dream before his brothers otherwise they could harm him as they were already envious of him.
The step brothers of Yusuf (as) used to discus among themselves that their father loves Yusuf (as) and his real brother Binyamin more than others while they are more powerful than these two. So, they planned to kill Yusuf or throw into forest so that the father’s full attention would turn to them, and they would seek forgives from Allah later. Finally, they decided to throw him into a dark well, so that, any caravan of travelers would pick him and take him away with them.
As per their preplan, they came to his father Prophet Yaqub (as) and said, “O our father! Why do you not trust us about Yusuf, although we truly wish him well? Please send him out with us tomorrow so that he may enjoy himself and play. And we will really watch over him. He responded, it would truly sadden me if you took him away with you, and I fear that a wolf may devour him while you are negligent of him.”
Yusuf (as) is thrown into Well
They said, “If a wolf were to devour him, despite our strong group, then we would certainly be losers! (Finally, he allowed them to take him) And so, when they took him away and decided to throw him into the bottom of the well, (and had thrown him) we inspired him: “One day you will remind them of this deed of theirs while they are unaware of who you are.””
“Then they came back to their father in the evening, weeping. They said, ‘Our father! We went racing and left Yusuf with our belongings, and a wolf devoured him! But you will not believe us, no matter how truthful we are.’ And they brought his shirt, stained with false blood. He responded, ‘No! (it is not reality) your hearts have fabricated an excuse for you; therefore patience is better. It is Allah’s help that I seek to bear your claims.”
“And (to the place where they threw Yusuf (as)) some travelers came there, and they sent their water drawer who let down his bucket into the well. (To see Yusuf (as) in the well) He cried out, “Oh, what a great find! Here is a boy!” And they took him secretly to be sold as merchandise.” “They later sold him for a cheap price, just a few silver coins…”
And the Egyptian (ruler) who purchased him said to his wife, “Keep him honourably – we may get some benefit due to him or we may adopt him as our son”; and this is how we established Yusuf in the land, and that We might teach him how to interpret events….”
Zulaikha Tries to Seduce Yusuf (as)
When Yusuf (as) grew up, he was blessed with knowledge and wisdom. The wife of the Egyptian ruler Zulaikha tried to seduce him for the evildoing but Yusuf (as) denied seeking refuge in Allah. He was also a bit inclined to her but he remained away from the evil seeing proof of his Lord.
When Zulaikha chased him with wrong intention, he ran towards the door and then suddenly her husband the ruler of Egypt came forth. When Zulaikha saw her husband, she abruptly accused Yusuf (as) of the seduction. Yusuf (as) denied the allegation. And then a person from Zulaikha’s family suggested investigating the allegation checking the shirt of Yusuf (as) and if it was found to be torn from front side, it meant that it was the crime of Yusuf (as) but if it was found torn from backside then it meant it was the trick plaid by Zulaikha.
Finally, the shirt was found torn from backside, so the ruler of the Egypt had to believe that it was the mischief of Zulaikha but still he hid this matter fearing his insult in public.
However, this matter set the tongues wagging in the city. The women of the city started saying that the wife of Egyptian ruler had seduced a slave boy and she had fallen in his love. When Zulaikha heard it, she called some of the city women to her house and offered them fruits and asked them to eat them using a knife. When they were eating, she called Yusuf (as) there for some work, when they saw him, they were so greatly amazed to see his manly beauty that they even cut their fingers unknowingly and said, “Perfect is Allah! This is not a man; this is none but a noble angel.”
Now Zulaikha said, “That is the one about whom you blamed me. And I certainly tried to seduce him, but he firmly refused; and if he will not do what I order him, he will surely be imprisoned and will be of those humiliated.”
At that moment, Yusuf (as) prayed to Allah “O my Lord! I would prefer prison to what these women are inviting me to do. And if You do not avert from me their plot, I might incline toward them and thus become one of the ignorant.”
So, the Lord granted his supplication and protected him from the guiles of these women. Though the accusation against Yusuf (as) was proven wrong, the ruler of the Egypt thought it would be better to imprison him for some days to save his wife from slur and to stop people’s tongue on this issue.
In the prison, prophet Yusuf (as) met two men who asked him the meaning of their dreams, and he told them the interpretation of their dream correctly. He also preached Oneness of God among the fellow prisoners there.
Dream of Egyptian Ruler
After some years, the ruler of the Egypt dreamt of seven weak cows that were devouring seven fat caws, and he also saw seven green and seven dry spikes in dream. So, he was very disturbed and asked his ministers the interpretation of the dream, they replied, “These are confusing dreams, moreover, we do not know interpretation of the dreams.”
One of the two prisoners who met Yusuf (as) in the prison, said that he would tell the meaning of the dream and then he hurried to Yusuf (as) and asked him the interpretation of the ruler’s dream. Prophet Yusuf (as) interpreted the dream saying that the next seven years, weather would remain better and the farmers would grow crops in good quantity but after that, the next seven years they would face drought. So, the meaning of seven fat cows is seven prosperous years and the meaning of seven skinny cows is seven years without the harvest.
Yusuf (as) also suggested him how to manage the situation. He said that whatever crops are grown in the prosperous years, out of them only the portion sufficient for the daily use should be taken out and the rest of the grains should be left in their spike to prevent them from rotting.
When the seven years of drought start, this stock of grain will be used and just little quantity should be preserved to be used as seed in the upcoming year. After years of drought, it will rain heavily and people would take out lots of juice from the grapes.
When the ruler was told the meaning of his dream, he ordered, “Bring him (interpreter of dream) to me”; so when the messenger came to him, Yusuf said, “Return to your master and ask him what was the case of the women who had cut their hands…” And the ruler called for those woman and said to them, “What was your condition when you tried to seduce Yusuf?” They said, “God forbid! We know about him no evil.” The wife of the ruler said, “Now the truth has become evident. It was I who tried to seduce him, and indeed, he is among the truthful.”
When Yusuf (as) got to know the above conversation, he said, “(I said) That so the ruler will know that I did not betray him in (his) absence and that Allah does not guide the plan of betrayers.”
