Prophet Yaqub (Jacob AS), who in turn was the son of Prophet Ishaq (Isaac AS), who in turn was the son of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham AS), was the father of Yusuf. According to the Quran itself, the best story about Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is the one about Yusuf (AS).
The Quran contains a whole chapter on the life and hardships of Prophet Yusuf, who is well-known in history. His relationship with his father and siblings, how to overcome hardship through trials, how to remain steadfast when tempted, and how to act when you eventually succeed are just a few of the many lessons to be learned.
This Surah is distinct from others because it tells the story of Yusuf (AS) in chronological order and from beginning to end. Other Surahs don't contain any fragments of this narrative.
Benefits of reciting Surah Yusuf
One advantage of reciting this Surah is that reading and reflecting on it causes your heart to soften more quickly. When Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was exiled by his people and faced even greater hardship, this Surah was revealed to him. Despite his hardships, he found hope in the Surah.
The first thing that springs to mind when someone mentions Yusuf is beauty, or someone who is extremely attractive. Both the external and internal beauty of Prophet Yusuf (AS), after whom the name is derived, were admirable.
Being the son of Prophet Yaqub (Jacob AS), who in turn was the son of Prophet Ishaq (Isaac AS), who in turn was the son of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham AS), he came from a very noble family. The story of Yusuf (AS), who was previously ignorant, is regarded by the Quran as the best of all the stories about Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
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Lessons from Surah Yusuf
1. Have a good Father and Son relationship
‘(Of these stories mention) when Joseph (Yusuf) said to his father, “O my father, indeed I have seen (in a dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me.’
Quran [12:4]
The relationship that Yusuf had with his father Yaqub after telling him about a dream he had is the first lovely lesson we can take away from this Surah. He connects a significant event he saw in his vision to his father. This demonstrates that the father and son had an honest and trustworthy relationship. How many kids and their dads have this kind of relationship? When a child grows up and makes decisions for themselves that the father disapproves of, the father often complains that he wasn't involved enough in their upbringing. If only you were present to properly mentor and engage your child as he grew up.
2. The Envious Eye is real
‘He said, “O my son, do not relate your vision to your brothers or they will contrive against you a plan. Indeed Satan, to man, is a manifest enemy.’
Quran [12:5]
We discuss beautiful things when discussing Surah Yusuf. We should be cautious about who we share our beautiful things with because envy exists in this day and age of social media, where we post things for everyone to see. It's possible that you picked up something so fast and effortlessly. It's possible that the person who sees what you have been working hard and exhaustingly to obtain that exact thing without success. Do you think he will be as happy as you are? Jealousy seems to be a natural but dangerous emotion. Prophet Yaqub (AS) was concerned about Yusuf (AS) because of this. Yaqub was afraid that his brothers would plot against him out of jealousy if Yusuf told them about his vision.
This raises an intriguing question regarding Yaqub's (AS) parenting of his other children. Some of them chose to murder Yusuf because they were jealous. Did Yaqub fail to carry out his duties with them appropriately? As a nabi (prophet), he raised all of his children with the utmost care and fairness. This story does, however, demonstrate that, in spite of this, you, as a father, will still encounter difficulties with your children, and Allah sends these as a test to see how well you handle the circumstance.
3. After a setback, you can immediately achieve greater things.
In an attempt to win their father's favor, the brothers killed Yusuf or banished him to another country because they were jealous that Yaqub loved and preferred him over them. However, since Allah wanted Yusuf to fulfill a mission that needed to be done, their plan to kill him would not have succeeded. He would become the Prophet of Allah after receiving His revelation. He wished for Yusuf to rule Egypt and be a strong man. What must have been going through Yusuf's young mind when they threw him down the well? Was he aware that he was going to experience all of these things? The master plan began at this point.
Similarly, instead of getting discouraged and hopeless when we experience a major life change or setback, we should remember this lovely tale of how Allah raised Yusuf (AS) from the bottom of the well to his current position many years later. A period of intense effort and eventual success is frequently sparked and initiated by a negative event. Knowing that it is a part of His plan, we put our trust in Allah and turn to Him in both our highs and lows. Thus, we begin anew, work harder, and exercise patience. Recuperation may take months or years, but insha'Allah, it will happen. From being thrown in the well to becoming so significant in the country, Yusuf (AS) had to wait twenty years. 40 years are mentioned in some narrations.
4. Your own kids can deceive you
After the brothers devised a scheme to persuade their father to allow Yusuf to accompany them, Yaqub (AS) became resentful and expressed his sadness that they should take Yusuf away. Since children can and do lie to their parents, it is important for us as parents to have a relationship with our kids that allows us to recognize when they are lying. They may have done something wrong, but they choose to blame someone else or claim that someone else initiated it because they know how we will react. We frequently take our children's word for it without questioning or seeking the truth, especially when it comes to people who are not family members. Not all the time is this the best course of action.
Yaqub gave Yusuf and his brothers the benefit of the doubt, so he allowed them to leave despite his reservations. They lied once more after carrying out their plan and returning to Yaqub to inform him of what had transpired. Take a look at how Yaqub (AS) responded to them despite being aware that they were lying. He didn't reject or turn out his sons; instead, he continued to have a positive relationship with them. He begged Allah for assistance; in fact, according to some accounts, he sobbed so much that he lost his sight. Instead of crying over the loss of his child and wondering why it happened, he prayed to Allah to watch over Yusuf, protect him, and provide for him in the best way possible.
5. To maintain your blessings, reject sin.
Teaching people how to obtain barakah (blessings) is one of the story's most significant lessons. By the time Allah's plan came to pass, Yusuf had grown up and had everything: honor, intelligence, fame, power, and good looks. It was his rejection of this sin that Allah presents when the minister's wife attempted to woo him with lust. This demonstrates how to obtain and maintain barakah in your wealth and honor—to resist the temptation of sin.
What prevented Yusuf from committing sin? Allah was the one. One surefire way to stop receiving blessings is to fall into sin. You must obey Allah if you want to be good in this world. Although we may occasionally fail because we are all human, we never give up on Allah because we only have so much time left.
Additional Teachings from Surah Yusuf
This Surah offers a plethora of additional lessons. Some of these, in a brief list with bullets, are:
6. Yusuf (AS) prefers jail time to disobeying Allah and ruining his reputation.
6. Yusuf (AS) prefers jail time to disobeying Allah and ruining his reputation.
7. He maintained his positive attitude and faith in Allah's assistance while incarcerated. He did not experience depression.
8. Despite these unfavorable conditions, Yusuf (AS) continued to have the chance to share the deen (religion) and love of Allah with his fellow inmates, who at the time were worshiping other deities.
9. He remained silent when it was appropriate to do so. However, when he had to speak, like when he was going to be released, he did so clearly and loudly. He first ensured that his reputation was restored and clarified the falsehoods being spread about him. This demonstrates that Allah will undoubtedly give you a chance to have your case heard if you are sincere.
9. He remained silent when it was appropriate to do so. However, when he had to speak, like when he was going to be released, he did so clearly and loudly. He first ensured that his reputation was restored and clarified the falsehoods being spread about him. This demonstrates that Allah will undoubtedly give you a chance to have your case heard if you are sincere.
10. Despite his success, Yusuf (AS) maintained his humility. He could have punished his brothers for their crimes, but instead he forgave them. He talked only about the good things.
11. He taught a valuable lesson by stating that Allah will not permit anyone to forfeit the benefits of their good deeds if they possess patience and taqwa, or fear of Allah.
Recite Surah Yusuf in Arabic Text
