[CCM Home]

 

Yusuf's ( - Peace Be Upon Him) Release from Prison

In the past two issues of Iqraa, we have been narrating the story of Yusuf , which can be found in its entirety in the twelfth chapter of the Qur'an. We shall continue the story now. In the previous issue, Yusuf , having been unjustly accused of causing trouble among the women, had been thrown into prison. We will pick up the story at that point.

Two other young men entered the prison at about the same time as Yusuf . While in prison each of the two men had a dream. One dreamed that he was pressing grapes; the other that he was carrying bread on his head from which the birds were eating. Each was puzzled about the meaning of his dream, and asked Yusuf if he could interpret it.

Yusuf promised to interpret their dreams before their next meal was brought to them, but while he had their attention, he took advantage of the opportunity to perform some dawa. He told them about the supremacy of Allah and about belief in the Hereafter. He told them about the futility of worshipping gods other than Allah. He told them of the right religion about which many people do not know.

Only after he had given his message about Islam did he interpret the dreams. He said that the man who had dreamed that he was pressing grapes would be released and would be serving wine to his master, while the other man would be executed and the birds would eat from off his head. It happened as Yusuf had foretold, and Yusuf asked the man who was released to mention Yusuf to his master, in order that Yusuf might also be released. But the man forgot and Yusuf stayed in prison for a few more years.

The king of Egypt then had a dream, in which he saw seven fat cattle being devoured by seven lean cattle. He also saw seven green ears of corn and seven withered ears. None of the chiefs in his court could interpret the dream for him. At this point the king's servant, who had been Yusuf's cell mate, remembered Yusuf's ability to interpret the meaning of dreams. So he went to see Yusuf to ask about the dream.

Yusuf explained that for seven years the crops would be good, and that much of what had been harvested would be stored away. The seven good years would be followed by seven hard years in which most of what had been stored would be consumed. After that seven-year period of poor harvests, things would improve again.

When the king was told of this interpretation, he asked that Yusuf be brought to him from the prison. But Yusuf would not leave until his name had been cleared. The king summoned all the women and they told him that Yusuf had done nothing wrong. The wife of the chief who had pursued Yusuf confessed that it was she who had been at fault. When Yusuf was released, he was relieved that everyone now knew that he had done nothing deceitful. And he was grateful to Allah for forgiving any evil thoughts which he might have had.

The king called Yusuf to him, and, after they had spoken together for some time, the king was so impressed that he wanted to bestow on Yusuf a position of trust. Yusuf suggested that he be placed in charge of all the storehouses in the land, for he felt confident of his ability to administer them wisely.

Thus Allah rewarded Yusuf . He had risen from servant and prisoner to a very powerful position in the land of Egypt. In the next issue, we shall tell how Yusuf was reunited with his family.

 

Published: June 1992