Basic
Stories
Surah: Yusuf (7)
In Joseph and His Brothers Were Signs — The Most Beautiful Story
لَّقَدۡ كَانَ فِي يُوسُفَ وَإِخۡوَتِهِۦٓ ءَايَٰتٌ لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ
— يوسف الآية 7
Verse: "In Joseph and his brothers were signs for those who ask." (12:7)
"The most beautiful of stories":
Allah called it at the surah's opening "the best of stories" — because it contains all elements of life: family, jealousy and envy, sale and slavery, temptation and refusal, prison and patience, power and position, then reunion, forgiveness, and a happy ending.
Lesson 1 — Joseph's patience:
Six moments of breaking: the well, slavery, temptation, unjust prison, then being forgotten by the cupbearer. At every point he chose patience and faith over complaint.
Lesson 2 — "No blame upon you today":
When he reunited with his brothers at the height of his power — he said complete words of total forgiveness. No flogging, no humiliation, no prolonged rebuke. Complete and unconditional pardon.
"Indeed, no one despairs of Allah's mercy except the disbelieving people":
The grand conclusion of Joseph's story — despair from Allah's mercy is disbelief, and hope is obligatory in the most extreme trials.
"The most beautiful of stories":
Allah called it at the surah's opening "the best of stories" — because it contains all elements of life: family, jealousy and envy, sale and slavery, temptation and refusal, prison and patience, power and position, then reunion, forgiveness, and a happy ending.
Lesson 1 — Joseph's patience:
Six moments of breaking: the well, slavery, temptation, unjust prison, then being forgotten by the cupbearer. At every point he chose patience and faith over complaint.
Lesson 2 — "No blame upon you today":
When he reunited with his brothers at the height of his power — he said complete words of total forgiveness. No flogging, no humiliation, no prolonged rebuke. Complete and unconditional pardon.
"Indeed, no one despairs of Allah's mercy except the disbelieving people":
The grand conclusion of Joseph's story — despair from Allah's mercy is disbelief, and hope is obligatory in the most extreme trials.
Source: Ibn Kathir (4/350); Al-Sadi; Al-Tabari, Jami Al-Bayan
Test Yourself
How many breaking points did Yusuf ﷺ pass through before reaching power?
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