Yusuf (Joseph)

38. “And I have followed the religion of my fathers, ’Ibrahim, Ishaq and Ya‘qub. It is not (right) for us to associate anything with Allah. That is of Allah’s favor upon us and upon mankind, but most people do not give thanks.”

Since hereditary nobility plays an important role in the formation of the character of an individual, it also has a very important role when people are to accept a person.

Therefore, Hadrat Yusuf introduces himself by presenting his illustrious lineage of forefathers, all of whom were Divine prophets, confirming, at the same time, his sanctified message. This is exactly the same method which the Prophet (S) used to employ in introducing himself.

He used to say, that he was the same oft mentioned Prophet whose name had been mentioned in both the Torah and the Gospels.

Hadrat Sayyid-ush-Shuhada, Hussein ibn Ali (as) and Imam Sajjad (as) also introduced themselves to the people in Karbala and Syria as the children of Fatimat-az-Zahra (as), saying:

‘I am the son of Fatimat-az-Zahra’.

The Arabic term /millat/ has been applied in the Qur’an with the sense of religion. And in verse 78 of Surah Hajj, the profile of the religion of ’Ibrahim /millata ’Ibrahim/ has been depicted as:

“And strive hard in (the way of), such a striving as is due to Him; He has chosen you, and has not laid upon you any hardship in religion - the faith of your father ’Ibrahim. It is He Who has named you Muslims, both before and in this (revelation)…..So establish the regular prayer, do give regular Charity, and hold fast to Allah!”

Turning ones back to the ways of divine prophets and adhering to polytheism is ingratitude due to the blessings of Allah. Therefore, we must dissociate ourselves from such ideas, as they go against the inherent good which is found in human nature. Abraham said:

“And I have followed the religion of my fathers, ’Ibrahim, Ishaq and Ya‘qub...”

Hadrat Yusuf is not only a descendent by blood lineage, he is also an inheritor of a spiritual lineage as well, thus it does not behoove him to associate anyone with Allah, and this monotheistic pedigree goes back to the iconoclastic ’Ibrahim. This is one of the Divine blessings sent upon the family of ’Ibrahim and upon all people, for that matter.

The verse says:

“…It is not (right) for us to associate anything with Allah. That is of Allah’s favor upon us and upon mankind...”

Unfortunately, most people do not thank Allah for all these blessings and deviate from the Right Path. The verse says:

“…but most people do not give thanks.”

Incidentally, it is worthy to note that these verses show that despite the fact that Yusuf (as) used to live among those idol - worshippers, Allah, the Magnificent, has nowhere mentioned that this respectable and worthy person ever called on the people to be monotheistic and worship the One God, except in this verse where he has extended the invitation to the two prisoners who were with him in prison.

It seems that he was not at all optimistic about the people of Egypt lending their ears to him, let alone accepting his message.

However, when he noticed that these two individuals took him as a righteous and decent man of good conduct, and they turned to him, a glimmer of hope and success appeared in his heart that they might probably listen to him and accept him.

As a result, he proceeded to call them to the worship of Allah and thus be converted to the faith of monotheism.

In the narrations it is said that these prisoners told Yusuf that as soon as they saw him, they had become interested in him and began to love him greatly.

Yusuf answered that they would better not love him or express any affection for him, for, according to him, the catastrophes that had been inflicted upon him was because of friendship, and whoever had loved him somehow caused him some sort of disaster.

His aunt had loved him and she accused him to theft. His father had loved him, and because of this, he was thrown down to the bottom of the well. The wife of the ‘Aziz had loved him and because of that he was put in prison.