THE PROPHET ISMA'IL (peace be upon
him)
Advent of Prophet Isma'il and Desertion by his Father:
The Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) was the eldest son of Prophet Ibrahim
(peace he upon him) by his second wife Hajira. As he had no off-spring from
his first wife Sarah, he entered into matrimonial allegiance with Hajira,
a devoted lady. He did so with the consent of his first wife. The Prophet
Ibrahim (peace he upon him) prayed to his Lord to bless him with a son.
The Prophet Isma'il (peace he upon him) was born to him in response to his
prayers. The Holy Qur'an makes mention of it in these words:
"Ibrahim said:
My Lord! Grant me of the doers of good deeds. So We gave him the good news
of a boy possessing forbearance."
(37: 100, 101)
Shortly after his birth, in obedience to a Divine behest, he was left by
his father Ibrahim (peace be upon him) along with his mother at the place
where stands Ka'bah. It was a barren and waterless place with no trace of
life in any form. The great Patriarch, Ibrahim (peace be upon him) left
them to their fate with a heavy heart and prayed:
"O' Lord!
I have made some of my off-spring settle in this barren valley near the Sacred
House so that they may keep up prayer."
(14: 37)
The scene of departing Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) from his family
was highly pathetic. It is narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Abbàs
that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The
Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) brought with him his wife Hajira and
his son Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) whom she suckled. They placed
the child close by the spot where Ka'bah now stands. In those days Makkah
was uninhabited and without water. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him)
placed beside them a bag full of dates and a skin full of water. When Prophet
Ibrahim (peace be upon him) returned, the mother of Prophet Isma'il (peace
be upon him) ran after him and said: Ibrahim! Where are you going? Why have
you left me in the wilderness where none is to take pity on us. Nothing
is available here to eat and drink. She repeated this several times but
Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) did not hearken to her voice. Then she
asked him. Have God Commanded you to do so? He replied in affirmative.
She said: Then God will cause no harm to me. Thereupon she returned back.
When Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) got out of sight, he faced towards
Ka'bah and prayed: 0' Lord! Grant that the hearts of some men may be affected
with kindness towards them and bestow upon them all sorts of fruit so that
they may be thankful. After this the mother of Prophet Isma'il (peace be
upon him) began to suckle her child and to drink water out of the skin until
it was emptied. Soon after her son felt thirsty. She could not bear to
see him in such plight. Hajira ran seven times from the hill of Safa to
Marwa in quest of water. As she was about to commence the eighth trip, her
attention was drawn to the crying child who in the agony of thirst was kicking
the ground. Lo! the water gushed forth miraculously from the earth in the
form of fountain to save Prophet: Isma'il (peace be upon him) from the tortures
of thirst. Then she drank the water and suckled her child. May God bless
the mother of Prophet Isma'il! Had she left the Zam Zam as it was or had
she not filled her skin with water, the Zam Zam would always have remained
an overflowing mountain. (Bukhari)
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Trial of Sincerity:
The origin of the custom of true believers running between Safa and Marwa
at the time of Hajj is deep connected with Hajira, the mother of Prophet
Isma'il (peace be upon him). Similarly the rite of sacrifice also owes its
origin to the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his obedient son.
He had received a Divine Command to sacrifice his beloved son. Both of them
stood the test with credit. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) decided
to fulfil the vision on one hand whereas the Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon
him) was ready with alacrity to lay down his life to win the favour and pleasure
of Allah. While they were proceeding towards Mina for the performance of
the solemn duty, Satan tried to dissuade them from their firm resolve but
to no effect. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) passed the sharp knife
over the throat of his son but an angel turned the knife upside down and
a heavenly message forbade the act. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him)
was desired to sacrifice in lieu of his son, a ram. So he slaughtered a
well-fed ram presented by Allah. When the Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon
him) grew up, he married a girl of the tribe but soon divorced her at the
request of his father to whom she proved to be discourteous. After this
he married a daughter of the Jurhum Chief.
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Re-construction of the House of Allah:
Ka'bah is the veritable heart of Islam towards which all the prayers of the
Muslims flow to vivify their souls. It was built by the Prophet Adam (peace
be upon him), the father of the human race. When it was damaged by flood,
it was reconstructed on the same foundations by the Prophet Ibrahim (peace
he upon him) with the help of his son Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him),
the ancestors of the Arabs. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) directed
his son to bring a good stone to mark the corner of foundation. He brought
one of which the angel Gabriel gave him information. It was the sacred Black
stone-Hajar al-Aswad. When the Prophet Ibrahim and Isma'il (peace be upon
them) raised the foundations of the House of Allah they prayed:
"Our Lord!
Accept from us; surely You are the Hearing, the Knowing. Our Lord! Make
us both submissive to You and raise from our off-spring a nation submitting
to You and show us ways of devotion and turn to us mercifully. You are the
oft-Returning to mercy, the Most Merciful."
(2:127),(2:128)
"Our Lord!
And raise up in them an Apostle from among them who shall recite to them
Your communications and teach them the Book and the Wisdom and purify them.
Surely You are the Mighty, the Wise."
(2: 129).
Makkah is Habitated:
The Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) and his mother settled down in the
vicinity of the Ka'bah. His progeny multiplied and ramified into numerous
tribes. One of these is known as the Quraysh from which the Ishmaelite Arabs
sprang up. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) belonged to this family.
They habitated the city of Makkah which became the centre of Islam.
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THE PROPHET ISHAQ (peace be upon him)
Miraculous Birth of Prophet Ishaq (Isaac):
The Prophet Ibrahim had two sons-Prophet Isma'il and Prophet Ishaq (peace
be upon them). The Prophet Ishaq (peace be upon him) was his second son
born of Sarah, his wife. When the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) passed
through an ordeal of sacrificing his affectionate son, Prophet Isma'il (peace
be upon him) a glad-tidings of the birth of another son, Prophet Ishaq (peace
be upon him) was conveyed to him. The Holy Qur'an says:
"And We gave
him the tiding of the birth of Ishaq, a prophet among the righteous."
(37: 112)
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had attained the age of one hundred
years and Sarah was ninety. They had practically lost all hope of having
an issue at this advanced age when the angel came to Prophet Ibrahim (peace
be upon him)with the happy news of the birth of a wise son, his wife laughed
and did not believe it. She remarked that she had passed the age and now
it was simply a folly to expect a child.
The Qur'an tells us how this news was imparted to the Prophet Ibrahim (peace
be upon him) and his wife:
"And his
wife standing by, laughed when We gave her good tidings (of the birth) of
Ishaq and after Ishaq of Ya'qub (Jacob). She said: Oh, Woe is me! Shall I
bear a child when I am an old woman and this my husband is an old man? Lo!
this is a strange thing. They said: wonder thou at the Commandment of Allah
? The mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, 0' people of the House!
Lo! He is Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory."
(11: 71-73)
The Prophet Ishaq (peace be upon him) was born as God willed. He was the
chosen servant of God and his descendants were men of high spiritual rank
and character. He was inspired to do noble deeds and establish right warship.
He was generous at heart.
Marriage and Death:
The Prophet Ishaq (peace be upon him) was married to Rebecca when he was
forty years old. His wife gave birth to Esau and Ya'qub. When the Prophet
Ishaq (peace be upon him) grew old he lost his eye-sight. He passed away`
at Hebron at the age of 180 years. He was buried beside his father and mother.
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THE PROPHET YA'QUB (peace be upon him)
Allah conveyed to the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) glad tidings regarding
the birth of elite Prophets, Ishaq and Ya'qub (peace be upon them). The
Holy Qur'an says:
"We gave him Ishaq and Ya'qub. Each of them We made a Prophet. And We gave
them of Our mercy and assigned to them a high and true renown." (19:49,50)
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Qualities of the Prophet Ya'qub:
The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) was the son of Prophet Ishaq (peace
be upon him) and his wife Rebecca. He was born at Palestine. He passed
his life exactly in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He had
full faith in the Oneness of God. He directed his followers to do good and
shun evil. He advised them to keep up prayer and give alms. He was a man
of parts and wisdom. God showered His blessings on him and his kith and
kin. The Holy Qur'an affirms:
"And We gave
him tidings of the birth of Ishaq, a Prophet of the righteous and We showered
Our blessings on him and on Ishaq and of their off-spring are some who do
good and some who plainly wrong their own selves."
(37: 113)
At the age of sixty the Prophet Ishaq (peace be upon him) was blessed with
a pair of twins namely Esau and Ya'qub. Esau was a hunter and provided his
aged parents with meat. Ishaq was chosen to be the Prophet of the Bani Israel.
His marriage and off-spring:
It is narrated that his uncle Laban made Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him)
serve him for seven years on promise to marry Rachel with him. At the end
of this period the marriage was solemnised. Later on he entered into matrimonial
contract with three more women. The Prophet Ya'qub(peace be upon him) had
four wives and twelve sons who became the progenitors of twelve tribes.
The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) and Benjamin were from Rachel. The
Prophet Ya'qub(peace be upon him) had great affection for them.
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Plot against Prophet Yusuf:
As the off-springs of his other wives were jealous of Prophet Yusuf (peace
be upon him) they hatched out a plan to separate Yusuf from his father.
They took him out on a lame excuse of tending sheep and threw him into a
waterless well. They came back home shedding crocodile tears and said: A
wolf has devoured Yusuf. The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) suspected
foul play on the part of his sons. He bore with patience the mental torture
to which he was subjected in his old age. He wept bitterly day and night
and lost his eye-sight. After a long time he came to know that Prophet Yusuf
(peace Be upon him) was alive. He was the custodian of storehouse in Egypt.
The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) along with the whole family proceeded
towards Egypt on the invitation of his son. They were awarded a warm reception.
He settled in Egypt. He died at the age of 140 years. He was buried in
Hebron (al-Khalil) according to his will.
When the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) was on the point of death, be
called his sons and held conversation, with them. It is mentioned in the
following Verses of the Holy Qur'an:
"The
same did Ibrahim enjoin upon his sons, and also Ya'qub (saying): O' my sons!
Lo! Allah has chosen for you the true religion, therefore die not save as
men who have surrendered (unto Him) or were you present when death came to
Ya'qub when he said to his --sons: What will you worship after me? They said:
We shall worship your God, God of your fathers Ibrahim, Ismail and Ishaq,
One God and unto Him We have surrendered."
(2: 132,
2:133)
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THE PROPHET YUSUF (peace be upon him)
The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) had twelve sons and one of them was
called Yusuf (Joseph) whose life is full of many interesting: happenings.
He was a handsome and smart boy with polite habits and polished manners.
He bore a sound character. He had an attractive personality. The Prophet
Ya'qub (peace be upon him) had a deep affection for his son, Yusuf who occupied
a rank of remarkable distinction among his brothers. His brothers began
to Feel jealous of him. They became united against Yusuf and hatched a plan
to do away. with him.
Vision of Prophet Yusuf and its Interpretation:
When the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) became a teenager, he had a special
vision. He rushed towards his father to inform him about it. He dreamt
that there were eleven stars with the moon and the sun kneeling in front
of him. The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was much excited to see this
fantastic dream. His heart was beating fast while he was breaking the news
to his father. The Holy Qur'an describes:
"Yusuf said
to his father: 0' my father! I have indeed seen in a dream eleven stars and
the sun and moon making obeisance to me."
(12: 4)
On hearing about this vision the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) whisperingly
advised his son not to divulge it to his brothers lest their jealousy should
be excited. He had sound reasons to Fear that they would plot against him.
The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) interpreted that Yusuf was destined
to become a great personality. God would give him wisdom, grace and honour.
He would enable him to read into the future. To crown all he would become
a Prophet. His eleven brothers (the stars) and his father and mother (the
sun and moon) would stand in need of him and bow to his dignified position.
The Holy Qur'an relates:
"He
(Ya'qub) said: O' my dear son! Tell not your brethren of your vision lest
they should plot against you because surely Satan is the manifest enemy of
man. So your Lord shall prefer you and will teach you the interpretations
of dreams and will perfect His favours upon you and upon the family of Ya'qub
as He perfected it upon your forefather Ibrahim and Ishaq. The Lord is Knowing,
Wise."
(7:5, 6)
Plot against the Prophet Yusuf:
The brothers of Prophet Yusuf did not like that he should become the only
centre of their paternal love. The sentiments of jealousy burnt them inside.
They decided to get rid of him. One of them suggested that he should be
put to death but the others did not agree with him -because it was a terrible
thing. Then another brother proposed to throw him into a pit. All of them
I unanimously voted in favour of this scheme. The Holy Qur'an says:
"One
said: Slay Yusuf or drive him some other land so that your father's favours
may be exclusively for you and after that you shall live as upright persons.
One among them said: Kill not Yusuf but cast him down into the bottom of
a pit if you must do it so that some wayfarers may pick him up."
(12: 7-10))
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The Plan is put into Practice:
In order to put their plan into practice the mischievous brothers of the
Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) approached their father. They persuaded
the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) to allow his affectionate son, Yusuf
to accompany them for tending the sheep. They insisted so much that their
father became quite suspicious. He feared lest the jealous brothers should
do some harm to Yusuf. The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) was hesitant
in parting with his son but his other sons went on insisting and trying to
satisfy him. They assured their father that they would look after their
younger brother even at the risk of their own lives. As the Prophet Ya'qub
(peace be upon him) did not wish to compel Yusuf to avoid his brothers he
granted his permission hesitatingly. So the brothers got an opportunity
of carrying out their evil design of casting him into the pit. The Holy
Qur'an says:
"They said: O' our father! Why do you not entrust us with Yusuf though we,
indeed, mean him well. Send him with us tomorrow that he may enjoy himself
and sport and surely we shall take good care of him. He said: It grieves
me that the wolf should devour him while you are heedless of him. They said:
Surely if the wolf should devour him notwithstanding we are so strong a band,
then we shall be in that case justly blamed for losing him." (12: 11-15)
They proceeded towards the hills. All of them were nervous except the unsuspecting
Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him). When they were enjoying a trip, they
pushed the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) sharply towards the waterless
well He fell down with a thud and became sore all over. There was no food
to eat and no water to drink. It was dark and scary. 'He screamed at the
top of his voice but he could hear nothing except the echoes of his voice.
He realised that a clever trick had been played upon him.
Father is Informed:
The brothers of Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) were feeling guilty inside
because they had committed a shameful act. They walked back slowly with
dejected faces. They approached their father crying and sobbing. They were
shedding crocodile tears while they were informing their father that the
Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him)had been devoured by the wolf. They produced
the blood smeared shirt of the Prophet Yusuf(peace be upon him) as an evidence.
The Holy Qur'an says:
"And
they came back weeping to their father at night fall and said: O' our father!
of a truth, we went racing with one another and left Yusuf to loot after
clothes and the wolf devoured him; but we art afraid you will not believe
us though we speak the truth. And they brought his shirt with false blood
upon it."
(12: 16-18)
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The Prophet Yusuf is Delivered out of Well and Sold:
The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was quite vigorous. He tried many
times to climb out of the deep well but he could not. Finally he sat down
in utter despair beseeching Allah's help. After some time a caravan happened
to pass by the well. Some men needed water to quench their thirst. One
of them lowered his bucket into the well but he could not hear the splash
of water. The well was dry and there was nothing except the Prophet Yusuf
(peace be upon him) who was waiting anxiously for some one to come and rescue
him. When the bucket came down, it touched the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon
him). He clung to it with his dear life. The man pulled hard at the bucket
and the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) came out of the well. He felt
a great pleasure and expressed a deep sense of gratitude to Allah Who had
bestowed favour upon him. He dusted himself off and told the man all about
what had happened to him. The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was taken
to Egypt where he was sold as a slave. The Holy Qur'an states:
"And
there came a wayfarer and they sent down a water drawer. He let down his
pail into the pit. He said: What a good luck, here is a youth. And they
kept his case secret to make merchandise of him and Allah knew what they
did, and they sold him for a petty price, a few dirhams and they attached
little value to him."
(12:19,20, 21)
The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was purchased by a famous rich man.
He rendered services to him and his family.
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The Prophet Yusuf Overpowers Temptation:
The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was a handsome and an attractive young
man. He was extremely charming and irresistible. He was a perfect gentleman
whom Allah had honoured with His love, grace and protection. He was held
in high esteem in the house of his master. As the time passed the lady of
the house put him in an awkward position. She fell in love with him. She
could hardly shake him out of her mind. One day in the absence of her husband
she approached him and desired to be very close to him. The Prophet Yusuf
(peace be upon him) refrained from even casting a glance at her. He tried
to get rid of her but she chased him. She grabbed hard at the back of his
shirt and it was torn apart. Just at that time the master appeared on the
scene. He saw what was going on, He flew into a rage. The master's wife
was embarrassed beyond all limits. She cried out after absolute frustration
in her evil designs and levelled false accusations against Yusuf, the innocent.
The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) clarified his position with the moral
support of one of the maid-servants who bore witness by saying: Look at the
shirt. If it is torn at the back, the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him)
will be quite innocent. He should not be blamed. In case it is rent from
the front the accused will be one of the liars. When the shirt was examined
it was torn at the back and the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was found
truthful. The master was fully convinced of the innocence of Prophet Yusuf
(peace be upon him). He appealed to him to keep the matter in secret lest
it should become a scandal. Moreover he admonished his wife to beg pardon
of Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him).
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Banquet is Arranged:
Many people got wind of this incident. They starred to talk about the master's
wife who had been deeply affected with the love of her slave. She wished
to seduce him. The whole town kept on talking maliciously about her.
When the master's wife heard about it, she made a special plan. She wished
to show the people that it was very hard to resist the charm of Prophet Yusuf(peace
be upon him) and his lovely youth. She arranged a grand banquet and invited
most of the women in the town. They were talking and enjoying themselves.
The most delicious food and fruit were served before the guests. The master's
wife gave a sharp knife to every lady to peel off the fruit. When the ladies
were busy with using the knives, the master's wife asked the Prophet Yusuf
(peace be upon him) to enter the room. As the door opened with a squeak,
there prevailed a pen-drop silence for a few second and the Prophet Yusuf
(peace be upon him) stood calmly. The ladies looked at him constantly and
got stunned at his beauty. He was so attractive that many of them were taken
by a great surprise. They forgot that they were using the knives. They
cut their fingers in utter amazement. The Holy Qur'an says:
"When
they saw him, they exalted him? and (in their amazement) cut their hands
exclaiming: Remote is Allah from imperfection. This is not a mortal but
is a noble angel. She said: It is he about whom you blamed me Certainly
I wished him to yield to my desires but he stood firm."
(12:31,32)
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The Prophet Yusuf in the Prison:
The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) found himself in a great trouble.
As the time passed by, the Problems became more complicated. The Prophet
Yusuf (peace be upon him) prayed to Almighty Allah to grant him protection
from those ladies. He wished to be in prison rather than being indecent.
He desired to escape from the temptations of sexual instinct. The Holy
Qur'an says:
"He
said: MY Lord! I Prefer the Prison to compliance with their bidding: and
if you turn not away their snares from me, I may perchance yearn towards
them (out of youthful folly) and become one of the unwise."
(12: 33)
Allah accepted his prayer to shield him from evil temptations. The elite
of the town noticed that their females were becoming ardent lovers of the
Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him). Although they knew that he had committed
no crime yet they decided to imprison the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him)
to avoid disturbance in their society. He remained in the prison for several
years and developed friendly relations with many prisoners. There he preached
the religion of Allah and tried to reform the prisoners who were greatly
impressed by his personality. One day two prisoners saw strange dreams.
They came to the Prophet Yusuf(peace be upon him) for asking the Interpretations
of those dreams. One of them said: I saw in a dream that I was pressing
wine. The other prisoner said: I saw in my dream that I was carrying a basket
of bread on my head and the birds were eating from it. The Prophet Yusuf
(peace be upon him) asked them to wait until lunch time so that they might
become anxious and listen to him attentively. At the appointed time the
Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: The one who was pressing wine, will
be set at liberty and he will serve wine to his master. The other will be
crucified for the crime, he had committed. The Holy Qur'an affirms:
"O' my two fellow prisoners! As for one of you he shall Pour out wine for
his lord to drink and as for the other, he shall be executed and the birds
shall eat from off his head. The matter is decreed concerning which you
inquired."
(12:41)
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Soon after the interpretations of those dreams turned out to be true. When
the first man was about to leave the prison, the Prophet Yusuf (peace be
upon him) asked to remember him to the master. He did so as a self-respecting
man without adopting a supplicative attitude. The man who found deliverance
forgot mentioning all about the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) to his
lord. So he had to linger in the prison for a few more years. He continued
praying and teaching goodness in the prison. One day, the king of Egypt
dreamt that seven fat cows were eaten by seven thin cows and he also saw
seven preen ears of corn and seven others that withered. The king wished
to know the interpretation of that strange dream. Every one was puzzled
because no one could really say what it meant. Some of them thought that
it was a passing dream. The ex-prisoner informed the king about the Prophet
Yusuf (peace be upon him) who was well versed in the art of explaining the
dreams accurately. The king became quite curious and sent the man to see
the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) in the prison. The man rushed towards
him and tendered an apology for not speaking to the master about him. Then
he asked him about the fantastic dream of the king. The Prophet Yusuf (peace
be upon him) said: You will sow for seven years diligently. There will be
seven years of rich harvest in the country. It is better to store as much
of the food stuff as possible because there will be a famine lasting for
seven years. During this period of hardships the preserved stores of grain
shall be consumed except a little quantity. Afterwards there will be a year
in which the people shall have heavy rains and bumper crops. They shall
press grapes.
The Prophet Yusuf's Innocence is Established:
The man sought permission of leave from the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon
him) and proceeded towards the king. He told him the interpretation of his
dream in the presence of many courtiers. They were much surprised. The
king was greatly impressed and expressed a keen desire to see him in person.
He issued an immediate order to release the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon
him) from the prison but he refused to leave it until he had his innocence
established beyond all doubts. He told the king about the cruelty and injustice
inflicted upon him without any fault. He wished to clear the blot of crime
on his fair name. The king summoned the women who put the Prophet Yusuf
(peace be upon him) to inconvenience. They all confessed that he was quite
innocent. The Holy Qur'an affirms: "They (women) said: Allah Blameless!
We knew of no evil on his part. Thereupon the Chief's wife said: Now the
truth has become established. I asked of him an evil act and he is surely
of the truthful." (12:51)
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The Prophet Yusuf as Director of Stores:
The king was much impressed with his nobility and intelligence. He therefore,
offered him an important position in the Government. He was appointed as
the Director of Stores. The Holy Qur'an says:
"He
(the king) said: Surely from this day you shall be with us invested with
rank and trust. Then he (Yusuf) said: Set me over the store houses of the
land. Surely I am a skilled custodian (knowing well my duties).
(12:54, 55)
The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) worked efficiently and managed the
affairs. he won a good name as an officer and became powerful in the land.
The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him)was awfully unhappy. He missed the
Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) very much. He was assured by Almighty
Allah that he would see his son again. The brothers of the Prophet Yusuf(peace
be upon him) grew in age and kept remembering the mischievous trick which
they had played upon him. It was highly shameful act. Now Palestine was
also in the grip of dreadful famine. There was an acute dearth of food.
The family of the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) was passing through
the most straitened circumstances. They heard that Egyptians had huge stock
of food stuff. They sold it at reasonable rates. The sons of the Prophet
Ya'qub (peace be upon him) prepared a caravan and went to Egypt to purchase
grain.
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The Prophet Yusuf's Brothers go to Egypt and buy Food Conditionally:
When they reached Egypt the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) recognised
his brothers immediately and his heart was beating violently. He did not
remind them of the cruelty inflicted upon him. He did not disclose his identity.
He showed kindness to them and furnished them with provision at a very fair
price. They felt highly obliged because of his noble behaviour. Before
their departure the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: If you come back,
bring with you a younger brother of yours from your father's side. If my
request is not complied with, I shall sell you no more grain.
They came back home after a tiresome journey. They told their father that
the custodian of the food stores in Egypt had expressed a keen desire to
see their younger brother. On hearing this the Prophet Ya'qub's face became
tense and worried. He did not like the same thing happen to his other son.
He hesitated to allow Yusuf's brother to accompany them. Because of his
previous bitter experience he could not trust them. They in the long run
convinced him after giving him a firm covenant in Allah's name that they
would bring back the brother of Yusuf. When they opened the sacks of grain
and were much surprised to find their money in it.
After many weeks their second caravan reached Egypt and went directly to
the main store-house. The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) greeted them
with open arms. Every one was much pleased. There was a lot of hustle and
bustle. The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) took his younger brother aside
and told him that he was Yusuf who was thrown into the well. His brother
was much surprised and his joy knew no bounds. The Holy Qur'an says:
"And
when they came into Yusuf's presence, he took his own brother aside with
him saying: LO I am your brother. Therefore grieve not at what they do."
(12:69)
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Younger Brother is Detained:
The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) had certain plans in his mind. He
furnished them with their provisions and asked one of his servants to put
a drinking cup in their bag. As the caravan was about to depart, some one
shouted! The king's silver drinking cup is missing. Every one got puzzled.
The brother of the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: We are not thieves
and we have not come here to make mischief. One of the Egyptians said: He
who is found guilty, shall be detained here as penalty. All of them agreed
upon the awarding of this punishment. They began to search out the sacks
of the customers. They found the missing drinking cup in the sack of the
younger brother of the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him). It followed a
great deal of excitement. The brothers tried very hard to convince the Prophet
Yusuf (peace be upon him) not to detain their brother but he flatly refused.
He asked them not to back out of their promise. They became upset. Their
eldest brother decided not to go back to the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon
him) again and face him with heart breaking news. He stayed there and sent
back his other brothers to inform the care-worn father of the whole situation.
They went back and conveyed the most shocking news to their father. He
displayed unshakeable patience and said:
"So
patience is most fitting for me. May Allah restore them all to me. Surely,
He is the Knowing, the Wise."
(12: 83)
Any how he directed his sons to go and seek tidings of the Prophet Yusuf(peace
be upon him) and his younger brother for whom he used to yearn day and night.
They went to Egypt again after a few weeks. This time they had scanty money.
They requested the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) to help them in charity.
They were dressed in rags. They looked pathetic due to poverty. The Holy
Qur'an states:
"And
when they came back into the presence of Yusuf, they said: O' chief! Misfortune
has afflicted us and our family and we have brought a small amount, so give
us full measure and be charitable to us; Surely Allah will requite charitable."
(12: 88)
The Prophet Yusuf Helps his Brothers and Discloses his Identity:
The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was well known for his generosity.
He had a tender and sympathetic heart. He took pity on them. He helped
them from the core of his heart. They had also sinking feelings inside.
Soon after he disclosed his identity to his brothers. The Holy Qur'an affirms:
"He
(Yusuf) said: I am Yusuf and this is my brother. Allah has shown us favour.
Surely who fears Allah and endures, is rewarded for surely Allah does not
waste the reward of those who do good."
(12:90)
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Now every one wished to go immediately to their father to inform him of the
happy news that the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was alive. At the
time of departure the Prophet Yusuf(peace be upon him) gave them his shirt
and said:
"Cast
it on my father's face and he will recover his sight and come to me with
all your family."
(12: 93)
The brothers came home with happy spirit. They put the shirt of the Prophet
Yusuf (peace be upon him) on the face of the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon
him). He regained his eye sight in the twinkling of an eye. He took a sigh
of relief when he smelt the sweet perfume of the Prophet Yusuf (peace be
upon him) from his shirt. The brothers of Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him)
begged pardon of their father and he forgave them with an open heart.
The Prophet Ya'qub Meets the Prophet Yusuf:
They decided to settle in Egypt. They took their bag and baggage and set
out on a long journey. They were given a warm reception when they reached
Egypt. The father, Ya'qub, met his son Yusuf after a long separation. He
said:
"O'
my father! This is the interpretation of my old vision. My Lord has indeed
made it to be true and He has shown me kindness. When He brought me forth
from prison and brought you all from the desert even after Satan has sown
(seeds of) dissension between me and my brothers. Surely my Lord is tender
to whom He wills. Surely He is the Knowing, the Wise. O' my Lord! You have
indeed given me (something) of the sovereignty and taught me of the interpretation
of dreams--Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Protecting friend
in this world and the Hereafter. Make me die submissive (unto You) and join
me with the righteous".
(12: 100, 101)
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THE PROPHET SHU'AIB (peace be upon
him)
The People of Madian and Their Character:
Long ago a nation colonised in the northern Arabia. This nation had an ancestral
link with Madian, the son of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). The name
of the habitation where he resided was also Madian. It was a fertile land
which produced rich crops. Most of the people had adopted trade as their
profession and earned a lot of money by fair or foul means. They hankered
after wealth from dawn to dusk. They used to give short measures and weight
to their customers. They were dishonest and deceitful in their dealings.
In addition to malpractices in commerce and trade the People indulged in
theft, debauchery, fornication and numerous unlawful acts. The abundance
of wealth had made those people refractory and wayward. They were not afraid
of God even and did whatever they liked. They ignored all moral values.
Allah sent Shu'aib for the reformation of His people. The Holy Qur'an says:
"And unto
Madian We sent their brother Shu'aib who said: O' my people! serve Allah,
you have no god save Him. There has come to you a manifest sign from your
Lord: then give good weight and measure, and be not niggardly of your gifts
to men and do not do evils in the earth after it has been righted. That
is better for you if you are believers."
(7:85-86)
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The Prophet Shu'aib Preaches and is Tortured:
According to the research of Ibn Khaldun the mother of Prophet Shu'aib (peace
be upon him) was the pious daughter of the Prophet Lut (peace be upon him).
His genealogy joins with Madian son of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him).
The Prophet Shu'aib (peace be upon him) was an eloquent orator. He had
the surname of Khatibul Anbiya (the Preacher to the Prophets).
He advised the people to mend their ways and give up wrangling in evil ways.
The people turned a deaf ear to his advice and ridiculed him whenever they
had got an opportunity. They began to torture him. The mischief makers
used to sit in the way towards the residence of the Prophet Shu'aib (peace
be upon him) and threatened his visitors of dire consequences. They disgraced
those who followed him. He continued preaching and warned the evil doers
by saying:
"And sit not down in every path, threatening and turning from the path of
God those who believe in Him and craving to make it crooked. Remember when
you were few and He multiplied you; and see what was the end of the evil
doers. "
Some haughty chiefs of the Madian tribe threatened the Prophet Shu'aib (peace
be upon him) and his followers to be banished from that locality. The Holy
Qur'an affirms:
"Said the crowd of those who were big with pride amongst his people: We Will
surely turn you out, O' Shu'aib and those who believe with thee from our
village, or else you should return to our faith''
(7: 88)
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The Prophet Shu'aib (peace be upon him) was not coerced by such threats and
went on conveying the message of Allah. He reminded them of dreadful calamities
which befell upon the previous nations The Holy Qur'an affirms:
"And, O' my people! let not the schism with me cause you to sin so that there
befall you that which befell the folk of Nuh? and the folk of Hod and the
folk of Salih and the folk of Lut are not far off from you."
(11: 89)
Visitation Befalls upon them:
The people jocularly rejected the veracity and truth of the religion of Allah.
They tortured Prophet Shu'aib (peace be upon him)and his followers by transgressing
all moral limits. When they did not give up their obstinacy in doing evil
actions, Allah destroyed them by descending dreadful chastisement upon them.
The Holy Qur'an says:
"And when Our Commandment came to pass, We saved Shu'aib and those who believed
with him by a mercy from Us, and the awful cry seized those who did injustice
and morning found them prostrate in their dwellings As though they had not
dwelt there. A far removal for Madian, even as Thamud had been removed afar."
(11:94,95)
"But they denied him, so there came on them the retribution of the day of
gloom. LO! it was the retribution of an awful day."
(16: 189)
Death and Burial:
After the perdition of that sinful nation. Prophet Shu'aib (peace be upon
him) settled in Hadramaut where he passed away after some time. He was buried
in Shaban near the Valley of Ibn 'ALI. The people came from far and wide
to visit his sacred grave.
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THE PROPHET DAWUD (peace be upon him)
Dawud (David) was not only an illustrious Prophet of the Israelites but he
was also their king. The Holy Qur'an affirms:
"And
Allah gave him the kingdom! and wisdom and taught him of that which He willed."
(2: 251).
"(And it was said unto him) 0' Dawud!To! We have set you as a vicegerent
in the earth, therefore, judge aright between mankind and follow not desire."
(38:26)
The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) had an ancestral link with the Prophet
Ya'qub (peace be upon him). He lived in Bait-ul-Lahm which was situated
at the distance of ten miles from Jerusalem. The Prophet Dawud (peace be
upon him) was the youngest of his eight brothers. The Prophet Samuel (peace
be upon him) had received an indication that the Prophet Dawud (peace be
upon him) would become king after Jalut (Goliath). He went to Baitul-Lahm
to cast a glance at Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him). He was much impressed
at his attractive and angelic sight.
The Prophet Dawud Adopts the Companionship of Talut:
According to the Torah Talut (Saul)was in quest of a man who could play on
a harp. As the Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) was well versed in this
art, he was asked to come to Talut and stay with him. The Prophet Dawud
(peace be upon him) passed most of the time in the companionship of his
master and visited his father off and on. He helped him in tending the sheep.
Thus he got an opportunity to hunt wild beasts. The Holy Qur'an, makes
mention of Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) at many places.
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Heroic Deeds of Prophet Dawud:
The Bible relates an incident which throws a light on the heroic deeds of
Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him). Once a war broke out between the Israelites
and the Philistines. The army of the Philistines was commanded by Jalut
who was a man of lofty stature. He put on a shining armour. The Israelites
were overawed to see Jalut's army which was well accoutred. He called out
his opponents to combat but none of the Israelites had the courage to accept
the challenge. He declared: In case any one of the Israelites overpowered
me, I would surrender to him but if I gained the upper hand, the opponents
would have to become under the sway of the servitude of the Philistines.
The Israelites were terror-stricken. They had lost their courage and self
respect. The Prophet could not bear this disgrace. So he decided to face
Jalut for the sake of truth, honour and dignity. The king Talut advised
him to refrain from fighting with an experienced warrior. The Prophet Dawud
(peace be upon him) did not budge an inch from his decision. He took his
cudgel and proceeded towards the battle-field to fight with Jalut. When
they faced each other, Jalut disdained his adversary and cursed him by taking
the name of some deities. He threatened Talut that his flesh would be thrown
before the wild beasts and birds. The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him)
did not care for such warnings and marched forward. He prayed:
"Our Lord! Pour out constancy on us and make our steps firm and help us against
those who are disbelievers."
(2:250)
By God's will Jalut was killed by Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) and his
army was put to rout. The Philistines took to their heels. The Israelites
chased them and came by an enormous booty. The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon
him) won a good deal of appreciation and popularity because he rescued his
people from those grave dangers which prevailed over them.
The Prophet Dawud is Raised to Eminence:
Talut (Saul) enriched Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) with valuable rewards
and gave his daughter in marriage to him. He appointed him as the Supreme
Commander of his army because of his valour. When he saw that Prophet Dawud's
influence was increasing rapidly, he began to feel jealous of him. He nursed
enmity against his son-in-law. The son of Talut was very kind to Prophet
Dawud (peace be upon him). He informed him of the real position. The Prophet
Dawud (peace be upon him) tried his best to clear the mind of his father-in-law
but in vain. Accidentally Taint was killed by his enemies and his son committed
suicide. The Israelites unanimously acknowledged the Prophet Dawud (peace
be upon him) as their king. He managed the administration of the country
efficiently. He conquered vast areas of land. The people prospered during
his reign. They became morally strong, just, fair-minded and God-fearing
They worshipped one God. Their minds were illuminated with the light of
true guidance.
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Revelation of Zabur:
Allah revealed the Zabur (Book of Psalms) to Prophet Dawud (peace be upon
him). It contains lessons for the guidance of Israelites. The Holy Qur'an
says:
We gave to Dawud Zabur.
(4: 163)
Whenever he recited the verses of the Zabur in a sweet melodious tone, the
listeners began to dance in a fit of religious frenzy. They Rocked around
him and eulogised God in the accompaniment of Prophet Dawud (peace be upon
him). Above all the beasts. birds, creeping insects and even mountains
were fascinated on hearing the recitation of the hymns from the Zabur. The
Holy Qur'an affirms:
"We bestowed grace aforetime on Dawud from Ourselves. O ye mountains! Sing
you back the praises of Allah with him and you birds also."
(34:10)
It was We that made the hills declare in union with him Our praises at eventide
and the break of day and the birds all with him turned to Allah."
(38:18,19)
The Prophet Dawud as an Adept Craftsman:
Iron is hard stuff but in the hands of Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him)
it became soft and pliable to be turned into any shape. As an adept craftsman
he made coats of mail. Thus the manufacture of this defensive armour is
traditionally attributed to the Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him). The Holy
Qur'an says:
"It was We who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to
guard you from each other's violence. Will you then be grateful."
(34:11)
"And We made the iron soft for him (commanding) make thou coats of mail
balancing well the rings of chain armour and work ye righteousness."
(34:10)
The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) was endowed with the knowledge of understanding
the tones of the bird. He could talk and listen to the birds just like human
beings.
Death and Burial:
The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) passed away at the age of 70 years.
He was buried in Jerusalem.
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