Yusuf (Joseph)

Yusuf, also known as Joseph in the Biblical narrative, was the son of Prophet Yakub (Jacob). Although well protected by his father, he suffered many a set back in his life before he became the Chief Minister of Egypt. He suffered at the hands of his aunt who blamed him for stealing her belt and then his jealous brothers who dumped him into a blind well because he got better attention from his father. Even when he was rescued from the blind well, he was sold to the Egyptian Prime Mister, Aziz, for a few dirhams and stayed as a slave with him and his wife Zulaikha.

As Yusuf was often seen in the company of Zulaikha people started whispering about their relationship. One day, she invited all the noble ladies to her house and placed a knife and a fruit in their hands and asked them to cut the fruit. Precisely at this moment, she ordered Yusuf to come in. When Yusuf appeared before them, the women were so mesmerised by his exceedingly handsome disposition that they forgot they had a knife in their hands and were supposed to cut a fruit. In a sate of awe, instead of cutting the fruit, they cut their fingers. Yusuf and Zulaikha grew closer but when she tried to get physically intimate with him, he rejected her advances. Being disappointed, Zulaikha falsely accused him of making attempts to seduce her. As a result, Yusuf was imprisoned accordingto the Quranic narrative but according to Biblical narrative he was set free when his guilt could not be proved. As the King heard about Yusuf’s ability to interpret dreams, he was called to help the King. Yusuf prophesied that Egypt was going to suffer seven long years of drought. He was rewarded for this acumen by the King. Through sheer hard work, he rose to become the Chief Minister of Egypt.

According to some versions, he married Zulaikha around this time. This was also the time he was re-united with his family who came to Egypt to settle down with him. What strikes the most in this story of Yusuf is that he was a man of exceptional courage and firm faith in God which remained undeterred even when he was thrown in the well, or remained in prison. Yusuf is referred to in the Quran (Surah 12).

Reference: Yusuf ko di duaaein Zulaikha ne saikado/Mohtaaj ho gai bhi to dil ki dhani rahi(Safi Aurangabadi), Ji mein zinda ho gaein kya khwahishein bisri hui/Phir koi Yusuf Zulaikha ko jawaani de gaya (Saleem Shahid), Khainchta hai mere daaman ko hareefaana mujhe/Ik zaraa ik mere Yusuf main Zulaikha ho jaaun (Mazhar Imam), Dil ke bazaar mein halchal si macha di us ne/Mujh ko bhi dhoka hua Yusuf-e laasaani ka (Rafiq Raz). Also see: https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/yusuf-zulekha-unknown-author-ebookshttps://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/yusuf-zulekha-sayyada-jafar-ebooks

Yusuf, also known as Joseph in the Biblical narrative, was the son of Prophet Yakub (Jacob). Although well protected by his father, he suffered many a set back in his life before he became the Chief Minister of Egypt. He suffered at the hands of his aunt who blamed him for stealing her belt and then his jealous brothers who dumped him into a blind well because he got better attention from his father. Even when he was rescued from the blind well, he was sold to the Egyptian Prime Mister, Aziz, for a few dirhams and stayed as a slave with him and his wife Zulaikha.

As Yusuf was often seen in the company of Zulaikha people started whispering about their relationship. One day, she invited all the noble ladies to her house and placed a knife and a fruit in their hands and asked them to cut the fruit. Precisely at this moment, she ordered Yusuf to come in. When Yusuf appeared before them, the women were so mesmerised by his exceedingly handsome disposition that they forgot they had a knife in their hands and were supposed to cut a fruit. In a sate of awe, instead of cutting the fruit, they cut their fingers. Yusuf and Zulaikha grew closer but when she tried to get physically intimate with him, he rejected her advances. Being disappointed, Zulaikha falsely accused him of making attempts to seduce her. As a result, Yusuf was imprisoned accordingto the Quranic narrative but according to Biblical narrative he was set free when his guilt could not be proved. As the King heard about Yusuf’s ability to interpret dreams, he was called to help the King. Yusuf prophesied that Egypt was going to suffer seven long years of drought. He was rewarded for this acumen by the King. Through sheer hard work, he rose to become the Chief Minister of Egypt.

According to some versions, he married Zulaikha around this time. This was also the time he was re-united with his family who came to Egypt to settle down with him. What strikes the most in this story of Yusuf is that he was a man of exceptional courage and firm faith in God which remained undeterred even when he was thrown in the well, or remained in prison. Yusuf is referred to in the Quran (Surah 12).

Reference: Yusuf ko di duaaein Zulaikha ne saikado/Mohtaaj ho gai bhi to dil ki dhani rahi(Safi Aurangabadi), Ji mein zinda ho gaein kya khwahishein bisri hui/Phir koi Yusuf Zulaikha ko jawaani de gaya (Saleem Shahid), Khainchta hai mere daaman ko hareefaana mujhe/Ik zaraa ik mere Yusuf main Zulaikha ho jaaun (Mazhar Imam), Dil ke bazaar mein halchal si macha di us ne/Mujh ko bhi dhoka hua Yusuf-e laasaani ka (Rafiq Raz). Also see: https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/yusuf-zulekha-unknown-author-ebookshttps://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/yusuf-zulekha-sayyada-jafar-ebooks