Joseph (a): Difference between revisions

The name Yūsuf (Joseph) is mentioned twenty-seven times in the Qur'an,<ref>Ja'farī, ''Nāmhā-yi payāmbarān dar Qur'ān'', p. 25-26.</ref> and is the title of the twelfth [[sura]]. The Qur'an introduces Joseph (a) as one of the “purified servants of God”.<ref>Qurʾān, 12:24.</ref> According to [['Allamah Tabataba'i]], this means that not only Joseph (a) refused to have a sinful relationship with Zulaykha but that he was not even inclined to that.<ref>Ṭabātabā'i, ''Al-Mizān'', vol. 11, p. 130.</ref> Joseph (a) is also considered a “good-doer” in the Qur'an.<ref>Qurʾān, 6:84.</ref>

Joseph (a) was a prominent prophet.<ref>Jazā'irī, ''Al-Nūr al-mubīn fī qiṣaṣ al-anbīyāʾ wa l-mursalīn'' p. 259.</ref> In a [[hadith]] of [[Imam al-Baqir (a)]], Joseph (a) is introduced as both a prophet (nabi) and an apostle (rasul).<ref>Quṭb al-Dīn al-Rāwandī, ''Qiṣaṣ al-anbiyā''', p. 348.</ref> It is mentioned in ''[[Tafsir-i Nimuna]]'' that Joseph’s dream in which the sun and the moon and eleven stars prostrated themselves before him indicated his future prophethood in addition to his future wealth and power.<ref>Makārim Shīrāzī, ''Tafsīr-i nimūna'', vol. 9, p. 310.</ref> 'Allama Tabataba'i also believes that one of the instances of the completion of [[God]]’s blessing upon Joseph (a) (Qur'an 12:6) was his [[prophethood]].<ref>Ṭabātabā'i, ''Al-Mizān'', vol. 11, p. 82.</ref>

In the books on [[qisas al-Qur'an]] (Quranic stories), Joseph (a) is said to have been exceptionally handsome.<ref>Look: Jaza'iri, ''Al-Nūr al-mubīn fī qiṣaṣ al-anbīyāʾ wa l-mursalīn'', p. 217. Balāghī, ''Qiṣaṣ-i Qur'ān'', p. 98. Ṣuḥufī, ''Qiṣṣaha-yi Qur'ān'', p. 114,115.</ref> This special beauty caused [[Zulaykha]], the chieftain’s wife, to fall in love with him and ask him to have unlawful relationship with her. Joseph (a) refused Zulaykha’s request,<ref>Ṣuḥufī, ''Qiṣṣaha-yi Qur'ān'', p. 115,116. and Qurʾān, 12:23</ref> and the story spread among people. The women began to criticize Zulaykha for falling in love with her servant. So Zulaykha invited a group of these woman and gave them knives to peel fruit and then called Joseph (a) to enter. When he came in, the women were so much astonished at his beauty that they cut their hands.<ref>Ṣuḥufī, ''Qiṣṣaha-yi Qur'ān'', p. 117,118. and Qurʾān, 12:30,31</ref>

After this, other women also asked Joseph (a) to have unlawful relationship with them, so Joseph (a) asked [[God]] to save him from sin and said in his prayer that imprisonment was dearer to him than committing [[sin]]. After some time, Joseph (a) was imprisoned by Zulaykha’s request.<ref>Jaza'iri, ''Al-Nūr al-mubīn fī qiṣaṣ al-anbīyāʾ wa l-mursalīn'', p. 217. and Qurʾān, 12:33-35</ref>   

While in prison, Joseph (a) interpreted the dreams of two inmates and told them that one of them would be killed, and the other one would find a position in the king’s court,<ref>Balāghī, ''Qiṣaṣ-i Qur'ān'', p. 98. and Qurʾān, 12:41</ref> and his interpretation was realized. Several years later, the Egyptian king dreamed that seven thin cows were devouring seven fat cows and also saw seven fresh green ears and seven dry ones,<ref>Jaza'iri, ''Al-Nūr al-mubīn fī qiṣaṣ al-anbīyāʾ wa l-mursalīn'', p. 223. Qurʾān, 12:43</ref> but no one was able to interpret his dream. At that time, the latter inmate remembered Joseph (a) and told the king that he would bring him the interpretation.<ref>Jaza'iri, ''Al-Nūr al-mubīn fī qiṣaṣ al-anbīyāʾ wa l-mursalīn'', p. 223. Qurʾān, 12:44,45</ref> So he went to Joseph (a) and asked him about the dream. Joseph (a) said, “You will sow for seven consecutive years. Then leave in the ear whatever [grain] you harvest, except a little that you eat. Then after that there will come seven hard years which will eat up whatever you have set aside for them all except a little which you preserve [for seed]. Then after that there will come a year wherein the people will be granted relief and provided with rains therein” <ref>Jaza'iri, ''Al-Nūr al-mubīn fī qiṣaṣ al-anbīyāʾ wa l-mursalīn'', p. 223. Qurʾān, 12:47-49</ref>

According to the Muslim historian [[al-Mas'udi]], Joseph (a) married in Egypt and his wife bore him two sons, Ephraim (the ancestor of [[Joshua son of Nun]]) and Menashe (Manasseh).<ref>Al-Mas'ūdī, ''Ithbāt al-waṣiya'', p. 49.</ref>  

Another difference is that according to the Qur'an, Joseph’s brothers asked Jacob (a) to let them take Joseph (a) out with them,<ref>Qurʾān, 12:12</ref> but according to the biblical account, Jacob (a) himself asked Joseph to go out with his brothers.<ref>Ṭabātabā'i, Al-Mizān, vol. 11, p. 261.</ref>