Joseph (a): Difference between revisions

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>See: Jaza'iri, ''al-Nūr al-mubīn fī qiṣaṣ al-anbīyāʾ wa l-mursalīn'', p. 217. Balāghī, ''Qiṣaṣ-i Qurʾān'', p. 98. Ṣuḥufī, ''Qiṣṣaha-yi Qurʾān'', 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 Qurʾān'', 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 Qurʾān'', 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 Qurʾān'', 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>Mas'ūdī, ''Ithbāt al-waṣiya'', p. 49.</ref>  

There are some reports of Joseph’s marriage with Zulaykha after he became the chieftain of Egypt. For instance, it is said that Joseph (a) saw a woman who said, “Praise to God who made the servants rulers because of their [[piety]], and made the rulers servants because of their transgression.” Joseph (a) asked her who she was, Zulaykha introduced herself, and then they got married.<ref>Quṭb al-Dīn al-Rāwandī, ''Qiṣaṣ al-anbiyā''', p. 351.</ref> According to some [[hadith]]s, Zulaykha became young with the prayer of Joseph (a) and then they got married.<ref> Jaza'iri, ''al-Nūr al-mubīn fī qiṣaṣ al-anbīyāʾ wa l-mursalīn'', p. 234.</ref> However, some scholars have doubted the authenticity of these hadiths.<ref>See: Ma'ārif wa digarān, ''Barrasī riwāyāt-i tafsīrī farīqayn dar mas'ala-yi izdiwāj-i haḍrat-i Yusuf bā Zulaykhā'', p. 7-32.</ref>  

According to some reports, Joseph’s two sons were from Zulaykha.<ref>Muqaddisī, ''al-Bidā' wa al-tārīkh'', vol.3, p. 69. Ibn Kathīr, ''al-Bidāya wa al-nahāya'', vol. 1, p. 210.</ref>

According to [[al-Mas'udi]], Joseph (a) lived 120 years. When the time of his death arrived, God told him to give his light and wisdom to one of Levi’s sons. Joseph (a) did so and also informed Jacob’s descendants, who were eighty individuals at the time, that a group of Egyptians would dominate them and afflict them with great suffering until God would save them by [[Moses (a)]], one of Levi’s descendants.<ref>Mas'ūdī, ''Ithbāt al-waṣiya'' p. 74.,</ref>

After the demise of Joseph (a), every group wanted to bury him in their neighborhood. In order to prevent conflict, they decided to put him in a coffin made of marble and bury it under the Nile. After many years, according to Yaqut al-Himawi, Moses (a) took out the coffin out<ref>Mas'ūdī, ''Ithbāt al-waṣiya'', p. 75.</ref> and carried it to [[Palestine]] and buried it there.<ref>Yāqūt al-Ḥimawī, ''Mu'jam al-buldān'', vol. 1, p. 478.</ref>

The story of Joseph (a) has been reflected in media and artwork, such as painting, tiling, literature, cinema, and television. In 2008, the TV series “Joseph the Prophet” was broadcasted from the Iranian TV Channel One.  

* Balāghī Ṣadr al-Dīn, al. ''Qiṣaṣ-i Qurʾān''. 17th edition. Tehran: Amīrkabīr, 1380 AH.  

* Ḍīyā' Ābādī, Muḥammad. ''Tafsīr Sūra Yusuf''. Tehran: Mu'assisa Bunyād Khayrīyya al-Zahrā', 1388 Sh.

* Ibn Tāwūs, Alī b. Mūsā. ''Al-Mujtanā min al-du'ā al-mujtabā''. First edition. Qom: Dār al-Dhakhā'ir, 1411 AH.

* Ibn Kathīr. ''Qiṣaṣ al-'anbīyā' wa akhbār al-māḍīn''. Compiled by Muḥammad b. Aḥmad Kan'ān. 1st Edition. Beirut: Mu'assisa al-Ma'ārif, 1416 AH-1996.

* Jazāʾirī, Niʿmat Allāh al-. ''Al-Nūr al-mubīn fī qiṣaṣ al-anbīyāʾ wa l-mursalīn''. 2nd edition. Beirut: Dār al-Aḍwā', 1423 AH.

* Ja'farī Ya'qub. ''Namha-yi payāmbarān dar Qurʾān''.  [n.p]. Maktab-i Islam, [n.d].

* Masʿūdī, ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn al-. ''Ithbāt al-waṣīyya''. 3rd edition. Qom: ʿIsmā'ilīyān, 1384 Sh.

* Ṣuḥufī Sayyid Muḥammad. ''Qiṣṣahā-yi Qurʾān''. 2nd Edition. Qom: Ahl Bayt, 1379 Sh.