Prophet Yusuf: The Dreamer

When Yusuf was young, he saw a remarkable dream. He saw eleven stars, the sun, and the moon bowing before him.

He told his father, Prophet Ya‘qub. Ya‘qub understood that the dream carried a special meaning, but he also knew that Yusuf’s brothers might become jealous. He advised Yusuf not to tell them.

Yusuf’s brothers already felt that their father loved Yusuf and his younger brother more than them. Instead of dealing honestly with their jealousy, they allowed it to grow.

They made a terrible plan. One of them suggested that Yusuf should be thrown into a well, where a passing traveller might find him. They hoped that removing Yusuf would make their father’s attention belong to them.

They asked their father to let Yusuf travel with them. Ya‘qub felt worried and said that it saddened him to send Yusuf away. The brothers insisted that they would protect him.

But when they were far from home, they carried out their plan. They placed Yusuf in the bottom of a well and left him there.

It was a frightening moment for a young boy. He was alone in darkness, separated from his family, and surrounded by people who had betrayed him.

Yet Allah did not abandon him.

Allah inspired Yusuf that one day he would remind his brothers of what they had done, although they would not recognise him at that time.

The brothers returned home at night, pretending to cry. They showed their father Yusuf’s shirt with false blood on it and claimed that a wolf had eaten him.

Ya‘qub knew that something was wrong. He did not accept their story, but he did not respond with uncontrolled anger either. He turned to patience and sought Allah’s help.

Meanwhile, a travelling group came to the well. One of the travellers lowered a bucket and found Yusuf. They took him with them and sold him in Egypt. A powerful man there bought him and instructed his household to treat him well.

Yusuf grew up with dignity and good character. Allah gave him wisdom and knowledge. Even when he was tested, he remembered that Allah was watching him.

Later, Yusuf was placed in a serious trial. Someone in the household tried to persuade him to do what was wrong. Yusuf sought refuge in Allah and refused. He chose obedience over secret sin.

Although he was innocent, people began to speak about the matter. The situation became complicated, and Yusuf was eventually sent to prison.

Prison was another place where Yusuf could have felt forgotten. Instead, he used the opportunity to call people to worship Allah alone. When two prisoners asked him to explain their dreams, he first reminded them about Allah’s oneness and then interpreted the dreams by the knowledge Allah had given him.

Yusuf remained truthful and helpful, even behind prison walls.

After some time, the ruler of Egypt saw a troubling dream about healthy cows, thin cows, green ears of grain, and dry ears of grain. The people around him could not explain it.

The former prisoner remembered Yusuf and told the ruler about him. Yusuf explained that the dream pointed to years of plentiful harvest followed by years of severe difficulty. He advised the people to store grain carefully during the good years so that it could help them during the hard years.

Yusuf was not released simply because he wanted freedom. He wanted the truth about the accusation against him to become clear. The ruler investigated, and Yusuf’s innocence was recognised.

Then Yusuf was given responsibility for the storehouses of the land. The boy who had once been left in a well had become a trustworthy leader.

During the difficult years, Yusuf’s brothers came to Egypt to seek food. They did not recognise him, but Yusuf knew who they were.

He did not immediately punish them. He dealt with them wisely and eventually brought his younger brother to Egypt. After several events, Yusuf revealed his identity.

His brothers were shocked and ashamed. They remembered what they had done to him.

But Yusuf chose forgiveness. He did not use his power to take revenge. He told them that Allah had been kind to him and had brought him safely through his trials.

He invited his family to Egypt. His parents and brothers came, and Yusuf’s childhood dream was fulfilled. The family honoured him, and Yusuf recognised that Allah had guided the story from beginning to end.

Yusuf’s life had included fear, betrayal, slavery, temptation, prison, and leadership. Each stage looked different, but Allah’s wisdom was present throughout it all.

The story does not teach that every difficulty will quickly become easy. Yusuf spent years facing situations he did not choose. It teaches that a believer can remain truthful in every situation.

When Yusuf was alone, he stayed faithful. When he was tempted, he stayed pure. When he had power, he stayed forgiving. When he understood the whole story, he praised Allah rather than boasting about himself.

Sometimes your life may feel like one confusing chapter. You may not understand why something has happened. Remember Yusuf. Allah knew the end of his story while Yusuf was still in the well.

Keep praying. Keep choosing what is right. Allah’s plan is wiser than what we can see.