Yusuf (AS) in Prison

Yeah

Alhamdulillah wa salatu salam ala Rasulillah. While early he was heavy he was a bishop is addressing the embryo hello to the Melissa Ania grupo de la Pena. Atilla Aldemir hacer la fille Filati Huseynov in Santa Monica Brockman warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu.

Welcome, everybody to this second session we have on the surah. Use of okay, and the we discussed last week a lot about the larger structure of the school how it is so incredible. So just phenomenal in the way Allah subhanaw taala speaks in this surah tells the story, but really takes it to this incredible miraculous level. And we spoke about the ring structure, the intricate nature of it, the, you know, the roller coaster between difficulty ease difficulty is how that continued to be seen throughout. And the imagery, the imagery of the shirt, for example, all of these things were something that's very powerful, very beautiful humbler that we observe last time. Today, we're going

to talk about a aspect of the surah that perhaps is overlooked, is overlooked by people when they study the Surah or the talk about the Torah. And that is the time that use of Ali salaam spent in prison and he was in prison,

on Instagram, what happened when he was there. And the surah actually has,

you know, pays a bit of attention to that. So I actually talked a little bit about this, this passage or this period, and it

it starts from Iowa number 36 of the food starts from Iowa number 36. The Surah, as we know, use for Islam was wrongfully imprisoned, he was not guilty of anything on Sol, he was actually protecting his honor. And because the women could not control themselves around him. They had to imprison him just to protect their women from essentially embarrassing the whole community. That's what the you know, was the reason why he went to have a dialogue about the Mara will last you know how to him that after all the evidence even though they knew he is innocent and has no crime. They thought they thought that this is now the right time to jail him this is a very difficult thing to be jailed for

something that you have not done. One of the most tough things for a person to bear. Just give me a second

that just

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So usable this lab is now interested to murder Lombardi Maura was

wrongfully imprisoned, very tough. Anyone who's in the situation, you know is this is a travesty of justice. You don't belong in prison, but you're in prison, you have freedom, inherently the ability to choose. And now that's been taken away from you and you are locked away. So all of that is very, very hard. And for someone like us, who already suffered a lot of trauma, kidnapped as a child

accused of having an affair. Then again accused of having an affair all of these things, none of which he did. Already a lot of tough things has happened in his life. And now here finally, unjustly imprisoned even more of a difficult situation he finds himself to be in. But as we learn,

this is the thing we learn from the prophets, that Allah subhanaw taala if he brings us to a situation he will bring us through as well. We just have to wait for the right time. We have to hold on until that moment arrives. And that is the situation and while we're waiting or holding on for that moment to arrive, we don't just give up hope we don't just hibernate we continue to do the good that we're doing or whatever good we can possibly do. Given our circumstances as we are waiting, as we are holding on for almost Padala you know, open the doors for us. There are times in life where you get do things and you know knock down a door and then there are times where you can't do

anything. You just have to hold on and keep the faith and keep the trust and know Allah will not let me let us go to waste and that he

As a plan for us, and He is the most wise, and keeping their feet is the hardest thing at that point. But while we're keeping their feet and while we're holding on and on those moments, it is key that we don't forget about our purpose in life, our purpose in life is to worship Allah with the best in the best possible way, and to invite others to the worship of Allah as well. Okay, this is something that we must understand our purpose in life to worship Allah the best way we can,

wholeheartedly, and you.

View is the best in action, not the most, how excellently do you do something is the measure of success, not how much you do it, it's about the quality, not the quantity number one, number two, the purpose of course, that's how we see ourselves. And the other thing of course, is when it comes to our,

our

calling others to Allah, the Prophet ISL, Sunset Valley one Hello, I can wait for me even even if it is, one, if the idea is that we are, we are grateful to Allah that we have been chosen to be followers of Allah's Messenger salsa Now, that being part of his ummah, then we're grateful Allah gave us the gift of guidance, that allows us to find peace and purpose in this life, and allows us to attain salvation in the next life. If this is the most amazing thing, this is the best thing to be able to have, you know, this peace and purpose in his life. And then television, the next is nothing better than that. So we want to share this with others, they want others to have the same,

you know, enjoy the beauty, and the deliberation of guidance that we enjoy, and maybe sometimes take for granted. But we want that for all people. And that is part of our purpose as well. So here is usable Islam now is freedom singing away from him, he's in prison. And yet he does not forget about his purpose, which is to worship and to invite others to worship. Well, hello, Mr. Hostage enough at two young men entered the prison along with him all our huduma in our on our studio camera. One of them said, I see. Or I saw myself in a dream that I was pressing wine, meaning I was pressing, you know, grapes to produce grape juice that turns into wine,

or fall in or folk or see hope is the cooler playroom in the other set. I dreamed I was carrying bread on my head from which the birds were eating

that beat Now with that really he tell us the meaning of this dream or these dreams in Iraq? I mean, obviously, I mean, we see that you are one who does good.

This is a very interesting

tangent. The Quran is telling us the story, which was the main part of the story is how he

got out of prison, became the most influential minister in Egypt, regarding reunited with his brothers taught his brothers a lesson in humility and forgiveness. And finally, families, you know, that's the main story. But here's a little tangent of the story. Right? Completely unrelated to the main, the main

course of the events where he is in prison. And these two random people are in prison with him two young people.

And they see a dream. Each of them sees the dream. And they say to us first, tell us what does it mean not being inevitable? In an argument and Masumi see, you have those who does good. This is very interesting that these people in prison can notice the quality of exon in use of Isola the quality of excellence, the quality of doing good doing it in the best possible way. They couldn't see that even in prison. And this is something really special because it tells us that used to have an s&m did not get affected adversely by the trauma and the circumstances that he was in. It's not like he's like I My life sucks and I'm just gonna be like be deflated and just give up and not do

anything and just give up on life and just exist but not really exist at the same time. No, he was still trying to do whatever he could in the best possible way he could. That's really how to be honest. That's really how you navigate and I'd have things in life that it's not ideal, but whatever I have whatever I control, I will do my best

Esta and this attitude is one of the greatest blessings of Allah, if a person is able to live this way, where they are doing, yes done, irrespective of their circumstances, that really is a gem of a person. Axon is has a very clear definition that the prospect says tells us that would Allah ganda gotta hope in London, in London, Toronto in New York, historical as you can see, have an if you cannot see him and know that he's new, He's new. But also it has done as the larger meaning, which is the word person, something as beautiful as an astronaut is to make something beautiful. So to do something in a beautiful manner, in a manner that's really like it stands out as outstanding. That's

excellent. The Quran references it in many places. While I'm in a slum I watch hula Allah, He will who works in Bella who has rewinder a baby, but her whole family him father, whom you afternoon. And so raka Allah says, those who submit themselves to Allah, they have devoted their humble, they do what is required of them. And then not just that, but who almost and this person is, you know, going above and beyond they are doing excellence, they are demonstrating excellence, excuse me, then this person has nothing to fear.

And they are, their reward is set, they're going to get the reward. And they have nothing to fear. The easy analogy of this is someone who's writing an exam, a student who's writing an exam, if the student has prepped for an exam or studied everything,

done all the prep, going into the exam, all the practice questions, and now when they go to the exam, they going fully confident that they know the sort of the material. And when they write the exam, everything is within the content that they learn. And within their area of of mastery. And then they write the exam and when they write the exam, they know they have gotten it right. They don't even need to wait for the result. Such a great view on the law. May Allah give all the students this feeling again and again. But that is the feeling of doing something that is done. There's no fear, there's no regret. It's only serenity and peace. You're just confident knowing

you've got 100 Allah, for Allah, who as you want, there'll be so nice when it's time you notice this is how he was really set up even in these dark circumstances. And this is truly like an incredible, incredible character trait. It's easy to be positive, it's easy to be happy. It's easy to put your best foot forward when times are good. But it's very difficult to do that when stuff is going against you. And that is what universe is showing us here. All Elia T Kuma parama tours upon he learned to come up with a really popular idea

Sorry, I'm just

there we go. Sorry about that.

He said us well as I've said, I shall inform you of the interpretation of your dreams before your meal is brought to you is that I'll tell you in a minute. Okay, your your you know, they're waiting for their food. That way you're gonna get your food just wait. I'll tell you what you asked. I'll answer your question. But I'm gonna say something before that.

Here's what I'm going to tell you

in that economy, ma lemony ropey. This is part of the knowledge that no Lord has taught me. You know why I noticed you know why I am the way I am. It's because this is what my Lord has done. The credit of this goes to Allah.

Who is he needed to Milada formula you didn't have enough. I have renounced the religion of the people do not believe in God. Only at home Kathy rune, and they are those who deny the hereafter. I have left this way. What am I? What are two middle?

Ibrahima? What is my isla? Ibrahima is half of where I follow the religion of my forefathers. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Jacob Rahim is happy that they are cool.

Again, it is not for us to associate anyone with God as a partner.

This valley coming from the La Jolla. This is Allah's grace upon us and upon mankind even though most people are not thankful. But I can occur Nancy lash guru. He tells them a little bit about who he is. He's like this knowledge that I have to interpret dreams to do things with excellence. This is as a result of what I have learned in my dean, my feet but My Lord has taught me a

It's the way of my forefathers. Ibrahim is hot and yet who, what is the way we worship worship Allah only. We don't associate partners with him. And we don't

document the formula you Winona villa. Number one, it's either people who are not completely disbelieve in Allah rejecting the concept of God. Like I'm not following that. Neither am I following the way of people who say there's multiple deities, multiple gods No, not following the either. I'm the one who says, There's only one God you worship. And this is the way of Ibrahim and it's hard and Yahoo and this is a true guidance. This is Allah's favor, Allah's grace. So he explains the core idea of the Oneness of Allah.

Not the extreme of multiple deities polytheism or the extreme of completely rejecting the idea of Allah and accountability when we ask that the human go if you don't, right, there is no God and there's no accountability, there's no purpose to life, we're just randomly here we are just

randomly we are appeared and randomly things will happen to us and randomly will die. Right? That's we reject this and that and the way is, Allah is the one word you worship Allah is the one who brought us into this world, and he is going to resurrect us and hold us accountable. If just like He gave us life now, he will give us life the next time. Okay, now so he presents a basic, a basic overview of a feeder of la ilaha illallah to his two fellow inmates, if and again before he explains, before he gives them the answer. He's taking an opportunity to talk about Islam with them, because he knows right now they're listening to interested.

Let's take advantage. And let's preface the answer

with some Dawa. Let's preface that with him now. Allahu Akbar. How beautiful. So then he says, Yes, or Hebrew usage.

Explain explains, is a beautiful example, of Alibaba with a fabric kunafa. You don't? I mean, who are you gonna hurt?

Oh, my fellow inmates?

Are many gods better? Or is Allah the one the almighty better? Who's better?

Does it make more sense? What fade on here? Also could mean not just like, better or worse, right? But like, what does it what makes sense? Does it make sense for there to be multiple deities, multiple gods all you know, vying for power and control in the universe. Is that does that make sense? Does that work anywhere? In any system of governance? In any any successful endeavor? Does that work when you have multiple people giving conflicting opinions, conflicting orders? Does that work in a corporation? No, it doesn't. Right?

The Quran gives example of one of Allah Raj alum

from Lucan, fie Shoraka outta shark is

a person who's taking orders from many, many equal partners with a shark is what are Julian Solomon, Leonardo, and another one who is taking orders only from one person, oh, has a better chance of fulfilling the expectations. As well as one who has taking a singular order from a singular chain of command. That person has a better chance of fulfilling the orders, meeting expectations. The one who is seeing conflicting orders is going to be a in a situation of utter confusion, utter confusion. That's why you don't organize an organization in this way. You always have a head, the CEO, the president.

That's how you organize government. There's always every department has a minister and every minister reports to the Prime Minister.

That's how things are organized because you need a singular chain of command.

Otherwise you have conflicting

conflicting commands or conflicting instructions. And then is this the hodgepodge of confusion?

Do you think apply this idea to the idea of worship? If it doesn't work in a, in an endeavor in a corporation in a country or a government system of government? How can it work in the whole world?

Hola Hola. Haha or does it make more sense that there is only one Hola, the one and the dominant?

Does that make more sense?

The Quran references the idea that Logan Fe Hema Hollyanne Illallah facilita. If there were more than one deities more than one Lords running the universe, the whole cosmos would fall apart the order that we see in the cosmos, in the world in the universe, how everything is so orderly, the rising of the sun, the studying of the sun, the way the seasons come and go, the way everything runs how, you know, like, the water freezes and then melts and trickles down to rivers and seeps through the earth and comes out and evaporates again, and cycle starts all over. Like how everything how how, as we say, nature replenishes itself, how, sometimes, you know, human beings can wreck things,

but over time, you know, nature would replenish itself, how these things run in such amazing, orderly fashion in this world. And this is just the world, forget about what's happening outside the world like that is an immense, immense, almost unfathomable, unfathomable creation. And consider what happens on a molecular level. how intricate how incredible just our own bodies are, when we eat food, how that whole process of digestion rush to anything, you just chew the food, and you forget about it, and your body breaks it down to the molecular level, absorbing the nutrients, removing the parts that are

removing the the junk, and then it filters through the intestines, comes out as stool, the nutrients are absorbed, sent to the bloodstream, the it's the most incredible, intricate system. And it's the simple thing of just consuming food.

And then the other way our body repairs itself, Allahu Akbar, it's a miracle. It's a miracle in itself, how our body repairs itself, how Allah heals us automatically. It's so amazing. Everywhere you look, it's immense order,

the utmost perfection in how things run.

Not to say that it's perpetual, everything is going to come to an end people die, people's systems become weak, the eyes become weak, of course, right? The Quran always makes this point that when it talks about the creation, it talks about resurrection, talks about the creation of the human beings and talks about how

you're gonna love Muhammad that

you see the Earth dead, and then we will bring it back to life and Gallica up level note that Allah will bring the dead back to life as well. The idea is always, this creation of Allah is not meant to, you know, live on in perpetuity, it's only meant to live for a little bit of time. And then there is a resurrection and a accountability. But while it is alive, it works in this flawless system exists in such a flawless system.

And there's endless examples in the animal kingdom and if you go and selling them on a molecular level, it's just mind blowing. And the deeper you go, the more mind blowing it becomes.

Everything is in such amazing harmony. How is that possible? If there were multiple dots,

you can if you give an idea to the loan officer data and analysis also mentioned that if there was

events that have occurred, coup de la, Nina Holla, holla, holla Babu Allah

if they were local, intervene earlier, if they were more than one God, if they were to be God, they would try to overcome each other they will try. One will try to supersede the other.

And you see that in like in human structures, in government, in corporations and in you know, like projects and endeavors, you will see that all the time. If there's no clear chain of command, it's a recipe for disaster. It's a recipe for unrest. How is this now? The case where the universe that's running such harmony and such order as multiple gods, or even more, you know, unreasonable that there's no one running it is just running by itself? Both of these things are just as inconceivable and just as illogical. A problem with the Vatican I don't I mean, law, who do I know what

A powerful rhetorical question, how amazingly useful asks a question. And the beauty of this question is that you can ask in a simple way, and in a simpler time, the answer is still the same answer. In a more advanced time like ours, the answer is still the same answer, but we have a lot more detail.

To understand why the answer is the way it is. This is the amazing nature of it, the heat and the data to do hate invitations doping, and why the Baja Allah is mentioned as the one the powerful, why it was one of the names of Allah spa that appears in the Quran.

It's different than I had I had comes as woohoo Allahu Ahad. Yes. One who is unique, why it is just one

though Allah had the one, okay, but the thing is, all the time, this word comes the name of Hola, como el warhead, it always comes paired with Allah's name, I'll

always in every instance.

Why? Because I had is unique, unlike anybody else, completely, you know, unique in and of itself, why there's just one and no one could be perceived as a weakness, right? It's someone who's alone and lonely, someone who's maybe, you know, vulnerable. No, Allah says, He's the Alpha head.

That dominant, the powerful. He's not just one who is alone is the dominant one, the one who is someone who controls who has full authority, and only the one who has authority. I mean, law who

has a beautiful choice of the names of Allah who not terrible do not mean do anything.

All those to worship instead of him are mere names, some may to Wuhan, and to whom you and your forefathers have invented them. Nouns Allah we have also been named from which Allah has no no authority, they're not real. These deities that you made up and the powers you've given them, these are not real. These are false constructs. In in hook coil, in law, all power and authority belongs to Allah alone. And then he is the one who distributed amongst his creation.

It's by his will, and by his decree that that happens. Amara alotta Abu Illa orders you that you worship none but Him, not other made up false, Gods Danika. Dino cranium, that's the true fate like in axon NASA, Dianna moon, but most people don't realize how powerful and beautiful is the power of useful here, he talks about who he is why he

is someone who

is from the one from the from those who are doing excellent things, and why he understands things, because he has following follow the way of his forefathers the prophets. And then he tells them that the way of the prophets is worshipping Allah alone. And then he gives like, logical reason. You know, like, this is a argument based out of logic, what makes more sense, Option A or Option B, Option A, that there's many gods option B, only one God. Clearly, Option A does not make any sense option B, and the multiple gods that you guys have this, there's no real reality to them. These are things that you have fabricated.

They have no power, they have no authority. Allah has all the power and all the authority. So that's a very beautiful argument that useful Islam makes. And then he tells his friends is companions is the inmate is as they are. So he was surgeon. Oh, my fellow inmates. Mr. huduma is not one of you will serve wine to his Lord, meaning you will be serving wine to someone who is your superior. One Mahalo for use level for that will play a role in your Dropsy and the other of you will be crucified and birds will feed off his head, meaning you will be killed. And you know, the vultures will be eating your flesh.

All the Al Hamdulillah the fee is 30. And that is no that's what that's what I gotta say. Right?

And then the surah talks about the he says to the person that he thinks will be saved, because what he's saying is one of you is going to survive and get out of jail, and the other of us will die. And that's what happened. Right? They were both taken out of prison one of them the kings that free and made him a servant of the court and the other one was executed. And vultures are feeding off of his head. And the one who was saying it was fried and me the servant of the court is the one who's serving

The King wine. Okay, so the dream, that was his interpretation, he was saying to them, one of you is going to be saved and freed from this prison, one of us have a die, be executed. And then he tells the one that he knows is going to be

saved. He said that, you know, tell when you are saved, once this whole thing happens, tell your master the king about me.

Tell him about what I said to you tell him about how I am. And you know, perhaps this is a way for me to get out of this unjust situation. Here's the idea of the work, could you just sit now sitting on his hands, he just couldn't do anything. Right? He has no avenue.

So he's holding on. He's being patient. He's not losing hope. He's not becoming despondent and he's not overcome by the Spirit. But when he sees the one opening, perhaps he could seek a way out of this injustice that he was in. He tries to take that. He says he tells your what's your free tell the king about me, but to Han Allah. And Sasha is one of the corrupt Viva la Vida officers afternoon. But the this man forgot, Chapin made him forget. And then he ended up staying for a number of years more in the prison. This is the story of the prison what happened is just a few important points. Number one, as I mentioned, the idea of telco telco isn't just sitting on your

hand and thinking shall Allah will to take care of him inshallah job No, no, that's not what our goal is, as soon as an opportunity arises for you to get what you are seeking, particularly when something is right. You seek it as best as you can. But then, after that, you leave it in the hands of Allah, we focus on the variables that we control, and we leave the variables that we don't control in the hands of God, that's what true to our products. Number two, patience, Faber is again, not just

inactivity or apathy. That's not what Flubber means are not some are patients, it means you are, you are able to keep your emotions in check, you're able to not let the difficult time of the dark moments, overcome you and just make you depressed, you're able to hold on and keep the faith in those moments, while you are waiting for the opportunity to get out to find a way out while you are waiting for that opportunity to arise that summer. And we see that from his first example. Number three,

he is giving that out to his fellow inmates. And he's giving Dawa in the most beautiful manner. And you notice when he's giving Dawa, he's not giving the hour like he didn't just seek them out. And, you know, say hey, guys, you want to learn about Islam, right? He's actually doing he's being a great person in an argument. And he's being someone worthy of being sought. And then when he is sought, he tells them Hey, before I tell you about what you're asking me, let me tell you about Islam. This is the correct way to do that. Where you become important enough, good enough in society for people to value you. And when they come seeking your value and expertise. At that moment, you

inform them of Islam, you know why? Because that's when you have leverage. That's when you have the floor. And you're able to express the honor of Islam with ace with strength and honor. This is the right way to do that. And we learned this commutable Islam here, he didn't just go and solicited the give the hour he was sought. And that's when he gave Dawa. And this is the key thing for us. Whenever we are in a position of privilege of Power Authority. Have some leverage, and there's the person who is not what's the, in that moment in that situation of being, you know, in that at that high station. That's when we present a little bit of a stamp and what do we present to them

everything under the sun? No, we only mentioned the most important thing is just don't hate worship Allah alone. This is the core tenant. This is everything for us. Worshiping Allah subhanaw taala alone. And you notice how how beautifully focused his download was a few sentences, but it was focused to the point.

And last number one, point number four is what happened to these two guys. Did they accept Islam? They say yeah, okay, let's do the Shahada. You're right. It's a great point. Do they say that? They say well, this, you know, sounds good, but we don't you're not interested. What are the do what was the reaction?

The Quran as I mentioned about Allah, as I mentioned that in the Quran, what was the result of the Dawa of use Vanessa even moves on and talks about the King, the king's dream? And finally use

Islam coming out of the prison. Why does Allah matter not mentioned the result of the Dawa after of useful Islam, because the result is not the important part. The important part is the effort. That's what matters. The result is not important Guardian, the number of people who accept Islam, that's not in your hands, that's not in my hands. That's an Allah Papa, that's what's in our hands is conveying the message, and convenient in the best possible way, focusing on the most important thing in through a time or in a time when we have leverage. And

we're stocked

in a manner that does not corrupt the core message. It doesn't dilute the message. It didn't mince words, he didn't say, Oh, you guys are cool, too. He's like, no, these gods are fabrications. They don't make any sense. Right? He was very to the point of not being respectful, but very clear to the point to make them realize that there is an error in their ways, you see, not diluting the message. That's the only thing that's important. The dollar, the result, not important, because it's in the hands of Allah. That's not a measure of success. The number of converts is not a measure of success, the number of times you give Dawa with excellence that is a measure of success. And this is the

beautiful lesson from Surah Yusuf how suddenly Allah subhanaw taala reminds us of this, when he mentioned the efforts of usefulness without mentioning the results.

So we take this little subtlety away from it as well, but a little hump and with that we will end in sha Allah Allah we will continue next week. one more passage from the surah lesson from the surah about the incredibly miraculous way how Allah has pondered conveys the point how deeply you can miss them in the Surah and how we should be pondering over them and thinking about them. And then applying is that Kamala halen masala Lavon Amina Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi

just allow her to share cottage on behalf of the masjid and everyone listening we wanted to appreciate you joining us and giving us this important lecture. We hope you will be able to join us one more time before the end of Ramadan inshallah. And for everyone else, we will be ending this live stream and switching over to the masjid in the next few minutes for the NOC river that Soleimani Kumar bought him a lot of curtains