Stories of the Prophets #12 Forgiveness

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, the Most Merciful, the Most Merciful.

Insha'Allah, continuing with our series here in the month of Ramadan, the stories of the

Prophet from the Qur'an, today we're going to talk about and derive some lessons from

the story of Yusuf, alayhi salam.

We talked about Ibrahim, alayhi salam, we spoke about Yaqub, alayhi salam yesterday,

and so insha'Allah we're talking about Yusuf, alayhi salam.

The particular story of Yusuf, alayhi salam that we're going to focus on for today, which

actually deals with the end of the story of Yusuf, alayhi salam towards the end of the

story, and we'll talk about that first because it goes very much hand in hand with what we

spoke about yesterday from the story of Yaqub, alayhi salam, the self-control, how to remain

strong when dealing with difficulties and adversities that are afflicted upon someone by other people,

most notably in the story of Yaqub, alayhi salam, the people immediately around him.

So along those same lines, the lesson that we're going to focus on today from the story

of Yusuf, alayhi salam is the story, is the lesson of forgiveness because after a person

has been able to have that self-control, that restraint, that aspect of sabr that we spoke

about yesterday, the next step is essentially forgiveness, and that is presented to us here

in the story of Yusuf, alayhi salam. Allah SWT tells us this remarkable story, ahsan al qasas,

where Allah SWT tells us that Yusuf, alayhi salam when he's just a child, he is disposed

of, discarded by his brothers, they throw him down a well, and then they go back to their

father and they lie about his whereabouts, they claim that he was killed by a wild beast,

by an animal, while they played in the forest. After that, Yusuf, alayhi salam is found in that

well, and retrieved by some traitors that are passing through, who just according to whatever

their habit or their way of doing things was, they find a child that's not being claimed by

anyone, they sell him off as a slave, and then Yusuf, alayhi salam grows up in slavery as a slave,

and he's endured so much difficulty, even in slavery, the lesson that we'll talk about tomorrow,

there's this huge moment of temptation, which Yusuf, alayhi salam practices, you know, once again,

strength, chastity, modesty, dignity, and as a result of that, to avoid the embarrassment,

the powers that be, blame it all on Yusuf, alayhi salam, and then they throw him into prison,

and he remains in prison, Fallabitha fisijini bid'asinim, he spent years and years in prison,

and so he, think about everything that he's gone through, everything that he's endured,

and it all starts with the transgression committed by his brothers out of jealousy,

such an egregious transgression, such a crime committed against the child,

and at the end of the story, Yusuf, alayhi salam, he comes out of the prison,

and because of his wisdom, and his integrity, and his honesty, and his dignity, and his intelligence,

he rises up through the ranks to the point where he becomes basically the treasure of that ancient

kingdom of Egypt, and there is a dream that the king had had, and Yusuf, alayhi salam,

through the gift that Allah swt granted him, a part of prophethood, he's able to interpret that

dream, and lays out a course of action, where they are able to stockpile resources, so that ultimately,

when this huge drought comes upon them, they have rations and resources that they can spread and

share with the people, so people from far and wide are coming there now to their doorstep to receive

some provisions, so they can survive this famine, this drought, and lo and behold, who shows up

in the court, in the office of Yusuf, alayhi salam, one day, it's his brothers, the same brothers,

and there's some very fascinating things that occur there, but ultimately, when they realize

that this is Yusuf, and in that moment, they feel such a powerful mix of emotions, they feel embarrassed,

they feel regretful, remorseful, they're scared, because if Yusuf, alayhi salam,

or whoever would have been in that position, wanted vengeance, he has all the power, so they're scared,

but they're embarrassed, they're sad, but they're nervous, they're remorseful and regretful,

yet terrified and petrified, and as they're in this state, in this condition, Allah swt

us, in ayah number 92, that Yusuf, alayhi salam, says to them,

that today, there will be no action taken against you, there is no grudge,

there is no score to settle, there is no axe to grind, there is no beef, there's nothing,

there will be no reproach against you today,

Allah can forgive you, meaning go seek your forgiveness with Allah, but as far as I'm concerned,

you have nothing to worry as far as I'm concerned, I will not be seeking any vengeance

against you, and Allah is the most merciful of all those capable of show mercy,

and this is that powerful lesson of forgiveness, to forgive the people who had

done this to him, and put him through so much difficulty, this separated him from his father,

Yusuf alayhi salam is heartbroken, his father has spent a lifetime heartbroken,

he's gone blind from the crying and the sadness and the grief and the sorrow of losing his innocent

child, so much pain has been inflicted by these people, Yusuf alayhi salam practices

forgiveness in that moment, and there is the question that oftentimes people have at this moment

that, but a person can seek retribution if they want, absolutely,

but what motivates this kind of forgiveness is that golden principle, the Prophet sallallahu

alayhi wasallam taught us, that the one who cannot practice mercy, the one who cannot extend and

show mercy to others, will not be shown any mercy, and so the surest way to attain the

mercy of Allah is to extend mercy to others, the best way to attain the forgiveness of Allah,

that we all desperately need is to extend that forgiveness to others, and our Messenger sallallahu

alayhi wasallam demonstrated this at the highest level, where he invoked this same exact statement

of Yusuf alayhi salam, think about what the Prophet sallallahu alayhi salam has been through,

from the day that he announced his prophethood to the people of Makkah,

they opposed him, they called him a liar, they slandered him,

they harassed him, they tortured anyone who would believe in him, they murdered his followers,

they attacked his family, they assaulted him in broad daylight, they tried to assassinate him,

then when he leaves Makkah, they followed after him, they waged war against him,

when his daughter was leaving Makkah, they attacked and assaulted her, to the point she was pregnant

at the time, she lost her baby, she became wounded and injured and spent the remaining years of her

life sick and ill, never fully recovered from her injuries, think about what they've done,

what they've inflicted on them, they killed his uncle who was like a big brother to him,

one of the few close family members that he had left and then they mutilated his body,

think about what they've inflicted upon him and when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi salam

walks into Makkah, victorious, the Makkahs have surrendered, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi

salam won, the victory is his, he's in charge, he has all the power, he's the victor and Abdullah

bin Abbas sallallahu alayhi salam says, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi salam stood next to the Kaaba

and he placed his hand on the door of the Kaaba, imagine how powerful that scene must have been,

and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi salam said,

all praise belongs to Allah who fulfilled his promise, he helped his servant,

his humble servant and he is the one who defeated all the armies and enemies,

he says, what do you assume is going to happen with you now Quraish? After everything you've done,

what do you think will happen to you now?

They said we hope for only good, you are a noble man, you are the son of a noble man,

the same people were trying to murder him, assassinate him eight years ago, you are a noble man,

son of a noble man, you have all the power, do good, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi salam

said, I will say to you like what my brother Yusuf said, I have no score to settle with you today,

make good with God, go reconcile with your Lord, that is your forgiveness, that is your penance,

go do that, because that way we all win, that way we're all winners,

and Umar radiallahu tzala anhu has a fascinating observation, Umar radiallahu tzala anhu says,

he said, I started sweating out of embarrassment when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi salam forgave Allah,

because when we entered into Mecca, I saw some of the ringleaders, some of the troublemakers,

some of the people that had tormented the Muslims the most, and I said to them,

because today we settle the score, today we're going to deal with you,

and then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi salam said what he said,

but this is the lesson of forgiveness, it's a hard lesson, it's a tough lesson, it's not easy,

but nothing worth having ever came easy, to be loved by Allah, to be forgiven by Allah,

to be covered in the mercy of Allah s.w.t, it's not easy, it's not, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi salam said,

Allah is offering you is very precious, for Allah offers you paradise,

but there is a price to pay, may Allah s.w.t grant us all the ability to be able to pay that price,

may Allah s.w.t grant us the ability to be forgiving, to be merciful, to be kind, to be generous,

and may Allah s.w.t make us amongst those who will receive the kindness, generosity,

the forgiveness of our Lord, on the day of judgment when we will need it the most,

amin yarab al-alameen, there are two very quick things if everyone can bear with me,

number one is there was a request for a dua yesterday, I slipped my mind yesterday forgive me,

but a sister who is a part of our community, her mother was diagnosed with an advanced stage of

cancer, we make dua, a complete and big recovery, and may Allah s.w.t grant her strength and give

her family strength and make this a means of elevating all of their status.