Best of Stories – Study of Surat Yusuf 21

Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa salatu salam ala Rasulillah Allah Allah Himself Marine.

So continuing on now after our short interim with the story of use of Alehissalaam, the brothers of use of Hadees salaam now returned back to Egypt back to Yusuf with

their final brother with the one that historically is referred to as Benjamin or Binyomin. Allah azza wa jal says, Well, I'm gonna follow Allah use of once they re entered upon us of into the presence of use of our II lay here Ha, he embraced his brother, that brother full brother, the only one who didn't betray him,

he embraced his brother. And he said to him, and I hook on your brother, it's me use of another hook.

Fella, Tabitha is beaming a candle, Yama don't and so do not be Despairing or saddened or grievous about what they used to do or by what they used to do to you.

So this is the reunion

a long awaited reunion with his brother. And it also indicates that he was still under a great deal of disrespect, great deal of hurt a great deal of chastisement from the rest of the brothers. But some lessons here,

or reflections, the first of them, you know, the scholars pointed out that when use of Alehissalaam.

Finally went into private quarters, basically with his brother, I mean, some of the first students said that they were 11 use of was the 12 Alehissalaam. And so how he did it was that he said, Okay, every two of you to a room, he's a very gracious host, every two of you into a room, then there will be one leftover, which is his brother. And then he said, Okay, I'll be with him. Fine, he's all alone, I'll take care of her myself, just so he doesn't feel like he is getting the short end of the stick. So that was perfectly planned by him. And then once he was in private with him, our la ha ha, he brought his brother to him. The word hour, could not have been, of course, it can't, it's Quran.

But I want you to notice how it was the most perfect word. Because the word our you know, the Quran speaks about the network, the gender being metla, which is the place of arresting the place of repose, the most gracious host will house you there, it's called the metla, the place of comfort. And that is one of many meanings of network. matla also means to be embraced physically, not just to be hosted, like taken in by a, you know, your host, to be hosted physically to be embraced. It also means the word hugging.

It also means someone rushes to you in sympathy, like someone sympathizes with you, means just, you know, comes to you and says, How can I make things better? Ella, LA, the Arabs have used it like that. The word hour, they said, also means it's just so profound, that it is the term in Arabic that is used, when birds of a feather flock together like this, imagine a whole bunch of scattered birds that are all over the place looking for each other. And all of a sudden, they just, they you know, they call it dovetail right, they come together, and they finally you know, align and proceed onward together. And here are the brothers coming back together, right? And they said the word our also

in first, healing, like the

wound, like when you get gashed, you get a cut. And if the two sides of the skin start closing up, they use the word our jaw, that the wound, the injury is closed up. And every single one of those apply, so it just happened here with us, Rene Sidama, his brother, you know,

this is not just a perfect word choice, because sometimes people can express things in such a beautiful way, such a perfect way, in a sense, but the Quran, chose the perfect word for every single

phrase and statement and war and term in the Holy Quran. That is what is supernatural about the Quran, you know, you know, the ARB for example, or just so, mastering of the, the the skill of articulation of language. They had a tradition called the nukkad tradition, that is literary critique, they were brutal. They would go to the most celebrated the most eloquent poems of each other and poke holes in them. So yeah, that's pretty good, but that will

word should have been that and that word in this context should have been a better here's an even better word. So that's what they would do. These Arabs who thrived on this brutal tradition of one upping each other,

could not identify a single term in the whole Quran, that could be improved on all of them, the whole generation could not find a single word in 114 sutras, there is no record of this whatsoever never happened. And so appreciate that. The word Allah I think, is a beautiful opportunity for us to notice that once you realize all of its meanings, you go back to the lexicons and dictionaries. And then you think about just having to deal with and his brother couldn't have been said in any better way, no better term, could carry that combination of inferences, like the word Allah.

And then another lesson here is that he did it immediately, he immediately broke it to his brother, or disclosed to his brother, it's me, I'm your brother. And this is something we should all do at the first available opportunity. You know, relieve your loved ones of wondering, are you okay? Are you alive? Are things better or not? Don't put them through that. As soon as you can. Connect with them, update them pick up the phone visit. Don't

leave it in limbo. Don't leave the unknown. So scorch their hearts. You know, even between spouses. You know, one example I, I think of is that

when a husband and wife are, you know, having a tense moment in their relationship, and then news of that trickles to the inlaws.

Aside from like, you know, it escalating with the inlaws at the very least are boiling inside because that's my baby each of them is thinking about you know, that the husband and the wife that's my baby being hurt right now it's in pain right now that so many times because the husband and wife are in the house together, they you know, basically reconcile and things move on and the parents never get the memo and so they're still boiling they're still burning they're still grieving even though the most direct parties involved are like past this so don't do that you know okay so definitely low on actually said that to the Prophet SAW Sullivan Asia last time he spoke to them

they were fighting the I will will come try to discipline Iron Chef for How dare you speak to the Messenger of Allah like this raise your voice I guess problems outside of them told them to leave and then later on ovoca So I'm not saying that promises I've done anything wrong or how she did anything wrong but and this was set in like in good spirits in a light hearted way. But the statement itself is gold and we should all think of it regarding our relationships with our in laws

he said the statement was when he entered and saw you guys are better now. He said you know won't you admit me upon your your peace the same way admitted me upon your war between any physiological mathematical to man if you had to become a you guys were at war, and you involve me, so I don't you guys involve me when you guys are, you had the truth.

And so usually salaam jumped on it right away and told him I'm your brother at the first available moment.

Also, he said to him in a hook, I'm your brother, fella. tivities. And so don't be sad. And, you know, this could be understood in a sense. Like, I'm going to protect you now. But it could also be in the sense that Allah Who will protect you the same way i He protected me. I mean, it's me it's use of it's the one they tried to kill, it didn't work. Allah saved me. He'll save you, too. You know, survivor stories are so important. We and these are, of course, an extension of community. You know, the community is so important, so that we don't have to grieve alone, so that we don't have to think we're the only person going through our problems. Seeing people with similar struggles helps

us it's just human nature. You know, that's why the concert, she used to say, Whatever level count on national holiday to NFC, were it not for the fact that everybody was is crying around me, I would have killed myself. She's saying that said like, I'm not the only person that lost the person in this in this battle or in this tragic incident. Likewise, you know, grieving alone, of course, celebrating alone is also very burdensome on the heart emotionally. But he's telling him I'm like you, you're I made it. So you're going to make it to

that is part of our human nature that we want to see people who go through what we go through and have done well, and so I can do well, as well.

And then the next day goes on to say For lemenager has a home Beija has him and then when he provided them with their their belongings, their provisions, you know, he loaded them up again with goods right they come to Egypt to purchase goods. So when he loaded them off again with their goods, John has set fire to fuel rally, he

he placed the safe fire

The supplier from Safar right to give someone to drink the supplier is the drinking cup

in his brother saddlebag lately in his brother Benjamin, I'm gonna call him Benjamin even though it's not confirmed okay? And Benjamin settled back so he put it there.

So my than whatever then and then an announcer called out a year to Hillary row and Nicola said the phone, oh, caravan.

You are thieves.

There's a whole lot of eloquence in this. But even before the eloquence just realize that use of Ali Salam now was employing a very deliberate plan to get his way with his brothers. And no matter how burnt out you are by your enemies in life, patience and deliberation and forbearance

are the way to get your best interest secured in this world and the next you know

I'm not promoting violence or hostility or anything but just you know, like patients works. And face Rahim Allah Allah, it was said about him that a man came

up to him this man was like a nobleman and I have no place and he slapped him across the face. And so that kind of was shocked like this Bedouin man this out of towners came in and slapped him out of nowhere across the face. So he grabbed his face. And he said Bismillah like, like, whoa, all right. Good Muslims recommend I'm bringing Allah right. He said Bismillah then he told them what in the world are you doing? He said, I wanted the people to know that I slept see and a lot of the like the chief of the Arabs, the number one big shot, I slapped him. So I live in a place was really known for his help. And he was very forbearance, he was very good at restraining his emotions. And

so he said, I'm not saying a lot of that is say that a lot of that's the chief of the Arabs. And he pointed out another guy basically across the street, a guy with a very hot temper. And so the bedroom is like, oh, yeah, he'll get some too. And he goes over to the guy and he slaps him across the face. So the guy quickly grabs his hand, takes out his sword and cuts off his arm.

Sorry, I should have done like, you know, trigger warning or something.

And so I was looking onto the scene. And then he says, And now Allah hippo thought,

by Allah I'm the one who cut off his hand meaning what? Meaning by my restraint that enabled me to deploy my my revenge. I'm not saying be vengeful, I'm not saying you know, you should be inclined to revenge. But that is the very idea that

you know, you're not a punching bag for not to being reactionary. No, just be well thought out. You know

in how you protect yourself for the future and how you get justice served all of that stuff, patients, patients patients, do not be a compulsive creature. Let your intellect rein in your passions and find the right balance. And so usually what I said did that he said, Okay, I'm going to do this plant. I'm going to take the drinking cup of the King belongs to the king. And I'm going to put it inside the saddlebag and then after they leave so I said oh caravan, because they already got back together regrouped got on the camel side leaving then they call them back yet to holiday row in nakoma Sadiq Khan,

oh, caravan, you are thieves. You guys are stealing.

And there's so much to be said, here. Let me like not the scholar said Yusuf Ali salam from his great deliberation, he was able to, number one effect his plan and number to not fall into any sort of haram with it. Because you think like, first of all, as you know, the story, how it's gonna unfold is gonna get pulled out of his brother's bag. That's going to be like terrifying. Unless his brother knew, they say he must have told his brother and you know, from the previous verse, They went off into private, so he probably did tell him, I'm gonna, I'm about to do this ploy to get you to stay with me and protect you. You know, another thing is they said, Well, how did he call them

thieves? Wouldn't that be haram? Wouldn't that be lying? Because, you know, he's

the one who put it in the bag. So it's not really true. They're not thieves. He said, Well, there's the use of La Silla must have tiptoed out of this. You know, it wasn't haram because either number one, they actually are thieves, because they still use the valet salam from his father a long time ago. Or

another way to explain it is that the announcer didn't know us about a Sam's plan. So he thought they were thieves. And that's it. He said, You are thieves. The Kings. The Kings cup is missing. And he did

To realize that use of Isilon was the one to put it in there

and then the converse is continue Palo Alto Palo Alto Hema that if they don't, they

approached it turned back because you know you're confident confident people don't shy away from

the, you know the questions it's tough questions because they know they have nothing to hide they're walking right up to them saying what are you missing? What are you missing so they said enough pedals while Melek We are missing the king's goblet or the measuring cup of the king, the king gave his measuring cup and said use this basically to measure out the rations for people during this famine. So use why they said I was using that cup, it's called a swab from slot slot as you know volume of measurement. We're missing the swab of the measuring cup that belongs to the king

you know

this is going to be a little challenging to explain but there are two times in the Surah when CF kya is mentioned giving drink

you know in when he was in the prison, the man said I saw in my dream that I am giving drink to my master right and also hombre I'm squeezing pressing grapes making wine. So he's already said I'm said that means you're gonna survive. You know, you're gonna give drink to your master you're gonna get rehired by the King to be his butler once again. And here again there is the the drinking utensil of the king

is also going to be the survival of his brother, the rescue of his brother is going to be through the cup of the king.

And that is like very interesting. Why? Because it was called sokaiya, the drinking cup of the king when it was placed by use of in his brother's bag because it was gonna save his brother's life. But then when it was

his

his brothers now that are talking about what's missing and what are we looking for. He didn't tell him you're looking for a drinking cup

that he says you're looking for the measuring cup, it's the same cup, but the word drinking which is symbolic of survival is you know water source of life and drinking is nourishment and all that stuff doesn't apply to them. This you know, measuring is you know, transactional. And it is also involves lots of cheating, lots of cheating happens in in measuring weight on animal Buffy and that whole slaughter came down about this issue. The people that you know have shifty hands, they shortchange others. They have double standards in their measuring electoral Louella Nursia cell phone with a Caillou Huma was no homie of zero

double dealings in their measurements. So it is very interesting in this new set of verses. It the same cup is called a CF Kaia when it is being inserted in the bag to rescue the brother. But then when it is about to

be a reason for the brothers to be in a predicament it's no longer called the source of drinking it's called the measuring cup though it's the same cup anyway that's a reflection some of the scholars gave I hope I did it justice in English

and so they said we're missing the cup of the king. Now for those who are al Malik Holloman Jaya at the hem lugar Aryan wannabes regime and whoever brings it forward I'll give them an extra camera camera load I'm gonna give I'll give them a monetary reward which is allowed by the way in our charity out to share the profits also then you can give someone a monetary reward or even a wage doesn't just have to be you know like like salaries basically and wages based on task so long as the wager is no not gonna say I'll give you something if you do this work for me that would lead to disputes in the city I doesn't allow that. But like Prize award salaries wages these things are

halal.

Even in some cases in competitions as well. So we're gonna give a whole camera load and I guarantee that whoever pulls this cup out gets the gets the goblet of the King back for us Carlota Allah He now condemned to merge it nearly enough see the flower the woman couldn't say anything. They said by Allah We swear by Allah we did not by Allah you know you know that we did not come to corrupt the earth and we did not steal How do you know because we came back the first time when you put the stuff back in our bags. We came back to pay you know from our track record, they referring to their track record as people should you know.

And so they returned to Egypt to pay for the first load and also Abdullah have now best Radi Allahu Anhu muda Sahaba he said at this area. They were also

So particularly known even among the masses, the lay men in the streets of Egypt to be very honest people, because when they got to the gates of Egypt, the borders of Egypt, they tied they fasten the ropes or straps on the mouths of their camels. So their camels wouldn't just, you know, like, bend down and pick up any foods that are not rightfully theirs, from the people of Egypt, from the marketplaces, from the vegetables from the fruits, from the pastures. And so we brought the money back, you know, we're not corrupt. And you also

saw what we did, we strapped our camels to be extra vigilant about not taking anything without due right. And they swore We swear by a law that you know, that we are honest people. There's also a filthy, a legal element here, which is, and this is controversial, but many, many others who have believed this, that it is permissible to swear, when you believe that something is very likely preponderance of Allah to one, you're almost sure about it. Even if you're not absolutely sure about it, you can swear upon something.

So long as you believe there is a very high likelihood that it's true, even if you're not absolutely certain that it's true.

Carlo femora Jessa, who encountered Caribbean, so they were told, what will the punishment be? If you are lying? What will be his punishment, the punishment of the person?

That that stole it?

Who took the cup of the king? Carlo Jessa? Oh, man, would you that fear rally he for who? Or who? And if so, who? Giselle? They said, Whoever his rate his punishment, whoever you find the measuring cup of the king in his luggage, then he himself is the punishment meaning what? Meaning that he himself becoming your property?

Is the punishment. So the thief gets taken into slavery, for being a thief. Cavalli can urgency a volley mean, this is how we repay criminals. This is how we this is how we pay repay criminals. So this was part of the genius. Well thought out methodical plan of use of valet, Salem, accord image Egyptian law like historians, they say that at the time in Egyptian law, a thief when he is caught stealing, he gets beat up, and he has to repay it.

And so that's not going to be good. That's not what you said why they said I wants to happen to his brother. But in their law, in their law in the law of the Israelites that canal knights can iron right?

There law was different that when someone is stolen, he becomes the property of the one he stole from. And so use of our SNM from his genius is that he relegated them to their law, because they're law, referring them to their own law, they don't know this is what would be in his interest, which is what was secure for him to take his brother.

And so keep in mind, he didn't accuse them use of it set himself didn't accuse them of stealing whatsoever. And even if he would have told this announcer to accuse them of stealing, it still wouldn't have been wrong because they still use a valet salon. And if he would have taken his brother by force, it would have looked wrong, no one knows the real story and they would have also made disclosed his identity. And so he couldn't take it by force. He had to take it by law, but whose law it had to be their law. And so he asked them hey, what do you think a fair punishment is

for someone who steals it.

And they said Fair's fair, the way we see fare Cadet again, just a bloody me is how we repay them, we refer to our law, our law is that

they become the slave of the person they steal from they become his property.

And so he was able to secure set up the investigation before they opened up the luggage in that very way. And basically when before it even started when the fight before it started, you know, referring people to their own

value system is something even the prophets of Allah Azza wa sallam did and it is a very useful tool in negotiation and it's called exam right holding a person to their own standards, even if you don't believe in them.

And of course, if you do then you do that's even better.

But I'll the example would be that when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was commanded by Allah, and there are Shirataki carabin warn your nearest relatives. He stood up on non Safa. This is a hypothetical verse with Ilhan Omar

instead of a man suffer and he said to his people, if I were to tell you that there was a cavalry back there and army of forces about to raid you raid Mecca, would you believe me? And so they said my job Malaika Kevi. But we've never experienced a single life from you, Manager, Rob malaika enlasa We've never experienced anything but truth from you. He said, then in that case, he after he said, it's a setup right? After you admit this, that it is so for any interview, let conveniently I've haven't shared it, then you need to know that I am telling you, the person you've never seen lie. He's telling you that I am a warner from God, before the coming of a painful punishment. And so all

the time. This is a great technique to have people arrive at where you want them to be in a in a necessary conversation. You know, this is not healthy to corner people in conversations. But when you need to convince someone of something, hold them to their own words, hold them to their own words, and pressure them based on their own words and their own, you know, reactions.

And there are so many examples of this. But basically, when people tried to argue in Dawa with me,

I asked them, What is your rubric? What is your metric for a true prophet for a true religion? What would convince you that this is a true book from God, that Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was a true prophet from God. If they tell me, you know, something reasonable, I'll give them the proofs because all of our all of our proofs cover you know, every sector of reasonability in our deen right. And if they say something like, you know, that he would have to God would have to come to me or or no matter what happens, I will not believe and in that case, I can just save my breath and move on to someone who is receptive, who is being reasonable and wants to listen to the proofs. So,

you hold them to their own value system. Before you you go on and you try to impose something that to begin with, they may not concede to.

So those are some scattered lessons and inshallah points of benefit we can take from the Surah or this passage in the Surah. Next week in sha Allah, we will cover

use of a Salem having his agents, his workers, open up the luggage and what will transpire from their shot a lot of time. It's like a fan and please do remember the masjid in your donations if the button is there. If it's not, you can find the link on our website. And then allies continue to bless us and you with being near to his book and finding time to study his words and try to draw closer to Him by His speech and his message Allahumma Amin Subhanak long ham diksha Delilah Helen Christopher kind of taboo like Santa Monica