At the start of Sooratu Yoosuf, Allaah makes it known that he isn’t just narrating this story to entertain us; rather, he wants us to pick some lessons from it and reflect:
لَّقَدْ كَانَ فِى يُوسُفَ وَإِخْوَتِهِۦٓ ءَايَٰتٌ لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ
Surely, in (the story of) Yūsuf and his brothers, there are signs for those who ask.
(Yusuf 12:7)
Again, at the very end of the Soorah, Allaah repeats this again:
لَقَدْ كَانَ فِى قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِۗ مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَىٰ وَلَٰكِن تَصْدِيقَ ٱلَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
Surely, in the narratives of these, there is a lesson for the people of understanding. It is not an invented story, rather, a confirmation of what has been before it, and an elaboration of everything, and guidance and mercy for a people who believe.
(Yusuf 12:111)
But notice the phrase “for the people of understanding“. So the deeper your thinking, the more lessons you’ll be able to draw from it.
I want to draw just one lesson from the dream of the king of Egypt and the interpretation given by prophet Yoosuf (AS) which will make us see some subtle realities about our worldly lives (vide verses 43-49).
The king of Egypt had a dream and he narrated it thus:
“And (one day) the king said (to his courtiers), “I have seen (in a dream) seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, and seven ears of grain which are green and (seven) others which are dry. O people, tell me about my dream, if you can interpret dreams.”
(Yusuf 12:43)
Prophet Yoosuf (AS) interpreted it like this:
“He said, “You will grow crops for seven years consecutively. So, what you have harvested, leave it in its ear, except a little which you eat.
“Then seven hard years shall come after that, which shall eat up what you have stored for them, except a little which you preserve (to sow).”
“Then there shall come after that a year in which people will have rains and in which they will extract juices.”.”
(Yusuf 12:47-49)
This dream actually came to pass just as prophet Yoosuf had intepreted it. The king appointed Prophet Yoosuf (AS) as a minister to manage the resources of the land and thus the King and his people were able to survive the years of famine.
What happened in Egypt then, also happens in our individual lives, and we see several similar cases from time to time.
There are some people who, for instance, are destined to live a 60-year lifespan. In the Qadar of Allaah, the first 30 years of their lives will be rainy (i.e. luxurious; in abundance of wealth) while the next 30 years will be a drought (i.e. in penury). Whatever they do with their wealth in the first half of their lives (in terms of investment) is what they will have to live on for the rest of their lives.
Sometimes, if you
are a contractor, for instance, Allaah may decide to make it rainy for you for 5 consecutive years by making you get profitable contracts in series, following it up with an economic drought that will last for another 5 years before it rains again. If you are not wise enough to keep some “produce” for your economic survival during the impending years of drought, then blame no one but yourself.
Therefore, it’s really no misfortune for a person to lose his wealth (although we all pray against it); you should just blame yourself for not investing wisely when you are in surplus.
You will understand this better when you consider the Hadith in which the Prophet (SAW) is reported to have said:
“Take advantage of five matters before five other matters: your youth, before you become old; your health, before you fall sick; YOUR WEALTH, BEFORE YOU BECOME POOR; your free time before you become busy; and your life, before your death.” (Haakim).
Now, ask yourself, how are you using these five things? Each of them is an opportunity that you may never find again once you lose it. Some have lost all of them; some have lost only 1, 2 or 3 and some still have all. Are u preparing for the opposite of each of these?
وَتِلْكَ ٱلْأَمْثَٰلُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِۖ وَمَا يَعْقِلُهَآ إِلا ٱلْعَٰلِمُونَ
“We cite these examples for people, but no one understands them except the knowledgeable ones.”
(Al-‘Ankabut 29:43)
Adegbenjo Ahmad Tijani writes from Nigeria.
