Story Of Prophet Yusuf ✔

PART 42: YUSUF'S SPECIAL DUA TO HIS LORD [Surah Yusuf 12: 101]

In addition to being a Protector, Allah is also our Friend. What is an amazing friend is He? He is always closer to us than anyone else in this universe. He (swt) is One to Whom we can complain all of our difficulties and sorrows to. He (swt) will never become upset with us for no reason. He (swt) will never misunderstand us or forget about us. He (swt) Knows us better than we know our own selves? So what an amazing friend is He (swt)? This was how Yusuf (AS) took Allah as a friend and emphasizing to Allah that He (swt) is indeed his friend and that He is his only friend.

Finally, Allah tells us that Yusuf said: “make me die submitting, and join me with the righteous.” This was the actual dua that Yusuf (AS) made, this was what he asked Allah for. Everything else that he had said up to this point was only leading up to this. Look here at what he asks Allah for. He prays to Allah to allow him to die as a Muslim and to join him with the righteous. In other words to place him to the Garden which has been promised for the righteous. For those who make peace. For those who set matters right. For those who establish justice. For those who worship and serve Allah. This is what this noble prophet prays for. This is what Allah is pleased with us praying for.

So with this dua, Allah ends the story of Yusuf. The few remaining ayahs in the Surah are not relating to us the story but rather they speak about the call to this Message. Allah began relating this story to us by telling us about the dream that He (swt) made Yusuf see and He ends this story with the fulfillment of that dream and this prayer that Yusuf (AS) makes.

Thus, in the end, we see that this was a story about the journey that Yusuf (AS) made to his Lord. We see how all of the trials and tribulations that he went through, as well as all of the joys and conquests, were but milestones on this path. This is a path that we have to walk as well. A path that leads to Allah. This path begins with us turning away from all that is displeasing to Allah, it progresses with us doing what is pleasing to Him, and it finds its pinnacle in us striving to call others to Him. That is the dawah, and that is what Allah brings our attention to in the ayahs that conclude this Surah.

LESSONS

1. We should always seek to approach Allah by remembering all the good that He has done for us. It is not difficult to remember all of the good that our Lord has done for us. Even the fact that we exist at this moment is a blessing and a favor for which we can never repay Him. Countless others are the favors that Allah has given us. So whenever you want to make dua to Allah, first and foremost remember all of the good that He has done for you. Insha Allah, this will bring you closer to Him and increase you in your love of Him.

2. We also must acknowledge all of the knowledge that Allah has taught us. Allah may not have given us the knowledge that He (swt) gave to Yusuf (AS) but He (swt) still has given us vast amounts of  knowledge. We came out of the wombs of our mothers not knowing anything but look at all that we know today. We know how to communicate with each other. How to express our ideas and thoughts. We know how to read and write. How many people are there in the world today who are illiterate? So how much should you thank your Lord that He (swt) has given you the knowledge of the pen? Even think of the age in which we live. Due to the internet, all kinds of knowledge and information is now at our fingertips. Because of whom is all of this possible? Only because of Allah. So we should thank Him even more by increasing in our worship and servitude of Him (swt). By using this knowledge for the sake of His Deen.

3. We must never forget about the Hereafter. No matter how much we have been given of this worldly life. No matter how comfortable or pleasurable our stay here may be. We have to remember that this is not our final home. With every moment that passes we are becoming closer and closer to the moment in which we have to leave this world. How then can we become too attached to this world? How then can we only pray for this world in the dua that we make? Rather we have to attach ourselves to the Hereafter. We have to remember that whatever pleasure or happiness that we find in this world will also be in the Hereafter and it will infinitely better. And unlike the pleasures of this world, it will never end.

4. The final lesson that we can take from this ayah is to see how Yusuf (AS) prays to die submitting to Allah. First, we should note that he is not asking here for death. None of us should ask for death. Rather he is asking Allah that when death comes for him when the lifespan decreed for him expires, then he asks to die submitting to Allah. In other words, he asks his Lord that he die in a state in which he is submitting completely to Him (swt) in everything. Even though he was a prophet of Allah. Even though he was completely protected from both the major and the minor sins. Even though he had already dedicated his life to Allah and gone through unspeakable hardships and sufferings. He still feared that he may die in a state other than that of submission to Allah. Perhaps some arrogance might creep into his heart. Perhaps he might commit some sin. This was the fear that Yusuf (AS) had. That is why in this ayah he prays to Allah to allow him to die as a Muslim. This is a prayer that we must make as well. Just as we pray to Allah for the things of this world, we must also pray to Him (swt) for the Hereafter and to die as Muslim. If only we tasted the life beyond this, if we only know what existence beyond this world would be like, then we would see where our prayers must be.