In the name of God
Most of my nonmuslim colleguues and frends don't realize all the commanalities between Islam Christianity and Judaism. I thought I might present a short story about Joseph AS to illuminate some, and remind others.
, especially my own self.
Firstly, a short explanation. The AS in Arabic stands for (On him be peace) . This indicates that he is revered as a chaste servant of God, and a prophet inspired.
He was eleventh son of the prophet Jacob AS, grandson to Isaac AS, and great grandson to Abraham AS. He was most loved by his father and that caused great jealousy among his 10 older brothers.
He had a dream that eleven stars the sun and the moon bowed to him. His father warned him not to share this dream with his brothers ,as it would incite jealousy.
These brothers decided to kil him in order to regain their fathers favour. They recogzed that Jacob favored Joseph. To them, that was ridiculous as they were themajority.One brother said "do not shed blood, throw him in a well instead"
They ,thus requested of their father to allow them to take Joseph along to play, while they sheparded their flocks. The old Jacob said that it saddened him to part with Joseph ,and he feared the wolf might eat him if he was left unattended. The brothers protested that they were capable of his care, and they were strong.and Jacob finally relented and allowed them to take Joseph along.
They abused poor young Joseph greatly and cast hm into a well. They took his shirt and stained it with animal blood to prove their intended forthcoming lie. In the evening they returned to Jacob weeping and used his very own words against him. Father, we were racing and playing ,and the wolf ate Joseph. Here is his bloodied shirt to prove it. Teary eyed Jacob exclaimed that patience was his only option.
In a tafsir (explanation) Jacob commented that it must have been a very merciful wolf to kill his son, but not rip his shirt. Poor young Joseph remained in the well for a few days.
Then a caravan came and sought water from the same well. Joseph latched on to the pail and was rescued from the well. They found this gorgeously handsome youth and carried him as freight to Egypt where he was sold for a paltry sum to an Egyptian. This Egyyptian man told his wife to treat Joseph as a son . Thus he was established in Egypt. He grew to be a strikingly handsome young man.
The wife of his master , named Zulaikha, took a desire to Joseph and tried to seduce him. Joseph ran away, but the door was locked and his shirt was ripped in the back. At this juncture , Zulaikha's husband appeared. She connivingly changed the story into "Joseph atatcked me". A witness from Zulaikha's family said that the proof was in the shirt. If it was ripped in front, Joseph was indeed the attacker. If it was ripped in the rear, it was Zulakha. With the shirt ripped n the back, Joseph's innocence was proven, and Zulaikha was subsequently reprimanded.
The women of the city started gossiping about Zulaikha and her behavior towards Joseph. She heard of this and invited the women to her home. She passed each of them a piece of fruit and a sharp knife. Thereafeter, she called Josph to come out. The ladies were so dazzled by his apprearance that while they tried to cut the fruit, they cut their hands instead. They exclaimed that he was no less than an angel. Zulaikha thus proved that she wasn't blamesworthy for her actions.
The women tried to seduce him togerther. Joseph called on god to protect him, and thus he entered prison, which for him was much more prefarable to adultery. They threatened that if he didn't abide to their lust, they would have him imprisoned.
Two other men entered prison with him and had strange dreams. They asked joseph to explain the dream.
to be continued.
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