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Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
Please note that I’ve added important comments to yesterday’s Reading (in comment 5) and a footnote.
Their commentaries can only be read in verse by verse view.
COMMENTS:
PAGE 239 Arabic Qur’an.
1. As Verse 31 shows, Prophet Joseph’s seductress was no ordinary woman, but then again, he was no ordinary young man. His virtue was incomparable; his handsomeness was such that the town-women couldn’t help but slice through their hands as they ate, referring their distraction to him not seeming to be mortal; he was ‘divine!’
Their cunning hostess responds in Verse 32, proving her point. She also announces that she will continue to pursue him, despite his reluctance and choice of remaining chaste. She also threatens him with prison.
2. In Verse 33, Joseph calls upon his Lord to save him from these women’s guile (now they are ALL after him!) and announces his preference to prison than to fall prey to these lusting women. He also acknowledges his weakness, in that he does not expect to be able to withhold himself from their advances.
In Verse 34 his Lord answers his prayer, but after a short while they decide to put him in prison (Verse 35).
3. In prison, Joseph meets two slaves/servants who ask him about their dreams (Verse 36), to which he responds in Verse 37 by saying that his Lord had taught him how to read present events, and to project, or predict, what would ensue from them. Then, he makes use of the occasion, as we see in the next verses, to guide them to faith in One God, and in the Hereafter.
PAGE 240 Arabic Qur’an.
4. In Verse 38 he tells them of his heritage, as a Prophet following the ‘millahملّة- ’ or ‘ways/creed’ (Ali/Asad) of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Yusuf Ali also tells us of his modesty.
5. In Verses 39- 40 Prophet Joseph continues, introducing his cell-mates to the Standard of Accountability which is upright/straight, and free of fault الدين القيّم(for more info see April 5th). Ali and Asad translate this term as ‘right religion/ ever-true faith.’
It is important for us to learn from this story how to address people: Notice the humbleness, the kindness, the endearing words such as ‘My Companions in Prison,’ the posing of questions to draw out listeners and get their response, even in silence!
6. In Verse 41 he tells them in a few brief words what their dreams mean, while in Verse 42 he asks the cell-mate who is to be freed to mention him to his lord (meaning his king or master; Ali’s comments say ‘pharaoh’ but there is no indication of that at all). The freed person forgets, and only remembers a few years later when the king has a foreboding dream and seeks its interpretation.
It is interesting to note that our ‘forgetting of something important’ is attributed to ‘the Deviant/Sheytaan’ (HQ 6:68; 18:63; 58:19, which shows us quite clearly the mental limits of his ‘influence’ over us. It also gives us one reason for seeking refuge in God: Forgetfulness not only diminishes what we have- but could indeed cause us to lose everything!
7. In Verse 43 we learn the details of the king’s foreboding dream, and his urgency at having it interpreted.
Enough said!
Our next Reading is from HQ 12: 44-63.
Have a great Weekend.
Peace unto all!
2 comments:
God give us the forbearance to see through yesterday's events. It isn't easy to see unarmed people gunned down and then blamed in the US media for instigating violence. Its a sick unfair world we live in.
Dear Readers:
Please note that this is NOT a political forum which is why I discard all biased comments. The comment above happens to be AGAINST Media bias, something we've been suffering terribly from as Arabs and Muslims in the U.S., but were hoping would improve in the 'broader-minded' atmosphere of present-day Washington. Many of us in the U.S. who watched our local CNN and read our local papers had our hopes dashed with the manner in which they handled the 'clear as daylight' affair mentioned above (the Israeli response to the Peace Flotilla to Gaza). To be fair though, other local TV channels (supported by universities, such as Channel 8 PBS) and radio stations (such as NPR) did a better job.
Actually, Israeli newspapers -such as Ha'aretz- often present realities which we never get to read about in U.S. papers. That is a well-known fact.
Note: Readers who watch International CNN should know that we are talking about local CNN channels in the US, which do NOT cater to the wider public.
Dear Readers:
We are all biased in one way or another, but if we truly sought the Truth, we would read from the original Sources (not second-hand reports), always!
This is the difficult task we have undertaken here at 'Iqra:The Challenge.'
May God give us all the forbearance to seek Truth.
And finally: No Politics please!
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