243 Page Notes

12 Surah Yusuf (continued)

Page 243 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

12:64

12:65

12:66

12:67

12:68

12:69

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 243 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 243 of the Quran contains Surah Yusuf (Chapter 12), Verses 64 through 69.

In this section, the brothers return to Canaan and pressure their father, Ya'qub, to let them take Benjamin to Egypt so they can secure more grain. Ya'qub expresses deep hesitation, reminding them of how they broke his trust with Yusuf, but ultimately relents after extracting a solemn oath in the name of Allah. To protect his sons from harm, he advises them to enter Egypt through different gates rather than all at once. The page concludes with the brothers arriving in Egypt, where Yusuf privately pulls Benjamin aside, reveals his true identity, and comforts him, saying, "Indeed, I am your brother, so do not despair over what they used to do."

The prophetic Sunnah and classical Ahadith directly reference the narrative elements on this page, drawing out core principles concerning learning from past mistakes, protecting against the evil eye, the balance of absolute reliance on Allah (Tawakkul), and comforting the distressed.

1. Wisdom and Caution: Not Being Stung Twice

Quranic Context (Verse 64): "He said, 'Should I entrust you with him except as I entrusted you with his brother before? But Allah is the best guardian, and He is the most merciful of the merciful.'"

When the brothers asked for Benjamin, Ya'qub's immediate skepticism demonstrates an essential psychological principle explicitly mirrored in a famous prophetic maxim. He refused to blindly trust the same individuals who had previously caused him a lifetime of grief regarding Yusuf.

• The Hadith: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ summarized this precise principle of situational awareness and caution:
  "A believer is not stung from the same hole twice."
  — Sahih al-Bukhari (6133) & Sahih Muslim (2998)

• Sunnah Application: Both Ya'qub's response and the Sunnah establish that while forgiveness is noble, a believer must remain practically wise and avoid putting themselves or their loved ones in environments where they can be repeatedly exploited or harmed by the same perpetrators.

2. Taking Practical Precautions Against the Evil Eye (Al-Ayn)

Quranic Context (Verse 67): "And he said, 'O my sons, do not enter from one gate, but enter from different gates...'"

Classical Hadith commentators (including Ibn Kathir) note that Ya'qub's instruction to his sons was a direct counter-measure against the Evil Eye. The brothers were physically strong, numerous, and exceptionally handsome men traveling together; entering an entire city as a single large group could easily trigger deep envy, curiosity, or malice from onlookers.

• The Hadith on the Evil Eye: The Prophet ﷺ confirmed the biological and spiritual reality behind Ya'qub's parental anxiety:
  "The evil eye is real, and if anything could precede the divine decree (Qadar), it would be the evil eye."
  — Sahih Muslim (2188)

• The Prophetic Practice: The Sunnah models taking physical precautions to ward off envy. For example, the Prophet ﷺ used to actively seek divine protection for his young grandsons, Hasan and Husayn, by reciting prayers to shield them from "every envious eye" (Sahih al-Bukhari, 3371).

3. The True Meaning of Reliance (Tawakkul)

Quranic Context (Verse 67): "...I cannot avail you against Allah at all. The decision is only for Allah; upon Him I have relied, and upon Him let those who would rely rely."

Ya'qub flawlessly balances the outer necessity of taking material precautions (entering through different gates) with the inner theological necessity of relying entirely upon Allah. He acknowledges that no human strategy can block a divine decree. This is the ultimate blueprint for Tawakkul in Islamic theology.

• The Hadith on Tying the Camel: The perfect encapsulation of Ya'qub’s dual approach is found in the celebrated advice the Prophet ﷺ gave to a Bedouin man:
  A man said, "O Messenger of Allah, should I tie my camel and trust in Allah, or leave it untied and trust in Allah?" The Prophet ﷺ replied, "Tie her, then trust in Allah."
  — Jami` at-Tirmidhi (2517)

4. Brotherhood and Alleviating Distress (Gham)

Quranic Context (Verse 69): "And when they entered upon Yusuf, he took his brother to himself; he said, 'Indeed, I am your brother, so do not despair over what they used to do.'"

Yusuf's first act upon reuniting with his full brother Benjamin was to pull him away from the hostile dynamic of the stepbrothers, reveal his identity, and immediately alleviate his lifetime of loneliness and sadness (Aasala). This directly maps to the core Sunnah objective of checking in on relatives and lifting psychological burdens from those who are hurting.

• The Hadith: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ heavily emphasized the immense reward of bringing emotional and practical relief to others:
  "Whoever relieves a believer of a burden from the burdens of this world, Allah will relieve him of a burden from the burdens of the Day of Judgement."
  — Sahih Muslim (2699)

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. I. (1997). Sahih al-Bukhari. Darussalam Publishers.

• Al-Naysaburi, M. H. (2007). Sahih Muslim. Darussalam Publishers.

• At-Tirmidhi, M. I. (2007). Jami` at-Tirmidhi. Darussalam Publishers.

• Ibn Kathir, I. (2000). Tafsir Al-Quran Al-Azim (Vol. 4). Dar-us-Salam Publications.