247 Page Notes

12 Surah Yusuf (continued)

Page 247 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

12:96

12:97

12:98

12:99

12:100

12:101

12:102

12:103

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 247 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 247 of the Quran contains Surah Yusuf (Chapter 12), Verses 96 through 103.

This page delivers the grand emotional and theological conclusion to the story of Yusuf before transitioning into the closing reflections of the Surah. The bearer of good news arrives in Canaan and casts Yusuf's shirt over Ya'qub's face, instantly restoring his eyesight. The brothers acknowledge their massive sins and beg their father to seek forgiveness for them, to which he promises, "I will look to my Lord for your forgiveness."

The family then migrates to Egypt, where Yusuf embraces his parents, seats them upon the throne, and they all fall down in prostration to him—fulfilling the visionary childhood dream he had decades prior. Yusuf reflects deeply on Allah's subtle kindness (Latif) in resolving the discord caused by Satan. He makes a beautiful prayer to die as a submissive believer (Muslim) before the text shifts back to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, reminding him that this narrative is a revelation of hidden history (Ghaib) that he could not have otherwise known.

The prophetic Sunnah and classical Ahadith directly touch upon these verses to establish rules on the timing of prayers for forgiveness, the historical evolution of prostration, the supreme value of dying in a state of Islam, and the proof of Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood.

1. Delaying Supplication for Blessed Timings (Tahajjud)

Quranic Context (Verse 98): "He said, 'I will [soon] ask forgiveness for you from my Lord. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.'"

When the brothers asked Ya'qub to seek forgiveness for them, he did not make the supplication instantly. Instead, he used the future tense marker sawfa ("I will soon..."). Classical Hadith commentators and companions investigated why a prophet would delay a prayer for repentance.

• The Sunnah Link to the Last Third of the Night: Multiple classical narrations track Ya'qub's delay to a deliberate strategy of waiting for the most textually blessed time of the day—the pre-dawn hours (Tahajjud / Sahar).
  Ibn Abbas and other companions noted regarding Verse 98: "He delayed it until the dawn breeze (Sahar) because supplications are answered at that time."
  — Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Corroborated by standard Athar corpora)

• The Authentic Hadith Core: The Sunnah establishes why this specific time window holds immense spiritual weight:
  "Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, saying: 'Who is saying a prayer to Me that I may answer it? Who is asking something of Me that I may give it to him? Who is asking My forgiveness that I may forgive him?'"
  — Sahih al-Bukhari (1145) & Sahih Muslim (758)

2. The Abrogation of Prostration of Respect (Sujud al-Tahiyyah)

Quranic Context (Verse 100): "And he raised his parents upon the throne, and they bowed to him in prostration (sujjadan). And he said, 'O my father, this is the explanation of my vision of before...'"

The prostration of Yusuf’s parents and brothers before him is a major point of discussion in Islamic legal history. In the religious laws (Shara'i) of past prophets, falling down in prostration was a valid, permissible custom to show high respect and honor to monarchs, rulers, or noble parents. However, the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ completely and permanently abolished this practice, restricting any physical prostration exclusively to Allah.

• The Hadith of Mu'adh bin Jabal: When Mu'adh returned from Syria, he prostrated before the Prophet ﷺ out of sheer respect, having seen Christians and Jews do the same to their religious leadership. The Prophet ﷺ immediately stopped him and said:
  "What is this, O Mu'adh?" He replied, "I went to Syria and found them prostrating to their priests and patriarchs, and I wished to do the same for you." The Prophet ﷺ commanded: "Do not do so! If I were to command anyone to prostrate to anyone other than Allah, I would have commanded the wife to prostrate to her husband."
  — Sunan Ibn Majah (1853) & Ahmad (22253; Verified Sahih)

3. Begging for a Good End (Husn al-Khatimah)

Quranic Context (Verse 101): "...Creator of the heavens and earth, You are my protector in this world and the Next. Cause me to die a Muslim and join me with the righteous."

Yusuf's prayer at the absolute peak of his worldly success (having wealth, political power, and his family reunited) is not for more material gain, but for a safe spiritual death. The Sunnah places immense emphasis on this exact concept, teaching that a person's entire spiritual legacy depends entirely on the state of their final breath.

• The Hadith: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught that temporary righteousness can fade, making the final state the only critical metric:
  "Verily, deeds are judged only by their endings (al-khawātīm)."
  — Sahih al-Bukhari (6607)

• The Continuous Prophetic Prayer: Mirroring Yusuf's deep humility, the Prophet ﷺ continuously made supplications to ensure his heart remained firmly anchored to Islam until his death:
  "O Turner of the hearts, keep my heart firm upon Your religion (Yā Muqalliba al-qulūb, thabbit qalbī ‘alā dīnik)."
  — Jami` at-Tirmidhi (2140)

4. Unveiling Hidden History as Proof of Prophethood

Quranic Context (Verse 102): "That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal, [O Muhammad], to you. And you were not with them when they put together their plan while they conspired."

This verse states that the incredibly detailed, psychologically accurate narrative of Surah Yusuf is an direct proof of Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood. He was an unlettered man living in an isolated desert society without access to historical libraries or biblical scholars, yet he accurately detailed the intricate legal and palace structures of ancient Egypt.

• The Sunnah Context: The Prophet ﷺ never claimed personal historical scholarship. When the Quraysh or local Jewish tribes tested his connection to the divine by asking highly specific questions about ancient history, his ability to produce these exact narratives via revelation served as a direct verification of his message.

• The Struggle with Human Disbelief: Verse 103 ("And most of the people, although you strive [for it], are not believers") mirrors the immense sorrow the Prophet ﷺ felt when his people rejected these clear historical signs, a feeling consistently addressed throughout the Sunnah.

References

• Ahmad ibn Hanbal. (2001). Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Mu'assasat al-Risalah.

• 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.

• Ibn Majah, M. (2007). Sunan Ibn Majah. Darussalam Publishers.