2 – Focusing our attention on the verses of this Surah...

2 – Focusing our attention on the verses of this Surah reveals the fact that the holy Qur’an is a miracle in all its dimensions, and the champions it presents in its stories are real, not imaginary and unique in their class. There is Abraham, the iconoclastic champion who, with his sublime and unconquerable spirit stood alone opposing powerful despots. There is Moses, the hero who taught an obstinate people to go against a recalcitrant oppressor.

And then there is Yusuf (Joseph) (as), the champion who embodied righteousness, purity and virtue versus a passionate, beautiful and conniving woman. On reading this Surah we cannot help but be struck with wonderment at the revelation of the Qur’an and its ability to relate a story of such subtlety and profundity.

Among the many subjects covered by this Surah, the story of Yusuf also deals with the sensitive issue of love, the Qur’an does not overlook or bypass these issues, indeed, it speaks of them in great detail but in such a way that no undesirable or negative effect would be left on the reader. It delves deeply into every issue and proposition but one would find that powerful rays of virtue may dominate the discussion at all times.

3 – The story of Yusuf before and after Islam: Undoubtedly, the story of Yusuf had been known before Islam. This story has been extensively mentioned in 14 chapters (37 to 50) in the Book of Genesis. A careful reading of these 14 chapters shows that what is found in the Torah is quite different from what is in the Qur’an. A comparison of the two accounts reveals the extent to which the Qur’anic version is void of all the superstitions found in the Torah.

And the fact that the Qur’an says to the Prophet: “ Before this, thou too was among those who knew it not ”, is a reference made to the Prophet’s lack of prior awareness of the story and the sheer truth of this instructive biography. Indeed, whatever the prophets possess is God-given. After the dawn of Islam, historians also wrote accounts and interpretations of the story. In Persian poetry and literature, the first story told about Yusuf and Zulaykha is ascribed to Ferdowsi.

Then the poems composed by Shahabuddin ‘Am‘aq and Mas‘udi Ghomi, and later, we find the famous poetry entitled ‘Yusuf and Zulaykha’ composed by ‘Abdurahman Jami, the famous poet of the 9th century A.H. 4- Why is the story of Yusuf, unlike that of the other prophets, expounded in one place?