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S. Yusuf: The Incredible Symmetry of the Story

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  1.   This lecture and presentation are based on the amazing paper on the structure of Surat Yusuf written by Jawad Anwar Qureshi entitled "Ring Composition in Surat Yusuf (Q12)". 2. First let us look at the overall structure. Ayahs 1-3 is the introduction. Ayahs 102-111 are the conclusion. This has been talked about in a very detailed manner in the previous lectures. 3. Ayahs 4-6 are about the dream and it is a conversation between the father and son. A yahs 99-101 are about the dream being fulfilled and it is a conversation between father and son. 4. Ayahs 7-18 are about jealousy, scheming about him(AS) putting in a well which leads to separation. In Ayahs 58-98, the brothers come back again and there is family tension but this time it leads to reunification. 5. Ayahs 19-57 are in the middle. It is about Yusuf(AS)'s life in Egypt. It is all the events from him(AS) being a slave to him(AS) becoming the minister of finance. 6. Now, we are zooming in on the middle part(A...
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Surah Yusuf : Introduction Part 2 Two Legacies Bound

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  1. Fir'awn knew about Yusuf(AS). Fir'awn also knew Musa(AS) who came many years later. 2. Yusuf(AS) was given signs for saving Egypt(Interpretation of the dream). Musa(AS)was given signs for showing them that they are destroying Egypt(Listen to Allah or Egypt will be destroyed). 3. Yusuf(AS) saved Egypt by conserving water. In Musa(AS)'s time, water(ocean) destroyed Egypt. 4. Yusuf(AS)'s story began outside Egypt(Kan'an) and then they moved to inside Egypt. Musa(AS)'s story began inside Egypt and then they moved outside Egypt. 5. Yusuf(AS)'s family has entered Egypt in a dignified way. Musa(AS)'s family had to move out of Egypt secretly. 6. Yusuf(AS) was seen as' the savior' to the kingdom. Musa(AS) was seen by Fir'awn as a threat to the kingdom. 7. Yusuf(AS) was working peacefully in the kingdom. Musa(AS) was not working peacefully in the kingdom(Outcast). 8. Yusuf(AS) went from a shepherd to a great minister. ...
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Surah Yusuf: Introduction Part I

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  1. Unique gift given to Prophet(SAW) during the year of grief. 2. Yusuf - Asaf - Sorrow{ Most of his(AS)'s life is full of sorrow} [Consolation for Prophet(SAW). 3. Two important Prophets - Ibrahim(AS) and Musa(AS). 4. Islam is called(by Allah) the religion of Ibrahim(AS). 5. Conversation of Allah and Ibrahim(AS) in Qur'an- He(AS) got to know that some of his children will be wrongdoers. 6. Muhammad(AS) was the answer to Ibrahim(AS)'s du'a. 7. Ibrahim(AS) - Ismail(AS) and Ishaq(AS). 8. Lineage of Yusuf(AS) -  Yusuf(AS) ibn Yaqub(AS){Israeel} ibn Ishaq(AS) ibn Ibrahim(AS). 9. Muhammad(SAW) -  Ibrahim(AS) - Ismail(AS) - After many generations - Muhammad(SAW). 10. Conversation in Bible - Ibrahim(AS) was promised numerous offspring and special land. 11. This actually started with Yusuf(AS){Prosperity, nation, moving to Egypt, etc}. 12. This Surah is very intimate, emotional{Touches the heart} ['Ibra - Moves to tears]. 13. Christian Scholars try to re-interpret the sto...
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Surat Yusuf & The Final Messenger (S) - Conclusion

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  1. A relative of the Prophet(SAW) who had great political power in Makkah was Abu Sufyan. After Uhud, he hasn't yet accepted Islam so he was mocking the Muslims and said "My people are mutilating your dead bodies, I'm not doing it but I'm not going to stop it either." 2. In the story of    Yusuf(AS) , we see that it is not all the brothers that are speaking, only one brother is speaking but everyone is going along with it. 3. Evil doesn't take place because everyone is evil. Evil takes place because some people are evil and the rest of the people go along with the evil plans. 4. Not standing up for truth and goodness in an appropriate way even though you are not engaging in the plan is helping the evil grow. 5. Then way later, after Hudaibiyyah, some part of Quraysh violated the treat so Muslims could rightfully invade Makkah. The Prophet(SAW) camped outside Makkah and was planning to invade the following morning. Abu Sufyan comes to ask the Prophet(SAW) wit...
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Surat Yusuf & The Final Messenger (S) Part 2

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  Disclaimer: Some of the things mentioned here may not be appropriate for children below the age of 15. 1. There are different types of parallels. One type is the historic parallels where the sequence of one story is similar to the other story. Now let us see the other type of parallels. 2. To us, the Qur'an is a complete document but in the life of Prophet(SAW), the Qur'an is an ongoing conversation. Certain Ayahs were revealed at certain times and after certain events. 3. So the way we see the Qur'an is different from the way the Prophet(SAW) and by extension the believers at that time see the Qur'an. 4. One of the most occurring themes in Yusuf(AS)'s life is how a person with absolutely no power(a slave) rises to power(the finance minister) with the help of Allah.  5.  The Sahaba were treated as outcasts and especially Muslim slaves like Bilal(RA) were tortured similarly to Yusuf(AS). This makes the Sahaba relate to Yusuf(AS) and gives them hope and comfort. The...
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Surat Yusuf & The Final Messenger (S) Part 1

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  1. The story of Yusuf(AS) was revealed in the late Makki period. However it is not clear whether the devastating things(Death of Khadija(RA) and Uncle) had happened or were about to happen.  Either way, we know the Prophet(SAW) was experiencing   very intense things during the late  M akki period. 2. The story of Yusuf(AS) is a remarkable story on its own. The sole purpose of the story is not to find parallels between the Prophet(SAW) and Yusuf(AS). 3. However, while reflecting on Yusuf(AS)'s story, we will definitely find some parallels between them since both stories are made by the same author - Allah.  4. One of the most prominent parallels between this story and the Seerah of the Prophet(SAW) is the Surah An-Nasr. So we will study certain things about this Surah. 5. There are two views as to when this Surah was revealed. The most famous view is that this was revealed after the conquest, in the late-life  of the Prophet(SAW). This is based on the view...
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S. Yusuf: Literary Anchors

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  1. The word used for different groups of Ayahs in the Qur'an is called "SOORAH". This word comes from the word "SOOR" which means "the large gates outside a city that are meant for protection."  2. The word "SOORAH" is not the equivalent of "chapter", it is unique to the Qur'an. Similarly, the word "AYAH" is not  the equivalent of "verse", since a verse is always some kind of sentence and Ayah isn't always a sentence. 3. Interestingly, a "SOOR"(protective city wall) is built from down to top whereas Allah says that the "SOORAH" were revealed from top to down. The origin is in the skies, so they can never be scaled and invaded. 4. There are different kinds of studies in the Qu'ran, one of them is "Linear Coherence".  5.  Linear Coherence means how things connect one after the other. Surah Yusuf didn't need much discussion in this area since it is a coherent story and...
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