The Holy Quran Text. Translation & Commentary (the Example Commentary in Brief)(volume Three)

In the Palace of Egyptian Aziz (verse No. 21 - 22)

Joseph was eventually brought to the capital city of Egypt, (MEMPHIS) and in the city's slave market, was exposed for sale. His glory attracted all the eyes, and a man of the highest rank in the court of Pharaoh (SUCH AS THE PRIME MINISTER) titled, ``AZIZ'' bought Joseph and brought him to his palace. AZIZ told his wife; a very beautiful young virgin (HER HUSBAND BEING IMPOTENT) named, ``ZULAIKHAH'':ِ ``Treat the boy with honour, perhaps he may profit us or we may adopt him for a son.'' And thus God settled him in the land in order to teach him the interpretation of the phenomenons.

The Arabic, ©AHAADITH¨ translated here to phenomenons means facts, or new occurrences in nature and society and other aspects of life, but here the immediate reference is to dreams and famine through which Joseph could foretell the occurrence of some future events. Joseph in his new position in that court was acquainted with many things that were new to him. In one side of the town he saw the glorious splendour of pharaoh and his courtiers with plenty of livelihood, and their extraordinary wealth and welfare. In the other side of the town which layed the slavery market, he saw the poor and helpless men and women, who were enslaved and snatched from their home towns to serve a certain class of people.

When Joseph looked behind himself he learned many wonderful lessons, that, how man proposes but God disposes! As instances; he saw himself relied on his brothers who betrayed him and the work of the mysterious hand of God that changed the betrayal of the brothers to the benefit of their victim! He loved his father dearly but had to separate. He loved his mother tenderly but she died early, and so was the case with our prophet, Mohammad (AS). He was a mere truth and virtue when settled in the palace of AZIZ, but soon he had to join the prisoners through scandals! All these events were tests and trials of God, to improve him, and to grow him, and to put all his hidden abilities and faculties into work and function.

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وَرَاوَدَتْهُ الَّتِي هُوَ فِي بَيْتِهَا عَنْ نَفْسِهِ وَغَلَّقَتْ الاَْبْوَابَ وَقَالَتْ هَيْتَ لَكَ قَالَ مَعَاذَ اللهِ إِنَّهُ رَبِّي أَحْسَنَ مَثْوَاىَ إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الظَّالِمُونَ(( 23 ))

23- AND SHE IN WHOSE HOUSE HE WAS, SOLICITED HIM, AND LOCKED THE DOORS, AND SHE SAID:ِ COME ON. (I AM YOURS) HE SAID:ِ ``GOD FORBID! THAT MY LORD HAS HONOURED MY POSITION. VERILY THE OPPRESSORS WILL NOT PROSPER.''

وَلَقَدْ هَمَّتْ بِهِ وَهَمَّ بِهَا لَوْلاَ أَنْ رَّأَى بُرْهَانَ رَبِّهِ كَذَلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ السُّوءَ وَالْفَحْشَاءَ إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُخْلَصِينَ (( 24 ))

24- AND SHE MADE FOR HIM, AND HE TOO (WOULD HAVE) MADE FOR HER, HAD HE NOT SEEN THE REASON OF HIS LORD! SO DID WE, IN ORDER TO TURN AWAY FROM HIM THE EVIL AND INDECENCY; FOR, HE WAS OF OUR SINCERE SERVANTS.

THE COMMENTARY THE FERVENT LOVE OF AZIZ'S WIFE (VERSE NO. 23 - 24)

With his Divine and beautiful face and feature, Joseph attracted the kind attention of AZIZ, as well as ZULAIKHAH, his beautiful wife. Besides the extraordinary physical and spiritual beauty of Joseph, there were other factors too, that made the young woman to fall in a burning love with Josephِher luxurious and comfortable lifeِhaving no childrenِand after all being entirely free from restrictions, helped to cast her into a passionate and fervent love for Joseph.

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Although her husband had asked her to mother Joseph and treat him as an adopted son, she could not help cherishing an ardent love for him, seeking to satisfy her own selfish passion and carnal desires, while Joseph was thinking otherwise. In spite of her tender love for him, she still looked at Joseph with the eye of a slave servant, and could not recognize the moral purity, and spiritual dignity of the godly young man! And here was where the conflict between them began. She did all that she could to attract his attention to her sexual beauties but she always failed! One day when she and he were both alone in the house, she dressed herself with her most beautiful and sexual dresses, and then locked the doors hiding the keys and exposed herself indecently to Joseph:ِ

``And she in whose house he was, solicited him, and locked the doors, and she said: come on! Here I am yours!'' Joseph severly retarded her advances, saying:ِ

``God forbid! My Lord has honoured my position, and the oppressors will not prosper.'' His appeal was firstly his faith in God and the law that was sent down to his fathers, Abraham and Jacob. It secondly was the duty that he and she owed to AZIZ for his kindness and the respect with which he treated both of them. It therefore seemed inevitable for Joseph to repel her and abstain himself, though it is said that; no one can resist beauty. And how could he and she with hold, when Joseph was a young man like any other, and Zulaikhah's blind love and awful beauty had placed a great trial and test in his path!:ِ ``And she made for him, and he too would have made for her, had he not seen the reason of his Lord.'' Joseph could see with his spiritual eyes what Zulaikhah could not see. For example; she thought no one could see them as far as the doors were closed and locked, but Joseph had a deep faith in God who is everywhere and can see everything. So his faith gave him a proof

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against the Satanic Temptations of sex affairs. Our poetical tradition says that; in that critical instance of love decision, Zulaikha covered the face of an idol she had in a niche in the room! Joseph saw it and asked her why did she do that? She said:ِ ``I don't want my god to see us in the state of guilt!'' Her assertion reminded Joseph of his Lord God who was watching them, and at once he escaped towards the door that he knew it was locked! Later on when Joseph was asked:ِ ``Knowing that the door was locked, why did you escape towards it?'' In answer to this question, Joseph said:ِ ``I found my duty to run away towards the door, and I knew that God had the power of opening all locks, and he did so.''

FIGHT WITH THE CARNAL SOUL

The greatest of wars is that which is waged against the low desires of our carnal soulِso has our prophet said. No true victory can be attained over the external enemies, before we have not vanquished our internal foes. These are the carnal desires and passions of our soul. Here Joseph's fight with his unlawful intention, and low carnal desires is a clear example of such strives and fights. His fight against his unlawful wishes, and his life of piety and purity, promoted him from the bottom of the well, up to the top of the throne of power and true respect! This is a good lesson to be taken by those who want to tread the path of spiritual and physical evolution and development.

THE REWARD OF PIETY

Joseph was a pious and sincere servant of God, and for that, Allah turned away from him the evil and indecency:ِ ``.... And so did We, in order to turn away from him the evil and indecency, for, he was of our sincere servants.'' This shows that so long as a man has faith in God and seeks to keep himself sincere and pure, God will not leave him alone and

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unattended in the hazards and critical conditions. He guards and protects His servants, and delivers them from darkness to light, as a reward of their piety and being faithful.

وَاسْتَبَقَا الْبَابَ وَقَدَّتْ قَمِيصَهُ مِنْ دُبُر وَأَلْفَيَا سَيِّدَهَا لَدَى الْبَابِ قَالَتْ مَا جَزَاءُ مَنْ أَرَادَ بِأَهْلِكَ سُوءاً إِلاَّ أَنْ يُسْجَنَ أَوْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (( 25 ))

25- THEY RACED TO THE DOOR, AND SHE (CLINGING TO HIM) RENT HIS SHIRT FROM BEHIND. AND THEY FOUND HER MASTER (HUSBAND) AT THE DOOR!

SHE SAID:ِ ``WHAT IS THE PUNISHMENT FOR HIM WHO INTENDS EVIL TO YOUR WIFE!? EXCEPT BEING IMPRISONED OR A PAINFUL TORMENT.''

قَالَ هِيَ رَاوَدَتْنِي عَنْ نَفْسِي وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا إِنْ كَانَ قَمِيصُهُ قُدَّ مِنْ قُبُل فَصَدَقَتْ وَهُوَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ(( 26 ))

26- HE SAID:ِ ``SHE SOLICITED ME!'' AND A WITNESS FROM HER FAMILY BORE WITNESS, SAYING:ِ ``IF HIS SHIRT HAS BEEN TORN FROM THE FRONT, SHE SPEAKS THE TRUTH AND HE IS A LIAR.''

وَإِنْ كَانَ قَمِيصُهُ قُدَّ مِنْ دُبُر فَكَذَبَتْ وَهُوَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ(( 27 ))

27- AND IF HIS SHIRT HAS BEEN TORN FROM BEHIND, THEN HE SPEAKS THE TRUTH AND SHE IS THE LIAR.

فَلَمَّا رَأَى قَمِيصَهُ قُدَّ مِنْ دُبُر قَالَ إِنَّهُ مِنْ كَيْدِكُنَّ إِنَّ كَيْدَكُنَّ عَظِيمٌ(( 28 ))

28- WHEN HE (AZIZ)SAW THAT HIS SHIRT WAS TORN FROM

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BEHIND, HE SAID:ِ ``THIS IS OF YOUR (WOMANISH) TRICKS. VERILY YOUR TRICK IS GREAT.''

يُوسُفُ أَعْرِضْ عَنْ هَذَا وَاسْتَغْفِرِي لِذَنْبِكِ إِنَّكِ كُنتِ مِنْ الْخَاطِئِينَ(( 29 ))

29- JOSEPH! TURN AWAY FROM THIS. (FORGET IT) AND (YOU ZULAIKHAH!) ASK FORGIVENESS FOR YOUR SIN, THAT YOU HAVE BEEN GUILTY.

THE COMMENTARY AZIZ'S WIFE IN IGNOMINY AND PUBLIC DISGRACE (VERSE NO. 25 - 29)

The resistance of Joseph despaired Zulaikhah, and filled her with anger. Joseph found it more dangerous to stand arguing because she in her mad passion had made the situation very critical. At once he left her and made for the door to open it some how and run away, and when so, she too chased him. She reached him and seized the back of the collar of his shirt which was rent from behind, and meanwhile the door was opened and they found AZIZ at the door! Zulaikhah who was full of wrath for her love being scorned, and willing to avenge herself, had to forge some lie, and invent excuses to justify herself for her present state. There is a saying that, one guilt leads to another, and to prove one lie, many new lies are to be forged. She therefore accused him of being the assailant party in that private affair! She said:ِ

``What is the punishment for him who intends evil to your wife except being imprisoned, or afflicted with a painful torment?'' Before finding herself at the threshold of public disgrace, she had forgotten that she was the wife to AZIZ of Egypt; and now by saying:ِ ``He intends evil to your wife'', she tried to incite AZIZ to violence against her innocent canaanite adopted son!

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Joseph bore himself with dignity, and was well-balanced in that decisive moment. An honest man has nothing to fear. Therefore, calm and cold, and with simplicity, he said:ِ ``It was she who, solicited me and who sought to seduce.'' It was hard to clear up the real fact, because there was no eye - witness to what had happened between them, and the accusation could more easily grasp, Joseph than a married lady of the noble class. Fortunately there was a learned man of wisdom from her relatives, in accompany with AZIZ as his advisor, who managed to illustrate the truth in an obvious way. Some Islamic traditions say that the witness was a child who so wonderfully judged the matter! Whoever the witness was, he judged so clear that convinced AZIZ and all. He said:ِ

``If Joseph's shirt was torn at the back, he must obviously have been in a state of escape, and she pulling him from behind.'' This judgement left no doubt for anyone that Zulaikhah was guilty and Joseph guiltless. AZIZ loved his lovely wife and made sure that Joseph was innocent, loyal, and faithful to him. So he treated the whole matter as the madness of youth and earthly loves, and womanish tricks. He took it easy, and only blamed his wife and asked her to repent and seek forgiveness.

وَقَالَ نِسْوَةٌ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ امْرَأَةُ الْعَزِيزِ تُرَاوِدُ فَتَاهَا عَنْ نَفْسِهِ قَدْ شَغَفَهَا حُبّاً إِنَّا لَنَرَاهَا فِي ضَلاَل مُبِين(( 30 ))

30- AND SOME OF THE WOMEN IN THE CITY SAID:ِ ``THE WIFE OF AZIZ SOLICITS HER (SLAVE) BOY! HIS LOVE HAS PENETRATED DEEP INTO HER HEART, AND WE SEE HER IN MANIFEST ERROR.''

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فَلَمَّا سَمِعَتْ بِمَكْرِهِنَّ أَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَعْتَدَتْ لَهُنَّ مُتَّكَأً وَآتَتْ كُلَّ وَاحِدَة مِنْهُنَّ سِكِّيناً وَقَالَتِ اخْرُجْ عَلَيْهِنَّ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْنَهُ أَكْبَرْنَهُ وَقَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ وَقُلْنَ حَاشَ للهِِ مَا هَذَا بَشَراً إِنْ هَذَا إِلاَّ مَلَكٌ كَرِيمٌ (( 31 ))

31- WHEN SHE HEARD OF THEIR INTRIGUE, SHE SENT FOR THEM (AN INVITATION), AND PREPARED FOR THEM A BOLSTER, AND GAVE EACH OF THEM A (SHARP) KNIFE. THEN SHE SAID TO JOSEPH:ِ ``COME OUT BEFORE THEM.'' WHEN THEY SAW HIM THEY EXTOLLED HIM AND THEY CUT THEIR HANDS, EXCLAIMING:ِ ``GOD SAVE US! THIS IS NOT A MAN! HE IS NO OTHER THAN A NOBLE ANGEL!''

قَالَتْ فَذَلِكُنَّ الَّذِي لُمْتُنَّنِي فِيهِ وَلَقَدْ رَاوَدتُّهُ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ فَاسْتَعْصَمَ وَلَئِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ مَا آمُرُهُ لَيُسْجَنَنَّ وَلَيَكُوناً مِنَ الصَّاغِرِينَ(( 32 ))

32- SHE SAID:ِ ``THIS IS HE ABOUT WHOM YOU REPROACHED ME. AND I DID SOLICIT HIM, BUT HE ABSTAINED; AND IF HE DO NOT DO WHAT I BID HIM, HE SHALL BE IMPRISONED AND WILL BECOME OF THOSE HELD IN SCORN.''

قَالَ رَبِّ السِّجْنُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا يَدْعُونَنِي إِلَيْهِ وَإِلاَّ تَصْرِفْ عَنِّي كَيْدَهُنَّ أَصْبُ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَكُنْ مِّنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ(( 33 ))

33- HE SAID:ِ ``MY LORD. PRISON IS DEARER TO ME THAN THAT TO WHICH THEY INVITE ME, AND IF YOU DO NOT TURN THEIR TRICKS AWAY FROM ME, I WILL INCLINE TOWARDS

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THEM AND BECOME ONE OF THE IGNORANTS.''

فَاسْتَجَابَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ فَصَرَفَ عَنْهُ كَيْدَهُنَّ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ(( 34 ))

34- SO HIS LORD ANSWERED HIM AND TURNED AWAY FROM HIM THEIR GUILE, THAT HE IS THE ALL-HEARING, ALL-KNOWING.

THE COMMENTARY ZOLAIKHAH'S NEXT PLOT (VERSE NO. 30 - 34)

The love affair and solicitation of Zulaikhah was a personal and private one, and could easily be ignored. AZIZ too put an stress on hiding it, but such affairs, particularly those of the courtiers and high classes of people will divulge easily, and only the tip of one tongue may turn it to a general topic of conversation. So the courtier women got into a real fuss about Zulaikhah's love for her slave boy saying:ِ ``The wife of AZIZ solicits her slave boy! His love has penetrated deep into her heart. She is in a manifest error.'' Rumours and whispers corroded her reputation. When she saw her fame and public esteem in danger, she invited all the distinct and prominent ladies of the town to a fashionable banquet held in her house.

She prepared blosters for them to recline at ease after the dinner, and fruit were brought to be served for dessert. For that, she gave each of the ladies a sharp knife to cut their fruits. Talks flowed about the common gossip that their hostess had some secret affair with her slave boy, and the ladies were about to cut their fruits with the sharp knife when Lo! Joseph like a noble angel, with his physical and spiritual splendour and beauty came into their midst, as per order of his mistress! Seeing that amazing mere beauty, all the ladies lost their self-control, and cut their own hands and fingers instead of the fruit:ِ

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``When they saw him they extolled him and cut their hands exclaiming:ِ God save us! This is not a man! He is no other than a noble angel!'' Now Zulaikhah's reaction was cunningly made, and artful; and with a pride of triumph she said to here astonished guests:ِ ``Now you can see with your own eyes that my love was not a vulgar passion. If you too were me, you would have done the same and more, He is my slave and I am his mistress, and he must obey and follow my orders, or else, he must go to jail, and join the company of the vile and wicked people instead of me and my husband.'' Joseph was faithful to God and, sincere in his faith. So hearing what the ladies and in particular what his mistress said, he took refuge in God and commended himself to the care of heavens for knowing the weakness of human nature:ِ

``He said:ِ My Lord! Prison is dearer to me than that to which they invite me; and if You do not turn their wiles away from me, I will incline towards them and become one of the ignorants.''

Joseph commended himself to Allah, and God will never leave alone His pure and sincere servants, particularly when they pray for help. Therefore his Lord heard his prayer and saved him from the wiles of women; and in the safe and private corner of the prison, prepared him for the planned progress, and expected development and evolution. Our prophet (AS) has said:ِ ``There are seven groups of people that Allah will place them at the shadow of His throne in a day in which there is no shadow except that:ِ''

1ِ A Just leader. 2ِ A youth grown in God's service. 3ِ He whose heart is connected with God's mosque and centers of worship. 4ِ Those who collectively work for the cause of God. 5ِ He who, when, hears the name of God, tears flow down his eyes. 6ِ The man who is invited by a beautiful lady and he refuses saying; I fear my Lord. 7ِ And finally he who helps the poor and needy and keeps his help strictly confidential.

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ثُمَّ بَدَا لَهُمْ مِّنْ بَعْدِ مَا رَأَوْا الاْيَاتِ لَيَسْجُنُنَّهُ حَتَّى حِين(( 35 ))

35- THEN IT SEEMED BETTER TO THEM, AFTER SEEING THE EVIDENCES, TO IMPRISON HIM FOR THE TIME BEING.

وَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ السِّجْنَ فَتَيَانِ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا إِنِّي أَرَانِي أَعْصِرُ خَمْراً وَقَالَ الاْخَرُ إِنِّي أَرَانِي أَحْمِلُ فَوْقَ رَأْسِي خُبْزاً تَأْكُلُ الطَّيْرُ مِنْهُ نَبِّئْنَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِ إِنَّا نَرَاكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ(( 36 ))

36- AND THERE ENTERED THE PRISON WITH HIM TWO YOUNG MEN. ONE OF THEM SAID:ِ ``I DREAMT THAT I WAS PRESSING (GRAPES FOR) WINE; AND THE LATTER SAID; I DREAMED THAT I WAS CARRYING BREAD ON MY HEAD OF WHICH BIRDS WERE EATING! INFORM US OF ITS INTERPRETATION THAT WE SEE YOU TO BE OF THE GOOD-DOERS.''

قَالَ لاَ يَأْتِيكُمَا طَعَامٌ تُرْزَقَانِهِ إِلاَّ نَبَّأْتُكُمَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَأْتِيَكُمَا ذَلِكُمَا مِمَّا عَلَّمَنِي رَبِّي إِنِّي تَرَكْتُ مِلَّةَ قَوْم لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللهِ وَهُمْ بِالاْخِرَةِ هُمْ كَافِرُونَ(( 37 ))

37- HE SAID BEFORE (THE RATION OF) FOOD COMES TO YOU TO EAT IT, I WILL INFORM YOU OF ITS INTERPRETATION. THAT IS A PART OF WHAT MY LORD HAS TAUGHT ME, FOR I HAVE LEFT THE CREED OF THE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN ALLAH, AND WHO DENY THE LIFE TO COME.

وَاتَّبَعْتُ مِلَّةَ آبَائِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ مَا كَانَ لَنَا أَنْ نُشْرِكَ بِاللهِ مِنْ شَيْء ذَلِكَ مِنْ فَضْلِ اللهِ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى النَّاسِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَشْكُرُونَ(( 38 ))

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38- AND FOLLOWED THE CREED OF MY FATHERS, ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB. IT IS NOT (IN THE CREED) OF US TO ASSOCIATE ANYTHING WITH ALLAH. THIS IS BY ALLAH'S GRACE UPON US AND UPON THE PEOPLE, BUT MOST OF THE PEOPLE DO NOT GIVE THANKS.

THE COMMENTARY PRISON FOR THE GUILTLESS (VERSE NO. 35 - 38)

The news of the banquet in which the ladies cut their hands reached AZIZ, and it was clearly proved that Joseph was not an ordinary man, and that he was so upright and virtuous that no temptation could pervert or mislead him. So in the sight of AZIZ and Zulaikhah, it seemed better to cast him out of views for sometimes, to give an end to the rumours and womanish disputes. In the sight of Joseph too, prison was better than being pressed with the unlawful requests and solicitations of so many ladies who were blinded by their low desires, and who wanted to force him to leave the path of rectitude, either by threat or bribe. So they imprisoned him for the time being.

In that prison the plan of Allah developed, and a new chapter was opened in the life of Joseph, that man proposes but God disposes. In the universal plan of God, the prison was a door that would be opened to the court and palace of the King! There entered the prison with him two men who were officers of Pharaoh, and most probably his cup-bearer and baker, having incurred the king's wrath. Both of them found Joseph to be a truthful man of faith and wisdom, and also very kind to God's creature and a good-doer. The two man asked Joseph to interpret their dreams. The

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cup-bearer had dreamt that he was pressing grapes for wine, and the baker had dreamed that he was carrying bread on his head of which birds were eating. Before telling them the interpretation of their dream, Joseph tried to teach them faith and Monotheism, which had rooted in his own soul in all aspects. God had taught him knowledge and wisdom, he said, because he had left away the creed of those people who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, and that he had followed the apostles of God like ABRAHAM, ISAAC, and JACOB who were his own forefathers.

يَا صَاحِبَىِ السِّجْنِ أَأَرْبَابٌ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمْ اللهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ (( 39 ))

39- O, MY FELLOW PRISONERS! ARE NUMEROUS DIFFERING LORDS BETTER OR ALLAH THE ONE THE OMNIPOTENT?

مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ إِلاَّ أَسْمَاءً سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنْتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُمْ مَا أَنزَلَ اللهُ بِهَا مِنْ سُلْطَان إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلاَّ للهِِ أَمَرَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُوا إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ(( 40 ))

40- YOU WORSHIP NOT APART FROM HIM EXCEPT NAMES THAT YOU AND YOUR FATHERS HAVE NAMED. ALLAH HAS SENT DOWN NO AUTHORITY FOR THEM. COMMANDMENT RESTS WITH ALLAH ONLY. HE HAS COMMANDED THAT YOU SHOULD WORSHIP NOTHING BUT HIM. THAT IS THE RIGHT RELIGION, BUT MOST OF THE PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW.

يَا صَاحِبَىِ السِّجْنِ أَمَّا أَحَدُكُمَا فَيَسْقِي رَبَّهُ خَمْراً وَأَمَّا الاْخَرُ فَيُصْلَبُ فَتَأْكُلُ الطَّيْرُ مِنْ رَأْسِهِ قُضِىَ الاَْمْرُ الَّذِي فِيهِ تَسْتَفْتِيَانِ (( 41 ))

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41- O, MY FELLOW-PRISONERS! AS FOR ONE OF YOU, HE SHALL POUR WINE FOR HIS LORD (TO DRINK), AND AS FOR THE OTHER, HE SHALL BE CRUCIFIED, AND THE BIRDS WILL EAT OUT OF HIS HEAD. THE MATTER THAT YOU TWO ENQUIRED HAS (THUS) BEEN DECREED.

وَقَالَ لِلَّذِي ظَنَّ أَنَّهُ نَاج مِنْهُمَا اذْكُرْنِي عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ فَأَنسَاهُ الشَّيْطَانُ ذِكْرَ رَبِّهِ فَلَبِثَ فِي السِّجْنِ بِضْعَ سِنِينَ(( 42 ))

42- AND HE SAID TO THE ONE OF THE TWO, WHOM HE DEEMED TO BE SAVED:ِ ``REMEMBER ME TO YOUR LORD.'' BUT SATAN MADE HIM TO FORGET. SO HE STAYED IN THE PRISON FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

THE COMMENTARY PRISON AS A CENTER OF TRAINING (VERSE NO. 39 - 42)

Joseph continued preaching his doctrine of Monotheism to the prisoners with a two-fold purposes:ِ If the cup-bearer who was supposed to be saved and restored to his position would believe in Allah and the life to come, his faith could serve to make him an honest believer and helpful to the helpless and needy. He could be very effective in this field for having such a position, and being so near to Pharaoh. If the baker who was condemned to death would believe in God and in the life to come after his death, he could have the consolation of thinking that his crucification was not the end of his existence, but the beginning of a new life in a new world. He therefore put an stress upon

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the faith in God saying:ِ ``My fellow prisoners! Let us talk frankly and friendly that we all suffer the same misfortune and hardship of prison and misjudgements. Do you think having many lords with various ideals and plans and plots, and with the inevitable conflict between them, is better than having one true God who is the real and Merciful Lord of all creatures? The only true Lord whose power is infinite and irresistible? And do you not think that too many cooks will spoil the broth? Whatever you worship other than Allah, are merely names that are either your inventions or your forefather's forgeries. And after all; who gave you the authority to worship some pieces of stones that you have carved with your own hands!? Authority and commandments rest with Allah alone. He has already commanded that you should worship nothing but Him. This commandment has been revealed by the Messengers of God, and through His clear signs and evidences; and it is such a worship that is the rightful creed and the most upright religion, which is supported by knowledge and wisdom.''

Joseph then passed from such spiritual matters, and proceeded to answer the questions for which the two prisoners had come to him. As for the cup-bearer he had a good news, that soon would he pour wine for his lord to drink, and would reobtain his position as the cup-bearer of Pharaoh. But for the other prisoner the news was too bad, and Joseph hid it not from him. The baker would soon be crucified and birds would eat out of his head. Although this was a terrible news, but Joseph had already planted some higher hope in him; that everything lays in the hands of our Merciful Lord, and there is a higher and more lasting life to come after death, for those who have faith.

Here Joseph thought of getting out of the prison in order to be more useful to people, and to the cause of God; or at least make AZIZ to forget him not in that dungeon which was no better than the well of his brethren. He therefore said to the cup-bearer:ِ ``Remember me to your lord! But Satan made him to forget, and so he had to stay in the jail for years.'' For common people it is not a sin to resort to natural means, for a rescue from prison or a misery. But for a saint and a man of God, it is not becoming to leave God and resort to natural means and the

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``As soon as Joseph said to the cup-bearer to remember me to your lord, GABRIEL, the Arch Angel of God apeared to him and asked him questions; Your Lord asks you Joseph; who shaped you in such a beautiful form that you have? My Lord God, was the answer.'' ``Who did send the caravan near by, and to find and save you from the well? He was my God who did so, answered Joseph. Who turned the wiles of the ladies away from you and held you clean an pure? Again, ``my God'' was Joseph's answere. Then what made you to ignore such a Merciful Lord, and ask his creature to consider your request? You therefore have to remain here in this prison for several years!''

What could Joseph do or say except shedding bitter tears and asking God's forgiveness through a sincere repentance? This was what he did. Our prophet did say to a bedouin Arab; ``first tie up the feet of your camel, and then leave her alone, by putting your trust in Allah;'' but of surety, he would not say to the apostle, Danial; ``take a sword first and then enter the well of the lions.''