Salafi Disease of Literalism

Did Prophet Yusuf (as) Become a Mushrik, When He Said "lord" To His Egyptian Master?

And if Salafi are still not ready to accept the use of figurative expressions, then we challenge them to answer this question that why Prophet Yusuf (as) used the word "Rabi" (lord) for his Egyptian Master:

[Yusufali 12:23] But she in whose house he was, sought to seduce him from his (true) self: she fastened the doors, and said: "Now come, thou (dear one)!" He said: "Allah forbid! truly (thy husband) is my lord! he made my sojourn agreeable! truly to no good come those who do wrong!" Need we to comment any more about figurative expressions in Qur'an?

(For us it is clear that Yusuf(as) used this word in figurative sense, as he was grown up in the house of his Egyptian Master) Maulana Maudoodi's attempt to change the meaning of above verse in order to suit it to Salafi Doctrine The above verse of Prophet Yusuf (as) is the biggest blow to the Salafi doctrine, and they are unable to digest it.

Maulana Maudoodi (Alaihi Rehma) is a famous Deobandi scholar from Pakistan and his "Tafheem-ul-Quran" is known as one of the best "Tafseer" of Qur'an vouched as a masterpiece by the Deobandi and Salafi alike. When it came to the above verse, he was unable to digest it and he tried his utmost to change the meaning of above verse, in order suit the aqeedah of the Salafi and Deobandi.

Let's see what he wrote:

" Normally the "Mufassireen" (have committed a mistake and) taken from it that Yusuf (as) used the word of "rabi" (lord) for his Egyptian Master that how could he fornicate with his wife, as this would contravene his loyalty. But it is not suitable for the Prophets to commit a sin for the sake of others, instead of for the sake of Allah. And in the Qur'an too, there is no example that any of Rasool ever used the word of "lord" for anyone except Allah."

It's a very lame excuse from an Alim like Maulana Maudoodi. Qur'an is so clear on this point that there is almost no other "Mufassir" until this century who understood the above verse in a way that Maulana Maudoodi suggested.

Let us see the 2 preceding verses before verse 12:23.

[Yusufali 12:21] The man in Egypt who bought him, said to his wife: "Make his stay (among us) ????????? honourable: may be he will bring us much good, or we shall adopt him as a son

[Yusufali 12:23] But she in whose house he was, sought to seduce him from his (true) self: she fastened the doors, and said: "Now come, thou (dear one)!" He said: "Allah forbid! truly (thy husband) is my lord! he made my sojourn ????????? agreeable! truly to no good come those who do wrong!" So, verse 12:21 is enough to explain that to whom Yusuf (as) addressed as "Rabi" (lord) in the verse 12:23 .

That's why all the Muafassirin up till now came to this same conclusion. But since this verse is in direct contradiction to the Salafi self-made doctrine of Tawheed and literalism, Maulana Maudoodi tried his best to give it an another shape, in order to accommodate the views of his Madhab and those of his Salafi friends.

[Even the Saudi published Qur'an in Urdu (which is distributed freely among the people in Pakistan) has also accepted that in above verse Yusuf (as) used the words of "lord" for his Egyptian master.]

After reading the "Commentary of Qur'an" by Maulana Maudoodi, it becomes clear that in case of Tawassul, he is even more extreme than Salafi from Saudi Arabia. This can be seen at several places.

For example, verse [20:96] says that there was Barakah in the dust from where Jibrael (as) passed away. Saudi published Qur'an in Urdu accepted this Barakah, even it is against though their doctrine. But Maulana Maudoodi in his "Tafheem" tried his best to change the meaning of verse and refused to accept any Barakah in it (in next chapter we will discuss on this verse [20:96] in detail Insha-Allah.