Page 2 - The School of Yusuf (as)

“… And he languished in prison for a number of years more.” (Surah Yusuf,
42). According to an exegesis of this verse, Joseph (Peace be upon him) is the
patron of prisoners, and prison is a sort of School of Joseph. (Madrasa-i
Yusufiya)
This interpretation was offered by one of the greatest Islamic scholars of
the 20th century, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, who devoted much of his life to the
teaching of the morality of the Qur’an, and because of that earned the
animosity of certain circles. Ultimately, he spent 30 years of his life in prison
and exile.
The reason for these schools to be referred to as the School of Yusuf, is that,
as the Qur’an reveals, Yusuf (as), known for his faith and good character, spent
many years of his life in them, despite his innocence. Despite this adversity, he
continued to teach Islam to fellow prisoners, telling them of the existence of
Allah and proper morality. And he did not complain at any time during his
term.
Throughout history, believers, who were imprisoned as a consequence of
slander, or suffered some other hardship, demonstrated that they would never
compromise their morality, thus following the example set by Yusuf (as).
Believers, who are punished with imprisonment, are considered by others,
who are deficient in their understanding, to be confined. In reality, however,
they have an opportunity to concentrate on their spiritual development, to
deepen their insight. Therefore, those who seek to harm Muslims, and to
E
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A ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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The author, who writes under the pen-name Harun Yahya,
was born in Ankara in 1956. He studied arts at Istanbul's
Mimar Sinan University, and philosophy at Istanbul
University. Since the 1980s, the author has published many
books on political, faith-related and scientific issues. Greatly
appreciated all around the world, these works have been
instrumental in helping many to return their faith in Allah,
and, in many others, to gain a deeper insight into their faith. Harun Yahya's
books appeal to all kinds of readers, regardless of their age, race, or nationality,
for they focus on one objective: to broaden the reader's perspective by
encouraging him or her to think about a number of critical issues, such as the
existence of Allah and His unity, and to live by the values He prescribed for
them.