Page 56 - True Wisdom Described in the Qur'an

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TRUE WISDOM DESCRIBED IN THE QUR'AN

early. By going to the battlefield early, he designates everyone’s
duty and places each one at the most strategic spot.

THE PROPHET YA‘QUB (AS)’S KEEPING AN
IMPORTANT ISSUE A SECRET FROM PEOPLE
WITH BAD INTENTIONS
In the previous chapters we drew attention to one of the most
important qualities of a person with wisdom, i.e. that they cal-
culate where every step they take may lead them. Indeed, with
his sagacity and discernment, a person with wisdom never neg-
lects to look at his past experiences and the knowledge he has
accumulated before he starts something new. In the same way,
he bears in mind the details of all the likely possible contingen-
cies. In so acting he can take the wisest of precautions.
One of the Prophets mentioned in the Qur’an who was so
wise in conduct is the Prophet Ya‘qub (as). The Prophet Ya‘qub
(as) realized that his love for his son Yusuf (as) was sparking
jealousy among his other sons and feared that they might do
something harmful to Yusuf (as). Allah heralds in His verses the
fact that Ya‘qub (as) was right in being anxious. In Surah Yusuf,
we are told to us what Yusuf (as)’s brothers thought of him:
They declared, "Why! Yusuf and his brother are dearer
to our father than we are, although we constitute a
powerful group. Our father is clearly making a mis-
take". (Surah Yusuf: 8)
When Yusuf (as) tells Ya‘qub (as) of his dream in which the
stars, the sun, and the moon bow down to him, Ya‘qub (as) real-
izes that this dream may point to the fact that Yusuf (as) is a spe-
cial person chosen by Allah. Because Ya‘qub (as) is aware of
what Yusuf (as)’s brothers think of him, he tells Yusuf (as) not to