Page 59 - Prayer in the Qur'an

THE PROPHETS' PRAYERS
57
RELATED IN THE QUR'AN

Allah in the face of all his troubles.
The Prophet Yusuf's (as) difficulties (and those of his father, the
Prophet Ya'qub (as)) began with the Prophet Yusuf (as) being
thrown into a well by his jealous brothers. His father, the Prophet
Ya'qub (as) maintained his submission to Allah in spite of the dis-
tressing loss of his son, Yusuf:

They [Yusuf's brothers] then produced his shirt with false
blood on it. He [Ya'qub] said, "It is merely that your lower
selves have suggested something to you which you did; but
beauty lies in showing steadfastness. It is Allah alone Who is
my Help in face of the event that you describe." (Surah Yusuf:
18)
As the verse shows, the Prophet Ya'qub (as), upon seeing his
son's bloody shirt, said that he had to remain "steadfast" and thereby
displayed an attitude of patience unique to a Muslim. Meanwhile,

the Prophet Yusuf (as), who was left to die in the depths of a well,
was miraculously rescued by a caravan passing nearby. The group
rescued him thinking that they would be able to sell him, and re-
garded him as a piece of merchandise.
When the Prophet Yusuf (as), who was purchased as a slave by
an Egyptian vizier, grew into maturity, Allah granted him "knowl-
edge and right judgment." (Surah Yusuf: 22)
The Qur'an relates how the vizier's wife wanted to seduce Yusuf
(as) and when he rejected her advances, she threatened him with im-
prisonment. Thereupon, the Prophet Yusuf (as) prayed :

He said, "My Lord, the prison is preferable to me than what
they call on me to do. Unless You turn their guile away from
me, it may well be that I will fall for them and so become a man
of ignorance." (Surah Yusuf: 33)