The Theme of Joseph from the Quran - Essay Example

? The theme of Joseph from the Quran The theme of Joseph from the Quran The theme of Joseph from the Quran evaluates the behaviour, interests, principles, as well as positive and negative aspects of that particular character. It is basically a summary of the character’s entire life and it displays the distinctive shades of the character’s life path. The character, which has to be assayed in this paper, is the character of Joseph as described in the Quran (Mir, 1986). Joseph is basically an Islamic prophet chosen by Allah. He was the 11th son of Jacob and was the favourite amongst his all sons. The entire and complete theme of Joseph’s story is given in Surah-e-Yusuf in the Quran. The character of Joseph is sketched as a young boy who is quiet, bashful, and courteous. He has the gifted quality of prophecy to interpret dreams. The story introduces Joseph’s dream about “eleven stars, the sun, and the moon which are in a position that are bowed before him”. He understands the meaning of this dream and was hesitating to inform his father about it due to his fear of being an audacious boy but soon he communicates with his father about this dream. He also interprets this dream as a message from God to Joseph to become the messenger of God and enlighten their family’s prophecy. The second part of the story was Joseph's brothers’ plot against Joseph, as they all abhorred him for being the favourite of their father. The character of Joseph’s brothers is described as dark. They planned a conspiracy against Joseph and persuaded Jacob to grant them acceptance to take Joseph with them. Jacob granted them permission with affliction and on a condition that they had to keep an eye on him and to bring him back in absolute condition. However, Joseph’s brothers wended their plan and dropped Joseph into a well and left him there alone. Upon returning home, they came up with a lie told to their father that Joseph has been attacked by a wolf and showed to him a blood stained shirt as a proof of their calumny but their father did not believed them. While Joseph was extricated from the well by a caravan passing by and he was sold to a well off merchant named Aziz (Potiphar). Joseph’s character has been evaluated as a grown up person as a truthful, meek, innocent, and compliant person who distinguished well among virtuous and sin. He has been described as a very attractive and alluring man. While living as a slave at Potiphar’s place he was seduced by Potiphar’s wife but he constantly disdained her, as his character was pure and dignified. The Potiphar’s wife accused Joseph in front of the town for seducing her; due to this allegation, Joseph was sent to prison where another theme of story hits the line. In the prison, more shades of Joseph’s personality came into view as a preacher of God’s messages he appraised the prison-mates upon God’s belief and divinity when they came towards him asking for their dreams’ interpretation. Secondly, he has been appeared to have an adroit and intelligent personality who has the power to assure other men for his perspective of religious values and convictions. He assured them to interpret the meaning of their dreams and fulfilled his promises, which shows the trustworthy and honest shade of his character and he was testified by the two prison-men as a Muhsin. He had been a dignified and virtuous person all through which can be analyzed by the fact that he aggrandized prison life rather than being induced into sin. He possessed such spiritual powers that did not let his faith decline; instead, it enhanced and became unchallengeable with the time. A principal shade of his character as a truthful person can be evaluated when Joseph was informed by the king’s butler for interpreting the king’s dream and Joseph then acceded for interpreting the dream but he still preferred honor over sin which made it possible for him to stop conspiracy against him once he was freed from the prison by the order of the king as a reward of his prophecy and interpreting king’s dream truthfully. After being discharged from the prison, Joseph was made keeper of warehouses due to his honesty and conscientiousness. At this place, a new theme is introduced by the reunion of family as he once again meets his brothers in Egypt and identifies them. His brothers once recognizing him asked for forgiveness and he did forgive them despite of their defamation. He was then brought to his father who had been afflicted after the loss of his son; during this time, he lost his vision from crying. Joseph lent him his shirt and by breathing into it his father’s vision returned and the whole family got united which also displays Joseph as a forgiver and having power of binding relations together. The story of Joseph principally attributes as a distinguishing power between good and evil, and Joseph has been described as a man who worked in accordance with God’s will on the moral values set up by Islam by having the awareness and confidence in God and performing admirable deeds. The knowledge that distinguishes him by his brothers and other persons is the testimony of Prophets. Firstly, the excellence possessed by him allowed him to make certain decisions righteously. Secondly, his trust on God allowed him to remain in control in such critical situations that can convulse the trust of any ordinary person. His never ending and impenetrable trust in God made him distinguish from others, which reveals a major shade of Joseph’s character. Thirdly, the quality of good deeds is a major one that places Joseph on the highest degree of nobility and excellence. He delivered God’s messages and also practiced them actively which reflects the noble shade of Joseph’s character and acclaimed as Muhsin in the Quran. In a nutshell, it can be concluded thorough the above acknowledged facts that the character of Joseph has many shades of protagonist in possessing unprecedented knowledge, confidence in God, admirable deeds, remaining steadfast in tempting situations, and preferring honor over luxury. He had the ability to keep a balance amongst relationships. However, by going through such inexorable situations, he had surely been helped and aided by God in every case. Reference Mir, M. (1986). The Muslim World. Islamic Awareness. Read More