Will you summarize the life of Hazrat Yusuf?

Dear Brother / Sister,

HAZRAT YUSUF (pbuh) is one of the Banu Israel prophets mentioned in the Quran.

Hazrat Yusuf (Joseph) (pbuh) is one of the prophets mentioned in the Quran; he is the son of the Prophet Yaqub (Jacob). His ancestry dates back to Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham) (pbuh). (Kamil Miras, Tajrid Translation, IX, 139)

There is a chapter entitled Yusuf in the Quran. It has 111 verses; 98 verses of this chapter (4-101) mention Hazrat Yusuf. According to what is narrated in those verses, the life story of Hazrat Yusuf is as follows in brief:

Hazrat Yusuf had eleven brothers. Yusuf was extraordinarily handsome and very intelligent. Their father, Yaqub (pbuh), loved Yusuf best. His brothers were jealous of him. 

One night, Yusuf (may Allah be pleased with him) saw eleven stars, the sun and the moon prostrate before him in his dream. He narrated the dream to his father. His father realized that the dream was a sign that Hazrat Yusuf (pbuh) would be a great man; he told Yusuf not to narrate his dream to his brothers. However, his brothers found out about his dream and planned to kill Yusuf and discard his body somewhere. They asked permission from their father and took Yusuf away to the country to have some fun. They threw Jesus into a well; then, they stained his shirt with blood; they lied to their father by saying, "A wolf took Yusuf away."

A caravan that passed by the well, found Yusuf and took him to Egypt in order to sell him as a slave. They sold him to Aziz (the Treasurer) at a very low price.

The wife of Aziz liked Yusuf very much. She asked him to be together with her. Yusuf (pbuh) did not accept her offer; so, she slandered at him and complained to her husband about him, causing him to be sent to prison.

Hazrat Yusuf (pbuh) stayed in prison for years. He met the sherbet maker and cook of the King. He interpreted their dreams. He told to one of them that he would be saved and continue to serve his King; he told the other that he would be killed. Things turned out to be as he said. Hazrat Yusuf (pbuh) asked the one that would be saved to mention the King about him.

The King saw in his dream seven lean cows devour seven fat cows and he also sow seven green ears of corn and seven others withered. He wanted his dream to be interpreted. He found out that Hazrat Yusuf interpreted dreams; then, he removed Yusuf from prison and narrated his dream to him. Hazrat Yusuf (pbuh) told him that there would be abundance for seven years and then famine for seven years. Thereupon, the King appointed Hazrat Yusuf (pbuh) as the Treasurer. Hazrat Yusuf (pbuh) stored grains in the barns in the years of abundance; he distributed those grains to people when the years of famine came. The same famine affected Kanan, the place where his father lived, too.

Yusuf’s brothers went to Egypt from Kanan twice in order to get grains. In the end, Hazrat Yusuf introduced himself to his brothers and told them that he forgave them by saying,   

"This day let no reproach be (cast) on you: Allah will forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy!"(Yusuf, 12/92)

Hazrat Yusuf (pbuh) invited his father, mother and all of his brothers to Egypt.

When his family arrived in Egypt, Yusuf (pbuh) made his parents sit on the throne; his eleven brothers bowed down before him. Then, Yusuf (pbuh) said,

"O my father! this is the fulfilment of my vision of old! Allah hath made it come true! He was indeed good to me when He took me out of prison and brought you (all here) out of the desert, (even) after Satan had sown enmity between me and my brothers. Verily my Lord understandeth best the mysteries of all that He planneth to do: For verily He is full of knowledge and wisdom." (Yusuf, 12/100)

Thus, Banu Israel settled in Egypt, leaving Palestine. After a while, Yaqub (pbuh) died. Yusuf (pbuh) prayed Allah as follows:   

"O my Lord! Thou hast indeed bestowed on me some power, and taught me something of the interpretation of dreams and events― O Thou Creator of the heavens and the earth! Thou art my Protector in this world and in the Hereafter Take thou my soul (at death) as one submitting to Thy Will (as a Muslim), and unite me with the righteous!"(Yusuf, 12/101).

The life story of Hazrat Yusuf (pbuh) is defined as "Ahsanu'l-Qasas, the most beautiful of stories" in the Quran Allah states the following for this life story, which includes many things:

"Verily in Joseph and his brethren are Signs (or Symbols) for Seekers (after Truth)." (Yusuf, 12/7).

According to narrations, the place where Hazrat Yusuf is buried is in the town of Khalil ar-Rahman, where Hazrat Ibrahim is buried, near Quds (Jerusalem). (Mefail HIZLI, Şamil İslam Ansiklopedisi)

Questions on Islam