Yusuf · Makki · ayah 38 of 111

Yusuf 12:38

وَٱتَّبَعْتُ مِلَّةَ ءَابَآءِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ ۚ مَا كَانَ لَنَآ أَن نُّشْرِكَ بِٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ

“And I have followed the religion of my fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And it was not for us to associate anything with Allāh. That is from the favor of Allāh upon us and upon the people, but most of the people are not grateful.”

Saheeh International

Essence

In a cell, a slave once sold for a few coins names his fathers and calls their way not a rank but a gift.

A reflection

He named his fathers for their road, not their rank

It is tempting to hear this as pedigree. A prisoner reminding everyone that he comes from a great family. Ibrahim, Ishaq, Yaʿqub: the most famous names in his world.

Read the noun he attaches to them. Not the blood of my fathers, or the house of my fathers. The way of my fathers. What he claims from them is a road.

And read where the sentence goes. It is not fitting for us to associate anything with Allah. That is from the favour of Allah upon us. The lineage is not presented as merit. It is presented as something they were given.

The Prophet ﷺ was once asked who is the most noble of people. His first answer was: the most mindful of Allah among them. The questioners said that was not what they meant. So he said: then Yusuf. Prophet of Allah, son of a prophet of Allah, son of a prophet of Allah, son of the intimate friend of Allah. They said that was not what they meant either. Then he said: you are asking about the stock of the Arabs. The best of them before Islam are the best of them in Islam, if they understand. Al-Bukhari carries it.

The order of those answers matters. Mindfulness first. Then the family whose every link was a prophet. Then lineage in general, with a condition: if they understand.

Yusuf's own sentence obeys the same order. He does not say: I am from good stock. He says: I walk the road my fathers walked, and the walking was a gift.

The full entry has 6 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.