Part 2

They said, "O our father, indeed we went racing each other and left Yoosuf with our possessions, and a wolf ate him but you would not believe us, even if we were truthful. And they brought upon his shirt false blood. [Ya'qoob] said, "Rather, your souls have enticed you to something"" [Yoosuf: 16-18] l It is permissible to pass judgment upon having clear evidence, as in the case of Yoosuf's father judging his other sons when he saw Yoosuf's shirt without any trace of a wolf's bite on it. l Racing on horses or camels and using bows and arrows is permissible, because these things help one prepare for Jihaad, and likewise is the case for anything else which would help one to prepare for Jihaad, and one is allowed to receive a prize upon winning a contest in these activities. On the other hand, if it is an activity which does not help in the preparation of Jihaad, then it is prohibited to receive anything for it. A third type of competition is those in which people compete without a prize involved, which is permissible generally, but some types are prohibited regardless of the fact that no prizes are involved, such as cock fighting, because it involves torturing animals or birds. As for boxing, it is prohibited because it is centred on striking the opponents face, which is prohibited; moreover, any competition which involves wearing clothing that insufficiently covers one's 'Awrah (i.e., the parts of the body that are Islaamically required to be covered) is also prohibited. l It is permissible to inform someone of your suspicions regarding his actions so that perhaps he may repent and refrain from what he is plotting. Allaah says in the eighty-third verse, that the father of Yoosuf, peace be upon him, said to his other sons: ﺭﺍﹰ ﺃَﻤﻜﹸﻡ ﺃَﻨﹾﻔﹸﺴﻟﹶﺕﹾ ﻟﹶﻜﹸﻡﻭلْ ﺴﻗﹶﺎلَ ﺒ ﻜِﻴﻡ ﭐﻟﹾﺤﻠِﻴﻡ ﭐﻟﹾﻌﻭ ﻫﺎ ﺇِﻨﱠﻪﻤِﻴﻌ ﺠﻨِﻰ ﺒِﻬِﻡﺄْﺘِﻴ ﺃَﻥ ﻴﻰ ﭐﻟﻠﱠﻪﺴﻤِﻴلٌ ﻋ ﺠﺭﺒﻓﹶﺼ which means: "Rather, your souls have enticed you to something so patience is most fitting. Perhaps Allaah will bring them to me all together. Indeed, it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise" [Yoosuf: 83] l The difference between ordinary patience and patience which is 'Most Fitting' is that the latter, which is of a higher calibre, does not include complaining or despair. l It is recommended to give glad tidings to others. Allaah says in the nineteenth verse: ﺫﹶﺍ ﻏﹸﻼﻡﻯ ﻫﺸﹾﺭﺎ ﺒﻗﹶﺎلَ ﻴ which means: "Good news! Here is a boy." [Yoosuf: 19] However, tidings could be bad as well as good, as Allaah says: ٍﺫﹶﺍﺏٍ ﺃَﻟِﻴﻡ ﺒِﻌﻡﻫﺸﱢﺭﻓﹶﺒ which means: "give them tidings of a painful punishment." [Aal 'Imraan: 21] But the most common form of tidings is the good type. Additionally, it is permissible to give a gift to the bringer of glad tidings, as was the case in the story of Ka'b, may Allaah be pleased with him, who stayed behind during the Battle of Tabook; so when a man brought him the news that Allaah had informed His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam that Ka'b was forgiven, Ka'b may Allaah be pleased with him gave that man a garment as a gift. l Enslaving and selling a free person is one of the Great Major sins. l Allaah bestowed a great favour upon Yoosuf, peace be upon him, by making him grow up in a powerful and honourable household. Allaah informs us of the saying of the minister of Egypt in the twenty-first verse where He says: ِﺽﻑﹶ ﻓِﻲ ﺍﻟﹾﺄَﺭﻭﺴﻜﱠﻨﱠﺎ ﻟِﻴ ﻤﻜﹶﺫﹶﻟِﻙﻟﹶﺩﺍﹰ ﻭ ﻭ ﻨﹶﺘﱠﺨِﺫﹶﻩﻨﹶﺎ ﺃَﻭﻨﹾﻔﹶﻌ ﻴﻰ ﺃَﻥﺴ ﻋﺍﻩﺜﹾﻭﺃَﻜﹾﺭِﻤِﻲ ﻤ which means: "'Make his residence comfortable [i.e., Yoosuf's]. Perhaps he will benefit us, or we will adopt him as a son.' And thus, We established Yoosuf in the land." [Yoosuf: 21] l Allaah grants wisdom and knowledge to one who grows up in the obedience of Allaah, as He says in the twenty-second verse: ﺴِﻨِﻴﻥﺤﺯِﻱ ﺍﻟﹾﻤ ﻨﹶﺠﻜﹶﺫﹶﻟِﻙﻋِﻠﹾﻤﺎﹰ ﻭﻜﹾﻤﺎﹰ ﻭ ﺤﻨﹶﺎﻩ ﺁﺘﹶﻴﻩﻠﹶﻎﹶ ﺃَﺸﹸﺩﺎ ﺒﻟﹶﻤﻭ which means: "And when he [i.e. Yoosuf] reached maturity, We gave him judgement and knowledge. And thus We reward doers of good [i.e., righteous]." [Yoosuf: 22] l It is dangerous to be alone with a woman whom one is Islamically allowed to marry. Allaah says in the twenty-third verse: ﺍﺏﻭﻏﹶﻠﱠﻘﹶﺕِ ﺍﻟﹾﺄَﺒ ﻨﹶﻔﹾﺴِﻪِ ﻭﻥﺎ ﻋﺘِﻬﻴ ﻓِﻲ ﺒﻭ ﺍﻟﱠﺘِﻲ ﻫﺘﹾﻪﺩﺍﻭﺭﻭ which means: "And she, in whose house he was, sought to seduce him. She closed the doors." [Yoosuf: 23] l The plot of this woman against Prophet Yoosuf, peace be upon him, was an evil one and she exploited various means, such as: o She attempted to seduce him and invited him to her. She initiated the evil, which usually makes it easier for a man to respond to immorality. This is the reason why one who resists the seduction of a beautiful and powerful woman will be of those shaded by the Throne of Allaah on the Day of Resurrection. o He was of her household and not a stranger whose presence would arouse suspicion among people. o She closed the doors, and no one could see them, which would facilitate committing immorality. o He was young, which made it so much easier for him to respond to his strong desires. o She was his owner, so he was duty bound to obey her.