We plan, but Allah (s.w.t.) is the best of planners.
How many of you are avid planners?
Some of you need your days to be planned ahead of time; from the moment you get out of bed, to the moment you hit the sack. You might already have the vision of where you want to be in the next five years.
Fast forward to five years from now, you find yourself in a different position. Looking back at your life, there are things you own now that were not in your plan. It could be a career, a car that you own, or the new friends that you made throughout the year.
That’s the thing about life. You can have a masterplan, but the Ultimate Master has His own plans, and things will work out the way He wills.
Reflecting on the Story of Yusuf (a.s.)
Just like puzzle pieces, our Lord arranged the life of Yusuf (a.s.) to fall right into place at the right time. His story teaches us that ultimately, the plan of Allah (s.w.t.) is always the best. Let us reflect on the journey of his profound life.
When Yusuf (a.s.) was young, he had a dream that foretold his prophecy. He told his father,
“O my dear father! Indeed I dreamt of eleven stars, and the sun, and the moon—I saw them prostrating to me!” [Surah Yusuf, 12:4]
Yaqub (a.s.) was overjoyed knowing that Yusuf (a.s.) was chosen by Allah (s.w.t.) to be a prophet. However, he was concerned that this might harbour jealousy in his older sons.
It turned out that Yaqub’s (a.s.) fatherly instinct was right. Yusuf’s (a.s.) older brothers plotted to get rid of him by throwing him into a well. However, by the will of Allah (s.w.t.), Yusuf (a.s.) was found alive by a group of people from Egypt. They then brought him to the market to be sold as a slave.
Yusuf (a.s.) was no ordinary child. Allah (s.w.t) gifted him with a striking beauty. His beauty attracted Al-Azeez, the Chief Minister of Egypt, where he and his wife bought Yusuf (a.s.) and took care of him.
Submitting to His Divine Wisdom
This is where Yusuf’s (a.s.) second trial came. One day, he was lured by Al-Azeez’s wife, who was supposed to be like a mother to him. Her feelings for Yusuf (a.s.) intensified from watching him day after day, to the point of obsession, leading him to tempt Yusuf (a.s.) into zina.
However, out of fear of Allah (s.w.t.), Yusuf (a.s.) managed to protect himself from the temptation. Yet, her desire was overwhelming. She invited other women to witness Yusuf’s (a.s.) captivating beauty to justify her action. Wanting to protect himself from fitnah, Yusuf (a.s.) prayed to Allah (s.w.t.) that he would rather be imprisoned. This case was brought to court, and after he was judged, Yusuf (a.s.) was unjustly imprisoned.
During his time in prison, Yusuf (a.s.) utilised his divine gift to interpret dreams. He interpreted the dreams of his cellmates, foretelling that one would serve the King, while the other would be crucified. Years later, the news of his special talent finally reached the King.
One day, the King had a peculiar dream, and had asked Yusuf (a.s.) to interpret it. Based on the dream, Yusuf (a.s.) understood that there would be seven years of abundance, followed by seven years of famine. Thus, he advised the King to start harvesting and storing ample food supplies during the year of abundance to prepare for the famine.
Convinced by Yusuf’s (a.s.) interpretation of his dream, the King ordered to meet him in person. Despite that, Yusuf (a.s.) declined to leave prison until he was proven innocent. Further investigation was done, and Yusuf (a.s.) was finally released after his innocence was proven.
The Reward of Righteousness
Yusuf (a.s.) left a positive impression on the King. He thought that although Yusuf (a.s.) lost his freedom and was falsely imprisoned for many years, he didn’t seek revenge. In fact, he was composed, and showed the noblest of qualities. Because of this, the King appointed Yusuf to a high position, and he became the Finance Minister of Egypt.
This honourable story of Yusuf (a.s.) taught us that if Allah (s.w.t.) had decreed something to happen, it will, even if the path leading towards it was rough. Most of the time, when life doesn’t head towards the way we want, we may be questioning: Are things falling apart or are they falling in place?
Yet, as believers, we should not let ourselves drown in worry. We shall strengthen our faith in Allah (s.w.t.), while He does His magic behind the scenes. If we are truthful and pure-hearted throughout the process, insha’Allah, the outcome will always be in our favour.
While we wonder when our suffering will end, Allah (s.w.t.) is preparing a beautiful ending as a reward for our resilience. More often than not, His plan always turns out better than we could ever imagine.
Thus, whenever you find yourself feeling stuck, put your full trust in Allah’s (s.w.t.) plan. Perhaps, He is preparing you for relief. Bear patience, act righteously, and always pray for His guidance. Remind yourself that indeed, His help is always near.
If you’re interested to listen to the story of Yusuf (a.s.) in depth, visit https://faithevents.plus/ and click on Love Can Cure: Psychological Nuance in Surah Yusuf by Dr Rania Awaad, as she analyses Surah Yusuf in a psychological perspective.
For more faith-related events, visit https://faithevents.asia/. May you find this post beneficial. See you in the next one, insha’Allah!