The Children of Israel started in Palestine where they were born, grew up, and came of age on its soil. This land bore witness to their wickedness, deceit, and plotting against their innocent brother, Yusuf. When their envy and hatred boiled within them, they threw him into the dark depths of a well on the caravan route between Egypt and the Levant, without the slightest regard for the feelings of this poor child.
They cast him into the well, departed, and found relief from his presence, thinking that Yusuf’s story had ended forever. Little did they know that Allah would bring them back to him as humiliated supplicants when he would be the noble and trustworthy custodian of the earth's treasures, to tell them what they had done to him when he was a young boy: “But We inspired to him, 'You will surely inform them [someday] about this affair of theirs while they do not perceive [your identity].'” (Yusuf: 15)
Days Rotate among People
The days turned their course, after Yusuf was moved from one trial to another, from one tribulation to another, all while he remained patient, relying on his Lord, the Most Glorious. The trials transformed into blessings, and the tribulations became rewards, until Yusuf, after enduring slavery and imprisonment, became in control of the reins of power and the treasures of the earth.
In a remarkable scene, Yusuf’s ten brothers entered upon him, Yusuf recognized them while they did not recognize him. How could they, when they were certain that Yusuf, if not dead, was a slave being sold in the markets?
The Children of Israel settled in Egypt, and the Al-Aziz of Egypt showered them with gifts and gave them fertile land.
Yusuf rose above all his pains and his bitter memories. He treated them with the morals of prophethood, with utmost generosity and hospitality. In fact, he went beyond in honoring them and gave them generously: “And when he had furnished them with their supplies, he said, Bring me a brother of yours from your father.'” (Yusuf: 59) He ordered them to bring their brother to him, whether they wished to or were reluctant.
The brothers returned to their father and told him what had happened. They persisted until they convinced him to let their younger brother go with them to the Al-Aziz in Egypt. After some days, they returned with their brother to Egypt once again. They entered the palace upon Yusuf: “And when they entered upon Joseph, he took his brother to himself; he said, 'Indeed, I am your brother, so do not despair over what they used to do [to me].'” (Yusuf: 69) Joseph rejoiced at meeting his younger brother and then devised a plan in which the brother appeared to have stolen the king's cup, thus keeping him in the palace. According to the law of the prophet Yaqup, the punishment for theft was that the thief would become a servant to the owner of the stolen goods.
Do not Despair of Relief from Allah
The brothers returned to Palestine and entered upon their father without their younger brother. Yaqup was shocked by what had happened, and the old memories of Yusuf resurfaced: “And he turned away from them and said, 'Oh, my sorrow over Joseph,' and his eyes became white from grief, for he was [of that] a suppressor.” (Yusuf: 84) Yaqup continued to pour out his grief and sorrow to his Lord, who filled his heart with peace, contentment, and hope in being reunited with his lost sons. He called out: “O my sons, go and find out about Joseph and his brother and despair not of relief from Allah.” (Yusuf: 87)
No Blame will there be Upon you Today
Yaqub’s sons returned to Egypt once more in search of Yusuf and his brother after Yaqub revealed his certainty that Yusuf was still alive. They approached Yusuf's palace, exhausted from their long travels, the vast distances, the severe famine, and their lack of money: “So when they entered upon Joseph, they said, 'O 'Azeez, adversity has touched us and our family.'” (Yusuf: 88) Seeing their state of exhaustion and hardship, Yusuf felt compassion for them and decided to reveal his identity to them gradually to avoid shocking them: “He said, 'Do you know what you did with Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant?'” (Yusuf: 89) He reminded them of their wicked plot against their younger brother, of Yusuf whom they were now instructed to search for on this journey. At this moment, they began to look at him with different eyes, scrutinizing his features, his voice, and his appearance. The features were familiar, the appearance was similar, and the voice was not strange to them. They said in astonishment, as if speaking with one voice: “Are you indeed Joseph?” (Yusuf: 90) Are you Yusuf? Is it possible that Yusuf is alive? And is he the Al-Aziz to whom they had just been groveling?
Yusuf replied, “I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allah has certainly favored us.” (Yusuf: 90), with blessings that we enjoy, even leading me to this position as ruler of Egypt and overseer of the earth's treasures.
At this point, they confessed to him that Allah had preferred him over them, and they admitted their great wrongdoing toward him and their father. He forgave them and did not reproach them. Then he assigned them their final task: “Take this, my shirt, and cast it over the face of my father; he will become seeing.” (Yusuf: 93)
The good news bearer arrived carrying Yusuf's shirt, then cast it over Yaqub’s face, and he regained his sight, better than it had ever been, in a noble miracle by the prophet Yusuf, peace be upon him. Then they all began to prepare for migration from Palestine to the land of Egypt.
The Royal Entry Visa
“And bring me your family, all together.” (Yusuf: 93); this sentence served as an entry visa and residence permit for the Children of Israel on the blessed land of Egypt.
Yaqub took his family, sons, grandchildren, slaves, livestock, possessions, and all their belongings. The caravan set out from the wilderness of Palestine until it arrived at the palace of the Al-Aziz Yusuf in Egypt: “And when they entered upon Joseph, he took his parents to himself.” (Yusuf: 99) He honored them, welcomed them, and elevated them to the highest status: “And he raised his parents upon the throne.” (Yusuf: 100), seating them on the throne of the ministry and the king's seat, while the eleven brothers stood before him. They all bowed down to Joseph in respect and honor, not in worship. (1)
Their conditions changed, and the Egyptians began to resent them as their hearts became corrupted, and they preferred isolation, claiming that they were descendants of prophets.
In this tender moment, Yusuf recalled the memory of when he had entered upon his father as a young boy to tell him of his dream: “O my father, indeed I have seen [in a dream] eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me.” (Yusuf: 4), a dream whose practical interpretation he now saw before him, manifesting in reality. He said, “O my father, this is the explanation of my vision of before. My Lord has made it reality.” (Yusuf: 100); the dream had transformed from a symbolic representation of a future event to a present, witnessed reality.
The Children of Israel: Between Yusuf and Musa
The sons of Yaqub—the Children of Israel—settled in Egypt, residing under the care of the Al-Aziz, who honored them greatly. He lavished them with gifts and wealth and gave them one of the most fertile lands by the king's decree. Their descendants lived in this way for a while, enjoying the generosity and care of the Egyptians. Many even reached the highest ranks. (2)
Dr. Abdul Rahman Muray, in his book “The People of the Book in the Quran,” states that the Children of Israel entered Egypt during the Hyksos period and lived a noble life for a century before suffering enslavement during the reign of the Pharaoh. (3)
The Enslavement of the Children of Israel by the Pharaohs
Yes, the conditions changed, and the blessings they had enjoyed turned into hardships. The Egyptians began to resent them, as the hearts of their generations changed, and they preferred to isolate themselves from the Egyptians, claiming that they were descendants of prophets, avoiding intermingling and intermarriage. They even traced their lineage to the ruling family, having attained the highest positions and jobs under Yusuf’s rule.
But nothing lasts forever, and circumstances change. The reign of the Al-Aziz Yusuf, the son of the noble lineage, the child of the house of prophethood, descendant of the honored ones, ended. The tyrant Pharaoh took the throne, subjecting them to the harshest oppression, making them forget all comfort and prosperity.
The Old Testament states: “Eventually, a new king came to power in Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done.” (4)
The Quran vividly portrays the scene of their enslavement: “Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them, slaughtering their [newborn] sons and keeping their females alive. Indeed, he was of the corrupters.” (Al-Qasas: 4)
The Children of Israel remained in this state of oppression, persecution, weakness, and enslavement until Allah sent His prophet Musa, peace be upon him, who was their savior.
But what did the Children of Israel do to the one who honored them and saved them from severe torment?
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- Adapted from the book “The Stories of the Quran” by Dr. Salah Al-Khalidi.
- The Old Testament, Book of Genesis, Chapter (47/11).
- The book “The People of the Book in the Quran” by Dr. Abdul Rahman Muray.
- The History of Ibn Khaldun (1/120).
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