What Makes You Unique Lessons
By Waleed Basyouni | 2026-01-10T11:41:40.786131+00:00 | Topic: Iman
What Makes You Unique: Lessons from Surah Yusuf
Introduction
بِسْمِ اللهِ وَالْحَمْدُ للهِ وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَمَنْ وَالَاهُ وَبَعْدُ
My talk to you tonight is about what I have learned from Surah Yusuf alayhis salam, or the story of Yusuf alayhis salam. And I want this lesson, not a tafseer lesson, not a tafseer lecture, to go over Surah Yusuf and analyze the verses. That's not what I intend to do. I know this is the last session of the night, of the day, and I want it to be as light as possible. So today I want to just send you messages, and each one of them deserve a talk, deserve a lecture by itself maybe, or some of them.
But these messages are something that you should reflect upon them, see if you can relate to them, and this is also should encourage us to look at the Quran in a way that we make it basically linked to our life. And that's what we call (تَدَبُّرُ الْقُرْآنِ - tadabburul quran), that you can reflect upon the verses of the Quran, and you can derive lessons from them that is related to our daily life challenges and dealings and activities that we do.
The Unique Qualities of Yusuf (AS)
When we say Yusuf alayhis-salam, we always think of beauty, we think of dignity, we think of generosity, we think of responsibilities, we think of tests. Yusuf alayhis-salam is as the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) named him in the authentic hadith reported by al-Bukhari in the hadith of Abu Huraira radiallahu anhu, when they said, "O Messenger of Allah, who is the most generous?"
What does kareem mean? Anybody knows? Generous. Actually kareem, it doesn't mean generous. The word karam, it doesn't mean generosity. Karam in Arabic language, it means al-kareem. It means the one who possess the most unique qualities. That's why the Quran and the Sunnah both describe Allah's throne as (عَرْشٌ كَرِيمٌ - arshun kareem). A throne that is kareem. What's the throne is generous? Makes no sense.
So basically here, this al-kareem, it means this is a throne that has a very unique qualities that there is no other throne can match it. That's what kareem means. So why we call generous people kareem in Arabic language? Why do we refer to generous people as kareem? Because this quality in you is unmatched. It's the most unique quality that can be ever exist in someone. And when you have it, you will be a very unique person. Nobody can match you.
So that's the word kareem. So when he was asked who's the most kareem, not necessarily means generous. It means the one who possess the most unique qualities. Then he said, (صلى الله عليه وسلم), the most unique person is the person who possess taqwa: (قَالَ أَكْرَمُ النَّاسِ أَتْقَاهُمْ لِلَّهِ - Bukhari 3374) Then he said, "Ya Rasulullah, that's not what he asked you about."
Then he said, so the most kareem is Yusuf alayhissalam. He is (نَبِيُّ اللهِ ابْنُ نَبِيِّ اللهِ ابْنُ نَبِيِّ اللهِ ابْنُ خَلِيلِ اللهِ - nabiullah ibn nabiullah ibn nabiullah ibn khalilullah) - the prophet of Allah, the son of the prophet of Allah, the son of the prophet of Allah, the son of the friend of Allah (الْكَرِيمُ ابْنُ الْكَرِيمِ ابْنُ الْكَرِيمِ ابْنُ الْكَرِيمِ) - Very unique man.
You know Yusuf alayhis salam, his story, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, Yusuf was giving half of the beauty of humanity. So the half of the beauty of humanity was given to Yusuf alayhis salam. But there is another narration for this hadith, where nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said in hadith Anas: (قَالَ أُعْطِيَا يُوسُفَ وَأُمُّهُ شَطْرَ الْحُسْنِ) - That the half beauty of humanity were given to Yusuf and his mother. So both are sharing that 50% of the beauty of humanity. And this narration, I do believe it is a sound narration.
The Best of Stories
Anyway, the Surah Yusuf alayhis salam came when the companions, they were asking the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). They said, "Ya Rasulullah, you always recite Quran for us. You always tell us about the Quran. Why don't you tell us a story about the nations before us?" Then Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala revealed these verses in Surah Yusuf, where Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said:
"We relate to you the best of stories."
Then in nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم) later on was asked by them, then he was asked again, and every time they ask, the Quran comes:
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala basically revealed that this the Quran is the best reminder.
But the point was that this story came to us in one whole, the whole story came in one surah. Many of the stories of the prophets are divided over the Quran. But this is the story of Yusuf came in one piece, in one surah, and this is very unique. There is no other story in the Quran was referred to as أَحْسَنَ الْقَصَصِ the best of stories. No other story of any prophet or messenger or others were referred to in the Quran as أَحْسَنَ الْقَصَصِ the best of stories.
And also we know something unique about this surah that Ibn Abbas once said: "If the people who are non-Muslim have heard the story of Yusuf and recited for them, (لَوْ سَمِعَهَا أَهْلُ الدَّيْلَمِ لَأَسْلَمُوا)" - the people are far, at that time they are far away, where today area north Iran. He said, if they heard about them, they might be Muslims. And actually Ibn Abbas said that there is a group of Jews when they heard the story of Yusuf, they accepted Islam.
And Khalid Ibn Ma'dan said: "The surah Yusuf and surah Maryam among the things that the people of Jannah will enjoy listening to. It's part of the joys and the rewards of Jannah. (قَالَ هُمَا مِمَّا يَتَفَكَّهُ بِهِ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ)"
What Ibn Atta used to say: "No person who is in sadness hears this surah unless Allah will take away his sadness."
Life Lessons from Surah Yusuf
The Need for Stories and Balance
What do, and these are some personal reflects and things that I read and I learned through the years. So these were going to be just messages, quick messages. Surah Yusuf taught me that all the prophets and messengers came from the same source. They call to the same thing, which is At-Tawheed, which is the oneness of Allah, which is the worship of Allah. They all come to remind people of the importance of good manners, of remembering the Akhira, of preparing yourself for it.
And this is something so important for us today. Is not to lose this message, not to lose focus on these principles in our da'wah, in our message to our family, to our community, to our society. I learned from Surah Yusuf that we need sometimes break, we need stories, we need to tell stories to people. We need to have breaks, we don't need to have heavy stuff all the time, you know. And Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to joke with the companions, used to joke with his family. And he used to listen to stories that took place in the past, as Jabir radiallahu anhu said. He used to listen to poetry. And Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would joke with them, laugh with them, you know.
Sinners Justify Their Actions
I learned from Surah Yusuf that so many times criminals, wrongdoers, sinners, they try to justify their sins. So they will not live with their conscience. So they will tell themselves lies and lie to themselves first and give justification for their sins. They were looking for excuses. They blame Yusuf's father for their sin, for their envy. They said he loves him more than us. It is his problem. So that kind of justify for themselves the injustice that they're going to do to Yusuf alayhis salaam.
Don't Trust Tears Alone
I learned from the story of Yusuf that sometimes tears are not enough for me to believe people. When people come and cry in front of you, and crying full of tears, don't necessarily mean that they are upon the truth. I get this as an imam a lot. A sister will come to me and she say, he abused me, he did this, he did this, he did that. And immediately because she's a sister, you know, that happens a lot. You get wrapped up and so angry at that male monster, you know, abuser guy. And when you look at the reality, you find that this husband is actually is the one who treated unfairly.
And vice versa, a brother will come to me and said, I do everything for her. I provide this and I provide that. And I give this and I give that. And when you hear his side of stories, and he will be crying, and I had recently someone was crying, I don't want to lose my wife, I love my life. Then after I look and listen to their stories, and I see how monster this person is at home. And how abusive he is to his wife. So you need to take it easy. You know, not everybody come and cry and we say, we're living in a time today where people master that. This crocodile tears, don't let it fool you. As they did with their father, after what they did, what they have done to Yusuf alayhis salaam.
People Show Different Faces
Also, I would like to say that one of the things that distract me about the story of Yusuf alayhis salaam, that how people are very good in changing their color skins. They meet you with one face, but behind you they have another face. They show something, but inside their heart, something completely different.
Sometimes criminals come in the, basically in the shape, and they come in the form of a true advisor, or innocent, or people of justice and so forth. You remember what Iblis said to Adam, when he told him: (إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ وَقَاسَمَهُمَا - Quran 7:21) - "I swear by Allah, I am sincerely advising you."
Listen to what the brothers of Yusuf said to their father: (إِنَّا لَهُ لَنَاصِحُونَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ - Quran 12:11) - "We are going to take care of him. We will protect him." We will do this. Don't let this fool you. Sometimes people act this way, but they're not.
People May Hate You for Your Good Qualities
I also learned that not necessarily those who hate us, or who hate me, they hate me because of my faults, because of my bad character, because of my sins, because of the bad things I did, or I said. Actually there's a lot of people hate you for your good qualities. There's a lot of people hate you for the good things that you have, for the good things that you have done. They don't hate you, they don't hate our community, they don't hate our religion because of the beauty, the purity of our religion. That's why they hate you. They hate you because they are so jealous.
They hated Yusuf for his beauty. They hated Yusuf for his generosity, for his character. They basically hated him because of the honor that he have received from his father. Don't ever, when you see people criticize you, attack you, don't take it personally. It is not really about you. It's about the blessings that Allah have given you. Haters don't hate you, in my opinion. Mainly they hate themselves and they hate that they are so envious of you. And that's why I never allow negative people to turn me into one of them.
We Cannot Always Protect Those We Love
I learned from Surah Yusuf that we can't protect those who we love all the time. We love people in our life, we love our family, we love our community. But sometimes we have to know that we can't protect them all the time. His father loved him so much. He was so protective of Yusuf to the extent he doesn't want him to go for a picnic, just to play outside. He doesn't want. He's so scared.
I mean, think about it logically. What's the percentage for a wolf to come and snatch Yusuf alayhis-salam when he's outside with the sheep just in the picnic? What's the percentage? It's very low. He's so protective of his son. But he couldn't protect his son all the time. That's why, my brothers and sisters, if you're so protective of your daughter, if you're so protective of your son, if you're so protective of your wife, of your husband, what you need to do is to make sure that you do the advice but also you rely on Allah. You ask Allah to protect them because Allah is the best protector that you can ever have.
Betrayal from Those Close to You
I learned from Surah Yusuf and the story of Yusuf that sometimes the stab come from your back. You know, it is so hurt when somebody stab you from the back. It hurts way more than those who stab you in your face. When Yusuf was saved from the wolf but he was not saved from his brothers. When you feel that you are saved from the true enemy of Islam but you're not saved from your brothers and sisters who talk about you day and night.
That's why when one of the ulama, rahimahu Allah, told one of the people who keep criticizing the scholar, he said: (سَلِمَتْ مِنْكَ فَارِسُ وَالرُّومُ، يَا أَخِي) - "Persia and Romans are saved from your tongue but your Muslim brothers and sisters are not saved from your tongue." How come? How come that we're willing to attack ourselves and our, you know, our loved one, our brothers and sisters? It hurts when it comes from those who are near to you. I can tolerate my enemy but what I cannot tolerate when my brothers and my friends stab me in my back.
Don't Share Everything Good with Everyone
I learned from Surah Yusuf that I don't need to share all the great things that Allah has given me with everybody because some people their eyes are so narrow, their heart is so small. They only look at what you have but they don't look at what they have. You know, in these days where everything you put in Instagram and everything you put it out there for the people to share with a lot of people don't have 1% of what you have. I'm not sure if that's a good idea all the time.
I don't like this culture. Maybe you share it with some friends but to the outside to the world, you know, sometimes you just invite people's envy and evil eye to yourself. That's why he told his sons don't all of you come or enter from one door 10 of you because I'm worried about that. That people will look at you and maybe envy you.
Different Levels of Evil
I learned from Surah Yusuf that as people are in different levels in their piety and their goodness also there is different life of evilness. Don't you agree? You know, not one of them want to kill Yusuf but another one said just threw him in the well. He doesn't want him to be killed. He wanted him to be taken away. It's both evil but there is one less than other and that's important in life to understand that when I
look for people who have evilness and I want to build or make a choice and somebody I need to deal with I need to understand this fact and I don't put everyone in the same category.
Don't Share Your Greatest Fears
I learned also from Surah Yusuf that sometimes the thing that scares me the most I don't share with everybody because sometimes they use this against you in the future. When his father said to them I'm afraid of the wolf to kill my son Yusuf they used his fear against him. I saw many sisters in the first in the beginning of their marriage they share the thing that they are ashamed of the most in their history in their past and guess what it will be used against them in the future when thing doesn't turn the way it is in the beginning of the marriage. They use this against you you know they use your secrets against you or he or she or your friends will use that against you sometimes things have to be kept for yourself.
No Perfect Crime
I learned there is no such thing called perfect crime you know my wife is obsessed with that program she watch on YouTube about you know forensics evidence and you know no matter how they try to make I don't know the name of the program maybe you guys do but you know no matter how perfect crime they do they are always a trap it's so interesting how they came to their father they telling their father oh the wolf ate Yusuf what did they do they put what blood but do you know what they forgot to do they forgot to make any hole in the shirt how can the wolf bit him and snatch him and they were able to grab the Yusuf back but he was basically couldn't then they only able to grab the shirt and the shirt is perfect there is not a single hole in it what kind of lie is that what kind of you know they couldn't put the stage perfectly there is no such thing perfect crime so if you ever plan for a crime just remember that you can't have a perfect crime there will always be a trail for it and I guess our political theater today in the country shows you how many trails how many trails you can leave behind you that lead to your exposure.
Good and Evil Are in People, Not Objects
I also learned goodness and evilness are not on things they are on people you know I'm not a superstitious you know the same shirt that was covered with blood and was given to Yusuf's father also was another shirt that was brought to Yusuf's father to give the evidence that Yusuf is still alive it's the same shirt I don't mean literally the same shirt but it was a shirt again Al-Quran to tell us this is not about shirt it's not like oh because of this I saw the shirt covered with blood I have a phobia about shirt I became you know superstitious with this place with this name with this you know location and so forth no things doesn't carry meanings the meanings is in our mind in our heart.
This World Is Worth Nothing
One thing I love about the story of Yusuf that I know that this dunya worth really nothing you know it's amazing Yusuf one day was sold as a slave Yusuf was sold as a slave with what Allah said in the Quran
they sold him for a very few cheap coins and they didn't care much for him no value later on in life Yusuf became the king of Egypt the most richest and the person in charge of all the wealth of Egypt can you imagine those who sold him out in the beginning of his life they never thought the things will change maybe he himself didn't see himself basically ended up in that position that's how life is one day you are the bird another day you are the statue so you know that's how life is and you need to learn how to cope to live with that number the next point.
Knowledge Comes from Allah
Knowledge and this is something mentioned several times in the story of Yusuf there's the knowledge yes it's acquired it's learned it's pursued but the blessings of knowledge is from Allah it's not enough that you rely on your effort but you have to combine this with relying on Allah:
"We gave him the knowledge we have giving him the ability we giving him wisdom it's from Allah to give you."
There's so many people I have seen in my life studied with me more than what I studied spending more time with the scholars they read the same Quran they read the same books they took the same courses but it doesn't mean that they observe the knowledge it's a blessing from Allah so show Allah humility show Allah purity show Allah Taqwa
"And fear Allah; Allah teaches you." It's not about how smart you are it's about how pure your heart how pure heart how much purity you have in your heart.
Noble People Don't Betray
I learned that noble people don't betray they don't betray others I know that good noble people you do good to them they will do good to you you do bad to them they will not treat you bad and equally they will never betray the trust he said to her this is the one who raised me in his house I will never cheat him I will never betray him I will never sleep with you I will never touch you your husband if someone have done good to me it's so sad when you see people you have done so much good to them then they don't recognize your goodness and what hurts the most of that person is your spouse is that person is your son or daughter and that person is your friends or your partner.
The Real Test of Character
The real test for manners for principles is when you are tested while you have the ability to do wrong when things accessible that's real test for instance look at Yusuf when he was invited to have basically to intimate with the wife of the king of Egypt listen to this she invited him she offered herself she locked the door she was alone with him and she put guards on the door so nobody will and use the Quran use a very interesting word which it means exaggeration she locked them so carefully and put guards and put like levels of doors and gates are completely sealed and she offered herself and guess what she is beautiful because somebody might be invited oh no thank you not my type you know no she is beautiful
she is powerful she is you know attractive she is powerful she is willing to protect him and on the top of that he is young he is single and he is what a stranger.
Why stranger? Because stranger they don't care you know that's why we say whatever happened in Vegas stay in Vegas you know because in Vegas you are a stranger you are a stranger nobody knows who you are nobody cares who you are you see but if you in your own town no people know you people will talk about you so he is a stranger he is nobody and he is socially no one on the bottom of the society but with all this he said I ask Allah to protect me from you I will never do that you know that's real test.
Real test when he was a king when he was a king when he was sitting on the throne of Egypt as a powerful minister and he told his brother I forgive you that's more powerful than him inside the well in the dark cell he said I forgive you because when he was in that throne he is capable of punishing them that's real test of power of your character many people claim principles in life but when they get to be tested about what they say or they claim that they believe in they fail miserably.
Nobody Can Force You Without Your Consent
I also learned from Surah Yusuf nobody can ever force me to do something unless I want to do so she did everything possible but he choose to say no please don't tell me all the circumstance I couldn't hold myself it is you did it it's your choice.
Allah Will Elevate Whom He Wills
I learned from Surah Yusuf no matter how people try to suppress something to hide something to put you down and Allah won't put you up nobody can ever put you down they try to erase Yusuf from the picture they try to put Yusuf down and they put him literally in the well they put him in jail to cover the truth about what happened in the palace but guess what Allah brought him from the well to be the king Allah brought him from jail to say the truth in front of everybody that he is an innocent man.
Many Innocent People Are in Prison
I learned that there are so many innocent people in jail he was in jail but he was an innocent person as well as many other today around the world and I'm sure in United States when we have today the world is leader in in we have the largest jail populations in the world 2.2 million people in this nation are in prison 2.2 million people in the nation's prisons and jail and we have about 500 percent increase over the last 40 years that's crazy don't tell me all those people are guilty.
Faith Is More Precious Than Comfort
I learned from Yusuf that the sweetness of Iman the company of Allah more beloved to you as a believer than the company of the evil people no matter how rich how funny they are he said I will prefer jail over
living in the palace with this living in the palace with this kind of pressure I learned that your religion is more important than anything to protect.
Dawah Is for Every Situation
I learned from Yusuf that there is a place for Dawah everywhere he gave Dawah when he was a king he gave Dawah when he was in the palace he would give Dawah when he was in jail everywhere every time you can give Dawah I saw Yusuf in jail was described as we see you among the Mohseneen Mohsen when he was king he was described he was described with the same quality you know there is people position don't change them their social status don't change them their age don't change them if they have quality they maintain it.
Envy Is Behind Every Evil
I learned from Yusuf that envy behind everything bad envy is the reason to eat you envy from within envy that lead people to kill lead people to commit Kufr.
It's About Resource Management
I learned from Yusuf stories that sometimes is not about resources it's about managing your resources you know in Ethiopia they have 54 million cows in Sudan they have 42 million cows two countries are poor two countries have suffer hunger and economic problem to provide food for their own people both countries have a lot of struggle Holland on the other hand have only 11 million cows and they have been giving mother milk for so many of us they have been providing milk to the whole world with 11 million cows it's not about how much you have it's about how good you manage your resources and that's what he told the king of Egypt.
Allah Brings Relief from Unexpected Sources
To wrap it up I also learned from Yusuf that Allah bring relief from wherever you cannot even expect he was in jail Allah didn't send an angel to take him out of jail to destroy the jail for the government to fall apart you know how Allah got him out of jail he let something so delicate it's called a dream came to the kings while he's asleep and that was the reason for Yusuf to get out of jail to be remembered Allah has his own way of making things happen.
Position Is Responsibility, Not Honor
I learned that positions are not an honoring as much as it is responsibility when you've been giving a responsibility a position in a community or a society it's not about honoring you it's about you know giving you the responsibility to lead the responsibility to make things better that's why immediately when he said I want to be in charge of the wealth of the country why? so I can protect it I can manage it properly.
Don't Show Favoritism Among Children
I learned from Yusuf it is so much it is so important for those who have children not to show favoring for one over the other maybe Yusuf's father have shown his extra love to Yusuf and his brother and that would lead the others to be very angry and very jealous maybe something we can learn from this story that we have to manage our emotions and we make sure that we don't show that in front of our children.
Allah Is the Best Listener
I learned from your story that there is no one can understand me better than Allah there is no one willing to always listen to me more than Allah I understand now that there is no one willing to forgive me more than Allah I am well and now understand clearly there is no one capable of changing my situation more than Allah I know that there is no one will be ever bored with my complaining or my you know requests except Allah He would never be bored with me so why would I complain to anyone other than Allah I complain to my Lord I talk to him.
Let Things Go
Yusuf it's so important what you taught me that sometimes when I hear things that I don't like I let it go I don't need to pick a fight over everything that's why Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said when they said oh his brother stole before he didn't pick a fight over that because it's not worth it we need to learn how to let things go you know.
Never Give Up on Du'a
Yusuf's father spent 40 years 4-0 making dua that Allah bring his son back to him 40 years his sons made fun of him 40 years from the time of his dua to the time of answering his dua I learned from this that I never gave up on my dreams I never gave up on my dua I will continue ask him I will continue pray to him I will continue beg him subhanahu wa ta'ala.
The Importance of Forgiveness
I understand from this story that people make a mistake and we have and I love what Sheikh Muhammad Faqih talked about because unfortunately we're living in a time where forgiveness became something so strange something not acceptable we became a society a society not willing to forgive and I was not very happy when I heard a leader in our country saying that I will never forgive so and so for what he have done to me and to my family that's not a message that we want to put in our society we are a society not willing to forgive not willing to let go if somebody make a mistake we will tear him apart and listen to our situation as a community we start adopting that if somebody made a mistake in his life we're willing to tear that person apart we will never give that person a second chance you know that the brothers of Yusuf ended up prophets the one who put him in well they ended up with which is prophets which is
Allah honor and accept the repentance when they change we need that the trustworthy and the strong the capable to lead our community that's something I learned from Yusuf.
Tears Don't Make Men Weak
I learned that men when they cry it doesn't mean that they are weak you know tears I always say heavy hearts are like heavy clouds in order for it to release the clouds it needs the rain to come down in order for your heart to be relieved you sometimes need these tears to come down.
Don't Judge by Accusations
I learned from the story of Yusuf that I don't judge people by accusation she's screaming oh he want to do this and that to me and he's this she accused him trying to rape her you don't believe that you take the proper stages and steps for clarification.
The Importance of Wisdom and Knowledge
I have so many but I have to wrap it up I have to close down the talk but one of the things that I learned from Surah Yusuf and the story of Yusuf this is so beautiful this verse Allah said and when when Yusuf reach his maturity his peak we gave him ilm and hikmah ilm knowledge and wisdom ilm many of the scholars said wisdom and knowledge I learned from this that we need wisdom as much as we need knowledge and information sometimes we care to gain so much knowledge but we don't care to get wisdom I have one of my teacher told me Waleed there is two type of student of knowledge very early stage of my life I said what is sheikh he said there is people he said his hikmah his wisdom his mind his brain is bigger than his knowledge and there is others their knowledge bigger than their brain bigger than their wisdom bigger than their mental basically mind he said the second was so dangerous when your information bigger than your wisdom you make more very mess but if you have more wisdom than knowledge you're good you're safe and that's why Allah put wisdom before knowledge also this verse was that's interpretation the majority said that one of the interpretation of the word hikm it means basically judgment ruling and that's also very good lesson for us today it's not only about knowledge and you don't have role to play in society in changing society it's not right that you think that just knowledge by itself will change people you need both you need the knowledge and you need the actions you need information and you need a tool to make this as a reality in life that's why we encourage people and we inspire people to be engaged.
Also this verse said: (وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ - walamma balagha ashuddah) (Quran 12:22) - "when you reach his maturity his peak" sometimes we ask people before they reach the proper age come on man somebody still why would I want someone who is still in his early 20s to be acting like somebody in his 60s or his 50s why would I ask a girl who is in her 18 or 19 to act like someone who is in his 40 every age stage has basically a certain expectation and we should expect that and we should tolerate that so every stage in our life has its own challenges has its own basically set of expectation and that's fair you know.
The Nature of People
Those brothers of Yusuf amazed me I don't know if amazed me but you know every stage is strange when they want something from their father they told their father I remember somebody thought his name is Naktal okay now they said send with us our brother so we can get more grain listen to the word our brother they talk about Ibn Yameen when Ibn Yameen was caught and stopped at the palace they went back to their father listen to what they said your son stole just few a day yesterday he was our brother and today your son see the language change there is people like that when they need something from you they change as if they never knew you before you know truthful people don't change like that.
I learned that not everybody criticize something it means he sincerely hates it or he sincerely see it back there is a lot of people talk about government and corruption and they are corrupt themselves they talk about indecency and they are indecent themselves they talk about this and this and that and justice and fair and they are the most unfair people in their own life with their children with their family in their community where we get that from in Surah Yusuf anybody can tell where did you learn this from Surah Yusuf
"And women in the city said, 'The wife of al-Aziz is seeking to seduce her slave boy; he has impassioned her with love. Indeed, we see her [to be] in clear error.'"
Do you think this woman really care about (عفة - iffah) and purity in society and they are really think this is shameful? No, because they don't have him they're not honest. Where we get that from? Allah said in the
- they were saying this just to spread rumor about her just to shame her it's not because they believe in that and there is so many people in our life like that.
Character Is What Makes You Unique
Promise you that's the last one that I have for you. I learned from Yusuf alayhi salam that what really differentiate you and separate you from others is your character what you believe in what you stand for you know you can have the best Aqidah in the world but without good manners without good character traits it means nothing. Allah said:
- "if you don't have a good manners people run away from you." Even Muhammad - even Muhammad has the most knowledge have the best religion have the best belief everything but if you don't have a good manners people run away from you.
Do you guys like math not now or late you know there is a very famous mathematician his name is Khawarizmi he said math he is a mathematician so he put it this way it's a beautiful way he put it he said manners manners and good character traits like one number one if you add to good manners wealth and money wealth will be equal to zero so if you had good manners and wealth you become what one add to zero you become ten that's right you became ten he said and if you are handsome and good looking take care of yourself and you look good you add another zero you become hundred and if you have a
good family and a good social status let's add one zero you became a thousand okay and if you have a good degree good education you became a ten thousand and so far everybody job he said but if you lose if you lose money you became a hundred you became a thousand you became that's right but if you lose the manner you lose the one you become zero you got it if you take that one out you become zero all these things means nothing because this is basically how he put it as the base for it anyway.
Conclusion
I would like to ask everybody to stand up that's how we end can you please take one I don't do massage stuff that's not me okay I would like to ask you to take one step to the right can you take another one step to the left back if there is a space just one small step to the front nice go back and sit in your seat I did this because I promised the brothers and sisters the organizers even though my talk will be the last talk in the day but I promised them I will move the crowd and I just did thank you very much.