Surah Yusuf (Joseph) 12 : 99

Overview (Verses 99 - 101)

A Happy Family Reunion
 
The sūrah gives us yet another surprise. Leaving out all details about this last trip, it moves directly to a highly charged final scene. We pick up our commentary with the family approaching its appointed meeting with Joseph its long departed son. “When they all presented themselves before Joseph, he drew his parents to himself saying: ‘Enter Egypt in peace, if it so pleases God.’ And he raised his parents to the highest place of honour, and they fell down on their knees, prostrating themselves before him.  He said: ‘Father, this is the real meaning of my dream of long ago. My Lord has made it come true. He has been gracious to me, releasing me from prison, and bringing you all from the desert after Satan had sown discord between me and my brothers. My Lord is gracious in whatever way He wishes. He is All-Knowing, truly Wise.” (Verses 99-100)
 
It is certainly a most powerful scene. Long years have passed with all that they carried of despair and lost hope, pain and distress, longing and grief, and also an urgent, silent plea for reunion. Long hard years of a test that is not easy to pass. After all that we have this powerful scene, with its intensity of feeling, pleasure, happiness and emotion. It is a final scene that is closely connected to the opening one in the story. The opening scene is long gone, but the final one is now taking place. Between the two, Joseph remembers God, never allowing himself to forget Him: “When they all presented themselves before Joseph, he drew his parents to himself saying: ‘Enter Egypt in peace, if it so pleases God.’“ (Verse 99)
 
He also remembers his earlier dream, realizing that it is now fulfilled as he raises his parents to sit on the couch where he normally sits while his brothers prostrate themselves before him. In his dream he had seen eleven stars as well as the sun and the moon prostrating themselves before him. Hence he sees its fulfilment in the scene that now took place before him: “And he raised his parents to the highest place of honour, and they fell down on their knees, prostrating themselves before him. He said: ‘Father, this is the real meaning of my dream of long ago. My Lord has made it come true.” (Verse 100)
 
He then speaks of the grace God has bestowed on him: “He has been gracious to me, releasing me from prison, and bringing you all from the desert after Satan had sown discord between me and my brothers.” (Verse 100) He moves on to emphasize that God accomplishes His will as He pleases: “My Lord is gracious in whatever way He wishes.” (Verse 100) He achieves His purpose with grace, while people are totally unaware of how  His designs are accomplished.  Joseph  follows  this  by  making  the  same statement his father did when he told him about his dream at the beginning of the sūrah: “He is All-Knowing, truly Wise.” (Verse 100) This brings harmony between the beginning and the end, even in the way thoughts are expressed.
 
Before the curtains are drawn over this last emotional scene, we find Joseph pulling himself away from the overwhelming pleasure of family reunion, and also from the pleasant security of high position and real authority to glorify his Lord and express his gratitude to Him. All that he prays for at this moment is that he should die as a person who surrenders himself to God and to be grouped with the righteous: “My Lord, You have given me power and imparted to me some understanding of the real meaning of statements. Originator of the heavens and the earth! You are my guardian in this world and in the life to come. Let me die as one who has surrendered himself to You, and admit me among the righteous.” (Verse 101)
 
“My Lord, You have given me power.” (Verse 101) You have given me all that comes with a position of power: real authority, high standing, great respect and wealth. All these are blessings given in this world. And You have “imparted to me some understanding of the real meaning of statements.” (Verse 101) This gives me a real understanding of where events lead and how statements and dreams are interpreted. This is a blessing of knowledge. I remember the grace You have bestowed on me and the blessings You have granted me. “Originator of the heavens and the earth!” (Verse 101) You have created them all by Your design and will. You remain in full control of them all, and of all creatures that take their abode in them. “You are my guardian in this world and in the life to come.” (Verse 101) It is You alone who gives real support.
 
My Lord, all that is Your blessing, and everything testifies to Your power. My Lord, I am not appealing to You to give me power, health or wealth. My appeal is for something that is much more valuable, and much longer lasting: “Let me die as one who has surrendered himself to You, and admit me among the righteous.” (Verse 101)
 
This ending removes all notions of power and position, and the happiness of meeting long missed family members. The final scene thus appears to be one in which a true servant of God appeals to Him in all humility, requesting Him to enable him to maintain his faith until He gathers him to Himself, and admits him among His righteous servants. This represents the total and perfect success in all tests and trials.