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qāla tazraʿūna sabʿa sinīna daʾaban fa-mā ḥaṣadtum fa-dharūhu fī sunbulihī ʾillā qalīlan mimmā taʾkulūna
He said, ‘You will sow for seven consecutive years. Then leave in the ear whatever [grain] you harvest, except a little that you eat.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Yusuf – Verse 47
47. “He said: ‘You shall sow for seven consecutive years and that which you have harvested you leave it in its ear, except a little whereof you eat’.”
Instead of criticizing his friend in prison for forgetting and neglecting him, and without setting any pre conditions for interpreting the king’s dream, Yusuf immediately interpreted the dream, for when society is in times of crisis and need, it is not meritorious to withhold knowledge especially in regard to that knowledge which can alleviate the crisis. Thus he said to his friend, that the people should cultivate in earnest for seven consecutive years, but put whatever they reap in storage, except for the small amount necessary for their personal needs. The verse says:
“He said: ‘You shall sow for seven consecutive years and that which you have harvested you leave it in its ear, except a little whereof you eat’.”
In a clear and thorough manner he outlined the strategy of preparing for the coming drought with a defined program of food rationing and stockpiling surplus production, showing that not only was he well versed in the science of dream interpretation, but that he was an authority in economic planning and administration as well.
Explanations
1. The men of Allah must always think of the people’s welfare and have designs both in the long and short terms.
2. If grain is stored while it is still inside their husks, it naturally lasts longer. Therefore, at a time when there were no modern facilities for efficient grain storage, stockpiling had to take into consideration the options available and exploit them efficiently.
3. Getting prepared for all kinds of disasters such as famines, earthquakes, and floods through planning and taking appropriate measures for the future are not incompatible with trusting in Allah and submission to Allah’s decree.
4. Not everything bitter is bad. This very famine resulted in Yusuf’s rise in the government and encouraged the people to work hard. The stockpile which they made at that time led to a great degree of self sufficiency. Indulgence today leads to scarcity tomorrow.
5. Keeping an eye upon the future and long term planning are absolutely necessary for the administration of any country; and so is government control over production and distribution under situations of economic crisis.
6. The dreams of unbelievers can also prove to reflect hidden realities and can contain some instructions for the preservation of a society.