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qāla jʿalnī ʿalā khazāʾini l-ʾarḍi ʾinnī ḥafīẓun ʿalīmun
He said, ‘Put me in charge of the country’s granaries. I am indeed fastidious [and]well-informed.’
— Ali Quli Qarai
12YūsufيوسفVerse 55 of 111
Joseph12. Yūsufيوسف
Yūsuf
Joseph
MeccanVerse 55 of 111
Surah Yusuf – Verse 55
55. “He (Yusuf) said: ‘Set me over the storehouses of the land. Verily I am a knowing guardian’.”
The ‘Aziz offered Yusuf (as) the choice of assuming any position in the government he should take the reins of the important affairs to improve them. Yusuf (as) proposed his appointment as the minister responsible for treasures of the country, because he was a trustworthy custodian since he knew that economic injustice was one of the major causes of social disruption. The verse says:
“He (Yusuf) said: ‘Set me over the storehouses of the land. Verily I am a knowing guardian’.”
With political power in his hands to affect economic programming, Yusuf would be more able to manage the impending food shortage and could also help the oppressed by reducing their suffering as much as he could, he could reclaim their rights and put an end to the economic mismanagement and anarchy which prevailed in the country. The Qur’anic sentence: ‘Verily I am a knowing guardian’, shows that administration and administrative ability should be accompanied with faithfulness, and also shows that mere purity and faithfulness are not enough for accepting a sensitive social post, but besides them knowledge, expertness and administrative ability are necessary, too.’
Here are some examples of questions and answers worth noting: Question: Why did Yusuf (as) make a proposal for a governmental post? Answer: He discovered that the dream of the king foretold that an imminent danger and hardship was facing the people and he knew that he would be able to prevent it, as well as the undesirable economic events, so he asked for the relevant governmental portfolio in order to carry out this task. Question: Why did Yusuf (as) utter words of praise for himself? Does not the Qur’an say that one should not praise himself?
The Qur’an says:
“Do not praise yourself.” 4
Answer: Yusuf did not praise himself, he was simply mentioning his suitability for the immense task ahead, which was regulating the dreadful effects of famine and drought. It was not because of ambition or the vain desire to abuse public office. Question: Why did Yusuf (as) cooperate with an infidel government? Is it not the case that this is forbidden in the Qur’an ? Answer: Yusuf did not accept this responsibility for that end. On the contrary, he did it to relieve the people from the pressures associated with the period of the famine. He never praised or flattered the regime.
According to the Tafsir f i Zilal il Qur’an, in such hard times, politicians usually abandon their people and flee at the time of danger, but Yusuf stayed to protect the people. If one is unable to overthrow an oppressive regime, or reform it, one must stop degradation and oppression as far as he can, which might include being active in public affairs. Observing the law of priority in both reason and religion is a basic principle. It might not be admissible to participate in the administrative hierarchy of a government of unbelievers; nevertheless, it is far more desirable if it is a means saving a nation from famine.
According to Tafsir Tibyan, Yusuf (as) did not accept this political position in order to assist an oppressor; neither did he accept a military post, which might make him shed blood illegitimately. He only accepted an economic post in order to rescue the nation from famine. Imam Rida (as) said that when it was necessary for Yusuf to become the custodian of the treasure in Egypt, he proposed his readiness for the position himself. 5 Ali ibn Yaqteen also became a minister in the court of the Abbasid Caliphate on the advice of Imam Kazim (as). The mere presence of such men of Allah can be a great haven for the oppressed. Imam Sadiq (as) said:
“The atonement for a governmental deed is to fulfil the needs of (religious) brothers”. 6
Imam Rida (as) was asked why he accepted to be a successor to the caliphate of Ma`mun. He replied that Yusuf (as), who was a prophet, joined a pagan administration, but the Imam himself, who was the successor to the Prophet (S), had joined the system of someone who claimed to be a Muslim. His acceptance had been done under duress, while Yusuf’s (as) was voluntary because of the importance of the matter.7 As soon as Yusuf (as) took office, he did not seek to see his parents, for visiting parents was an emotional matter while rescuing people from famine was a social responsibility.
Imam Sadiq (as) addressing a group of seemingly pious people called them to lead a life of abstemiousness, he said:
“Inform me as to what you think about Yusuf the prophet, who told the king of Egypt: “Set me over the storehouses of the land.” His responsibility extended far and wide including as far as the Yemen… At the same time, we do not know of any one who found fault with this engagement of his.” 8
It has been narrated from Imam Rida (as) that Yusuf gathered and stored the wheat during the first seven years. During the second seven years, when the famine happened, he gradually and carefully distributed them among people for their daily consumption saving the entire country of Egypt from a potential catastrophe in this way. Throughout those seven years of famine, Yusuf never ate to his fill, lest he might forget those who were nearly starving.9
Both the Tafsirs, Majma‘ ul Bayan, and Al Mizan say that during the first year of the famine, Hadrat Yusuf (as) exchanged wheat for gold and silver. In the second year, he exchanged wheat for gems and jewels. During its third year, he would exchange wheat for four footed animals, in the fourth year he would exchange wheat for slaves, in the fifth year he exchanged wheat for houses; in the sixth year he exchanged wheat for farms and fields and finally, in the seventh year he exchanged wheat for labor.
When the seventh year came to an end, he addressed the king of Egypt, saying:
“All the people’s properties are at my disposal. However, I call Allah to testify and you to bear witness that I liberated all the people and I shall return all their properties to them, I shall also give you back your palace, the throne and your seal. Holding this administrative position was a means for me to save the people and nothing more. You must deal with them with justice.”
On hearing these words, the king was so profoundly humbled in the face of such spiritual magnitude that he suddenly uttered the following words:
“I bear witness that there is no Allah but Allah and that you are His messenger. Verily, you are of high standing in our presence, a trusted one.”
We must remember that the Qur’anic criteria in selecting individuals do not only include the attributes of guardianship and knowledge, but that we must also take into consideration such attributes as: Faith, when the Qur’an says:
“Is he then, who is a believer like him who is a transgressor? They are not equal.” 10
Background: about which the Qur’an says:
“And the foremost are the foremost.” “These are they who are drown nigh (to Allah).” 11
Migration: The Qur’an says:
“…and those who believed but they did not migrate, you have not any friendship towards them until they migrate.…”
Mental and bodily ability:
“And He has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature” 12
Nobility in lineage:
“…your father was not a bad man,” 13
Holy struggle: the Qur’an states:
“Allah has raised the strivers with their wealth and lives in rank above those sitting back.” 14
Explanations
1. One must volunteer for sensitive positions whenever it is necessary.
2. Eligibility and potential are not incompatible with trust in Allah, piety, and honesty.
3. Out of the attributes which the king used to describe Yusuf (as) saying: high standing, and ‘a trusted one’, and those two attributes which Yusuf uses to describe himself as ‘knowing’ ‘guardian’, one can deduce that these qualities are the main attributes of the eligible administrators.
They are: ability, reliability, guardianship, and specialization.
4. The position of prophecy practically is not separate from government and politics, because religion is not to be separated from politics.
5. Citizenship is not to be regarded as the principal criterion for governmental administration. Yusuf was not an Egyptian, however he was given the post of an administrator of Egypt, (nationalism of any kind is not acceptable).
6. We must plan ahead for consumption, and in supervision we must always economize and preserve the share belonging to future generations.
Footnotes