Chapter: The Statement of Allah Taa'la: "Verily, in Yusuf and his brethren there were Ayat..."

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was asked, "Who is the most honorable amongst the people?" He replied, "The most Allah fearing." The people said, "We do not want to ask you about this." He said, "The most honorable person is Joseph, Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Khalil" The people said, 'We do not want to ask you about this." He said," Then you want to ask me about the origins of the Arabs? People are of various origins. The best in the prelslamic period are the best in Islam, provided they comprehend (the religious knowledge).

That the Prophet (ﷺ) said (to her). "Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." She replied," Abu Bakr is a soft-hearted person and when he stands at your place, he will weep (so he will not be able to lead the prayer)." The Prophet (ﷺ) repeated the same order and she gave the same reply. The narrator, Shuba said that the Prophet (ﷺ) said on the third or fourth time. "You are (like) the female companions of Joseph. Order Abu Bakr to lead the prayer. "

When the Prophet (ﷺ) fell ill, he said, "Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." `Aisha said, "Abu Bakr is a soft-hearted person. The Prophet (ﷺ) gave the same order again and she again gave the same reply. He again said, "Order Abu Bakr (to lead the prayer)! You are (like) the female companions of Joseph." Consequently Abu Bakr led the people in prayer in the life-time of the Prophet.

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "O Allah! Save `Aiyyash bin Abi Rabi`a (from the unjust treatment of the infidels). O Allah! Save Salama bin Hisham. O Allah! Send your Punishment on (the tribe of) Mudar. O Allah! Let them suffer from years (of drought) similar to that inflicted during the life-time of Joseph."

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy on Lot. He wanted to have a powerful support. If I were to stay in prison (for a period equal to) the stay of Joseph (prison) and then the offer of freedom came to me, then I would have accepted it." (See Hadith No. 591)

I asked Um Ruman, `Aisha's mother about the accusation forged against `Aisha. She said, "While I was sitting with `Aisha, an Ansari woman came to us and said, 'Let Allah condemn such-and-such person.' I asked her, 'Why do you say so?' She replied, 'For he has spread the (slanderous) story.' `Aisha said, 'What story?' The woman then told her the story. `Aisha asked, 'Have Abu Bakr and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) heard about it ?' She said, 'Yes.' `Aisha fell down senseless (on hearing that), and when she came to her senses, she got fever and shaking of the body. The Prophet (ﷺ) came and asked, 'What is wrong with her?' I said, 'She has got fever because of a story which has been rumored.' `Aisha got up and said, 'By Allah! Even if I took an oath, you would not believe me, and if I put forward an excuse, You would not excuse me. My example and your example is just like that example of Jacob and his sons. Against that which you assert, it is Allah (Alone) Whose Help can be sought.' (12.18) The Prophet (ﷺ) left and then Allah revealed the Verses (concerning the matter), and on that `Aisha said, 'Thanks to Allah (only) and not to anybody else."

I asked `Aisha the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ) about the meaning of the following Verse: -- "(Respite will be granted) 'Until when the apostles give up hope (of their people) and thought that they were denied (by their people)..............."(12.110) `Aisha replied, "Really, their nations did not believe them." I said, "By Allah! They were definite that their nations treated them as liars and it was not a matter of suspecting." `Aisha said, "O 'Uraiya (i.e. `Urwa)! No doubt, they were quite sure about it." I said, "May the Verse be read in such a way as to mean that the apostles thought that Allah did not help them?" Aisha said, "Allah forbid! (Impossible) The Apostles did not suspect their Lord of such a thing. But this Verse is concerned with the Apostles' followers who had faith in their Lord and believed in their apostles and their period of trials was long and Allah's Help was delayed till the apostles gave up hope for the conversion of the disbelievers amongst their nation and suspected that even their followers were shaken in their belief, Allah's Help then came to them."

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The honorable, the son of the honorable, the son of the honorable, (was) Joseph, the son of Jacob! the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham."