Hazrat Yusuf and Mirror
Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty, He is all encompassing, benevolent, and gracious; moreover, He is both Majestic and beautiful; whereas some of Divine Attributes are reflected in human beings, there is also an innate sense to appreciate those qualities. We are always striving for balance, for perfection in our daily lives, but are rarely able to achieve that.
Beauty is something which is in perfect harmony, proportion or balance. We witness a remarkable combination of chastity and purity, love and loyalty, wisdom and patience in the selfhood of Hazrat Yusuf (as) and that is but beauty. We are not here denying the physical beauty he was blessed with by Allah, Subhan-o-Ta’la; but alluding toward inner beauty which made him unique and matchless. Wisdom and benevolence which are the most celebrated attributes of Allah are witnessed in the person of Hazrat Yusuf (as) with all the humility and chastity of character and readiness for total submission to the Will of Allah.
Socrates had remarked:
Living well and beautifully and justly is all the same.
Hazrat Yusuf’s story tells us to practice restraint and carefully examine what is lawful and what is not lawful according to Divine Law. Right from the beginning, when he was thrown into the well, he restrained himself from falling into remorse or anger, the typical human reaction at the neglect, betrayal or loss of a loved relationship. Instead, he remained steadfast and patient at all the sufferings he had to encounter.
He again practiced restraint at the offer of Zulaikha and remained faithful not only to his worldly master Aziz, but the only Master God. He taught humanity to be careful in the use of food as well, by storing the surplus for times of shortage. Thus, by striving for balance in various fields of his life, he became a role model of temperance, and emblem of “Husn” that we seek in our prayers.
And there are men who say: “Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and defend us from the torment of the Fire!” (2:201).
The concept of interior beauty in Islam is discussed by Hossein Nasr: (Click here for Detail)
And our dear Mevlana teaches us: Our heart is the mirror in which the beauty of Allah Subhan o Ta’la is reflected. Hence, we must take good care of our hearts and do not let it rust; keep it shining and polished with love and forgiveness so that divine compassion and mercy may reflect in it.
After all,
Love is in the heart, beauty in the eyes of the beholder, and the knowledge in one’s own understanding!
Story End's Here
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