Volume 10 Surah 12 - 15 - Enjoy Islam

Yūsuf (Joseph) | FROM PRISON TO PALACE
happen. “He replied: ‘You shall sow for seven consecutive years.” (Verse 47) These are
seven years without a gap when there is a rich harvest. Hence they are depicted in
the dream as seven fat cows. “But let the grain you harvest remain in its ear,” (Verse 47)
because that would protect the crop against insects and atmospheric effects that may
cause it to decay. “Except for the little which you may eat.” (Verse 47) What you need for
eating you may take out of its ear. The rest must be stored for the following seven
years of poor harvest which are depicted in the dream as seven emaciated cows.
“Then after that there will come seven hard years,” (Verse 48) when the land produces
little or nothing. Hence these hard years “will devour all that you have laid up for them
except a little of what you have kept in store.” (Verse 48) It is as if these years are the ones
which do the devouring themselves. Their lack of harvest is described here as
hunger. And they will eat all except a little which is kept from them.
“Then after that there will come a year of abundant rain, in which the people will be able to
press [oil and wine].” (Verse 49) This brings to an end the hard years without harvest.
They are followed by a year of abundance when people will have plenty of water
and a plentiful harvest. Their vineyards will yield richly and they will be able to
press their wine. They will have plenty of sesame and olives which they will then
press into oil.
We note here that this plentiful year is not symbolized in the King’s dream. Joseph
mentions it, however, on the basis of the knowledge given to him by God. He gives
the happy news of the approach of this year to the man who will transmit it to the
King and the people. They will be happier that the seven hard years will be followed
by a year of rich harvest.
Court Summons
At this point the sūrah again moves to the next scene, leaving a gap between the
one just ending and the one about to begin. What happens during this gap is left for
us to imagine. The curtains are then once again raised in the King’s palace. The sūrah
leaves out what the man tells of the interpretation of the King’s dream, and what he
says about Joseph, his imprisonment and its cause, and his present situation. What
we have instead is the effect of all this, embodied in the King’s expressed desire to
see him and his order that he should be brought before him.
“The King said: ‘Bring this man before me.’” (Verse 50) Again the sūrah leaves out the
details of carrying out the King’s order. We simply find Joseph replying to the King’s
emissary. He has spent so long in prison that he is in no hurry to leave until his case
has been properly investigated. He wants the truth to be clearly known and his
innocence to be declared to all people. All the false accusations hurled at him must be
known for what they were: mere lies. He has been looked after by his Lord, and the
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