Why Was Yusuf Released From Prison, and What Events Led to His Great Position in Egypt?
لماذا خرج يوسف من السجن، وما الأحداث التي أدت إلى منصبه العظيم في مصر؟
First: When Yusuf interpreted the visions of the two men who were in prison with him, he asked the one who would survive and be released to mention his story to the king, since he was the king’s wine server, but the young man forgot to mention the story after his release. Second: After some time had passed and Yusuf was still in prison, the king had a strange dream, which would become the reason for the king’s knowledge of Yusuf, his release from prison, and a means of surviving the economic crisis that would later strike Egypt. Third: Allah says, “I dreamt of seven fat cows eaten up by seven skinny ones,” and the wonder is that cows do not eat cows, and reason would suggest the fat should eat the lean, yet what the king saw was the skinny cows eating the fat ones, which was strange indeed. He also saw “seven green ears of grain and seven others dry,” a further wonder, since the number seven was repeated, so what he saw must have had a meaning. Fourth: The king gathered his chiefs and said to them, “O chiefs, tell me the meaning of my dream if you can interpret dreams.” They did not know how to interpret it, and replied, “These are confused visions,” meaning dreams with no real meaning, “and we do not know the interpretation of such dreams,” since dreams could be from Satan or mere imagination, which they did not interpret. Fifth: When the chiefs could not interpret it, the surviving former prisoner, the king’s wine server, whom Yusuf had asked to mention him, said to them, “I will tell you its interpretation, so send me forth,” meaning send him to Yusuf to ask about the vision, so they sent him, and Yusuf gave them its interpretation. Sixth: The young man came to the prison addressing Yusuf, “O man of truth,” acknowledging his sincerity in word and deed, saying they had a new vision for him to interpret, “seven fat cows eaten up by seven skinny ones, and seven green ears of grain and others dry, so that I may return to the people and let them know,” since they were eager for the interpretation, being the king’s own vision. Seventh: Yusuf explained that the seven fat cows and seven green ears of grain represented seven years of prosperity, and the seven skinny cows and dry ears represented difficult years of drought. Eighth: Yusuf combined his interpretation with practical guidance to prevent the coming economic crisis and famine, advising them to save during the years of prosperity by leaving grain in its ears, since that preserves it best, to be used during the years of drought. He then gave them good news of the year that would follow, “Then after that will come a year in which people will receive abundant rain and they will press oil and wine,” meaning abundant rain, floods, and provision, so much that they would press grapes and fruit due to the surplus. It is worth noting that the king’s own vision contained no indication of that final relieving year, but this was part of what Allah had taught Yusuf in the interpretation of matters. Ninth: In this scene, Yusuf’s kindness toward the people of that land is evident, even though they had wronged him, as he both interpreted the vision warning of the coming crisis and provided the practical solutions that would preserve lives and provisions, all while never reproaching the man who had forgotten him, nor refusing to help interpret the king’s dream. Tenth: When the messenger returned to the king and the people and told them Yusuf’s interpretation, they were amazed and greatly pleased, which led the king to summon Yusuf and order him released from prison, saying, “Bring him to me.” Eleventh: When the messenger came to summon him before the king, Yusuf refused to leave immediately until his complete innocence was made clear, since his imprisonment had implied guilt, and he wanted everyone to recognize his innocence first, so he told the king’s messenger, “Go back to your master and ask him about the case of the women who cut their hands,” and about the wife of Al-Aziz, “Surely my Lord has full knowledge of their cunning.” Twelfth: The king then held a royal council to investigate the old incident, bringing the women and asking them, “What was your affair when you tried to seduce Yusuf? Did you see anything questionable from him?” They acquitted him, saying, “Allah forbid, we know nothing indecent about him,” meaning nothing improper had come from him at all, which was enough to drop the charge and clear his imprisonment as unjust. As for the wife of Al-Aziz, she confirmed what the women said and made clear that Yusuf had done nothing wrong, “Now the truth has come to light. It was I who tried to seduce him, and he is surely truthful.” This is how Yusuf left prison for the king’s palace, beginning a new chapter of this remarkable story. “And one day the King said, ‘I dreamt of seven fat cows eaten up by seven skinny ones; and seven green ears of grain and seven others dry. O chiefs, tell me the meaning of my dream if you can interpret dreams'” (Surah Yusuf 12:43-51).
أولا: من المعلوم أن يوسف عليه السلام لما عبّر للفتيين الرؤيا اللتين رأياهما في السجن، أوصى الذي ظنه ناجيا أن يذكر قصته عند الملك، لأنه كان ساقيا للملك، فنسي الفتى الساقي أن يذكر القصة. ثانيا: بعد مدة من خروج الفتى وبقاء يوسف في السجن، أرى الله الملك رؤيا عجيبة، لتكون تلك الرؤيا سببا في معرفة الملك بخبر يوسف وإخراجه من السجن، ولتكون سببا في دفع الأزمة الاقتصادية التي ستعصف بالمملكة المصرية. ثالثا: قال الله تعالى على لسان الملك: إِنِّي أَرَى سَبْعَ بَقَرَاتٍ سِمَانٍ يَأْكُلُهُنَّ سَبْعٌ عِجَافٌ، ووجه العجب أن البقر لا يأكل البقر، كما أن العقل يقتضي أن تأكل السمينة الهزيلة، ولكن الذي رآه الملك أن الهزيلة هي التي تأكل السمينة، وهذا من العجب. ورأى في ذات الرؤيا أيضا سَبْعَ سُنبُلَاتٍ خُضْرٍ وَأُخَرَ يَابِسَاتٍ، وهذا عجب آخر، إذ العدد سبعة تكرر، فلا بد أن يكون لهذا الذي رآه في منامه تعبير. رابعا: جمع الملك حاشيته وذوي الرأي من قومه وقال لهم: يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ أَفْتُونِي فِي رُؤْيَايَ إِن كُنتُمْ لِلرُّؤْيَا تَعْبُرُونَ، فتحيّر الملأ ولم يعرفوا لها وجها، قَالُوا أَضْغَاثُ أَحْلَامٍ، أي أحلام لا حاصل لها وليس لها تأويل، لأنهم يعبّرون الرؤى ولا يعبّرون الأحلام، وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَأْوِيلِ الْأَحْلَامِ بِعَالِمِينَ، لأن الأحلام من الشيطان أو ربما كانت من حديث النفس فلا نعبّرها. خامسا: حين عجز الملأ عن تأويل الرؤيا، تذكّر أحد الفتيين، وهو ساقي الملك، ما أوصاه يوسف به، فقال للملأ: أَنَا أُنَبِّئُكُم بِتَأْوِيلِهِ فَأَرْسِلُونِ، أي إلى يوسف لأسأله عن تلك الرؤيا ليعبّرها، فأرسلوه، فأعطاهم يوسف تأويل تلك الرؤيا. سادسا: جاء الفتى إلى السجن مخاطبا يوسف: أَيُّهَا الصِّدِّيقُ، يا من ظهر صدقه في الأقوال والأفعال، عندنا رؤيا جديدة لتعبّرها لنا وهي: سَبْعِ بَقَرَاتٍ سِمَانٍ يَأْكُلُهُنَّ سَبْعٌ عِجَافٌ وَسَبْعِ سُنبُلَاتٍ خُضْرٍ وَأُخَرَ يَابِسَاتٍ لَّعَلِّي أَرْجِعُ إِلَى النَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ، فإنهم متشوقون لتعبيرها، وقد أهمّتهم لأنها رؤيا الملك. سابعا: عبّر يوسف السبع البقرات السمان والسبع السنبلات الخضر بأنهن سبع سنين مخصبات، والسبع البقرات العجاف والسبع السنبلات اليابسات بأنهن سنين مجدبات. ثامنا: جمع يوسف عليه السلام بين تعبير الرؤيا وبيان ما يتوجب فعله للوقاية من الأزمة الاقتصادية والمجاعة، فأرشدهم إلى الادخار في سنوات الرخاء، بترك الزرع الذي لا يُحتاج إليه في سنابله لأن ذلك أحفظ له من التلف، ليُستغل في السبع العجاف. ثم بشّرهم بالعام الذي تنفرج فيه تلك الأزمة: ثُمَّ يَأْتِي مِن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ عَامٌ فِيهِ يُغَاثُ النَّاسُ وَفِيهِ يَعْصِرُونَ، أي تكثر الأمطار والسيول والغلات، حتى إنهم يعصرون العنب والثمار لما فيه من زيادة عن الحاجة. والملاحظ أن رؤيا الملك لم تُشر إلى ذلك العام، لكنه مما علّمه الله ليوسف عليه السلام من تأويل الأحاديث. تاسعا: يظهر في هذا المشهد إحسان يوسف عليه السلام لأهل تلك البلاد مع أنهم ظلموه، فقد عبّر الرؤيا ووضع لها الحلول الناجعة، ولم يعنّف الرجل على نسيانه. عاشرا: لما رجع الرسول إلى الملك وأخبرهم بتأويل يوسف، عجبوا وفرحوا أشد الفرح، مما حمل الملك على استدعاء يوسف وإخراجه من السجن فقال: ائْتُونِي بِهِ. حادي عشر: لما جاء الرسول إلى يوسف يأمر بحضوره عند الملك، امتنع عن المبادرة إلى الخروج حتى تتبين براءته التامة، لأن سجنه كان دليلا على أنه مذنب، فقال لرسول الملك: ارْجِعْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَاسْأَلْهُ مَا بَالُ النِّسْوَةِ اللَّاتِي قَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي بِكَيْدِهِنَّ عَلِيمٌ. ثاني عشر: عقد الملك مجلسا للتحقيق في الحادثة القديمة، فأحضر النسوة وسألهن: مَا خَطْبُكُنَّ إِذْ رَاوَدتُّنَّ يُوسُفَ عَن نَّفْسِهِ، فبرّأنه: قُلْنَ حَاشَ لِلَّـهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِن سُوءٍ. أما امرأة العزيز فأقرّت بما قلن: قَالَتِ امْرَأَتُ الْعَزِيزِ الْآنَ حَصْحَصَ الْحَقُّ أَنَا رَاوَدتُّهُ عَن نَّفْسِهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ. وبهذا يخرج يوسف من السجن إلى قصر الملك ليبدأ فصلا جديدا من تلك القصة الفريدة. وَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ سَبْعَ بَقَرَاتٍ سِمَانٍ يَأْكُلُهُنَّ سَبْعٌ عِجَافٌ وَسَبْعَ سُنبُلَاتٍ خُضْرٍ وَأُخَرَ يَابِسَاتٍ ۖ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ أَفْتُونِي فِي رُؤْيَايَ إِن كُنتُمْ لِلرُّؤْيَا تَعْبُرُونَ ﴿٤٣﴾ (سورة يوسف: 43-51).
1. A Dream Only Yusuf Could Solve | رؤيا لم يحلها إلا يوسف
That an entire royal council of advisors failed where a single imprisoned man succeeded sets up one of the surah’s clearest reversals of worldly status. The very people with power and freedom could not solve what the prisoner solved instantly, foreshadowing the position Yusuf was about to be given.
إن فشل مجلس ملكي كامل من المستشارين فيما نجح فيه سجين واحد يؤسس لأحد أوضح انقلابات المكانة الدنيوية في السورة. فأصحاب السلطة والحرية أنفسهم عجزوا عما حله السجين فورا، وهو ما ينذر بالمنصب الذي كان يوسف على وشك أن يُمنحه.
2. Interpretation Paired With a Plan, Not Left Abstract | تفسير مصحوب بخطة، لا مجرد تأويل
Yusuf did not stop at explaining what the dream meant; he immediately provided a detailed economic strategy, storing grain in its ears during the years of plenty to prevent loss, to actually prevent the disaster from causing famine. This combination of insight and practical administration is what later justified placing him in charge of Egypt’s resources entirely.
لم يكتف يوسف بشرح معنى الرؤيا، بل قدم فورا استراتيجية اقتصادية مفصلة، بترك الزرع في سنابله خلال سنوات الرخاء لمنع تلفه، لدرء الكارثة فعليا عن أن تسبب مجاعة. وهذا الجمع بين البصيرة والإدارة العملية هو ما بررّ لاحقا تولّيه مسؤولية موارد مصر بالكامل.
3. No Bitterness Toward the Man Who Forgot Him | لا مرارة تجاه من نسيه
Despite years of additional imprisonment caused directly by the cup-bearer’s forgetfulness, Yusuf answered his renewed request for help without reproach or hesitation. This restraint, help freely given to someone who had previously failed him, is held up by scholars as a preview of the far greater forgiveness Yusuf would later extend to his own brothers.
رغم سنوات السجن الإضافية التي تسبب فيها مباشرة نسيان الساقي، لبّى يوسف طلبه المتجدد للمساعدة دون توبيخ أو تردد. ويرى العلماء في هذا التعفف، مساعدة قُدمت بلا مقابل لمن أخفق معه سابقا، مقدمة للعفو الأعظم بكثير الذي سيمنحه يوسف لاحقا لإخوته أنفسهم.
4. Choosing Justice Over Immediate Freedom | اختيار العدالة على الحرية الفورية
When summoned directly by the king, an offer most prisoners would accept instantly, Yusuf instead sent the messenger back, insisting the case be reopened and the women questioned first. This decision, delaying his own release to secure the truth, is the same principle already explored regarding his refusal to leave prison, covered in Did Yusuf Ever Intend Any Act of Indecency With Al-Aziz’s Wife?
حين استدعاه الملك مباشرة، وهو عرض كان معظم السجناء سيقبلونه فورا، أعاد يوسف الرسول بدلا من ذلك، مصرّا على إعادة فتح القضية واستجواب النسوة أولا. وهذا القرار، بتأجيل إطلاق سراحه لتحقيق الحقيقة، هو المبدأ نفسه الذي تناولناه سابقا بشأن رفضه مغادرة السجن، كما في مقال هل هَمّ يوسف بفعل الفاحشة مع امرأة العزيز؟
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What event led to Yusuf’s release from prison?
The king’s troubling dream, which no advisor could interpret until it reached Yusuf through the cup-bearer.
What did Yusuf’s interpretation of the dream mean?
Seven years of prosperity followed by seven years of drought, with a final year of relief and abundant rain.
Why did Yusuf refuse to leave prison immediately when the king summoned him?
He insisted his innocence be fully investigated and publicly confirmed first, rather than accepting release with doubt remaining.
How was his innocence finally confirmed?
The king questioned the women directly, and Al-Aziz’s wife herself admitted the truth had come to light and that she had been the one to seduce him.