11/19/2019 What Prophet Yusuf can teach the modern man - Fig & Olive

What Prophet Yusuf can teach the modern man

The story of Yusuf, peace to him, is unique in the Quran in that Allah provides us with a great deal of
detail. Many prophets and righteous people are mentioned in the Quran but their stories are usually brief
and only give us a small insight into their lives. In Surah Yusuf Allah tells us, “Surely, in (the story of)
Yusuf and his brothers, there are signs for those who ask” [12:47]. The Surah continues, giving us an
outline of Prophet Yusuf’s life; Yusuf’s vision, his brothers’ jealousy and betrayal, his life as a slave,
being seduced by his owner’s wife, being wrongfully accused of betraying his master, his time in jail, his
freedom and redemption, rise to prominence, reunion with his family, and forgiveness of his brothers.
There is an endless number of lessons to learn from Yusuf, peace to him, but one aspect of his story is
of particular importance to modern men: sexual modesty.

While we focus a lot on the modesty of women we’ve largely ignored the modesty of men. On this blog,
we’ve discussed the importance of focusing some attention on male modesty, while still admitting that
female modesty has deteriorated a great deal more. But another aspect of modesty —sexual modesty,
affects men more severely than women. Clothing plays a large roll in this, hijab often deters non-Muslim
men from “hitting on” Muslim women. But Muslim men who dress just like their non-Muslim counterparts
have nothing to deter female attention.

Non-Muslim women complain about the differential treatment of philandering women vs philandering
men –in essence, men who “play the field” are looked at positively while women who do the same are
demeaned. This double standard may work against women who “play the field” but it also works against
men who choose to/want to guard their sexual modesty. Men —Muslim and non-Muslim alike, are often
reproached when they attempt to guard their sexual modesty, being met with disgust, belittlement and
sometimes just laughter, from their peers. Men who want to abstain from sex are deemed, “weak”,
“losers” or “gay”. In our society, something is deemed “wrong” with a man who passes his twenties with
his virginity intact.

While we may look at Prophet Yusuf, peace to him, as an unreachable figure who’s piety can’t be
matched, he was still human. And wasn’t unaware of the obvious dilemma that laid before him; he was a
man with a slew of women expressing their desire to be with him. Yusuf clutches to his faith knowing that
but by the grace of God he too could succumb to his lower desires:

“When they saw him, they were so stunned ˹by his beauty˺ that they cut their hands, and exclaimed,
“Good God! This cannot be human; this must be a noble angel!”

Yusuf said: “O my Rabb! I would rather go to prison than that to which they invite me; and unless
You ward off their cunning snare from me, I may, in my youthful folly, feel inclined towards them and
become one of the ignorant.” [12: 31-32]

When Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him, spoke of sexual modesty he addressed
both men and women, “Whoever can guarantee (the chastity of) what is between his two jaw-bones and
what is between his two legs (i.e. his tongue and his private parts), I guarantee Paradise for him.”
[Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 76, Number 481]. We live in a society that paints sexual modesty as not only
unimportant but impossible. And this message is uniquely and prominently directed towards men more
often than women. In a society that actively promotes zina, we need to reinvigorate the story of Yusuf, as
a blueprint for the modern man.

Yusuf, peace to him, turned to God and God turned to him “So his Lord responded to him and averted
him from their plan. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.” [12:34]

{Image source: bit.ly/2JjRWF}

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11/19/2019 What Prophet Yusuf can teach the modern man - Fig & Olive

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