Sura Yusuf

I love Sura Yusuf...

This is the first time I read Yusuf Ali's introduction to it and I thought it was quite good:

In subject-matter this Sura is entirely taken up with the story (recapitulated rather than told) of Joseph, the younger (but one) of the twelve sons of the patriarch Jacob. The story is called the most beautiful of stories (xii. 3) for many reasons:

(1) it is the most detailed of any in the Qur'an;

(2) it is full of human vicissitudes, and has therefore deservedly appealed to men and women of all classes;

(3) it paints in vivid colours, with their spiritual implications, the most varied aspects of life - the patriarch's old age and the confidence between him and his little best-beloved son, the elder brothers' jealousy of this little son, their plot and their father's grief , the sale of the father's darling into slavery for a miserable little price, carnal love contrasted with purity and chastity, false charges, prison, the interpretation of dreams, low life and high life, Innocence raised to honor, the sweet "revenge" of Forgiveness, and Benevolence, high matters of state and administration, humility in exaltation, filial love and the beauty of Piety and Truth.

...The Qur'anic story...is a highly spiritual sermon or allegory explaining the seeming contradictions in life, the enduring nature of virtue in a world full of flux and change, and the marvelous working of God's eternal purpose in His plan as unfolded to us on the wide canvas of history. This aspect of the matter has been a favorite with Muslim poets and Sufi exegetists, and is further referred to in Appendix VI (at the end of this Sura), in connection with Jami's great Persian masterpiece, Yusuf-o-Zulaikha.

(I have yet to read that)

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Ramadan Lessons: True Liberation by Imam Zaid

"This is the final installment of what we have translated from Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali’s work, Lata’if al-Ma’arif. In this section, he mentions the liberation from Hell that is a gift countless people receive during Ramadan. He also mentions many teachings from the religion that create a deep longing and love for the blessed month. May Allah bless us all to live to see the end of this month, to take much benefit from it, and to live to experience another Ramadan." Read here

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11:120

"And each story of the messengers We relate to you to make firm thereby your heart. And in them there comes to you the truth, as well as a counsel and a reminder to the believers." (Qur'an, Sura 11 Hud: verse 120)

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11:114-5

"And establish the Prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the night. For good deeds will annul evil ones. This is a reminder for the mindful.

And have patience for Allah will not cause the reward of those who act with excellence to be wasted." (Qur'an, Sura 11 Hud: verse 114-5)

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11:112

"Therefore be upright as you were commanded, together with those who have repented with you." (Qur'an, Sura 11 Hud: verse 112)

from footnote # 464 of the Majestic Qur'an:

"As the Companions of the Prophet have told us, no verse made the Blessed Prophet more anxious than this. Once he said: "The surah of Hud has turned my hair gray."

pg. 234 of The Majestic Qur'an: An English Rendition of its Meanings

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10:57-8

"O mankind! There has come to you a counsel from your Lord, and a healing for what is in the breasts, and a guidance and a mercy for the believers.

Say: "The grace of Allah and His mercy, in that let them rejoice!" That is better than what they acquire." (Qur'an, Sura 10 Yunus: verses 57-58)

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