Piety, Patience and Good Manners – The Path of The Prophets

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, gathered between fear of Allah and good manners because fear of Allah rectifies the [relationship] between a slave and his Lord, and good manners rectifies the [relationship] between a person and Allah’s creation. Fear of Allah makes a person deserving of Allah’s love and good manners brings about the love of the people for him. [1]

Allah, The Most High, informed us about Yusuf, peace be upon him, and his brothers:

قَالُوا أَإِنَّكَ لَأَنْتَ يُوسُفُ ۖ قَالَ أَنَا يُوسُفُ وَهَٰذَا أَخِي ۖ قَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا ۖ إِنَّهُ مَنْ يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

They said: “Are you indeed Yusuf (Joseph)? “He said: I am Yusuf (Joseph), and this is my brother (Benjamin). Allah has indeed been gracious to us. Verily, he who fears Allah and is patient, then surely, Allah makes not the reward of the good-doers to be lost.”

They knew that the one who addressed them was Yusuf, thus, they said: [ أَإِنَّكَ لَأَنْتَ يُوسُف – Are you indeed Yusuf?] He said:

[أَنَا يُوسُفُ وَهَٰذَا أَخِي ۖ قَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا – I am Yusuf, and this is my brother (Benjamin). Allah has indeed been gracious to us]- Meaning: Allah granted us Iman, piety and authority in the worldly life, and that is due to patience and piety.

[ۖ إِنَّهُ مَنْ يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ-Verily, he who fears Allah and is patient]- Meaning: One who keeps away from what Allah has forbidden, exercises patience when facing pain and calamities, and when carrying out the commandments, [فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِين – then surely, Allah makes not the reward of the good-doers to be lost], because that is from Ihsan [perfection in worship] and Allah makes not the reward of the one who perfects his deeds to be lost. [2]

[1] Al-Fawa’id. page 89-90

[2] An Excerpt from “Tayseer Al-kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan”