Summary:
The Allegory of the Heart and Its Faculties: The story of Joseph is presented as "the best of narratives" because it serves as a perfect allegory for the spiritual journey. Joseph represents the beautiful, divinely-prepared Heart. His father, Jacob, is the Intellect, and his eleven brothers are the ego-centric faculties (the five external and five internal senses, plus anger and lust), who are children of the soul. The brothers' envy and their plot to cast the Heart into a well symbolize the senses dragging the spiritual center down into the darkness of corporeal nature, driven by their aversion to the Intellect's preference for the Heart's perfection over their own worldly appetites.
The Trials of Seduction and Imprisonment: The Heart's journey continues through trials of purification and strengthening. Sold to the 'Aziz of Egypt (the Spirit), he is tempted by the 'Aziz's wife, Zulaykha (the self-reproaching soul). Her seduction represents the soul's attempt to gain mastery over the heart and close the "doors" to the spirit. The Heart's ability to resist, aided by the "proof of his Lord" (the perception of the intellect) and his preference for "prison" (spiritual retreat and discipline) over the soul's desires, is a crucial stage that leads to his eventual mastery.
From Annihilation to Divine Viceregency: Joseph's imprisonment symbolizes his wayfaring to God, a period of isolation and discipline that culminates in his complete annihilation. His release is triggered by interpreting the dream of the King (the Active Intellect), which marks the end of his annihilation and the beginning of his subsistence (baqā') through a divinely-bestowed existence. His appointment over the "storehouses of the land" represents the perfected Heart's attainment of divine viceregency (khilāfa) and fixity (tamkīn), granting him sovereign governance over all the faculties of the body and soul.
The Final Union and Prostration: The narrative concludes with the reunion of the Heart with his family, representing the final integration of all human faculties. The brothers, now purified, come before the Heart seeking spiritual provision. The final prostration of his parents (the Intellect and the Soul) and his brothers (the faculties) symbolizes the complete and willing submission of the entire human microcosm to the perfected Heart. This act fulfills the initial vision and represents the actualization of the divine unity within the individual, where the Heart, established in righteousness, reigns supreme.
Key Ideas:
The story of Joseph is the quintessential allegory for the spiritual path of the heart (qalb) from its initial divine election, through trials and purification, to its ultimate sovereignty.
The human person is a kingdom of faculties (intellect, soul, senses, heart) which are often in conflict but must ultimately submit to the perfected heart.
The spiritual journey involves a descent into the "well of nature," trials of seduction by the soul, the "imprisonment" of spiritual retreat, and finally, ascension to divine viceregency (khilāfa).
True knowledge and the ability to interpret the events of the Unseen are gifts from God that come after the heart has been purified and established.
Divine election is a pre-eternal reality based on a soul's preparedness, which is then actualized through spiritual struggle.
The ultimate state is one of tamkīn (fixity), where the heart, subsisting through God, governs all the faculties with justice and wisdom.
Unique Events:
Joseph has a vision of eleven planets, the sun, and the moon prostrating to him.
Jacob warns Joseph not to relate his vision to his brothers for fear of their plotting.
Joseph is given a shirt from Paradise by Gabriel, originally worn by Abraham in the fire of Nimrod.
The brothers cast Joseph into a well and use false blood on his shirt to deceive their father.
The 'Aziz of Egypt's wife, Zulaykha, attempts to seduce Joseph and tears his shirt from behind.
A witness from Zulaykha's own folk testifies to Joseph's innocence based on where his shirt was torn.
The women of the city cut their hands in awe after seeing Joseph's beauty.
Two youths are imprisoned with Joseph: a cupbearer (spiritual love) and a baker (vain desire of the soul).
Joseph remains in prison for several extra years because he asked the cupbearer to "mention me to your lord," a remnant of attachment to other-than-God.
The King of Egypt has a dream of seven fat kine being eaten by seven lean kine, and seven green ears of corn and seven dry ones.
The women of the city and Zulaykha confess Joseph's innocence, stating, "Now the truth is out."
The King makes Joseph his viceregent, giving him his throne, crown, ring, and sword.
Joseph marries Zulaykha, who had been the wife of the previous 'Aziz, and finds her to be a virgin.
The brothers come to Egypt seeking provisions and fail to recognize Joseph.
Joseph places the king's drinking-cup in his brother Benjamin's saddlebag to detain him.
The story is related of Joseph's paternal aunt using a stolen belt, inherited from Abraham, to keep Joseph with her in his youth.
Jacob senses the "scent" of Joseph from a great distance as the caravan departs Egypt.
Joseph's parents and brothers enter upon him in Egypt and fall down in prostration.
Keywords & Definitions:
'Allāt – Of another mother; used to describe Joseph's brothers as children of the soul, not the heart.
'Aziz of Egypt – The Spirit.
Benjamin (Binyāmin) – The practical rational faculty; Joseph's full brother.
Cupbearer (sāqī) – The faculty of spiritual love.
Fikr – Reflection; the faculty that brings Joseph out of the well.
Futuwwa – Chivalry; a spiritual station of one's prime, achieved by disengaging from created nature.
Ilhām – Inspiration.
Jacob (Ya‘qūb) – The Intellect.
Joseph (Yūsuf) – The Heart.
Khalwa – Spiritual retreat; symbolized by the prison.
King (al-Malik) – The Active Intellect (‘aql fa‘‘āl) or Holy Spirit (rūḥ al-qudus).
Leah – The commanding soul; Jacob's first wife and mother of the ten brothers.
Qalb – Heart.
Rachel – The self-reproaching soul; Jacob's second wife and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
Shirt (qamīṣ) – The attribute of original preparedness and the light of primordial nature.
Siyāsa – Judicious guidance.
Ta‘bīr – The interpretation of dreams and events.
Tadallī – Coming down; a spiritual movement of the divine toward the servant.
Tadānī – Drawing close; a spiritual movement of the servant toward the divine.
Tamkīn – Fixity; a stable station of subsistence achieved after annihilation.
Well (jubb) – The well of corporeal nature.
Zulaykha – The 'Aziz's wife; the self-reproaching soul.