the creed of a people who do not believe in Allah and who deny the Hereafter.
“I follow the creed of my forefathers—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is not for us to associate anything with Allah. That is a grace Allah has bestowed upon us and upon humankind, yet most people are ungrateful.
“My two companions of the prison! Are many separate lords better, or Allah, the One, the All-Subduing?
“You worship nothing beside Him but mere names that you and your fathers have coined; Allah has sent down no authority for them. Judgment belongs only to Allah. He has commanded that you worship none but Him. That is the upright religion, though most people do not know.
“My two companions of the prison, as for one of you, he will serve wine to his master; while the other will be crucified, and the birds will eat from his head. The matter about which you seek a ruling has been decided.” (Yūsuf 37-41)
Allah—exalted is He—relates that the chief minister (al-ʿAzīz) and his wife, after realizing Joseph’s innocence, concluded that he should nevertheless be confined for a time, thinking this would reduce public gossip about the affair and extinguish its flame, while giving the impression that he had tried to seduce her and was jailed for it. They therefore imprisoned him wrongfully and aggressed against him. Yet this, too, came by Allah’s decree and formed part of His protection for Joseph, for it distanced him from their company and dealings. From this some of the Sufis inferred—al-Shāfiʿī reports it from them—that one aspect of divine protection is to own nothing.
Allah the Exalted says: “And two young men entered the prison with him.” It is said that one of them was the king’s cupbearer, whose name, according to some reports, was Nabū, and the other his baker—the one who oversaw his food—whom the Turks call the jāshankīr; his name is reported as Majlith. The king had suspected them of some wrongdoing and thus imprisoned them.
When they observed Joseph in the prison, they were struck by his dignified bearing, noble manners, radiant appearance, refined conduct, abundant worship of his Lord, and kindness toward people. Each of them then dreamed a vision suited to his own occupation, both dreams occurring the same night.
The cupbearer saw three fresh vines putting forth leaves and forming clusters of grapes; he took them, pressed the juice into the king’s cup, and served him. The baker saw three baskets of bread upon his head, and birds of prey eating from the uppermost basket. They told their dreams to Joseph and asked him to interpret them, saying, “Indeed, we see you to be among the doers of good.” He informed them that he possessed knowledge of their interpretation, was well versed in their subtleties, and said, “No food will come to either of you without my having told you its interpretation before it arrives.”
Some said the meaning is: Whatever dream you see, I will interpret it for you before it comes to pass, and events will unfold exactly as I state. Others said it means: I can tell you beforehand what food will be brought to you—whether sweet or sour—just as Jesus said, “I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses” (Āl ʿImrān 49).
He then explained that such understanding is part of what Allah has taught him, for he is a believer who affirms His oneness and follows the creed of his noble forefathers, Abraham.