Surah Yusuf

Al Rahman and al Rahim are both singular, masculine, genitive (possessive) adjectives and they are among the most frequently used Asma’ ul Husna, the Most Beautiful Names of Allah of which 99 are mentioned in the Qur’an.

The Qur’an is a book illuminated by Divine Grace, offering guidance to humankind. It is a Book of Signs from which the layman as well as the most sophisticated person can learn wisdom and draw closer to Divine presence. The Letters Alif-Lam-Ra are symbolic and ecstatic sounds from worlds beyond and must therefore be enjoyed as they are.

However, the Qur’an is not just a book for the people of Arabia or for those who lived at the time of the Prophet. The transmission of wisdoms that appeal to men and women of all times requires a symbolic language. Arabic is such a language. Its rich vocabulary, syntax, subtle nuances, rhythm, dynamics and grammar lend themselves to an expression of the most sublime thoughts and emotions. Every word of Qur’anic Arabic is an ocean into which one can dive and find pearls of wisdom, no matter where and when one lives.

The Qur’an must be read and listened to in Arabic to appreciate its beauty, power, rhythm and its power to captivate and move the hearts of men and women. For those who do not know Arabic, there are plenty of resources available in today’s digital world. They include recitations by eminent Qura’ (reciters), transliterations in different scripts and translations in all the major languages of the world. A non-Arabic speaking person can partake of greater baraka (blessing) by slowing down, pausing on each word of the Qur’an, savoring its taste and its beauty, contemplating its inner and outer meaning and basking in its light.

Yusuf (pbuh) relates to his father (Yaqub (Jacob), peace be upon him) that he has seen (in his vision or dreams) eleven stars, the sun and the moon humble themselves before him. Yaqub (pbuh)) was a Prophet. The sun, the heavenly body that is a means for light, warmth, comfort and sustenance of life on earth becomes a Sign for Jacob (pbuh), who is the father of Yusuf (pbuh) and the paternal authority in their family. The moon which reflects the light of the sun and provides comfort to the world with its balmy rays becomes a Sign for the wife of Jacob (pbuh), Yusuf’s step mother. The eleven stars which are dimmer in their light in the heavens become symbols for the eleven brothers of Yusuf (pbuh).

The vision of Yusuf (pbuh) connotes that his father, step mother and his brothers will one day humble themselves before him. This is a most unusual Sign in as much as it foretells that the parents are bowing down before their own son, a signal of extraordinary events to unfold.

Jacob (pbuh), the Prophet, understands the import of Yusuf’s vision. He counsels his son that the Sustainer, Allah swt, will bestow upon him (something of) the ability to see the inner meaning of dreams, visions, sayings and events. Allah will exalt him through this knowledge and the family of Jacob (pbuh) as He exalted his forefathers Abraham (pbuh) and Ishaq and thus increase the honor of the house of Jacob (pbuh).

“Ta’weel” or the ability to interpret events is granted, in small measures and large, by Allah to whom He pleases. Scientists are granted the ability to observe and interpret nature. Historians interpret historical events. The Prophets are granted this ability at the highest level to comprehend and interpret the inner dimensions of what is seen and what is unseen. They see the Signs on the horizons and within the hearts of men and women. Prophet Yusuf (pbuh) was given the ability to see and interpret visions and dreams.

For the seekers of wisdom, there are Signs in the narratives about Yusuf (pbuh) and his brothers. Yusuf (pbuh) becomes a Sign for the heart, illuminated by Divine Grace, which shines like a brilliant star to dispel the darkness around him. His brothers become the archetypes for souls (Nafs) that are misguided by jealousy and are to be transformed under the gaze of the illuminated heart that is Yusuf (pbuh).

Jealousy opens the door for Iblis, who incites them that their father in wrong in showering his love on Yusuf (pbuh) over all the others.Yusuf (pbuh) is the hidden, illuminated heart. His gaze is on the Spirit and he receives his energy from the heavens. The brothers are like like the souls (Nafs) that are mired in the morass of the mundane world and are yet to be transformed under the gaze of the heart. Yaqub, the father, is in love with the heart that is aligned with the heavens as opposed to the Nafs that is weighed down by the gravity of the earth.

Man plots but it is the Divine plan that succeeds. Overarching this plot is the subtle Divine will operating to transform the very jealous souls that are plotting to extinguish love.

The dark well in this Ayah becomes a metaphor for extrication and seclusion of Yusuf (pbuh) from the wickedness of the world so that he can be prepared for the mission of Prophethood.

Iblis goes to work and utters deceptive words through the brothers: “O our father! Why do you not trust us with Yusuf (pbuh)? We are his advisers for his safety and well being.”.

Jacob (pbuh), the Prophet, sees through the seditious plots of Yousuf’s brothers. He is reluctant to let his beloved son go with the plotters. He expresses his reluctance saying that Yusuf (pbuh) may get devoured by the wolf when the brothers are unaware.

The presence of wolves is a constant danger in a desert. They attack stray animals and children. In this passage, the wolf is offered as a simile for harm. The brothers are projecting themselves are protectors of Yusuf (pbuh). But Jacob (pbuh) tells them that harm may come to his son when they are unaware and heedless, willingly or unwillingly.

The wolf is a subtle reference to Iblis in the Ayah. Just as the wolf devors the unaware in the desert, Shaitan devours the heedless with his wickedness.

Jacob knows that his sons are “ghafil” (heedless). Shaitan erects curtains of heedlessness between the hearts of men and women and their actions. He misguides them onto the wrong path and then walks away, leaving them exposed to the consequences of their misguided deeds.

The deception continues. “We are responsible”, the brothers tell the father, “and we are in a large group. Trust us. We will not fall short of our responsibility and defend him. We will not lose him”.

Iblis has set a trap for the brothers. They are already “losers” in as much as they are under the influence of Iblis but they realize it not.

The idea of a “dark well” or “a cave” is offered in the Qur’an in several Surahs. A dark well or a cave is a place of refuge, protected from the corruption and distractions of the world. The heart is like a cave into which one retreats to find solace in the presence of Allah. Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) received his first revelation in the cave of Hira.

The “dark well” in Surah Yusuf (pbuh) is a point of departure in Surah Yusuf (pbuh). It marks the beginning of the Prophethood of Yusuf (pbuh).

The brothers drop him into a deep well in the desert. In the solitude of the well, away from the jealousy of his brothers, he is visited by the archangel Jibrael and receives a Wahi (Divine Message).

The verbal traditions of the Mashaiq attach a deeper meaning in this episode. When Yusuf (pbuh) was dropped in the well, his feet and body were bruised and hurt. When he was visited by Jibrael, the hurt disappeared and sakeena (tranquility) enveloped him. Jibrael asked him to raise his hands in prayer, “Rabbi, Qad Ataytani Min al Mulk…..” (O my Rabb! You have given me something of (the authority of) the Dominion. Yusuf (pbuh) said Ameen. Then, as the prayer was completed, it was Yusuf (pbuh) who was reciting the prayer and Jibrael was saying Ameen, meaning, Yusuf (pbuh) was elevated to the high station of Prophecy on the Third Heaven, the Heaven of Love.

Yusuf (pbuh) is foretold the events of the future. He is informed that one day he will tell his brothers how misdirected their energies were and how malicious were their deeds at a time and in a place where they would not recognize him.

“Isha” in this passage connotes the darkness of the physical night as well as the darkness in the hearts. The brothers broke their promise to their father and dropped Yusuf (pbuh) into a deep well. Their hearts were now enveloped in darkness.

They approach their father in darkness, feigning sorrow over the loss of their brother. They hide their faces in the darkness of the night but they cannot escape the darkness that shrouds their hearts.

After committing their blameworthy deed, the brothers wrap themselves in a mantle of truthfulness. In dolorous voices, they relate to their father how they raced ahead leaving Yusuf (pbuh) behind to watch over their belongings and how the wolf devoured him.

The brothers are aware that their father does not believe them. So, they state the obvious: (“you do not believe us”) and confirm with their own words that their report is a farce.

Even in his sorrow, Jacob (pbuh) is a loving father. He does not condemn his sons but advises them that Iblis has misguided their Nafs (selves) and has made them think that the wrong they have done is right.

At this point in the narrative, the love of Jacob (pbuh) ascends to a higher level. The object of his love, his son Yusuf (pbuh), the illuminated heart, is no longer in his sight. So his vision ascends to a higher plane, to the Source of all love, namely, Divine compassion. He declares: “Now, I will seek the help of Allah to give me patience with grace”.

The word “jameel” means beautiful and graceful. It also means “one who brings joy”. Jacob (pbuh), the Prophet, knows that these happenings are in accordance with a Divine plan. He asks for help from Allah to give him patience and accept this supreme test with joy.

Allah is the Knower of what people hide. Nothing is hidden from the Omniscient. His sway extends over all Dominion. The events in this historical trace are in accordance with the knowledge and will of Allah.

The light of Yusuf (pbuh)’s heart finds a place in an Egyptian household so that it may grow in intensity under Divine guidance. Yusuf (pbuh) is slated to be a Prophet who comprehends the inner meaning of visions and events.

At the surface level, the actors in this episode are the people of the caravan, the nobleman and his wife, and Yusuf (pbuh). The Director, the Prime Mover, is Divine Grace that is moving the events like a subterranean current pulling the surface layers. Allah is implementing His plans to teach the world lessons in the primacy of an illuminated heart and how it transforms the character of surrounding personalities.

This Ayah teaches something about the nature of knowledge. Knowledge is a gift from Allah. He gives it to whom He pleases. All men and women have a propensity to learn. It is something that we inherit with our genes from Adam and Eve. One becomes aware of this knowledge through experience, extension, intuition or infusion. Yusuf (pbuh), the Prophet, acquires his knowledge not through teachers but through infusion from the heavens. Divine guidance is his teacher.

Yusuf (pbuh) is a Sign for the Qalb (the heart). The lady of the house is a Sign for Naafs e Ammara, the basal self. Qalb in Arabic means that which turns. It has two facets. One is the direction of the Spirit, towards heavely love. The other is towards the deceptions of the world. The Nafs, represented by the lady of the house, tries to seduce the heart, demanding that i to turn towards her. It closes all the doors, meaning, it shuts off all sources sof light for the heart, hoping to trap the heart in her guile. The heart of Yusuf (pbuh) has seen the beauty of Divine presence that is far beyond the beauty of anything in this world. The love of the Divine triumphs over the love of the world.. The Qalb of Yusuf (pbuh) seeks protection in Allah and continues to gaze at the light that emanates from the Spirit.

Shaitan is always on the prowl, looking for every opportunity to mislead the human and turn him away from Divine Light. It is the Grace of Allah that protects the human from the enticements of Shaitan.

Allah is Al Hadi and Al Noor. The Name of Allah provides the shield from the sharp lance of Shaitan. Divine guidance is the fortresses against the onsloguht of Iblis. That is the inner meaning of Taqwa (fortification and protection from spiritual harm),

Physically, the pristine state of the Qalb is aligned to the guidance of Allah and receives heavenly energies. Shaitan attempts to disorient this alignment so that the heart is confused and disoriented. The Qalb that was like a rope pulled up towards the heavens by divine love becomes like a stiff wire that is contorted and tied up in knots.

The capacity of the Nafs for deviousness and scheming is emphasized here. There are no limits to how low a person falls when the Nafs is waylaid by Shaitan. “Laqad Khalaqnal Insana Fi Ahsani Taqweem. Thumma Radadnahu Asfala Safileen”(Behold! We created humankind into the most noble mold. Then, do We abase him to be the lowest of the low)

The transformation of the Nafs from Nafs e Ammara (the Self inclined towards evil) to Nafs e Lawwama (the questioning Nafs) begins with this episode. The Nafs tears out the shirt of Yusuf (pbuh) and beholds the beauty of the heart. It receives admonititon from the mind to repent and turn towards Divine Grace.

Divine love is worthy of pursuit. Passion for the love of the world is not. The Qalb, that sublime creation, is a container without boundaries. It is so vast that contains the Name of Allah. It is the reservoir of Divine love. The Nafs, when it is under the influence of Iblis, tries to contrict this love, block it and turn the Qalb towards the transitory pleasures of the world. Divine Grace intervenes and provides guidance to the illuminated heart so that it is protected from the schemes of Iblis and remains focused on the Light from the Spirit that comes from Allah.

This interpretation is consistent with the next few Ayahs. The traditional interpretation that the women of the town gossiped about the physical passion of the nobleman’s wife does not explain her slow but inexorable transformation. She has seen the true beauty of the Qalb and her vision has moved from the allurement of the world to the beauty of the heavens.

The knife is used in the Ayat as an allegory for cutting. The cohorts of the Nafs are invited to dinner and are given the means to cut the food. When they are assembled, they are made to witness the beauty of the heart, illuminated by the presence of Allah. The “knife” which was the tool to cut food and consume it becomes a tool to cut their attachments to the allurements of the world. When the attributes witness the heart, they are overwhelmed and cut themselves. They exclaim: “Hasha Lillah”, We seek protection with Allah”. This is the equivalent of saying “Awoodzu Billahi Minas Shaitan ir Rajim-I seek protection in Allah from Shaitan the accursed one”. The attributes of the Nafs are transformed upon contact with the transcendent beauty of the heart represented by Yusuf (pbuh).

Subtle are the ways in which the Divine will leaves its traces on earth. His Grace shines upon all creation, transforming what is blameworthy into what is praiseworthy, melting down hearts as hard as steel and making them pliable with the love of Allah.

Imprisonment is a metaphor for seclusion (khilwa). The heart prefers seclusion over continuous exposure and enticements from the Nafs. It beseeches Allah to protect it and turn it away from the temptations of Shaitan.

The heart has seen the tajalli (descent) of Divine love. Now, as the clouds of earthly passion threaten to obscure that tajalli, the heart prays to Allah for succor and the prayer is granted.

The prison is a simile for seclusion. The heart is sent into seclusion, away from the enticements of Shaitan. There, in the solitude of the “prison”, the heart is free to establish the muraqibah (closeness) with the love of the Compassionate.

The subtle play of divine intervention takes the heart away from the distractions of the world so that more of divine jajalliyat (manifestations) can be infused into the longing heart.

The youths represent hearts that have not yet awakened. They dream but they cannot decipher the meaning of those dreams. They ask Yusuf (pbuh) to explain to them the meaning of their dreams as he is a muhsin, a man disposed to grant favors.

The wine is symbolic of love. The bread is symbolic of gluttanous appetite. The food chain for wine starts with the rain that comes down from the heavens and sustains the grape vines. When the grapes are ripe, they are harvested and the juice is fermented to extract wine. Similarly, a heart that receives the Baraka of Allah reaps the harvest of his tajalliat, grows with each tajalli and drinks of the “wine” of divine love.

Bread is also a gift from the mercy of Allah but those who eat it oftentimes devour it like gluttons and do not thank Him for it. They eat like vultures.

The two youths are archetypes of two hearts. The one is a lover of Allah. He extracts wine and serves it to the king. He is destined to become a pious man. The other bakes bread and feeds it to the vultures. He is destined to become a man seduced by the world.

Yusuf (pbuh) consents to the request from the youths and goes on to elaborate that he is not one of those who disbelieve in Allah and reject the hereafter. He is serene in his servitude of Him and he has the certainty of meeting Him. His vision is riveted towards Divine love and he has himself become the personification of that love. He is not of those who disbelieve and whose egos are puffed up by the knowledge that comes to them by Divine Grace.

Felicity and adversity are both from Allah. There is divine wisdom in both. We must be thankful to Him whether we face good fortune or misfortune.

Honor and dishonor are from Allah. He grants honor to whom He pleases and He abases whom He pleases. His Decree transcends through time. It “goes forth” before human beings perceive it.

When the Grace of Allah brings down rain from the heavens, the pastures are green, grain grows in abundance and the animals are well fed. When there is no rain and Allah tests humankind with draughts, the pastures dry up, stalks of grain turn into stubble and man and beast alike starve.

Humankind must be alert to the Signs which appear in nature, in history and within the souls of men and women, in their sleep as well as wakeful hours. Allah loves humankind and wants it to succeed. He shows His Signs as warnings so that humankind takes heed and stays on the straight path that leads to His pleasure.

The winemaker addresses Yusuf as As-Siddiq, the truthful one. Those who are truthful do not distort the Signs of Allah. They comprehend the inner meaning of Signs and transmit them faithfully to the seekers of truth, the sa’eleen. The Prophets are Mohsineen as well as ‘Arifeen and As-Saleheen.

Yusuf is weary. He does not wish to be exposed once again to the schemes of the ladies. He enquires about their condition, whether they had changed or were still in the grips of their passions.

The inner meaning is that the heart is now set free. It sees an opportunity to transform the Nafs and its attributes. As a step in that direction, it seeks to assess the spiritual condition of the Nafs. Is the Nafs still a prisoner of love of the flesh or is it ready to embrace the higher love, the love of the Divine?

The Nafs, represented by the wife of the chief, is completely transformed. It seeks protection in Allah and confesses to the truth. It sees the beauty of Yusuf in divinely light, transcending the love of the flesh. It proclaims in the open court the innocence of the heart and its truthfulness.

A truthful heart dispels the darkness of the Nafs. It brings light where there was no light and gives inner vision to those who had no vision. Such are the subtle ways of heavenly Grace.

The draught engulfed the entire Eastern Mediterranean region. Yusuf’s brothers and his parents lived in Palestine. The efficient management of the king’s granaries by Yusuf enabled Egypt to extend a helping hand to those who lived in neighboring countries as well.

So it was that Yusuf’s brothers came to Egypt looking for grain to take home and feed their families. He recognized them but they did not recognize him.

There is a deeper meaning to “regognized him” in this Ayah. Yusuf’s borhters had disowned him and had discarded him in a well. They had lost the recognition of brotherhood. Yusuf, on the other hand, never lost his love for his brothers and immediately recognized them.

The swearing by Allah is the most serious witness a pious person who is conscious of Allah can produce.
The brothers of Yusuf are now God-fearing men. They hearts look to Allah for guidance. They are aghast at the accusation and invoke the witness of Allah.

Yusuf could have revealed himself to his brothers but the brothers were not ready for it as yet. They had to rise higher in spiritual rank before they could see the reality of Yusuf. The All-Compassionate elevated Yusuf to a high rank because He followed the Abrahamic law and did not break the law of Egypt. He was gifted with knowledge but he was always thankful to Allah for what he knew.

The Ayah concludes with a universal lesson: Knowledge is a gift from Allah. He gives it to whom He pleases. For every knower there is one who knows more. And above all is Allah, the exalted who is the Source of all knowledge and is All-knowing. Even the most knowledgeable person must bow down before Him. Humility is the hallmark of true scholarship just as arrogance is the hallmark of ignorance.

Yusuf was aware of what was going on but he kept that knowledge to himself. At a deeper level, Yusuf had kept the secrets of his heart to himself and had not yet shown them to his brothers.
He said to the brothers: “You are indeed in a very difficult situation. Allah is aware of what you know and what you say” The All-Compassionate elevated Yusuf to a high rank because He followed the Abraham (pbuh)ic law and did not break the law of the land. He was gifted with knowledge but he was always thankful to Allah for what he knew.

The brothers have been transformed. The generosity of Yusuf has lifted the dark curtain from their hearts and the jealousy that used to cloud their inner vision has departed. They are willing to sacrifice themselves for protect Benjamin and take him back to their father.

This Ayah is an elaboration of the previous Ayah. When the brothers say, “If he did steal it,
It was his brother who stole before him”, the reference is to one among themselves, not Yusuf.
Just as Yusuf represents a Sign for the illuminated Qalb, the brothers are a Sign for the Sadr, the outer layeres of the heart which is open to inputs from the world. It expands with what is good and contracts with what is bad. Shaitan had misled the brothers. Jealousy had clouded their actions. Now that jealousy is gone. The love of Yusuf has brought them into its fold. Thus does Divine Compassion work through human affairs overcoming evil with the good.

There are subtle tones in the language of this Ayat. The reference to “your son” could mean either Benjamin or Yusuf. The word “saraqa” means to steal or take without permission. The goblet was taken without the permission of its owner, the king. The brothers have no knowledge of what is hidden from the outer eye. Yusuf (pbuh), as a Prophet, does. He is given the gift of seeing what is incomprehensible to others. He is a gifted by Allah to comprehend and interprent dreams and events. He sees with his inner eye as well as his outer eye. So, the brothers assume that the goblet was stolen whereas in fact there has been no theft. It has merely been “placed” in Benjamin’s saddleback. Only Yusuf knows this.

The eldest of the brothers asks the brothers to tell their father that they had kept their covenant to be the overseers of Benjamin. But he (Benjamin) had concealed his actions for which they could not be held accountable.

The Qur’an is teaching universal lessons through the words spoken by Jacob (pbuh). Humankind is tested with difficulties. We must trust in Allah and use every difficultiy as a Sign and an opportunity for learning and spiritual growth. Indeed, Allah loves those who patiently persevere. “Innal Allaha Ma’as Sabireen”.

The heart melts at the sight of the seekers of love, the brothers of Yusuf. The tone of the question is compassionate. Yusuf does not accuse his brothers but absolves them by saying that they were ignorant. They did not know what they were doing and they acted in their ignorance. Shaitan was the real culprit.

This is the moment of triumph for the heart. The loving heart has triumphed over the jealousy of the Nafs and the Nafs recognizes it. It then does tawba (repentance) and asks forgiveness of the heart.

Joseph has lost his outer vision but his inner vision is alive and acute. His outer vision has turned away from the exterior aspects of things but he continues to see with his inner vision the beauty of Yusuf which is a reflection of the beauty of Divine love. When the inner vision perceives the closeness of Yusuf through his shirt, it reverts to seeing both the inner and the outer aspects of things. His outer vision returns.

Yusuf gives his shirt to his brothers asking them to place it over their father’s face so that he recovers his vision and then to bring back the entire Jacob household to Egypt where they can be cared for.

Love transcends space-time. It is the timeless, ageless gift of Allah to humankind. It has its own modes of communication that are immediate, certain.

When the forgiveness and mercy is invoked, the transformation of the brothers is complete. They are now clothed in the mercy and forgiveness from Allah. They are ready to meet Yusuf and bask in the full ebullience of his love.

Yusuf placed his parents in a position of high honor. They, along with his brothers, humbled themselves before him and fell prostrate. The prostration is symbolic of the ultimate victory of Divine love over the distractions of Iblis.

The Ayah affirms the subtlety of Allah’s will, His Knowledge, His Wisdom and His Grace.

The pronoun “min” is important in this context. Yusuf supplicates with humility that Allah has given a little of the authority over His dominion. Knowledge comes from Allah. It is His gift to humankind. The true scholars are humble. They know the limits of their knowledge. The arrogant ones are puffed up with what little they know. They fall into the abyss of conceit and condescending self-importance.

Ta’weel is the ability to interpret narrations. A scientist interprets data from nature. A philosopher interprets concepts and ideas. A historian interprets traces of the struggle of man on earth. A sociologist interprets human relationships. The Prophets are endowed with knowledge of the inner nature of things. They read the Signs and warn humankind about events to come, the most certain of which is the Judgment Day. These are the gifts from Allah. He honors whom He will with knowledge and insight.

To Allah is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth. “Samawat” means the skies. The earth is a speck of dust floating in the vast expanse of space and “sky” is what surrounds it in every direction. “Al Ard” is symbolic of the earth from which we emerge and of which our bodies are made of.

Allah is the primal creator of what is outside and what is inside. This marvelous creation, the Dominion, did not emerge by chance. It was created for a purpose and that was to know, serve and worship Him.

Allah is Rabbul Alameen, the Creator, Sustainer and Cherisher of all the universes, seen and unseen. He is the cherisher of the hereafter.

Yusuf was a Prophet, one who had surrendered his Self to Allah. The All-Compassionate illuminated the heart of Yusuf and through the light of his heart, dispelled the darkness that surrounded the hearts of Zulaikha and of the brothers.

Shaitan is always active, working through the Nafs, taking men and women away from the honor of servitude and surrender to Allah. Those who have conquered their Nafs are not swayed by Shaitan. Their hearts stay focused on the Spirit that comes from Allah. Such a heart becomes a platform for the manifestation of Allah’s attributes as was the heart of Yusuf.

The du’a concludes beseeching Allah to keep us in the company of the truthful ones in this life and in the hereafter. The truthful ones are those who have conquered their Nafs and have surrendered themselves to Divine Will. They see through the eyes of heavenly grace, hear the voices of the denizens of the unseen and work in consonance with Divine command. Allah is Truth. The truthful ones love Him, serve Him, obey Him, worship Him.

When a people are so obstinate that they persist in their folly, the wrath of Allah visits them and makes them destroy themselves with their own inequities.

Truth is one. It is eternal and is independent of space-time. It has been affirmed by all Messengers throughout history. The historical narration of Yusuf is an affirmation of that universal Truth. It is a Sign of Divine love working in subtle ways through human affairs, transforming hearts and leading them from the depths of darkness towards Divine light.