Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O best of creation!" (i.e., the best among all creatures). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This (description) was for Ibrahim (peace be upon him)."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Yusuf, son of Yaqub, son of Ishaq, son of Khalilur Rahman Ibrahim (peace be upon them), was the noble son of a noble, son of a noble, son of a noble. If I (Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him) had stayed in prison as long as Yusuf (peace be upon him) stayed, and a caller had come to summon me, I would have (immediately) accepted his word. But when the messenger came to him, he said: «فَاسْأَلْهُ مَا بَالُ النِّسْوَةِ اللَّاتِي قَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ» 'Ask him, what is the real story of those women who cut their hands?' (12-Yusuf:50) And may Allah have mercy on Lut (peace be upon him), he wished to take refuge in some strong support. When he said to his people: «لَوْ أَنَّ لِي بِكُمْ قُوَّةً أَوْ آوِي إِلَى رُكْنٍ شَدِيدٍ» 'Would that I had strength to resist you or could betake myself to some powerful support.' (11-Hud:80) So after them, whenever Allah sent a prophet, He sent him among a multitude of his people."

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "I am greatly amazed at the patience and generosity of my brother Yusuf (peace be upon him), may Allah forgive him, when the message to interpret the dream was sent to him. If I had been there, I would have come out (of prison) before interpreting (the dream). So I am greatly amazed at his patience and generosity, and may Allah forgive him, a man came to him so that he could come out, but he did not come out until his excuse was clarified. If I had been there, I would have rushed to the door. If it were not for the statement «اذْكُرْنِي عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ» 'mention me to your master' (12: Yusuf: 42), he would not have stayed in prison, as he was seeking relief from distress from other than Allah."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If I (Muhammad, peace be upon him) had stayed in prison for as long as Yusuf (peace be upon him) stayed, and a messenger had come to call me, I would have (immediately) accepted his word. And when the messenger came to him, he said: «ارْجِعْ إِلَى رَبِّكَ فَاسْأَلْهُ مَا بَالُ النِّسْوَةِ اللَّاتِي قَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ إِنَّ رَبِّي بِكَيْدِهِنَّ عَلِيمٌ» 'Ask him, what is the real story of those women who cut their hands? Surely my Lord is aware of their plot.' (12-Yusuf:50) And may Allah have mercy on Lut (peace be upon him), he wished to take refuge in some strong support. When he said to his people: «لَوْ أَنَّ لِي بِكُمْ قُوَّةً أَوْ آوِي إِلَى رُكْنٍ شَدِيدٍ» 'If only I had strength to resist you or could take refuge in some mighty support.' (11-Hud:80) So after them, whenever Allah sent a prophet, He sent him among a large group of his people."