The Bowing of the Stars
The life of the Prophet Yusuf (AS), from the well to the reunion with his father, retold by Mehded Maryam Sinclair for children aged 4 to 12.
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What is The Bowing of the Stars about?
The Bowing of the Stars is an Islamic audiobook for children aged 4 to 12 that retells the life of the Prophet Yusuf (AS), from his dream of eleven stars, the sun and the moon to the day his family bowed before him in Egypt.
Yusuf tells his father, the Prophet Yaqub (AS), about his dream, and Yaqub warns him not to tell his brothers. Jealous of their father's love for him, the brothers throw Yusuf into a well and bring home his shirt stained with false blood. A caravan finds him and sells him in Egypt to the Aziz. When the Aziz's wife tries to tempt him, Yusuf refuses and seeks refuge in Allah, and his shirt, torn from the back, shows that he is innocent. Still, he is sent to prison, where he explains the dreams of two fellow prisoners, and later the king's dream of seven fat cows and seven thin ones.
Cleared of all blame, Yusuf is put in charge of Egypt's grain stores. When famine drives his brothers to Egypt, he knows them, but they do not know him. He keeps his younger brother (Binyamin in the tafsir books) with him, forgives the others, and sends his shirt home to give his father back his sight.
Researched, written and narrated by Mehded Maryam Sinclair and published by Nur al Qasas, the telling runs to just under two and a half hours in seven chapters. It follows the order of events in the Qur'an and adds details from later narrations, and it ends with a recitation of Surah Yusuf in Arabic by Ali Hani. It teaches patience, trust in Allah and forgiveness.
What your child will learn
- Allah takes care of those who are patient and trust Him, even at the bottom of a well.
- Jealousy can lead people to do terrible things, so we ask Allah to keep it out of our hearts.
- We should stay away from wrong, even when someone tries hard to make us do it.
- Forgiving those who hurt us is the way of the Prophets.
- Allah's plan is often hidden from us, and it is always the best plan.
Chapters
- Into the Well
- The Slave of the Aziz
- Into Prison
- Himself Aziz
- "You are Yusuf?"
- Magnificent Reunion
- Recitation: Qur'an 12:1-101
Where this audiobook comes from
- Surah Yusuf 12:1-101: The whole story of Yusuf (AS), from his dream to the reunion of his family in Egypt, recited in Arabic in the last chapter.
- Surah Yusuf 12:4-6: Yusuf's dream of eleven stars, the sun and the moon, and his father's warning not to tell his brothers.
- Surah Yusuf 12:92: Yusuf forgives his brothers, "No blame on you today. Allah will forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful."
- Surah Yusuf 12:100: Yusuf raises his parents on the throne, they bow before him, and he says, "This is the meaning of my dream of long ago."
Talk about it afterwards
- What did Yusuf (AS) see in his dream, and why did his father tell him to keep it secret?
- How did Yusuf stay patient in the well and in prison?
- Why do you think Yusuf forgave his brothers after what they had done?
- How did Yaqub (AS) keep hoping for so many years?
- Can you think of a time when something hard turned out for the best?
Words to know
- Aziz
- The title of the high official in Egypt who bought Yusuf (AS). Later Yusuf becomes an Aziz himself.
- Shaytan
- The devil, who whispers to people to do wrong and tries to make them enemies of each other.
- Tafsir
- The explanation of the meaning of the Qur'an.
Frequently asked questions
What age is The Bowing of the Stars suitable for?
The app lists it for children aged 4 to 12, but it is a long telling with grown-up moments. The brothers beat Yusuf, the Aziz's wife tries to tempt him and a fellow prisoner is put to death, so it suits older children best and younger ones may like to listen with a parent.
Is The Bowing of the Stars based on the Qur'an?
Yes. It follows Surah Yusuf, which is recited in Arabic in the last chapter. It also adds details from later narrations, such as the names of the brothers and of the Aziz's wife, which are not in the Qur'an.
How long is The Bowing of the Stars?
About 2 hours and 24 minutes, in seven chapters. The last chapter is the recitation of Surah Yusuf.
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