Set Me Over the Storehouses

At that moment Yūsuf said: set me over the storehouses of the land. Glory be to Allah — Yūsuf is asking for a position! We know that in Islam we are not supposed to ask for a position of leadership. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: we do not appoint to a position of leadership anyone who asks for it. If you are seeking the position of leadership, you should not be given it. But Yūsuf was asking for that position.

And Yūsuf did something else that we do not do in Islam. He said: innī ḥafīẓun ʿalīm — I am a guardian, meaning I will protect it, and I am knowledgeable. In Islam we know: wa lā tuzakkū anfusakum — do not praise yourselves. Allah tells us in the Qur'an not to praise ourselves or give ourselves credit. And Yūsuf was praising himself: I am a guardian, and I am knowing — I have the ability to protect it and take care of it, and I am knowledgeable.

Scholars say that when you are the only person able to fill a position, you are allowed to ask for it. And Yūsuf was the only one fit for that position; if he had left it, it would have been taken by someone who would not take care of it.

Second, if you are not well known to the people, you are allowed to introduce yourself. In the Islamic community, when everyone around you is Muslim, you should not go and ask for a position of leadership and authority, because everyone around you is Muslim; and when you are part of the community and people know you, you should not go and praise yourself. But Yūsuf (peace be upon him) was not known. They did not know him yet; he had just come out of prison. So he needed to tell them his credentials.

And he was also the only one who knew what was going on, and who knew this future. So if he had left it, that would have been an irresponsible stance, because it would have been taken by someone who would corrupt it and would not be able to carry that authority. That is why Yūsuf asked for that position of leadership, and why he told them about himself.