Let’s Talk About Reading Surah Yusuf and Beautiful Babies

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Beneficent

Alhamdulillah.. infinite thanks and praise are due to the Almighty Allah, who created us into this existence with a divine purpose. Complete peace and salutations are upon our ultimate role model, Sayyiduna Muhammad, his household, his companions, and all those who follow his guided path.

Among the myths that have been invading the Muslim mind, and have led some into practices that look Islamic but are un-Islamic in reality, especially in recent years, is the myth that implies that when a pregnant woman frequents reading Surah Yusuf, the baby she will deliver will look as charming, pretty, beautiful and handsome, as Sayyiduna Yusuf. Especially, according to the myth, if the expected baby is a boy. And if the expected baby is a girl, then Surah Maryam is should be read instead.

This article supplements episode 43 of the A Moment Please series. It highlights the myth around that and offers tips on how to have a child or children like Sayyiduna Yusuf, ‘alayhi al-salam, following the correct practices taught by Islam and practiced by the Messenger of Allah, ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

So get your cup of coffee or tea, and spare the next 6 minutes to watch the video below (if you haven’t already) before diving further in the article. Let’s do this… Bismillah.

The Myth Around Surah Yusuf and Beautiful Babies

The belief that reading Surah Yusuf grants good-looking babies, who are born as beautiful and charming as Sayyiduna Yusuf is a myth. It’s needless to emphasize that this is baseless in Islam. And it should be scientifically absurd.

It’s baseless because no authentic nor even weak evidence from the Qur’an or Sunnah that supports that. And for the Muslim, we should be able to trace any practice that is connected to Islam back to the Quran and Sunnah. The absence of such a link necessitates that such a belief or practice is highlighted and warned against.

But why Surah Yusuf?

But Why Surah Yusuf?

Well, it’s Surah Yusuf (if the expected baby is a boy, or Surah Maryam if a girl) because according to the narration in Qur’an, Sayyiduna Yusuf was gifted with a very beautiful look outwardly.

Here, it’s worth indicating, that in addition to good looks, Sayyiduna Yusuf possessed many other good qualities, including knowledge, piety, and patience. He was also a great statesman. This means Sayyiduna Yusuf was more beautiful, inwardly than he was outwardly.

However, sadly, as time goes on, younger parents are more concerned about the look of the baby they’re gifted with, more than the person the baby is going to grow up to be.

And Why Not Surah Muhammad?

In Surah Yusuf, Allah indicates how women were attracted to Sayyiduna Yusuf’s charming look. So much so, that the wife of his master almost raped him. She had harassed him.

However,  it’s evident, that in addition to good-looking, all the internal and external good qualities and traits, that Sayyiduna Yusuf possessed were also possessed by Sayyiduna Muhammad ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Thus, if reading Surah Yusuf makes a baby pretty because Sayyiduna Yusuf was pretty, then why not read Surah Muhammad for the same reason, for the child to come out like Sayyiduna Muhammad, ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam?

This is when we as Muslims, and even non-Muslims, need to remember that Allah created us and our looks.

Allah Created Us and Our Looks

No human nor any other creature created himself. It’s Allah the Almighty who created us and our looks. He created us the way He willed, based on His divine wisdom. And He honoured humankind and raised them in ranking above many of His creatures. For more on why Allah created us, even though we didn’t ask to be created, you may want to check out this article.

So, as a parent, if you are reading this, whether you are already blessed with children or you’re now expecting, or you’re yet to be a parent, don’t let the good looks of your baby/child be his or her only value or worth in this life. Aftar all, this life is too short for that..

It should be remembered, that a person whose only worth is his outward looks is likely to be used as a commercial material. And the Muslim’s honour is above being used as a commercial material.

Does this mean, that a pregnant woman shouldn’t read Surah Yusuf?

So, Should Pregnant Women Not Read the Qur’an?

Well, reading the Qur’an to have a good-looking baby is something, and it is something else to read the Qur’an, which includes Surah Yusuf, with the hope that we and our loved ones are showered with the barakah and guidance that come with it.

Every Muslim, more so a pregnant Muslimah should read the Qur’an as often as possible. This is because, reading the  Qur’an and making constant du’a and dhikr feed the baby with his spiritual and intellectual needs right inside the womb, just as the food and drinks which a pregnant woman consumes feed her baby with his nutritional needs.

It’s better for a pregnant woman to frequently read Surah al-Baqarah than she would Surah Yusuf. Not because a pregnant woman is advised to recite al-Baqarah. Rather every Muslim is encouraged to read Surah al-Baqarah for protection. A baby won’t come out with the looks of a cow if his mother frequented reading Surah al-Baqarah. =D

But the question remains: how to have a baby like Sayyiduna Yusuf?

How to Have a Child Like Yusuf?

A pregnant woman can still read Surah Yusuf, and for that matter Surah Maryam, and make it her favourite Surah, if she so chooses. But let’s be clear, that won’t grant her a good-looking baby, nor is that an Islamic teaching or a Prophetic practice.

However, to have a baby like Sayyiduna Yusuf, in terms of faith, conduct, knowledge, akhlaq, and kindness, a man must first, be like Sayyiduna Ya’qūb, the father of Sayyiduna Yusuf.

After that, he must marry a woman like the mother of Sayyiduna Yusuf. After that, if and when they are blessed with a child, boy or girl, let them give him or her the upbringing (tarbiyah) that Sayyiduna Yusuf received from his parents, which guided him throughout his life, even though he was separated from them as a child.

Once they achieve that, by the will of Allah, their child will be like Yusuf, at least in his manners and character (Akhlaq). But he‘ll never be as good-looking as Sayyiduna Yusuf, even if he happens to be naturally handsome. And he’ll never be a Prophet like Sayyiduna Yusuf.

It’s interesting how some mothers will resort to reading Surah Yusuf in the hope of having good-looking babies, but fail to teach Surah Yusuf to those babies when bringing them up.

Let’s Wrap Up!

In the end, yes, Sayyiduna Yusuf was extremely handsome. But he wasn’t a womanizer. Yes, Sayyiduna Yusuf had an extremely beautiful look. But that wasn’t his only worth. He protected his honour and didn’t allow himself to be used as a commercial material. Sayyiduna Yusuf was handsome, who was also righteous, knowledgeable, responsible, big-hearted, and a successful statesman.

May Allah grant all Muslims righteous offspring. May He grant us the courage we need to fine-tune our dunya for the best interest of our akhirah.

Until the next A Moment Please, I leave you in Allah’s protection.

See you… and see you in Jannah.

Wassalamu ‘alaykum.

Allahu Hafiz ☺