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"... And he languished in prison for a number of years more." (Surah Yusuf, 42). According to an exegesis of this verse, Joseph (Peace be upon him) is the patron of prisoners, and prison is a sort of School of Joseph. (Madrasa-i Yusufiya)
This interpretation was offered by one of the greatest Islamic scholars of the 20th century, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, who devoted much of his life to the teaching of the morality of the Qur'an, and because of that earned the animosity of certain circles. Ultimately, he spent 30 years of his life in prison and exile.
The reason for these schools to be referred to as the School of Yusuf, is that, as the Qur'an reveals, Yusuf (as), known for his faith and good character, spent many years of his life in them, despite his innocence. Despite this adversity, he continued to teach Islam to fellow prisoners, telling them of the existence of Allah and proper morality. And he did not complain at any time during his term.
Throughout history, believers, who were imprisoned as a consequence of slander, or suffered some other hardship, demonstrated that they would never compromise their morality, thus following the example set by Yusuf (as).
Believers, who are punished with imprisonment, are considered by others, who are deficient in their understanding, to be confined. In reality, however, they have an opportunity to concentrate on their spiritual development, to deepen their insight. Therefore, those who seek to harm Muslims, and to inhibit their efforts in the service of the faith, in reality, only end up helping the Muslims in the earning of a great reward.
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