Surah Yusuf
Contents
A.L.R.: Those are signs of the Open Book. [12:1]
We revealed it as an Arabic recital so that you would understand. [12:2]
We tell you the best of stories in revealing this Recital to you in spite of your former ignorance. [12:3]
Joseph said to his father, “I saw eleven stars, father, and the sun and the moon; I saw them bowing to me.” [12:4]
He said, “Don’t tell your brothers of your vision, son, lest they plot a scheme against you; for Satan is an open enemy to the human being. [12:5]
“This is how your Lord chooses you and teaches you interpretation of stories, and fulfills the divine favor on you and on the family of Jacob, as God fulfilled it on your ancestors before, Abraham and Isaac. For your Lord is all-knowing, most wise.” [12:6]
In Joseph and his brothers are signs for seekers. [12:7]
They said, “Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we, and we are a group; our father is in evident error. [12:8]
“Kill Joseph, or exile him, that your father may give his attention to you, and after that you will be decent people.” [12:9]
One of them said, “Don’t kill Joseph, but throw him to the bottom of the well where some caravan will pick him up, if you are going to act.” [12:10]
They said, “Father, why don’t you trust us with Joseph, since we mean him well? [12:11]
“Send him with us tomorrow, so he can roam about and play; we will watch out for him.” [12:12]
He said, “It certainly grieves me that you would go off with him, and I fear the wolf might eat him while you are not minding him.” [12:13]
They said, “If the wolf were to eat him when there are so many of us, we all would then surely be lost.” [12:14]
Then when they went off with him, they ganged up to put him in the bottom of the well. And We inspired him, “You will tell them about this business of theirs, though they do not realize.” [12:15]
Now they came to their father in the evening, weeping. [12:16]
They said, “Father, we went racing and left Joseph with our goods, and the wolf ate him. But you won’t believe us, even if we are telling the truth.” [12:17]
And they put fake blood on his shirt. [Their father] said, ‘No, this is something you yourselves contrived. But patience is honorable. And God is the one whose aid is to be sought against what you assert. ” [12:18]
Then a caravan came, and they sent their water carrier, and he let down his pail. He said, “Hey, good news! It’s a youth!” And they concealed him as merchandise. But God is completely aware of whatever they do. [12:19]
And they sold him for a minor sum, a number of silver coins, as they were among those who thought him of little worth. [12:20]
The man from Egypt who bought him said to his wife, “Make his abode respectable; he may be useful to us, or we may adopt him as a son.” Thus did We establish Joseph in the land, so We could teach him the interpretation of stories. And God is master of the divine order, though most people do not know. [12:21]
And when he attained maturity, We gave him wisdom and knowledge. That is how We recompense those who do good. [12:22]
But she whose house he was in tried to seduce him against his will; she shut the doors and said, “Come!” He said, “I take refuge in God; for my master has made my abode agreeable. Surely oppressors will not succeed.” [12:23]
Yet she did desire him, and he desired her but for the fact that he saw evidence of his Lord. Thus it was, so that We might divert evil and indecencies from him; for he was one of Our purified servants. [12:24]
The two raced to the door, and she tore his shirt from behind. And they found her husband at the door. She said, “What is the due of one who desires evil of your wife, but imprisonment or torture?” [12:25]
He said, “She tried to seduce me,” and a witness from her household testified, “If his shirt is torn from the front, then she is telling the truth and he is a liar. [12:26]
“But if his shirt is torn from the back, then she is lying and he is telling the truth.” [12:27]
So when he looked at the shirt, it was torn from the back; he said, “This was a trick of you women. Your trick is serious indeed! [12:28]
“Joseph, turn away from this. And you, wife, seek forgiveness for your sin; it was you who were in the wrong.” [12:29]
Women in the city said, “The wife of the grandee is trying to seduce her manservant; he has infatuated her. We see she’s in obvious error.” [12:30]
Now when she heard of their conniving, she sent for them and prepared them a banquet; she gave each of them a knife, then told Joseph to come out before them. Now when they saw him, they praised him, and they cut their hands; and they said, “God forbid! This is not a human being; this is no less than a noble angel!” [12:31]
She said, “Here you have the one about whom you censured me. I did indeed try to seduce him, but he resisted. And if he does not do what I order him to, he will be imprisoned and will be one of the despised.” [12:32]
He said, “My Lord, prison is preferable to me to what they are inviting me to; and unless You divert their cunning from me, I would be attracted to them, and would behave foolishly too.” [12:33]
So his Lord answered him, diverting their cunning from him. For God is the all-hearing, the all-knowing. [12:34]
Then it occurred to the men, after they had seen the signs, that they should imprison him for a while. [12:35]
Now two young men went to prison with him. One of the two said, “I see myself in a dream pressing wine.” And the other said, “I see myself in a dream carrying bread on my head, from which the birds eat. Tell us the interpretation of this, for we see you are one who does good.” [12:36]
He said, “I will tell you the interpretation of this prior to its happening to you, before any food with which you are to be provided actually comes to you. That is part of what my Lord taught me. I have left behind the religion of those who do not believe in God and who scoff at the hereafter. [12:37]
“And I follow the religion of my forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We could never associate any thing with God. That is part of God’s blessing on us and on humanity, though most people are not grateful. [12:38]
“My fellow prisoners, is a divided plurality of lords better than the one omnipotent God? [12:39]
“Whatever else you worship is nothing but names you have designated yourselves —you and your ancestors— for which God has sent down no authority. Note that the judgment is entirely up to God, who has commanded that you worship nothing and no one else. That is the true religion, though most people do not know. [12:40]
“My fellow prisoners, one of you will give his master wine to drink, while the other will be crucified and the birds will eat from his head. The matter on which you consult has been determined.” [12:41]
And he said to the one of the two who he thought would go free, “Mention me to your master.” But Satan made him forget the mention to his master, and Joseph remained in prison for a period of years. [12:42]
The king said, “I see seven fat cows, which seven lean ones devour; and seven green ears of grain, and others that are withered. O chiefs, advise me about my vision, if you interpret visions.” [12:43]
They said, “A jumble of dreams; we do not know how to interpret dreams.” [12:44]
Then the one of the two that had been freed from prison said, having remembered after a time, “I will tell you its interpretation, so delegate me.” [12:45]
“Joseph, man of truth, expound for us seven fat cows that seven lean ones devour, and seven green ears of grain and others that are withered, so that I may return to the people so that they may know.” [12:46]
He said, “You will sow seed for seven years as usual; leave what you reap in the ear, except a little from which you will eat. [12:47]
“Then after that will come seven hard years, which will consume the provisions you made for them, except a little of what you preserved. [12:48]
“Then after that will come a year when the people will have plenty of rain, during which they will be producing.” [12:49]
Now the king said, “Bring him to me,” but when the emissary came to him, he said, “Go back to your master and ask him about the intention of the ladies who cut their hands; for my Lord is well-acquainted with their cunning.” [12:50]
[The king] said, “What business did you ladies have trying to seduce Joseph?” They said, “God forbid! We knew no evil against him.” The wife of the grandee said, “Now the truth has become manifest; I tried to seduce Joseph, so he was telling the truth. [12:51]
“This is to let him know I didn’t betray him in secret, and that God does not guide the planning of betrayers. [12:52]
“Yet I do not exonerate myself; for the self is certainly compulsive with evil unless my Lord has mercy; for my Lord is most forgiving, most merciful.” [12:53]
Now the king said, “Bring him to me: I would reserve him for myself.” Then when he spoke to him, he said, “Today you are secure and safe with us.” [12:54]
[Joseph] said, “Put me in charge of the storehouses of the land; I am very attentive and very expert.” [12:55]
Thus did We establish Joseph on earth: he lived anywhere he wanted. We pour Our mercy on whomever We wish, and We do not neglect the reward of those who do good. [12:56]
Yet the reward of the hereafter is certainly better for those who have faith and who are conscientious. [12:57]
Then Joseph’s brothers came, and entered his presence; he recognized them, but they did not know him. [12:58]
And when he had provided them with their supplies, he said, “Bring me a brother of yours from the same father. Don’t you see that I give full measure and I am best of hosts? [12:59]
“So if you don’t bring him to me, then I have nothing for you, and you will not get near me.” [12:60]
They said, “We will ask his father for him: we will do it indeed.” [12:61]
Now Joseph told his servants, “Put their merchandise in their saddlebags, so they may recognize it when they return to their people, so that they might come back.” [12:62]
Then when they returned to their father, they said, “Father, the allotment has been refused us; send our brother with us, and we will receive an allotment. We will take care of him.” [12:63]
He said, “Shall I trust you with him when it will only turn out like when I trusted you with his brother before? God is the best protector, and is the most merciful of the merciful.” [12:64]
Then when they opened their baggage, they found their merchandise, returned to them. They said, “Father, what could we desire? This is our merchandise, returned to us: we’ll feed our families, and take care of our brother; and we will add a camel load. That is a small amount.” [12:65]
He said, “I will not send him with you until you give me a promise swearing to God that you will bring him back to me, unless you are surrounded.” Then when they gave him their promise, he said, “God is witness to what we say.” [12:66]
He also said, “My sons, do not go in through one gate, but go in through different gates. But I cannot help you at all against God. For the judgment is God’s alone: it is in God that I trust, and let the trusting trust in God.” [12:67]
When they entered as their father had instructed them, it did not help them at all against God; it was just a need in the soul of Jacob, which he carried out. For he was imbued with knowledge, inasmuch as We taught him; most people, in contrast, just do not know. [12:68]
When they entered Joseph’s presence, he received his brother as a guest. He said, “I am actually your brother; so do not be grieved by what they’ve been doing.” [12:69]
Then when he had supplied them with their needs, he put a drinking cup into his brother’s saddlebag. Then a crier called, “Hey, caravan! You must be thieves!” [12:70]
Turning to them, they said, “What are you missing?” [12:71]
They said, “We are missing the goblet of the king; whoever produces it will have a camel load, and I will guarantee that.” [12:72]
They said, “By God, you know we did not come to cause trouble in the land, and we are not thieves.” [12:73]
They said, “Then what is to be the recompense for this, if you are lying?” [12:74]
They said, “The recompense for it is he in whose saddlebag it is found— he is the recompense for it. Thus do we penalize wrongdoers.” [12:75]
So he began with their baggage, before his brother’s baggage; then he produced the goblet from his brother’s baggage. Thus did We devise a plan for Joseph; he could not have taken his brother by the king’s law unless God willed. We raise in rank whomever We please; and above everyone endowed with knowledge is the Omniscient One. [12:76]
They said, “If he stole, well, a brother of his has stolen before.” Still Joseph kept this secret in his soul, and did not divulge it to them. He said, “Your position is bad; God knows best what you portray.” [12:77]
They said, “O mighty one, he has an aged father, very old; so take one of us in his place, for we see you as one who does good.” [12:78]
He said, “God forbid that we should arrest anyone but the one in whose possession we found our property; for then we would be oppressors.” [12:79]
Now when they gave up hope from him, they withdrew to confer privately. The eldest among them said, “Don’t you know our father had you swear an oath by God, and how you were negligent toward Joseph before? I will not leave this land until my father permits me, or God decides for me; and God is the best of judges. [12:80]
“Return to your father and say, ‘Father, your son has stolen. We only bore witness to what we knew; we could not guard against the unseen. [12:81]
‘Ask in the city where we were, and the caravan with which we came— we are certainly telling the truth.’” [12:82]
Jacob said, “No, your selves have contrived something for you. But patience is becoming; perhaps God will bring them all to me, for God is omniscient, most wise.” [12:83]
Then he turned away from them and said, “Oh, how I grieve for Joseph!” And his eyes became white from sorrow, and he became depressed. [12:84]
They said, “By God, you won’t stop remembering Joseph until you are terminally ill, or have passed away.” [12:85]
He said, “I only complain of my sorrow and grief to God; and I know from God what you do not know. [12:86]
“My sons, go inquire after Joseph and his brother, and do not despair of the mercy of God; for no one despairs of the mercy of God except people who are atheists.” [12:87]
Then when they entered his presence they said, “Mighty one, adversity has befallen us and our family, and we have brought little merchandise. So give us full measure, and be charitable to us, for God rewards the charitable.” [12:88]
He said, “Do you know what you did to Joseph and his brother while you were ignorant?” [12:89]
They said, “Are you Joseph?” He said, “I am Joseph, and this is my brother. God has been gracious to us; for if anyone is conscientious and patient, God does not neglect the reward of those who do good.” [12:90]
They said, “By God, God has preferred you over us; and, behold, we are the sinners.” [12:91]
He said, “There is to be no blame on you today; God forgives you, and God is most merciful of the merciful. [12:92]
“Take this shirt of mine and present it to my father in person; he will recover his sight. And bring your whole family to me.” [12:93]
And when the caravan departed, their father said, “I’d be sure I got a scent of Joseph, if you didn’t think me senile.” [12:94]
They said, “You are surely in your old error.” [12:95]
Then when the bearer of good news came, he presented the shirt to him, whereupon he regained his sight. He said, “Did I not tell you that I know from God what you do not know?” [12:96]
They said, “Father, ask forgiveness for us for our sins; for we were in the wrong.” [12:97]
He said, “I will ask forgiveness for you of my Lord, the most forgiving, the most merciful.” [12:98]
Then when they entered the presence of Joseph, he lodged his parents and said, “Enter Egypt secure, if it is God’s will.” [12:99]
And he elevated his parents on the throne, and they fell down prostrate before him. And he said, “Father, this is the explanation of my dream before; my Lord has made it real and has been good to me, getting me out of prison and bringing you from the desert after Satan had alienated me and my brothers. Truly my Lord is subtle in design, being the all-knowing one, completely wise. [12:100]
“My Lord, You gave me some authority, and taught me some interpretation of stories. Creator of the heavens and the earth, You are my protector in the world and the hereafter: take my soul in a state of acquiescence, and unite me with the upright.” [12:101]
This is among the accounts of the unseen, which We have revealed to you by inspiration: for you were not with them when they joined forces plotting. [12:102]
But most people won’t be believers, no matter how much you wish. [12:103]
And you do not ask them any reward for this; for it is nothing but a reminder to all worlds. [12:104]
How many signs in the heavens and the earth do they pass by, turning away from them? [12:105]
For most of them do not believe in God, except as polytheists. [12:106]
Do they feel sure that a calamity from the punishment of God will not come upon them, or the end of time will not come upon them suddenly, while they are unawares? [12:107]
Say, “This is my way; I invite to God, based on evidence; I and whoever follows me. And, glory be to God, I am not a polytheist.” [12:108]
And We only sent before you men, from people of communities, men whom We inspired; do they not travel the earth and see how things turned out for those before them? Surely the home of the hereafter is better for those who are conscientious. Don’t you understand? [12:109]
When it came to the point where the messengers lost hope, thinking they’d been misrepresented, Our salvation came to them; and those We wished were delivered. But Our severity is not averted from people guilty of sin. [12:110]
There is certainly advice in their stories for those who have reason. It is not an invented tale, but confirmation of what preceded it, and analysis of all things, and guidance and mercy for people who believe. [12:111]