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Introduction to Tafheem | Glossary | Verbs
Tafsirs: Maarif | Dawat | Ishraq | Clear

 Surah Yusuf 12:1-38 [1/12]
  
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Verse Summary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
الٓر‌ۚAlif Laam Ra.
تِلْكَThese
ءَايَـٰتُ(are the) Verses
ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ(of) the Book
ٱلْمُبِينِ[the] clear.
﴿١﴾
إِنَّآIndeed, We,
أَنزَلْنَـٰهُWe have sent it down,
قُرْءَٲنًا عَرَبِيًّا(as) a Quran in Arabic
لَّعَلَّكُمْso that you may
تَعْقِلُونَunderstand.
﴿٢﴾
نَحْنُWe
نَقُصُّrelate
عَلَيْكَto you
أَحْسَنَthe best
ٱلْقَصَصِof the narrations
بِمَآin what
أَوْحَيْنَآWe have revealed
إِلَيْكَto you
هَـٰذَا(of) this
ٱلْقُرْءَانَthe Quran,
وَإِنalthough
كُنتَyou were,
مِن قَبْلِهِۦbefore it,
لَمِنَsurely among
ٱلْغَـٰفِلِينَthe unaware.
﴿٣﴾
إِذْWhen
قَالَsaid
يُوسُفُYusuf
لِأَبِيهِto his father,
يَـٰٓأَبَتِ"O my father!
إِنِّىIndeed, I
رَأَيْتُI saw
أَحَدَ عَشَرَeleven
كَوْكَبًاstar(s)
وَٱلشَّمْسَand the sun
وَٱلْقَمَرَand the moon;
رَأَيْتُهُمْI saw them
لِىto me
سَـٰجِدِينَprostrating."
﴿٤﴾
قَالَHe said,
يَـٰبُنَىَّ"O my son!
لَا(Do) not
تَقْصُصْrelate
رُءْيَاكَyour vision
عَلَىٰٓto
إِخْوَتِكَyour brothers
فَيَكِيدُواْlest they plan
لَكَagainst you
كَيْدًا‌ۖa plot.
إِنَّIndeed,
ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَthe Shaitaan
لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ(is) to man
عَدُوٌّan enemy
مُّبِينٌopen.
﴿٥﴾
وَكَذَٲلِكَAnd thus
يَجْتَبِيكَwill choose you
رَبُّكَyour Lord
وَيُعَلِّمُكَand will teach you
مِنof
تَأْوِيلِ(the) interpretation
ٱلْأَحَادِيثِ(of) the narratives
وَيُتِمُّand complete
نِعْمَتَهُۥHis Favor
عَلَيْكَon you
وَعَلَىٰٓand on
ءَالِ(the) family
يَعْقُوبَ(of) Yaqub
كَمَآas
أَتَمَّهَاHe completed it
عَلَىٰٓon
أَبَوَيْكَyour two forefathers
مِن قَبْلُbefore -
إِبْرَٲهِيمَIbrahim
وَإِسْحَـٰقَ‌ۚand Ishaq.
إِنَّIndeed,
رَبَّكَyour Lord
عَلِيمٌ(is) All-Knower,
حَكِيمٌAll-Wise."
﴿٦﴾
۞ لَّقَدْCertainly
كَانَwere
فِىin
يُوسُفَYusuf
وَإِخْوَتِهِۦٓand his brothers
ءَايَـٰتٌsigns
لِّلسَّآئِلِينَfor those who ask.
﴿٧﴾
إِذْWhen
قَالُواْthey said,
لَيُوسُفُ"Surely Yusuf
وَأَخُوهُand his brother
أَحَبُّ(are) more beloved
إِلَىٰٓto
أَبِينَاour father
مِنَّاthan we,
وَنَحْنُwhile we
عُصْبَةٌ(are) a group.
إِنَّIndeed,
أَبَانَاour father
لَفِى(is) surely in
ضَلَـٰلٍan error
مُّبِينٍclear.
﴿٨﴾
ٱقْتُلُواْKill
يُوسُفَYusuf
أَوِor
ٱطْرَحُوهُcast him
أَرْضًا(to) a land
يَخْلُso will be free
لَكُمْfor you
وَجْهُ(the) face
أَبِيكُمْ(of) your father,
وَتَكُونُواْand you will be
مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦafter that
قَوْمًاa people
صَـٰلِحِينَrighteous."
﴿٩﴾
قَالَSaid
قَآئِلٌa speaker
مِّنْهُمْamong them,
لَا"(Do) not
تَقْتُلُواْkill
يُوسُفَYusuf
وَأَلْقُوهُbut throw him
فِىin
غَيَـٰبَتِthe bottom
ٱلْجُبِّ(of) the well,
يَلْتَقِطْهُwill pick him
بَعْضُsome
ٱلسَّيَّارَةِ[the] caravan
إِنif
كُنتُمْyou are
فَـٰعِلِينَdoing."
﴿١٠﴾
قَالُواْThey said,
يَـٰٓأَبَانَا"O our father!
مَاWhy
لَكَ(do) you
لَاnot
تَأْمَ۫نَّاtrust us
عَلَىٰwith
يُوسُفَYusuf,
وَإِنَّاwhile indeed, we
لَهُۥ(are) for him
لَنَـٰصِحُونَsurely well-wishers?
﴿١١﴾
أَرْسِلْهُSend him
مَعَنَاwith us
غَدًاtomorrow,
يَرْتَعْ(to) enjoy
وَيَلْعَبْand play.
وَإِنَّاAnd indeed, we
لَهُۥ لَحَـٰفِظُونَwill surely be his guardians."
﴿١٢﴾
قَالَHe said,
إِنِّى"Indeed, [I]
لَيَحْزُنُنِىٓit surely saddens me
أَنthat
تَذْهَبُواْ بِهِۦyou should take him
وَأَخَافُand I fear
أَنthat
يَأْكُلَهُwould eat him
ٱلذِّئْبُa wolf
وَأَنتُمْwhile you
عَنْهُof him
غَـٰفِلُونَ(are) unaware."
﴿١٣﴾
قَالُواْThey said,
لَئِنْ"If
أَكَلَهُeats him
ٱلذِّئْبُthe wolf
وَنَحْنُwhile we
عُصْبَةٌ(are) a group,
إِنَّآindeed, we
إِذًاthen
لَّخَـٰسِرُونَsurely (would be) losers."
﴿١٤﴾
فَلَمَّاSo when
ذَهَبُواْ بِهِۦthey took him
وَأَجْمَعُوٓاْand agreed
أَنthat
يَجْعَلُوهُthey put him
فِىin
غَيَـٰبَتِ(the) bottom
ٱلْجُبِّ‌ۚ(of) the well.
وَأَوْحَيْنَآBut We inspired
إِلَيْهِto him,
لَتُنَبِّئَنَّهُم"Surely, you will inform them
بِأَمْرِهِمْ هَـٰذَاabout this affair,
وَهُمْwhile they
لَا(do) not
يَشْعُرُونَperceive."
﴿١٥﴾
وَجَآءُوٓAnd they came
أَبَاهُمْ(to) their father
عِشَآءًearly at night
يَبْكُونَweeping.
﴿١٦﴾
قَالُواْThey said,
يَـٰٓأَبَانَآ"O our father!
إِنَّاIndeed, we
ذَهَبْنَا[we] went
نَسْتَبِقُracing each other
وَتَرَكْنَاand we left
يُوسُفَYusuf
عِندَwith
مَتَـٰعِنَاour possessions,
فَأَكَلَهُand ate him
ٱلذِّئْبُ‌ۖthe wolf.
وَمَآBut not
أَنتَyou
بِمُؤْمِنٍ(will) believe
لَّنَاus,
وَلَوْeven if
كُنَّاwe are
صَـٰدِقِينَtruthful."
﴿١٧﴾
وَجَآءُوAnd they brought
عَلَىٰupon
قَمِيصِهِۦhis shirt
بِدَمٍ كَذِبٍ‌ۚwith false blood.
قَالَHe said,
بَلْ"Nay,
سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْhas enticed you
أَنفُسُكُمْyour souls
أَمْرًا‌ۖ(to) a matter,
فَصَبْرٌso patience
جَمِيلٌ‌ۖ(is) beautiful.
وَٱللَّهُAnd Allah
ٱلْمُسْتَعَانُ(is) the One sought for help
عَلَىٰagainst
مَاwhat
تَصِفُونَyou describe."
﴿١٨﴾
وَجَآءَتْAnd there came
سَيَّارَةٌa caravan
فَأَرْسَلُواْand they sent
وَارِدَهُمْtheir water drawer
فَأَدْلَىٰthen he let down
دَلْوَهُۥ‌ۖhis bucket.
قَالَHe said,
يَـٰبُشْرَىٰ"O good news!
هَـٰذَاThis
غُلَـٰمٌ‌ۚ(is) a boy."
وَأَسَرُّوهُAnd they hid him
بِضَـٰعَةً‌ۚ(as) a merchandise.
وَٱللَّهُAnd Allah
عَلِيمُۢ(is) All- Knower
بِمَاof what
يَعْمَلُونَthey do.
﴿١٩﴾
وَشَرَوْهُAnd they sold him
بِثَمَنِۭfor a price
بَخْسٍvery low,
دَرَٲهِمَdirhams
مَعْدُودَةٍfew,
وَكَانُواْand they were
فِيهِabout him
مِنَof
ٱلزَّٲهِدِينَthose keen to give up.
﴿٢٠﴾
وَقَالَAnd said
ٱلَّذِىthe one who
ٱشْتَرَٮٰهُbought him
مِنof
مِّصْرَEgypt
لِٱمْرَأَتِهِۦٓto his wife,
أَكْرِمِى"Make comfortable
مَثْوَٮٰهُhis stay.
عَسَىٰٓPerhaps
أَنthat
يَنفَعَنَآ(he) will benefit us
أَوْor
نَتَّخِذَهُۥwe will take him
وَلَدًا‌ۚ(as) a son."
وَكَذَٲلِكَAnd thus
مَكَّنَّاWe established
لِيُوسُفَYusuf
فِىin
ٱلْأَرْضِthe land
وَلِنُعَلِّمَهُۥthat We might teach him
مِن تَأْوِيلِ(the) interpretation of
ٱلْأَحَادِيثِ‌ۚthe events.
وَٱللَّهُAnd Allah
غَالِبٌ(is) Predominant
عَلَىٰٓover
أَمْرِهِۦHis affairs,
وَلَـٰكِنَّbut
أَكْثَرَmost
ٱلنَّاسِ(of) the people
لَا(do) not
يَعْلَمُونَknow.
﴿٢١﴾
وَلَمَّاAnd when
بَلَغَhe reached
أَشُدَّهُۥٓhis maturity,
ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُWe gave him
حُكْمًاwisdom
وَعِلْمًا‌ۚand knowledge.
وَكَذَٲلِكَAnd thus
نَجْزِىWe reward
ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَthe good-doers.
﴿٢٢﴾
وَرَٲوَدَتْهُAnd sought to seduce him
ٱلَّتِىshe who,
هُوَhe (was)
فِىin
بَيْتِهَاher house
عَنfrom
نَّفْسِهِۦhis self.
وَغَلَّقَتِAnd she closed
ٱلْأَبْوَٲبَthe doors
وَقَالَتْand she said,
هَيْتَ"Come on
لَكَ‌ۚyou."
قَالَHe said,
مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ‌ۖ"I seek refuge in Allah.
إِنَّهُۥIndeed, he
رَبِّىٓ(is) my lord
أَحْسَنَ(who has) made good
مَثْوَاىَ‌ۖmy stay.
إِنَّهُۥIndeed,
لَاnot
يُفْلِحُwill succeed
ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَthe wrongdoers."
﴿٢٣﴾
وَلَقَدْAnd certainly
هَمَّتْshe did desire
بِهِۦ‌ۖhim,
وَهَمَّand he would have desired
بِهَاher,
لَوْلَآif not
أَنthat
رَّءَاhe saw
بُرْهَـٰنَthe proof
رَبِّهِۦ‌ۚ(of) his Lord.
كَذَٲلِكَThus,
لِنَصْرِفَthat We might avert
عَنْهُfrom him
ٱلسُّوٓءَthe evil
وَٱلْفَحْشَآءَ‌ۚand the immorality.
إِنَّهُۥIndeed, he
مِنْ(was) of
عِبَادِنَاOur slaves
ٱلْمُخْلَصِينَthe sincere.
﴿٢٤﴾
وَٱسْتَبَقَاAnd they both raced
ٱلْبَابَ(to) the door
وَقَدَّتْand she tore
قَمِيصَهُۥhis shirt
مِنfrom
دُبُرٍthe back,
وَأَلْفَيَاand they both found
سَيِّدَهَاher husband
لَدَاat
ٱلْبَابِ‌ۚthe door.
قَالَتْShe said,
مَا"What
جَزَآءُ(is) the recompense
مَنْ(of one) who
أَرَادَintended
بِأَهْلِكَfor your wife
سُوٓءًاevil
إِلَّآexcept
أَنthat
يُسْجَنَhe be imprisoned
أَوْor
عَذَابٌa punishment
أَلِيمٌpainful?"
﴿٢٥﴾
قَالَHe said,
هِىَ"She
رَٲوَدَتْنِىsought to seduce me
عَنabout
نَّفْسِى‌ۚmyself."
وَشَهِدَAnd testified
شَاهِدٌa witness
مِّنْof
أَهْلِهَآher family
إِن"If
كَانَ[is]
قَمِيصُهُۥhis shirt
قُدَّ(is) torn
مِنfrom
قُبُلٍthe front
فَصَدَقَتْthen she has spoken the truth,
وَهُوَand he
مِنَ(is) of
ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَthe liars.
﴿٢٦﴾
وَإِنBut if
كَانَ[is]
قَمِيصُهُۥhis shirt
قُدَّ(is) torn
مِنfrom
دُبُرٍ(the) back
فَكَذَبَتْthen she has lied
وَهُوَand he
مِنَ(is) of
ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَthe truthful."
﴿٢٧﴾
فَلَمَّاSo when
رَءَاhe saw
قَمِيصَهُۥhis shirt
قُدَّtorn
مِنfrom
دُبُرٍ(the) back
قَالَhe said,
إِنَّهُۥ"Indeed, it
مِن(is) of
كَيْدِكُنَّ‌ۖyour plot.
إِنَّIndeed,
كَيْدَكُنَّyour plot
عَظِيمٌ(is) great.
﴿٢٨﴾
يُوسُفُYusuf,
أَعْرِضْturn away
عَنْfrom
هَـٰذَا‌ۚthis.
وَٱسْتَغْفِرِىAnd ask forgiveness
لِذَنۢبِكِ‌ۖfor your sin.
إِنَّكِIndeed, you
كُنتِare
مِنَof
ٱلْخَاطِــِٔينَthe sinful."
﴿٢٩﴾
۞ وَقَالَAnd said
نِسْوَةٌwomen
فِىin
ٱلْمَدِينَةِthe city,
ٱمْرَأَتُ"The wife of
ٱلْعَزِيزِAziz
تُرَٲوِدُ(is) seeking to seduce
فَتَـٰهَاher slave boy
عَنabout
نَّفْسِهِۦ‌ۖhimself;
قَدْindeed,
شَغَفَهَاhe has impassioned her
حُبًّا‌ۖ(with) love.
إِنَّاIndeed, we
لَنَرَٮٰهَا[we] surely see her
فِىin
ضَلَـٰلٍan error
مُّبِينٍclear."
﴿٣٠﴾
فَلَمَّاSo when
سَمِعَتْshe heard
بِمَكْرِهِنَّof their scheming,
أَرْسَلَتْshe sent
إِلَيْهِنَّfor them
وَأَعْتَدَتْand she prepared
لَهُنَّfor them
مُتَّكَــًٔاa banquet
وَءَاتَتْand she gave
كُلَّeach
وَٲحِدَةٍone
مِّنْهُنَّof them
سِكِّينًاa knife
وَقَالَتِand she said,
ٱخْرُجْ"Come out
عَلَيْهِنَّ‌ۖbefore them."
فَلَمَّاThen when
رَأَيْنَهُۥٓthey saw him
أَكْبَرْنَهُۥthey greatly admired him,
وَقَطَّعْنَand cut
أَيْدِيَهُنَّtheir hands,
وَقُلْنَthey said,
حَـٰشَ"Forbid
لِلَّهِAllah,
مَاnot
هَـٰذَا(is) this
بَشَرًاa man
إِنْnot
هَـٰذَآ(is) this
إِلَّاbut
مَلَكٌan angel
كَرِيمٌnoble."
﴿٣١﴾
قَالَتْShe said,
فَذَٲلِكُنَّ"That
ٱلَّذِى(is) the one,
لُمْتُنَّنِىyou blamed me
فِيهِ‌ۖabout him.
وَلَقَدْAnd certainly
رَٲوَدتُّهُۥI sought to seduce him,
عَن[from]
نَّفْسِهِۦ[himself]
فَٱسْتَعْصَمَ‌ۖbut he saved himself,
وَلَئِنand if
لَّمْnot
يَفْعَلْhe does
مَآwhat
ءَامُرُهُۥI order him,
لَيُسْجَنَنَّsurely, he will be imprisoned
وَلَيَكُونًاand certainly will be
مِّنَof
ٱلصَّـٰغِرِينَthose who are disgraced."
﴿٣٢﴾
قَالَHe said,
رَبِّ"My Lord,
ٱلسِّجْنُthe prison
أَحَبُّ(is) dearer
إِلَىَّto me
مِمَّاthan what
يَدْعُونَنِىٓthey invite me
إِلَيْهِ‌ۖto it.
وَإِلَّاAnd unless
تَصْرِفْYou turn away
عَنِّىfrom me
كَيْدَهُنَّtheir plot
أَصْبُI might incline
إِلَيْهِنَّtowards them
وَأَكُنand [I] be
مِّنَof
ٱلْجَـٰهِلِينَthe ignorant."
﴿٣٣﴾
فَٱسْتَجَابَSo responded
لَهُۥto him
رَبُّهُۥhis Lord,
فَصَرَفَand turned away
عَنْهُfrom him
كَيْدَهُنَّ‌ۚtheir plot.
إِنَّهُۥIndeed, [He]
هُوَHe
ٱلسَّمِيعُ(is) All-Hearer,
ٱلْعَلِيمُAll-Knower.
﴿٣٤﴾
ثُمَّThen
بَدَا(it) appeared
لَهُمto them
مِّنۢ بَعْدِafter
مَا[what]
رَأَوُاْthey had seen
ٱلْأَيَـٰتِthe signs,
لَيَسْجُنُنَّهُۥsurely they should imprison him
حَتَّىٰuntil
حِينٍa time.
﴿٣٥﴾
وَدَخَلَAnd entered
مَعَهُwith him
ٱلسِّجْنَ(in) the prison
فَتَيَانِ‌ۖtwo young men.
قَالَSaid
أَحَدُهُمَآone of them,
إِنِّىٓ"Indeed, I
أَرَٮٰنِىٓ[I] see myself
أَعْصِرُpressing
خَمْرًا‌ۖwine."
وَقَالَAnd said
ٱلْأَخَرُthe other,
إِنِّىٓ"Indeed, I
أَرَٮٰنِىٓ[I] see myself
أَحْمِلُ[I am] carrying
فَوْقَover
رَأْسِىmy head
خُبْزًاbread,
تَأْكُلُ(were) eating
ٱلطَّيْرُthe birds
مِنْهُ‌ۖfrom it.
نَبِّئْنَاInform us
بِتَأْوِيلِهِۦٓ‌ۖof its interpretation;
إِنَّاindeed, we
نَرَٮٰكَ[we] see you
مِنَof
ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَthe good-doers."
﴿٣٦﴾
قَالَHe said,
لَا"Not
يَأْتِيكُمَا(will) come to both of you
طَعَامٌfood
تُرْزَقَانِهِۦٓyou are provided with
إِلَّاbut
نَبَّأْتُكُمَاI will inform both of you
بِتَأْوِيلِهِۦof its interpretation,
قَبْلَbefore
أَن[that]
يَأْتِيَكُمَا‌ۚ[it] comes to both of you.
ذَٲلِكُمَاThat
مِمَّا(is) of what
عَلَّمَنِىhas taught me
رَبِّىٓ‌ۚmy Lord.
إِنِّىIndeed, I
تَرَكْتُ[I] abandon
مِلَّةَ(the) religion
قَوْمٍ(of) a people,
لَّاnot
يُؤْمِنُونَthey believe
بِٱللَّهِin Allah,
وَهُمand they
بِٱلْأَخِرَةِin the Hereafter
هُمْ[they]
كَـٰفِرُونَ(are) disbelievers.
﴿٣٧﴾
وَٱتَّبَعْتُAnd I follow
مِلَّةَ(the) religion
ءَابَآءِىٓ(of) my forefathers,
إِبْرَٲهِيمَIbrahim,
وَإِسْحَـٰقَand Ishaq
وَيَعْقُوبَ‌ۚand Yaqub.
مَاNot
كَانَwas
لَنَآfor us
أَنthat
نُّشْرِكَwe associate
بِٱللَّهِwith Allah
مِنany
شَىْءٍ‌ۚthing.
ذَٲلِكَThat
مِن(is) from
فَضْلِ(the) Grace
ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
عَلَيْنَاupon us,
وَعَلَىand upon
ٱلنَّاسِthe mankind
وَلَـٰكِنَّbut
أَكْثَرَmost
ٱلنَّاسِ(of) the men
لَا(are) not
يَشْكُرُونَgrateful.
﴿٣٨﴾


بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ الٓرٰ​ تِلۡكَ اٰيٰتُ الۡكِتٰبِ الۡمُبِيۡن‏  اِنَّاۤ اَنۡزَلۡنٰهُ قُرۡءٰنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُوۡنَ‏  نَحۡنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيۡكَ اَحۡسَنَ الۡقَصَصِ بِمَاۤ اَوۡحَيۡنَاۤ اِلَيۡكَ هٰذَا الۡقُرۡاٰنَ ​ۖ وَاِنۡ كُنۡتَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِهٖ لَمِنَ الۡغٰفِلِيۡنَ‏  اِذۡ قَالَ يُوۡسُفُ لِاَبِيۡهِ يٰۤاَبَتِ اِنِّىۡ رَاَيۡتُ اَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوۡكَبًا وَّالشَّمۡسَ وَالۡقَمَرَ رَاَيۡتُهُمۡ لِىۡ سٰجِدِيۡنَ‏  قَالَ يٰبُنَىَّ لَا تَقۡصُصۡ رُءۡيَاكَ عَلٰٓى اِخۡوَتِكَ فَيَكِيۡدُوۡا لَـكَ كَيۡدًا ؕ اِنَّ الشَّيۡطٰنَ لِلۡاِنۡسَانِ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِيۡنٌ‏  وَكَذٰلِكَ يَجۡتَبِيۡكَ رَبُّكَ وَيُعَلِّمُكَ مِنۡ تَاۡوِيۡلِ الۡاَحَادِيۡثِ وَيُتِمُّ نِعۡمَتَهٗ عَلَيۡكَ وَعَلٰٓى اٰلِ يَعۡقُوۡبَ كَمَاۤ اَتَمَّهَا عَلٰٓى اَبَوَيۡكَ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ اِبۡرٰهِيۡمَ وَاِسۡحٰقَ​ ؕ اِنَّ رَبَّكَ عَلِيۡمٌ حَكِيۡمٌ‏   لَقَدۡ كَانَ فِىۡ يُوۡسُفَ وَاِخۡوَتِهٖۤ اٰيٰتٌ لِّـلسَّآئِلِيۡنَ‏  اِذۡ قَالُوۡا لَيُوۡسُفُ وَاَخُوۡهُ اَحَبُّ اِلٰٓى اَبِيۡنَا مِنَّا وَنَحۡنُ عُصۡبَةٌ  ؕ اِنَّ اَبَانَا لَفِىۡ ضَلٰلٍ مُّبِيۡنِ ​ۖ ​ۚ‏  اۨقۡتُلُوۡا يُوۡسُفَ اَوِ اطۡرَحُوۡهُ اَرۡضًا يَّخۡلُ لَـكُمۡ وَجۡهُ اَبِيۡكُمۡ وَ تَكُوۡنُوۡا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِهٖ قَوۡمًا صٰلِحِيۡنَ‏  قَالَ قَآئِلٌ مِّنۡهُمۡ لَا تَقۡتُلُوۡا يُوۡسُفَ وَاَلۡقُوۡهُ فِىۡ غَيٰبَتِ الۡجُـبِّ يَلۡتَقِطۡهُ بَعۡضُ السَّيَّارَةِ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ فٰعِلِيۡنَ‏  قَالُوۡا يٰۤاَبَانَا مَا لَـكَ لَا تَاۡمَنَّا عَلٰى يُوۡسُفَ وَاِنَّا لَهٗ لَنٰصِحُوۡنَ‏  اَرۡسِلۡهُ مَعَنَا غَدًا يَّرۡتَعۡ وَيَلۡعَبۡ وَاِنَّا لَهٗ لَحٰـفِظُوۡنَ‏   قَالَ اِنِّىۡ لَيَحۡزُنُنِىۡ اَنۡ تَذۡهَبُوۡا بِهٖ وَاَخَافُ اَنۡ يَّاۡكُلَهُ الذِّئۡبُ وَاَنۡـتُمۡ عَنۡهُ غٰفِلُوۡنَ‏  قَالُوۡا لَـئِنۡ اَكَلَهُ الذِّئۡبُ وَنَحۡنُ عُصۡبَةٌ اِنَّاۤ اِذًا لَّخٰسِرُوۡنَ‏   فَلَمَّا ذَهَبُوۡا بِهٖ وَاَجۡمَعُوۡۤا اَنۡ يَّجۡعَلُوۡهُ فِىۡ غَيٰبَتِ الۡجُبِّ​ۚ وَاَوۡحَيۡنَاۤ اِلَيۡهِ لَـتُنَـبِّئَـنَّهُمۡ بِاَمۡرِهِمۡ هٰذَا وَهُمۡ لَا يَشۡعُرُوۡنَ‏   وَجَآءُوۡۤ اَبَاهُمۡ عِشَآءً يَّبۡكُوۡنَؕ‏  ​قَالُوۡا يٰۤاَبَانَاۤ اِنَّا ذَهَبۡنَا نَسۡتَبِقُ وَتَرَكۡنَا يُوۡسُفَ عِنۡدَ مَتَاعِنَا فَاَكَلَهُ الذِّئۡبُ​ۚ وَمَاۤ اَنۡتَ بِمُؤۡمِنٍ لَّنَا وَلَوۡ كُنَّا صٰدِقِيۡنَ‏  وَجَآءُوۡ عَلٰى قَمِيـۡصِهٖ بِدَمٍ كَذِبٍ​ؕ قَالَ بَلۡ سَوَّلَتۡ لَـكُمۡ اَنۡفُسُكُمۡ اَمۡرًا​ؕ فَصَبۡرٌ جَمِيۡلٌ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ الۡمُسۡتَعَانُ عَلٰى مَا تَصِفُوۡنَ‏   وَجَآءَتۡ سَيَّارَةٌ فَاَرۡسَلُوۡا وَارِدَهُمۡ فَاَدۡلٰى دَلۡوَهٗ​ ؕ قَالَ يٰبُشۡرٰى هٰذَا غُلٰمٌ​ ؕ وَاَسَرُّوۡهُ بِضَاعَةً  ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ عَلِيۡمٌۢ بِمَا يَعۡمَلُوۡنَ‏  وَشَرَوۡهُ بِثَمَنٍۢ بَخۡسٍ دَرَاهِمَ مَعۡدُوۡدَةٍ​ ۚ وَكَانُوۡا فِيۡهِ مِنَ الزّٰهِدِيۡنَ‏  وَقَالَ الَّذِى اشۡتَرٰٮهُ مِنۡ مِّصۡرَ لِامۡرَاَتِهٖۤ اَكۡرِمِىۡ مَثۡوٰٮهُ عَسٰٓى اَنۡ يَّـنۡفَعَنَاۤ اَوۡ نَـتَّخِذَهٗ وَلَدًا​ ؕ وَكَذٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوۡسُفَ فِى الۡاَرۡضِوَلِنُعَلِّمَهٗ مِنۡ تَاۡوِيۡلِ الۡاَحَادِيۡثِ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ غَالِبٌ عَلٰٓى اَمۡرِهٖ وَلٰـكِنَّ اَكۡثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏  وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ اَشُدَّهٗۤ اٰتَيۡنٰهُ حُكۡمًا وَّعِلۡمًا​ ؕ وَكَذٰلِكَ نَجۡزِى الۡمُحۡسِنِيۡنَ‏  وَرَاوَدَتۡهُ الَّتِىۡ هُوَ فِىۡ بَيۡتِهَا عَنۡ نَّـفۡسِهٖ وَغَلَّقَتِ الۡاَبۡوَابَ وَقَالَتۡ هَيۡتَ لَـكَ​ؕ قَالَ مَعَاذَ اللّٰهِ​ اِنَّهٗ رَبِّىۡۤ اَحۡسَنَ مَثۡوَاىَ​ؕ اِنَّهٗ لَا يُفۡلِحُ الظّٰلِمُوۡنَ‏  وَلَـقَدۡ هَمَّتۡ بِهٖ​ۚ وَهَمَّ بِهَا​ لَوۡلَاۤ اَنۡ رَّاٰ بُرۡهَانَ رَبِّهٖ​ؕ كَذٰلِكَ لِنَصۡرِفَ عَنۡهُ السُّۤوۡءَ وَالۡـفَحۡشَآءَ​ؕ اِنَّهٗ مِنۡ عِبَادِنَا الۡمُخۡلَصِيۡنَ‏  وَاسۡتَبَقَا الۡبَابَ وَقَدَّتۡ قَمِيۡصَهٗ مِنۡ دُبُرٍ وَّاَلۡفَيَا سَيِّدَهَا لَدَا الۡبَابِ​ؕ قَالَتۡ مَا جَزَآءُ مَنۡ اَرَادَ بِاَهۡلِكَ سُوۡۤءًا اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ يُّسۡجَنَ اَوۡ عَذَابٌ اَلِيۡمٌ‏  قَالَ هِىَ رَاوَدَتۡنِىۡ عَنۡ نَّـفۡسِىۡ​ وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِّنۡ اَهۡلِهَا​ۚ اِنۡ كَانَ قَمِيۡصُهٗ قُدَّ مِنۡ قُبُلٍ فَصَدَقَتۡ وَهُوَ مِنَ الۡكٰذِبِيۡنَ‏  وَاِنۡ كَانَ قَمِيۡصُهٗ قُدَّ مِنۡ دُبُرٍ فَكَذَبَتۡ وَهُوَ مِنَ الصّٰدِقِيۡنَ‏   فَلَمَّا رَاٰ قَمِيۡصَهٗ قُدَّ مِنۡ دُبُرٍ قَالَ اِنَّهٗ مِنۡ كَيۡدِكُنَّ​ؕ اِنَّ كَيۡدَكُنَّ عَظِيۡمٌ‏  يُوۡسُفُ اَعۡرِضۡ عَنۡ هٰذَا وَاسۡتَغۡفِرِىۡ لِذَنۡۢبِكِ ۖ ​ۚ اِنَّكِ كُنۡتِ مِنَ الۡخٰطِٮـئِيۡنَ‏  وَقَالَ نِسۡوَةٌ فِى الۡمَدِيۡنَةِ امۡرَاَتُ الۡعَزِيۡزِ تُرَاوِدُ فَتٰٮهَا عَنۡ نَّـفۡسِهٖ​ۚ قَدۡ شَغَفَهَا حُبًّا​ ؕ اِنَّا لَـنَرٰٮهَا فِىۡ ضَلٰلٍ مُّبِيۡنٍ‏   فَلَمَّا سَمِعَتۡ بِمَكۡرِهِنَّ اَرۡسَلَتۡ اِلَيۡهِنَّ وَاَعۡتَدَتۡ لَهُنَّ مُتَّكَـاً وَّاٰتَتۡ كُلَّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِّنۡهُنَّ سِكِّيۡنًا وَّقَالَتِ اخۡرُجۡ عَلَيۡهِنَّ ​ۚ فَلَمَّا رَاَيۡنَهٗۤ اَكۡبَرۡنَهٗ وَقَطَّعۡنَ اَيۡدِيَهُنَّ وَقُلۡنَ حَاشَ لِلّٰهِ مَا هٰذَا بَشَرًا ؕ اِنۡ هٰذَاۤ اِلَّا مَلَكٌ كَرِيۡمٌ‏  قَالَتۡ فَذٰلِكُنَّ الَّذِىۡ لُمۡتُنَّنِىۡ فِيۡهِ​ؕ وَ لَـقَدۡ رَاوَدْتُّهٗ عَنۡ نَّـفۡسِهٖ فَاسۡتَعۡصَمَ​ؕ وَلَـئِنۡ لَّمۡ يَفۡعَلۡ مَاۤ اٰمُرُهٗ لَـيُسۡجَنَنَّ وَلَيَكُوۡنًا مِّنَ الصّٰغِرِيۡنَ‏  قَالَ رَبِّ السِّجۡنُ اَحَبُّ اِلَىَّ مِمَّا يَدۡعُوۡنَنِىۡۤ اِلَيۡهِ​ۚ وَاِلَّا تَصۡرِفۡ عَنِّىۡ كَيۡدَهُنَّ اَصۡبُ اِلَيۡهِنَّ وَاَكُنۡ مِّنَ الۡجٰهِلِيۡنَ‏  فَاسۡتَجَابَ لَهٗ رَبُّهٗ فَصَرَفَ عَنۡهُ كَيۡدَهُنَّ​ؕ اِنَّهٗ هُوَ السَّمِيۡعُ الۡعَلِيۡمُ‏  ثُمَّ بَدَا لَهُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا رَاَوُا الۡاٰيٰتِ لَيَسۡجُنُـنَّهٗ حَتّٰى حِيۡنٍ‏  وَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ السِّجۡنَ فَتَيٰنِ​ؕ قَالَ اَحَدُهُمَاۤ اِنِّىۡۤ اَرٰٮنِىۡۤ اَعۡصِرُ خَمۡرًا​ ۚ وَقَالَ الۡاٰخَرُ اِنِّىۡۤ اَرٰٮنِىۡۤ اَحۡمِلُ فَوۡقَ رَاۡسِىۡ خُبۡزًا تَاۡكُلُ الطَّيۡرُ مِنۡهُ​ ؕ نَبِّئۡنَا بِتَاۡوِيۡلِهٖ ۚ اِنَّا نَرٰٮكَ مِنَ الۡمُحۡسِنِيۡنَ‏  قَالَ لَا يَاۡتِيۡكُمَا طَعَامٌ تُرۡزَقٰنِهٖۤ اِلَّا نَـبَّاۡتُكُمَا بِتَاۡوِيۡلِهٖ قَبۡلَ اَنۡ يَّاۡتِيَكُمَا​ ؕ ذٰ لِكُمَا مِمَّا عَلَّمَنِىۡ رَبِّىۡ ؕ اِنِّىۡ تَرَكۡتُ مِلَّةَ قَوۡمٍ لَّا يُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِاللّٰهِ وَهُمۡ بِالۡاٰخِرَةِ هُمۡ كٰفِرُوۡنَ‏   وَاتَّبَعۡتُ مِلَّةَ اٰبَآءِىۡۤ اِبۡرٰهِيۡمَ وَاِسۡحٰقَ وَيَعۡقُوۡبَ​ؕ مَا كَانَ لَنَاۤ اَنۡ نُّشۡرِكَ بِاللّٰهِ مِنۡ شَىۡءٍ​ؕ ذٰلِكَ مِنۡ فَضۡلِ اللّٰهِ عَلَيۡنَا وَعَلَى النَّاسِ وَلٰـكِنَّ اَكۡثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَشۡكُرُوۡنَ‏ 

Translation
(12:1) Alif. Lam. Ra'. These are the verses of a Book that clearly expounds the truth. (12:2) We have revealed it as a Recitation1 in Arabic that you may fully understand2. (12:3) (O Muhammad), by revealing the Qur'an to you We narrate to you in the best manner the stories of the past although before this narration you were utterly unaware of them3. (12:4) Call to mind when Joseph said to his father: "My father! I saw (in a dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon: I saw them prostrating themselves before me." (12:5) His father said: "My son! Do not relate your dream to your brothers lest they hatch a plot to harm you4. Indeed Satan is man's open enemy. (12:6) (As you have seen in the dream), so will your Lord choose you5 (for His task) and will impart to you the comprehension of the deeper meaning of things6 and will bestow the full measure of His favour upon you and upon the house of Jacob even as He earlier bestowed it in full measure upon your forefathers, Abraham and Isaac. Surely your Lord is All- Knowing, All-Wise."7 (12:7) Verily in the story of Joseph and his brothers there are many signs for those who inquire (about the truth). (12:8) And call to mind when the brothers of Joseph conferred together and said: "Surely Joseph and his brother8 are dearer to our father than we are, although we are a group of so many. Our father is clearly mistaken.9 (12:9) So either kill Joseph or cast him into some distant land so that your father's attention may become exclusively yours. And after so doing become righteous."10 (12:10) Thereupon one of them said: "Do not kill Joseph, but if you are bent upon doing something, cast him down to the bottom of some dark pit, perhaps some caravan passing by will take him out of it." (12:11) After so deciding they said to their father: "Why is it that you do not trust us regarding Joseph although we are his true well-wishers?" (12:12) Send him out with us tomorrow that he may enjoy himself and play while we will be there, standing guard over him."11 (12:13) Their father answered: "It grieves me indeed that you should take him with you for I fear that some wolf might eat him up while you are negligent of him." (12:14) They said: "Should a wolf eat him, despite the presence of our strong group, we would indeed be a worthless lot!" (12:15) So when they went away with Joseph and decided to cast him in the bottom of the dark pit, We revealed to Joseph: "Surely a time will come when you will remind them of their deed. They know nothing about the consequence of what they are doing."12 (12:16) At nightfall they came to their father weeping (12:17) and said: "Father! We went racing with one another and left Joseph behind with our things, and then a wolf came and ate him up. We know that you will not believe us howsoever truthful we might be." (12:18) And they brought Joseph's shirt, stained with false blood. Seeing this their father exclaimed: "Nay (this is not true); rather your evil souls have made it easy for you to commit a heinous act. So I will bear this patiently, and in good grace.13 It is Allah's help alone that I seek against your fabrication."14 (12:19) And a caravan came, and they sent their water drawer to draw water. As he let down his bucket in the well he (observed Joseph) and cried out: "This is good news. There is a boy." They concealed him, considering him as part of their merchandise, while Allah was well aware of what they did. (12:20) Later they sold him for a paltry sum15 - just a few dirhams; they did not care to obtain a higher price. (12:21) The man16 from Egypt who bought him said to his wife17: "Take good care of him, possibly he might be of benefit to us or we might adopt him as a son."18 Thus We found a way for Joseph to become established in that land and in order that We might teach him to comprehend the deeper meaning of things.19 Allah has full power to implement His design although most people do not know that. (12:22) And when Joseph reached the age of maturity, We granted him judgement and knowledge.20 Thus do We reward those who do good. (12:23) And it so happened that the lady in whose house Joseph was living, sought to tempt him to herself, and one day bolting the doors she said: "Come on now!" Joseph answered: "May Allah grant me refuge! My Lord has provided an honourable abode for me (so how can I do something so evil)? Such wrong-doers never prosper."21 (12:24) And she advanced towards him, and had Joseph not perceived a sign22 from his Lord he too would have advanced towards her. Thus was Joseph shown a sign from his Lord that We might avert from him all evil and indecency,23 for indeed he was one of Our chosen servants. (12:25) Then both of them rushed to the door, each seeking to get ahead of the other, and she tore Joseph's shirt from behind. Then both of them found the husband of the lady at the door. Seeing him she said: "What should be the punishment of him who has foul designs on your wife except that he should be imprisoned or subjected to painful chastisement?" (12:26) Joseph said: "It is she who was trying to tempt me to herself." And a witness belonging to her own household testified24 (on grounds of circumstantial evidence): "If his shirt is torn from the front, then she is telling the truth and he is a liar. (12:27) But if his shirt is torn from behind, then she has lied, and he is truthful."25 (12:28) So when the husband saw Joseph's shirt torn from behind he exclaimed: "Surely, this is one of the tricks of you women; your tricks are indeed great. (12:29) Joseph, disregard this. And you - woman - ask forgiveness for your sin, for indeed it is you who has been at fault." (12:30) And some ladies in the city began to say: "The chief's wife, violently in love with her houseboy, is out to tempt him. We think she is clearly mistaken." (12:31) Hearing of their sly talk the chief's wife sent for those ladies, and arranged for them a banquet, and got ready couches,26 and gave each guest a knife. Then, while they were cutting and eating the fruit, she signalled Joseph: "Come out to them." When the ladies saw him they were so struck with admiration that they cut their hands, exclaiming: "Allah preserve us. This is no mortal human. This is nothing but a noble angel!" (12:32) She said: "So now you see! This is the one regarding whom you reproached me. Indeed I tried to tempt him to myself but he held back, although if he were not to follow my order, he would certainly be imprisoned and humiliated."27 (12:33) Joseph said: "My Lord! I prefer imprisonment to what they ask me to do. And if You do not avert from me the guile of these women, I will succumb to their attraction and lapse into ignorance."28 (12:34) Thereupon his Lord granted his prayer, and averted their guile from him.29 Surely He alone is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (12:35) Then it occurred to them to cast Joseph into prison for a while even though they had seen clear signs30 (of Joseph's innocence and of the evil ways of their ladies). (12:36) And with Joseph two31 other slaves entered the prison.32 One of them said: "I saw myself pressing wine in a dream"; and the other said: "I saw myself carrying bread on my head of which the birds were eating." Both said: "Tell us what is its interpretation; for we consider you to be one of those who do good."33 (12:37) Joseph said: "I will inform you about the interpretation of the dreams before the arrival of the food that is sent to you. This knowledge is part of what I have been taught by my Lord. I have renounced the way of those who do not believe in Allah, and who deny the Hereafter, (12:38) and I have adopted the way of my forefathers - Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. It is not for us to associate any with Allah in His Divinity. It is out of Allah's grace upon us and upon mankind (that He did not require of us to serve any other than Allah), and yet most people do not give thanks.

Commentary

1. The Arabic word Quran “to read” is originally the infinitive form of the verb qara. When the infinitive form of a verb in Arabic is used as a name, it implies that that thing or person possesses the characteristics in their perfection. This Book has been named Quran to indicate that it is meant to be read by all and sundry and is to be read often and over and over again.

2. This does not mean that this Book has been sent down exclusively for the Arabs. What it means is only this: Of all the people, O Arabs, you should understand the excellence of the Quran, which is a sure proof of its being divine revelation, for it is in your own language and you have no excuse to put forward that it is in a foreign language which you do not understand.

Some people wrongly infer from this verse that this Book had been sent down for the Arabs and not for the non- Arabs; therefore, they assert, it cannot be claimed that it is the guidance for the whole mankind. But obviously this is a frivolous objection raised by those who do not understand its real significance. It is obvious that a book, though meant for universal guidance, will necessarily have to be put in words in some language so that the people speaking that language should understand its teachings and then become the means of conveying its guidance to other peoples. This is the only natural way of spreading the message of a movement on a universal scale.

3. This was to impress indirectly on the unbelievers of Makkah the fact that the Messenger (peace be upon him) did not know anything about the story of the settlement of the Israelites in Egypt, but was being informed of this by revelation from Allah. This introduction was necessary because, as has been stated in the preface to this Surah, the disbelievers had put an abrupt question concerning this matter in order to expose the Prophet (peace be upon him) by this test. The answer is to this effect: Tell them, O Muhammad (peace be upon him), that, though you did not know anything about the settlement of the Israelites in Egypt before this, you have now received a revelation about this from Us.

4. As the meanings of the dream were quite obvious, Prophet Jacob (peace be upon him) had a genuine fear that Joseph’s ten step brothers would become all the more envious of him when they would hear this. So he warned his righteous son not to mention his dream to his brothers, for he knew that those sons of his did not bear the moral character worthy of the sons of a Prophet, and, therefore they were up to any evil design against him out of mere envy. As regards to the dream, the sun in it was Prophet Jacob (peace be upon him), the moon his wife, Prophet Joseph’s step mother, and the eleven stars were his eleven brothers.

5. That is, “Bless him with Prophethood.”

6. The Arabic words of the text do not mean merely “the interpretation of dreams”, as has been generally understood. They are comprehensive and imply also this: Allah will bless you with the full understanding of the problems of life and their solutions and will give you the insight to reach at the reality of every matter.

7. Here it should be noted that the response of Prophet Jacob to the dream of Prophet Joseph (peace be upon them), according to the Bible and the Talmud, was quite different from this: “And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?” (Gen. 37: 10). Even a little thinking will help one to arrive at the conclusion that his reaction as narrated in the Quran is worthy of the high character of Prophet Jacob and not the one found in the Bible and the Talmud. For Prophet Joseph had not expressed any personal ambition of his but merely narrated his dream. If the dream was a true one, and it is obvious that Prophet Jacob interpreted it, believing it to be true, there was no reason why he should rebuke his own son, for it meant that it was the will of God and no his own ambition that he should one day rise to a high rank. Can then one expect from any reasonable person, not to mention a Prophet, that he would take it ill and rebuke the one who dreamed such a dream? And can there ever be such a noble father who would say bitter and stinging things to his own son for the sin of telling him a true dream, prophesying his future greatness?

8. This brother was Benjamin. He was the real younger brother of Prophet Joseph, and was his junior by many years. Their mother had died at the birth of Benjamin. That is why Prophet Jacob paid special attention to these two motherless children. Besides, Joseph was the only son, in whom he had discerned signs of righteousness and capabilities. Accordingly, when Prophet Joseph narrated his dream to him, he was all the more convinced of his future greatness, and was perturbed at the idea lest his brothers conspired against him out of envy, if they came to know of his dream, which was self explanatory. For Prophet Jacob knew that his other ten sons were not of the right type, and this was proved by the subsequent events. Therefore, naturally he was not happy with them. It is, however, strange that the Bible gives a different reason for the envy his brothers bore against Prophet Joseph. They were filled with envy against him because Joseph gave unto his father their evil report.

9. In order to grasp the full significance of the grievance the ten sons had against their father for neglecting them, we should keep in view the conditions of the clannish life. As there was no established state, each clan led its own independent life side by side with other clans. It is obvious that the power of the head of the clan depended entirely on the number of sons and grandsons, and brothers and nephews he had to defend the life, honor and property of the family. Therefore, the one leading the clannish life naturally paid more attention to his own grown up sons, etc., than to children and women of the family. As Prophet Jacob was leading clannish life, these sons of his expected a preferential treatment from him, but the Prophet thought otherwise. So they remarked: Truly our father seems to have lost his balance of mind; otherwise he could not have neglected us, and loved our two younger brothers more than us, for we are strong young men and can stand him in good stead at the time of need while these youngsters are useless as they themselves stand in need of protection.

10. This sentence depicts the true psychology of those people who give themselves up to the lusts of their hearts, and, at the same time, do not want to break away completely from faith and religion. This is how a person of this type behaves. Whenever he is tempted to do a certain evil thing, he makes up his mind to do it first and puts off the demands of his faith for the time being. And if his conscience pricks him, he tries to soothe it, saying: Have a little patience. Let me first do this evil thing, which is an obstacle in my way. Then I will repent and become as good as thou desirest to see me. As the brothers of Prophet Joseph belonged to this type, they soothed their pricking consciences, saying: After doing away with Joseph, who is the chief obstacle in our way, we will again become righteous.

11. In this thing also the Quran differs from the Bible and the Talmud, according to which it was not the brothers, who requested their father to send Joseph with them but Prophet Jacob himself sent him with an errand to Shechem, where they were feeding their father’s flocks. Obviously the version of the Quran is more realistic, for Prophet Jacob could never have thought of sending his beloved son with them because he knew it well that they were envious of him, and sending him there would have been sending Joseph deliberately into the jaws of death.

12. The Arabic words “they do not perceive” may very appropriately mean three things. First, We were comforting Joseph, and his brothers were quite unaware of this that a revelation was being sent to him. Second, you will let them know of this evil act of theirs in such circumstances that they can never even imagine you to be there. Third, today they are committing an evil act, but they do not know its future consequences.

There is no mention of this in the Bible and the Talmud that Allah sent a revelation to comfort Prophet Joseph at that time of his affliction. On the contrary, the Talmud says that when he was thrown into the well, Prophet Joseph wept and cried aloud and implored his brothers for mercy, as if he was no better than any other lad of the desert, who would weep and cry if he were to be thrown into a well. But the picture the Quran depicts is that of a young man, who is destined to play the part of a great personality in history.

13. The literal meaning of “patience in grace” which implies a patience that enables one to endure all kinds of troubles and afflictions in a calm, self possessed and unemotional manner, without complaining or crying or weeping, as is worthy of great minds.

14. Prophet Jacob’s reaction to the news of Joseph’s death, as depicted in the Quran, is also different from that given in the Bible and the Talmud. According to them he was upset by the sad news and behaved like an ordinary father. The Bible says: And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins. And mourned for his son many days. (Gen. 37: 34). And the Talmud says that at the sad news Jacob gave himself up to the abandonment of grief, and lay with his face to the ground and refused to be comforted, and cried: Some wild beast has devoured Joseph and I shall never see him more; and he mourned for Joseph for many years. (The Talmud, H. Polano, pp. 78, 79).

When we contrast this picture with the one depicted in the Quran, we clearly see that the Quranic picture is that of a dignified and great personality. He is not upset in the least at hearing the sad news of his beloved son but at once gets to the bottom of the matter, and tells the envious brothers: Your tale is false and fabricated. Then he shows good patience as a Prophet should and puts his trust in the help of God.

15. Though the matter of the disposal of Prophet Joseph by his brothers was simple, the Bible has made this very complicated. It is obvious that the brothers threw Joseph into the well and went away. Afterwards a caravan came there and pulled him out and carried him to Egypt where they sold him. But the Bible says that the brothers cast him into a pit: then a company of Ishmaelites came there and they agreed to sell him to them. But in the meantime the Midianite merchantmen had drawn and lifted up Joseph and sold him to the Ishmaelites who brought him into Egypt. (Gen. 37: 25-28). But the authors of the Bible forget this sale transaction and further on in v. 36 say that Prophet Joseph was sold in Egypt by the Midianites and not by the Ishmaelites as stated in v. 28. But the Talmudic version of the matter is a little different from this. It says that the Midianites drew Joseph up from the pit and carried him along with them. As they passed by, the sons of Jacob saw Joseph with them and accused them of stealing their slave. At this a furious quarrel arose and they were ready to enter upon a bloody fray. But a bargain was concluded and the sons of Jacob sold their brother to the Midianites for twenty pieces of silver, who afterwards sold him to the Ishmaelites for the same amount. Then the Ishmaelites took him into Egypt and sold him there. Incidentally, it is this Talmudic version that has given rise to the tradition among some Muslims that the brothers of Joseph had sold him. But it should be noted that the Quran does not confirm this tradition.

16. According to the Bible his name was Potiphar. But the Quran mentions him merely by the title (Al-Aziz). As the Quran uses the same title for Prophet Joseph, when he rose to a high rank, it appears that the person held a high office or rank in Egypt, for the word Aziz stands for a powerful person who cannot be opposed and disobeyed. The Bible and the Talmud say that he was an officer of Pharaoh’s body guards and captain of the guard. And according to a tradition from Ibn Abbas, related by Ibn Jarir, he was the officer of the royal treasury.

17. According to the Talmud the name of his wife was Zuleikha and she is known by the same name in the Muslim traditions. As regards to the other tradition among the Muslims that Prophet Joseph married her afterwards, it is neither based on the Quran nor on the history of the Israelites. And the fact is that it is below the dignity of a Prophet to have married such a woman about whom he had personal knowledge that she was of a bad character. And this opinion is confirmed by this general statement of the Quran: Women of bad character are for men of bad character and men of bad character are for women of bad character. And the women of pure character are for men of pure character, and the men of pure character for the women of pure character. (Surah An-Noor, Ayat 26).

18. The fact that Potiphar had a very high opinion of Prophet Joseph from the very beginning is also confirmed by the Talmud and the Bible. The Talmud says that at this time Joseph was about eighteen years of age (and) Potiphar was very favorably impressed with his bearing and appearance. So he came to the conclusion that he belonged to some noble family and had been made a slave by the force of adverse circumstances. When the Midianites carried him before Potiphar, he said: He does not look like a slave and I fear he has been stolen from his country and his home. That is why Potiphar did not treat him like a slave, but put him in charge of his house and all his possessions. Likewise the Bible says: And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. (Gen. 39: 6).

19. This verse alludes to the special training Prophet Joseph needed at that time for the performance of the duties of the high rank to which he was destined to rise. Up to that time, he had been brought up in the desert, under the environment of a semi nomadic life of a shepherd. There was neither any settled state in Canaan and Northern Arabia nor had there been any appreciable progress in culture and civilization, for it was inhabited by different independent clans with no settled government. Thus it is obvious that the training that Prophet Joseph had received in Canaan, had equipped him with the good characteristics of nomadic life coupled with the qualities of God worship and high morality of the family of Prophet Abraham. But this was not enough to enable him to direct the affairs of Egypt, which was at that time one of the most cultured and civilized countries of the known world and required a different experience and training for the conduct of its affairs. The All Powerful Allah made arrangements for this training and sent him to the house of an officer of a very high rank in Egypt, who entrusted him with full powers over his house and estate. This enabled him to develop all those latent abilities that were needed to fulfill his destiny, and he gained the experience that was required for the efficient conduct of the affairs of the kingdom of Egypt in the years to come.

20. By the use of such words as the Quran usually means, We bestowed on him Prophethood, for the Arabic word hukmun stands for both judgment and authority and ilmun stands for that knowledge which is directly revealed to the Prophets by Allah. Thus, the Arabic words of the text will mean: We gave him the power and the authority and the knowledge needed for judging rightly the affairs of the people.

21. Generally the commentators and translators are of the opinion that Prophet Joseph used Rabbi “My Lord” for the master of the house, and what he meant to imply by way of argument was this: My Lord has treated me very kindly and kept me well in the house. How can I, then, be so disloyal and ungrateful as to commit adultery with his wife? I, however, strongly differ with such a translation and commentary. Though the Arabic usage of rabb admits of such a meaning, I have two strong reasons against this here. First, it is far below the dignity of a Prophet to refrain from a sin because of the regard he had for some person other than Allah. Second, there is not a single instance in the Quran that a Prophet ever called anyone other than Allah his rabb. Prophet Joseph himself differentiates between his creed and that of the Egyptians making it plain that his rabb “Lord” was Allah, while they had made other human beings their rabb. Then this verse should be considered from another point of view: when rabbi may also mean My Lord, Prophet Joseph might have invoked Allah. Why should then one take the other meaning, my master, which most surely implies something that is against the right creed?

22. “Evidence of his Lord” means inspiration from Allah to rouse his conscience to the fact that it was not worthy of him to yield to the temptation by the woman. As regards to the question, “What was that evidence”, it has been stated in the preceding verse, that is: My Lord has shown much kindness towards me. Should I, then, misbehave like this? Such workers of iniquity never fare well. This was the divine evidence that saved Prophet Joseph in the prime of youth from that great temptation. The significance of “And he would have desired her, if it had not been that he saw the evidence (sign) of his Lord” is this: “Even a Prophet like Joseph could not have been able to save himself from sin, had not Allah guided him rightly with His evidence. Incidentally, this verse makes plain the nature of the immunity of Prophets from sin. It does not mean that a Prophet is infallible and incapable of committing any error, offense or sin or doing wrong or making a mistake. What it means is this: though a Prophet possesses passions, emotions, and carnal desires like other human beings, and is capable of committing a sin, he is so virtuous and God fearing that he never deliberately cherishes any evil intentions, for he is endowed with such great arguments from his Lord as do not allow the lusts of the flesh overpower the voice of his conscience. And if ever he succumbs inadvertently to any of the human weaknesses, Allah at once sends a revelation to him to set him on the right path. For the consequences of his error do not remain confined to his own person but react on the whole mankind, for even his slightest error might mislead the world to the most horrible sins.

23. “That We might turn away from him evil and lewdness” implies two things. First, it was because of Our grace that he could perceive Our evidence, and save himself from sin, for We willed to remove indecency and immodesty from Our chosen servant. The second meaning is rather deeper: This incident took place in the life of Joseph because this was essential for his spiritual training: It was Our will to pass him through this hard test so that he should become immune from indecency and immodesty, for he would have to apply all his powers of piety to withstand such a great temptation, and thus become really so strong as not to yield to such things in future as well. The importance and the need of such a hard training becomes quite obvious, if we keep in view the moral conditions of the Egyptian society of that period. We can have a glimpse of this from (Ayats 30-32). It appears that the women in general and the ladies of high society in particular, enjoyed almost the same sexual freedom as is rampant today in the civilized West and in the Westernized East. Allah made arrangements for the special training of Prophet Joseph in the house of his master because he had to perform his divine mission in a perverted society, and that too as a ruler and not as a common man. It is thus obvious from the behavior of those ladies of high rank, who did not feel any shame nor modesty in openly admiring the beauty of the young slave and from that of the lady of the house who was not ashamed of confessing openly that she did her best to tempt him and would continue to do so, that they would have done all they could to allure the young handsome ruler. Thus Allah not only made Prophet Joseph strong enough to resist such temptations in future by passing him through the hard test, but also filled the ladies with despair of gaining any success in this matter.

24. It appears that when the master of the house came on the scene, he was accompanied by a person of his wife’s household. When he heard the story of the incident, he made this proposal: As each of them accuses the other and there is no eye witness of what happened between the two, the matter should be decided by the help of the circumstantial evidence, by examining the condition of Joseph’s shirt. Obviously this was a very reasonable way of deciding the matter, and there was, therefore, no need to resort to a miracle. According to some traditions this witness was an infant, lying in the cradle, whom Allah had given the power of speech for giving this evidence. As this story is not supported by any authority, there is no reason why the obvious, plain and reasonable thing should not be accepted that the witness was a wise and experienced member of the family of the wife, instead of having resort to a miracle based on an unauthentic tradition.

25. This is what was implied in the evidence: If Joseph’s shirt is torn from the front, it means that Joseph is the aggressor and she has struggled to defend her honor. But if the shirt is rent from the back, it is obvious that he must have been running away from her and she must have been tugging from behind. The circumstantial evidence implied another thing. As the witness invited the master’s attention to Prophet Joseph’s shirt only, it meant that there was no sign at all of violence on the garments of the woman, for had he been the aggressor, there must have been some signs of violence on her garments.

25a. A comparative study of the story as given in the Quran and in the Bible and the Talmud will be worthwhile. The Bible says: And she caught him by his garment, saying: Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand and fled, and got himself out. And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, that she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying: See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got himself out. And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home...And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying: After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound. (Gen. 39: 12-16, 19-20).

The clumsy manner of the above version is obvious. It appears from this that Prophet Joseph’s garment was so shaped that the whole of it fell into her hands when she tugged it. Then he ran away all naked, leaving it with her, as if to supply her with a clear proof of his own guilt.

Now let us turn to the Talmud. It says: ....hearing the accusation, Potiphar commanded at once that the lad should be whipped severely. Then he carried Joseph before the judges............They ordered that the torn garment should be brought to them and upon an examination of the same, they pronounced Joseph not guilty. (The Talmud Selections, H. Polano, pp. 81-82). Obviously this version is also faulty, for it cannot be imagined that a person of such a high rank would himself take the case to a court that his own slave had tried to assault his wife criminally. Incidentally, this Quranic version of the story is a clear proof of the fact that it has no copied stories from the Israelite traditions as the pseudo-orientalists allege, but has, on the other hand, corrected them and told the real facts to the world.

26. The ancient Egyptians used to place pillows and cushions in such feasts for the guests to recline. And this is confirmed by the archaeological remains in Egypt.

There is no mention at all of this banquet in the Bible but it has been described in the Talmud in a way quite different from that of the Quran. Needless to say that while this narrative in the Quran is natural, life like and teaches moral lessons, the one in the Talmud lacks all these things.

27. This open demonstration of her love and declaration of her immoral designs show that the moral condition of the higher class of the Egyptian society had declined to the lowest ebb. It is quite obvious that the women whom she had invited must have been ladies belonging to the upper most stratum of the society. The very fact that she presented her beloved before them without any hesitation, in order to convince them of his beauty and youth that had urged her to fall in love with him, shows that there was nothing uncommon in this demonstration. Then these ladies did not reproach her but themselves practically demonstrated that, in those circumstances, they themselves would have done the same that she did. Above all, the hostess did not feel that it was immodest to declare openly: No doubt, I sought to seduce him and he succeeded in escaping from me. Yet I am not going to give him up. If he will not do as I bid him, he shall be cast into prison and humbled and disgraced.

28. In order to grasp the full significance of this prayer of Prophet Joseph, we should try to form a mental picture of the circumstances in which he was placed at that time. In the light of this passage the picture will be something like this. There is the handsome young man of twenty in the prime of his life, who has brought health and vigor of youth from the desert into Egypt, after passing through the ordeal of forced slavery and exile. Fortune has placed him in the house of one of the highest dignitaries in the capital of the most civilized country of the world at the time. There this handsome young man meets in the prime of life with a strange experience. The lady of the house in which he has to live day and night falls passionately in love with him and begins to tempt and seduce him. Then the fame of his beauty spreads all over the capital and the other ladies of the town also become enamored of him. Now this is the critical position. He is surrounded on all sides by hundreds of beautiful snares that have been spread to entrap and catch him unaware. All sorts of devices are employed to excite his passions and entice him: wherever he goes he encounters sin lying in ambush with all its charms and allurements and waiting for an opportune moment to make a surprise attack upon him. Such are the circumstances that are tempting him with sin, but the pious young man successfully passes through the ordeal, set for him by Satan, with the self control that is praiseworthy indeed. But it is all the more praiseworthy that he does not feel any pride for showing such extraordinary piety in such trying and tempting circumstances. On the other hand, he very humbly invokes his Lord to protect him from those traps of sin, for he is afraid of the common human weaknesses and cries out: My Lord, I am weak. I fear lest these temptations should overpower me, I would rather prefer imprisonment to doing such an evil thing into which they are tempting to ensnare me.

In fact, that was the most important and critical period of Prophet Joseph’s training, and this hard ordeal helped to bring forth all his latent virtues of which he himself was unaware up to that time. Then he himself realized that Allah had endowed him with the high and extraordinary qualities of honesty, fidelity, piety, charity, righteousness, self control, balance of mind, and he made full use of these when he gained power in Egypt.

29. Allah warded off their guile from Prophet Joseph by strengthening his character in such a way as to make ineffective all their devices to ensnare him, This also implies that Allah opened the door of prison for him in order to keep him safe from their tricks and temptations.

30. It occurred to them to imprison Prophet Joseph in order to save face after they had seen clear proofs of his innocence and of the guilt of their own women, for no other alternative was left, in their opinion, to undo the scandal that was spreading fast in the land. But it did not occur to them that in fact his imprisonment was his moral victory and the moral defeat of the rulers and the dignitaries of Egypt. By that time, Prophet Joseph had not remained an unknown person, for all and sundry had heard stories of his beauty and piety, and of the love the ladies had shown towards him. Therefore when those wise courtiers put into practice their plausible device to imprison him in order to reverse the doings of their ladies, the common people must have drawn their own conclusions for they knew Prophet Joseph to be a man of pure, strong and high character. So it was obvious to them that he had committed no crime to merit imprisonment, and that he had been imprisoned because it was an easier way of escape for the chiefs of Egypt than to keep their own ladies under control.

Incidentally, this shows that imprisonment of innocent people without trial and due procedure of law is as old as civilization itself. The dishonest rulers of today are not much different from the wicked rulers who governed Egypt some four thousand years ago. The only difference between the two is that they did not imprison people in the name and for the cause of democracy but they committed unlawful acts without any pretext of law. On the contrary, their modern descendants make use of the specious pretenses of honesty when they are acting unjustly. They first enact the necessary unlawful laws to justify their unlawful practices and then lawfully imprison their victims. That is to say, the Egyptian rulers were honest in their dishonesty and did not hide the fact that they were imprisoning people to safeguard their own interests, and not those of the community. But these modern disciples of Satan cast innocent people into prison to ward off the danger they feel from them, but proclaim to the world that their victims are a menace to the country and the community. In short, they were mere tyrants but these are shameless liars as well.

31. At the time when Prophet Joseph was sent to prison, he probably was about twenty years old. This has been inferred from two statements in the Quran and the Talmud. The Quran (Ayat 42) says that....he remained in the prison for a decade or so and the Talmud says that ...Joseph was thirty years old when he was elevated to his honorable and trustworthy position.

32. One of the two prisoners, according to the Bible, was the chief of the butlers of the king of Egypt, and the other the chief of the bakers. And according to the Talmud, they were condemned to the prison because during a feast stone grits were found in the bread and a fly in the wine.

33. The fact that two prisoners attested his righteousness shows that Prophet Joseph was held in high esteem in the prison. Otherwise there was no reason why the two should have requested him alone to interpret the dreams and paid their homage like this: We have seen that you are a righteous man. It clearly means that the events narrated in the preceding verses had reached all and sundry and the people, inside the prison and outside it, knew that he had not been guilty of any crime or sin. On the other hand, he had proved himself to be a noble soul who had come out successful in the hardest test of his piety. So much so that there was not the like of him in piety, not even among their own religious leaders in the whole country. That is why not only the prisoners but also the officers and officials of the prison looked upon him as an honorable man and had full confidence in him. The Bible confirms this: And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand. (Gen. 39: 22-23).