Sura 12, Joseph (Yousuf)
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
[12:1] A.L.R. These (letters) are proofs of this profound
scripture.*
Footnote
[12:2] We have revealed it an Arabic Quran, that you may
understand.*
Footnote
[12:3] We narrate to you the most accurate history through the
revelation of this Quran. Before this, you were totally unaware.
[12:4] Recall that Joseph said to his father, "O my father, I saw
eleven planets, and the sun, and the moon; I saw them prostrating
before me."
[12:5] He said, "My son, do not tell your brothers about your
dream, lest they plot and scheme against you. Surely, the devil is
man's worst enemy.
[12:6] "Your Lord has thus blessed you, and has given you good
news through your dream. He has perfected His blessings upon you
and upon the family of Jacob, as He did for your ancestors Abraham
and Isaac before that. Your Lord is Omniscient, Most Wise."
[12:7] In Joseph and his brothers there are lessons for the
seekers.
[12:8] They said, "Joseph and his brother are favored by our
father, and we are in the majority. Indeed, our father is far
astray.
Joseph's Fate Already Decided by God*
[12:9] "Let us kill Joseph, or banish him, that you may get some
attention from your father. Afterwards, you can be righteous
people."*
Footnote
[12:10] One of them said, "Do not kill Joseph; let us throw him
into the abyss of the well. Perhaps some caravan can pick him up,
if this is what you decide to do."
[12:11] They said, "Our father, why do you not trust us with
Joseph? We will take good care of him.
[12:12] "Send him with us tomorrow to run and play. We will
protect him."
[12:13] He said, "I worry lest you go away with him, then the wolf
may devour him while you are not watching him."
[12:14] They said, "Indeed, if the wolf devours him, with so many
of us around, then we are really losers."
Believers are Blessed with God's Assurances
[12:15] When they went away with him, and unanimously decided to
throw him into the abyss of the well, we inspired him: "Some day,
you will tell them about all this, while they have no idea."
[12:16] They came back to their father in the evening, weeping.
[12:17] They said, "Our father, we went racing with each other,
leaving Joseph with our equipment, and the wolf devoured him. You
will never believe us, even if we were telling the truth."
[12:18] They produced his shirt with fake blood on it. He said,
"Indeed, you have conspired with each other to commit a certain
scheme. All I can do is resort to a quiet patience. May GOD help
me in the face of your conspiracy."
Joseph is Taken to Egypt
[12:19] A caravan passed by, and soon sent their waterer. He let
down his bucket, then said, "How lucky! There is a boy here!" They
took him along as merchandise, and GOD was fully aware of what
they did.
[12:20] They sold him for a cheap price - a few dirhams - for they
did not have any need for him.
[12:21] The one who bought him in Egypt said to his wife, "Take
good care of him. Maybe he can help us, or maybe we can adopt
him." We thus established Joseph on earth, and we taught him the
interpretation of dreams. GOD's command is always done, but most
people do not know.
[12:22] When he reached maturity, we endowed him with wisdom and
knowledge. We thus reward the righteous.
God Protects the Believers From Sin
[12:23] The lady of the house where he lived tried to seduce him.
She closed the doors and said, "I am all yours." He said, "May GOD
protect me. He is my Lord, who gave me a good home.* The
transgressors never succeed."
Footnote
[12:24] She almost succumbed to him, and he almost succumbed to
her, if it were not that he saw a proof from his Lord. We thus
diverted evil and sin away from him, for he was one of our devoted
servants.
[12:25] The two of them raced towards the door, and, in the
process, she tore his garment from the back. They found her
husband at the door. She said, "What should be the punishment for
one who wanted to molest your wife, except imprisonment or a
painful punishment?"
[12:26] He said, "She is the one who tried to seduce me." A
witness from her family suggested: "If his garment is torn from
the front, then she is telling the truth and he is a liar.
[12:27] "And if his garment is torn from the back, then she lied,
and he is telling the truth."
[12:28] When her husband saw that his garment was torn from the
back, he said, "This is a woman's scheme. Indeed, your scheming is
formidable.
[12:29] "Joseph, disregard this incident. As for you (my wife),
you should seek forgiveness for your sin. You have committed an
error."
[12:30] Some women in the city gossiped: "The governor's wife is
trying to seduce her servant. She is deeply in love with him. We
see that she has gone astray."
[12:31] When she heard of their gossip, she invited them, prepared
for them a comfortable place, and gave each of them a knife. She
then said to him, "Enter their room." When they saw him, they so
admired him, that they cut their hands.* They said, "Glory be to
GOD, this is not a human being; this is an honorable angel."
Footnote
[12:32] She said, "This is the one you blamed me for falling in
love with. I did indeed try to seduce him, and he refused. Unless
he does what I command him to do, he will surely go to prison, and
will be debased."
[12:33] He said, "My Lord, the prison is better than giving in to
them. Unless You divert their scheming from me, I may desire them
and behave like the ignorant ones."
[12:34] His Lord answered his prayer and diverted their scheming
from him. He is the Hearer, the Omniscient.
[12:35] Later, they saw to it, despite the clear proofs, that they
should imprison him for awhile.
[12:36] Two young men were in the prison with him. One of them
said, "I saw (in my dream) that I was making wine," and the other
said, "I saw myself carrying bread on my head, from which the
birds were eating. Inform us of the interpretation of these
dreams. We see that you are righteous."
[12:37] He said, "If any food is provided to you, I can inform you
about it before you receive it. This is some of the knowledge
bestowed upon me by my Lord. I have forsaken the religion of
people who do not believe in GOD, and with regard to the
Hereafter, they are really disbelievers.
[12:38] "And I followed instead the religion of my ancestors,
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We never set up any idols beside GOD.
Such is the blessing from GOD upon us and upon the people, but
most people are unappreciative.
[12:39] "O my prison mates, are several gods better, or GOD alone,
the One, the Supreme?
[12:40] "You do not worship beside Him except innovations that you
have made up, you and your parents. GOD has never authorized such
idols. All ruling belongs to GOD, and He has ruled that you shall
not worship except Him. This is the perfect religion, but most
people do not know.
[12:41] "O my prison mates, one of you will be the wine butler for
his lord, while the other will be crucified - the birds will eat
from his head. This settles the matter about which you have
inquired."
[12:42] He then said to the one to be saved "Remember me at your
lord."* Thus, the devil caused him to forget his Lord, and,
consequently, he remained in prison a few more years.
Footnote
The King's Dream
[12:43] The king said, "I saw seven fat cows being devoured by
seven skinny cows, and seven green spikes (of wheat), and others
shriveled. O my elders, advise me regarding my dream, if you know
how to interpret the dreams."
[12:44] They said, "Nonsense dreams. When it comes to the
interpretation of dreams, we are not knowledgeable."
[12:45] The one who was saved (from the prison) said, now that he
finally remembered, "I can tell you its interpretation, so send me
(to Joseph)."
Joseph Interprets the King's Dream
[12:46] "Joseph my friend, inform us about seven fat cows being
devoured by seven skinny cows, and seven green spikes, and others
shriveled. I wish to go back with some information for the
people."
[12:47] He said, "What you cultivate during the next seven years,
when the time of harvest comes, leave the grains in their spikes,
except for what you eat.
[12:48] "After that, seven years of drought will come, which will
consume most of what you stored for them.
[12:49] "After that, a year will come that brings relief for the
people, and they will, once again, press juice."
[12:50] The king said, "Bring him to me." When the messenger came
to him, he said, "Go back to your lord and ask him to investigate
the women who cut their hands. My Lord is fully aware of their
schemes."
[12:51] (The king) said (to the women), "What do you know about
the incident when you tried to seduce Joseph?" They said, "GOD
forbid; we did not know of anything evil committed by him." The
wife of the governor said, "Now the truth has prevailed. I am the
one who tried to seduce him, and he was the truthful one.
[12:52] "I hope that he will realize that I never betrayed him in
his absence, for GOD does not bless the schemes of the betrayers.
[12:53] "I do not claim innocence for myself. The self is an
advocate of vice, except for those who have attained mercy from my
Lord. My Lord is Forgiver, Most Merciful."
Joseph Attains Prominence
[12:54] The king said, "Bring him to me, so I can hire him to work
for me." When he talked with him, he said, "Today, you have a
prominent position with us."
[12:55] He said, "Make me the treasurer, for I am experienced in
this area and knowledgeable."
[12:56] We thus established Joseph on earth, ruling as he wished.
We shower our mercy upon whomever we will, and we never fail to
recompense the righteous.
[12:57] Additionally, the reward in the Hereafter is even better
for those who believe and lead a righteous life.
[12:58] Joseph's brothers came; when they entered, he recognized
them, while they did not recognize him.
[12:59] After he provided them with their provisions, he said,
"Next time, bring with you your half-brother. Do you not see that
I give full measure, and treat you generously?
[12:60] "If you fail to bring him to me, you will get no share
from me; you will not even come close."
[12:61] They said, "We will negotiate with his father about him.
We will surely do this."
[12:62] He then instructed his assistants: "Put their goods back
in their bags. When they find them upon their return to their
family, they may come back sooner."
[12:63] When they returned to their father, they said, "Our
father, we can no longer get any provisions, unless you send our
brother with us. We will take good care of him."
[12:64] He said, "Shall I trust you with him, as I trusted you
with his brother before that? GOD is the best Protector, and, of
all the merciful ones, He is the Most Merciful."
[12:65] When they opened their bags, they found their goods
returned to them. They said, "Our father, what more can we ask
for? Here are our goods returned to us. We can thus provide for
our family, protect our brother, and receive one more camel-load.
This is certainly a profitable deal."
[12:66] He said, "I will not send him with you, unless you give me
a solemn pledge before GOD that you will bring him back, unless
you are utterly overwhelmed." When they gave him their solemn
pledge, he said, "GOD is witnessing everything we say."
[12:67] And he said, "O my sons, do not enter from one door; enter
through separate doors. However, I cannot save you from anything
that is predetermined by GOD. To GOD belongs all judgments. I
trust in Him, and in Him shall all the trusters put their trust."
Jacob Senses Joseph
[12:68] When they went (to Joseph), they entered in accordance
with their father's instructions. Although this could not change
anything decreed by GOD, Jacob had a private reason for asking
them to do this. For he possessed certain knowledge that we taught
him, but most people do not know.
Back in Egypt
[12:69] When they entered Joseph's place, he brought his brother
closer to him and said, "I am your brother; do not be saddened by
their actions."
Joseph Keeps His Brother
[12:70] When he provided them with their provisions, he placed the
drinking cup in his brother's bag, then an announcer announced:
"The owners of this caravan are thieves."
[12:71] They said, as they came towards them, "What did you lose?"
[12:72] They said, "We lost the king's cup. Anyone who returns it
will receive an extra camel-load; I personally guarantee this."
[12:73] They said, "By GOD, you know full well that we did not
come here to commit evil, nor are we thieves."
[12:74] They said, "What is the punishment for the thief, if you
are liars?"
[12:75] They said, "The punishment, if it is found in his bag, is
that the thief belongs to you. We thus punish the guilty."
[12:76] He then started by inspecting their containers, before
getting to his brother's container, and he extracted it out of his
brother's container. We thus perfected the scheme for Joseph; he
could not have kept his brother if he applied the king's law. But
that was the will of GOD. We exalt whomever we choose to higher
ranks. Above every knowledgeable one, there is one who is even
more knowledgeable.
[12:77] They said, "If he stole, so did a brother of his in the
past." Joseph concealed his feelings in himself, and did not give
them any clue. He said (to himself), "You are really bad. GOD is
fully aware of your accusations."
[12:78] They said, "O you noble one, he has a father who is
elderly; would you take one of us in his place? We see that you
are a kind man."
[12:79] He said, "GOD forbid that we should take other than the
one in whose possession we found our goods. Otherwise, we would be
unjust."
[12:80] When they despaired of changing his mind, they conferred
together. Their eldest said, "Do you realize that your father has
taken a solemn pledge from you before GOD? In the past you lost
Joseph. I am not leaving this place until my father gives me
permission, or until GOD judges for me; He is the best Judge.
Back In Palestine
[12:81] "Go back to your father and tell him... `Our father, your
son has committed a theft. We know for sure, because this is what
we have witnessed. This was an unexpected occurrence.
[12:82] `You may ask the community where we were, and the caravan
that came back with us. We are telling the truth.' "
[12:83] He said, "Indeed, you have conspired to carry out a
certain scheme. Quiet patience is my only recourse. May GOD bring
them all back to me. He is the Omniscient, Most Wise."
[12:84] He turned away from them, saying, "I am grieving over
Joseph." His eyes turned white from grieving so much; he was truly
sad.
[12:85] They said, "By GOD, you will keep on grieving over Joseph
until you become ill, or until you die."
[12:86] He said, "I simply complain to GOD about my dilemma and
grief, for I know from GOD what you do not know.
[12:87] "O my sons, go fetch Joseph and his brother, and never
despair of GOD's grace. None despairs of GOD's grace except the
disbelieving people."
Israel Goes to Egypt
[12:88] When they entered (Joseph's) quarters, they said, "O you
noble one, we have suffered a lot of hardship, along with our
family, and we have brought inferior goods. But we hope that you
will give us full measure and be charitable to us. GOD rewards the
charitable."
[12:89] He said, "Do you recall what you did to Joseph and his
brother when you were ignorant?"
[12:90] They said, "You must be Joseph." He said, "I am Joseph,
and here is my brother. GOD has blessed us. That is because if one
leads a righteous life, and steadfastly perseveres, GOD never
fails to reward the righteous."
[12:91] They said, "By GOD, GOD has truly preferred you over us.
We were definitely wrong."
[12:92] He said, "There is no blame upon you today. May GOD
forgive you. Of all the merciful ones, He is the Most Merciful.
[12:93] "Take this shirt of mine; when you throw it on my father's
face, his vision will be restored. Bring your whole family and
come back to me."*
Footnote
[12:94] Even before the caravan arrived, their father said, "I can
sense the smell of Joseph. Will someone enlighten me?"
[12:95] They said, "By GOD, you are still in your old confusion."
[12:96] When the bearer of good news arrived, he threw (the shirt)
on his face, whereupon his vision was restored. He said, "Did I
not tell you that I knew from GOD what you did not know?"
[12:97] They said, "Our father, pray for our forgiveness; we were
wrong indeed."
[12:98] He said, "I will implore my Lord to forgive you; He is the
Forgiver, Most Merciful."
In Egypt
[12:99] When they entered Joseph's quarters, he embraced his
parents, saying, "Welcome to Egypt. GOD willing, you will be safe
here."
[12:100] He raised his parents upon the throne. They fell
prostrate before him. He said, "O my father, this is the
fulfillment of my old dream. My Lord has made it come true. He has
blessed me, delivered me from the prison, and brought you from the
desert, after the devil had driven a wedge between me and my
brothers. My Lord is Most Kind towards whomever He wills. He is
the Knower, the Most Wise."
[12:101] "My Lord, You have given me kingship and taught me the
interpretation of dreams. Initiator of the heavens and the earth;
You are my Lord and Master in this life and in the Hereafter. Let
me die as a submitter, and count me with the righteous."
[12:102] This is news from the past that we reveal to you. You
were not present when they made their unanimous decision (to throw
Joseph in the well), as they conspired together.
The Majority of People Do Not Believe
[12:103] Most people, no matter what you do, will not believe.
[12:104] You are not asking them for any money; you simply deliver
this reminder for all the people.
[12:105] So many proofs in the heavens and the earth are given to
them, but they pass by them, heedlessly!
The Majority of Believers Destined for Hell
[12:106] The majority of those who believe in GOD do not do so
without committing idol worship.
[12:107] Have they guaranteed that an overwhelming retribution
from GOD will not strike them, or the Hour will not come to them
suddenly, when they least expect it?
[12:108] Say, "This is my path: I invite to GOD, on the basis of a
clear proof, and so do those who follow me. GOD be glorified. I am
not an idol worshiper."
[12:109] We did not send before you except men whom we inspired,
chosen from the people of various communities. Did they not roam
the earth and see the consequences for those before them? The
abode of the Hereafter is far better for those who lead a
righteous life. Would you then understand?
Victory, Ultimately, Belongs to the Believers
[12:110] Just when the messengers despair, and think that they had
been rejected, our victory comes to them. We then save whomever we
choose, while our retribution for the guilty people is
unavoidable.
The Quran is All We Need
[12:111] In their history, there is a lesson for those who possess
intelligence. This is not fabricated Hadith; this (Quran) confirms
all previous scriptures, provides the details of everything, and
is a beacon and mercy for those who believe.
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