#12. Yusuf *SURAH*



In the name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful




1. Alif Lam Ra. These are the Symbols (or Verses) of the
Perspicuous Book

2. We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an in order that ye may
learn wisdom

3. We do relate unto thee the most beautiful of stories in that
We reveal to thee this (portion of the) Qur'an: before this thou
too wast among those who knew it not

4. Behold Joseph said to his father: "O my father! I did see
eleven stars and the sun and the moon: I saw them prostrate
themselves to me!"

5. Said (the father): "My (dear) little son! relate not thy
vision to thy brothers lest they concoct a plot against thee: for
Satan is to man an avowed enemy!

6. "Thus will thy Lord choose thee and teach thee the
interpretation of stories (and events) and perfect His favor to
thee and to the posterity of Jacob even as He perfected it to thy
fathers Abraham and Isaac aforetime!. For Allah is full of
knowledge and wisdom."

7. Verily in Joseph and his brethren are Signs (or Symbols) for
Seekers (after Truth)

8. They said: "Truly Joseph and his brother are loved more by our
father than we: but we are a goodly body! Really our father is
obviously wandering (in his mind)!

9. "Slay ye Joseph or cast him out to some (unknown) land that so
the favor of your father may be given to you alone: (There will
be time enough) for you to be righteous after that!"

10. Said one of them: "Slay not Joseph but if ye must do
something throw him down to the bottom of the well: he will be
picked up by some caravan of travellers."

11. They said: "O our father! why dost thou not trust us with
Joseph seeing we are indeed his sincere well-wishers?

12. "Send him with us tomorrow to enjoy himself and play and we
shall take every care of him."

13. (Jacob) said: "Really it saddens me that ye should take him
away: I fear lest the wolf should devour him while ye attend not
to him."

14. They said: "If the wolf were to devour him while we are (so
large) a party then should we indeed (first) have perished
ourselves!"

15. So they did take him away and they all agreed to throw him
down to the bottom of the well: and We put into his heart (this
Message): "Of a surety thou shalt (one day) tell them the truth
of this their affair while they know (thee) not."

16. Then they came to their father in the early part of the night
weeping.

17. They said: "Oh our father! we went racing with one another
and left Joseph with our things: and the wolf devoured him. But
thou wilt never believe us even though we tell the truth."

18. They stained his shirt with false blood. He said: "Nay but
your minds have made up a tale (that may pass) with you. (For me)
patience is most fitting: against that which ye assert it is
Allah (alone) whose help can be sought"

19. Then there came a caravan of travellers: they sent their
water- carrier (for water) and he let down his bucket (into the
well). He said: "Ah there! Good news! Here is a (fine) young
man! So they concealed him as a treasure! But Allah knoweth well
all that they do!

20. The (Brethren) sold him for a miserable price for a few
dirhams counted out: in such low estimation did they hold him!

21. The man in Egypt who bought him said to his wife: "Make his
stay (among us) honorable: maybe he will bring us much good or we
shall adopt him as a son." Thus did we establish Joseph in the
land that We might teach him the interpretation of stories (and
events). And Allah hath full power and control over His affairs;
but most among mankind know it not

22. When Joseph attained his full manhood We gave him power and
knowledge: thus do We reward those who do right

23. But she in whose house he was sought to seduce him from his
(true) self: she fastened the doors and said: "Now come thou
(dear one)!" He said: "Allah forbid! truly (thy husband) is my
lord! He made my sojourn agreeable! Truly to no good come those
who do wrong!"

24. And (with passion) did she desire him and he would have
desired her but that he saw the evidence of his Lord: thus (did
We order) that We might turn away from him (all) evil and
shameful deeds: for he was one of Our servants sincere and
purified

25. So they both raced each other to the door and she tore his
shirt from the back: they both found her lord near the door. She
said: "What is the (fitting) punishment for one who formed an
evil design against thy wife but prison or a grievous
chastisement?"

26. He said: "It was she that sought to seduce me from my (true)
self." And one of her household saw (this) and bore witness
(thus) "If it be that his shirt is rent form the front then is
her tale true and he is a liar!

27. "But if it be that his shirt is torn from the back then is
she the liar and he is telling the truth!"

28. So when he saw his shirt that it was torn at the back (her
husband) said: "Behold! it is a snare of you women! Truly mighty
is your snare!

29. "O Joseph pass this over! (O wife) ask forgiveness for thy
sin for truly thou hast been at fault!"

30. Ladies said in the City: "The wife of the (great) `Aziz is
seeking to seduce her slave from his (true) self: truly hath he
inspired her with violent love: we see she is evidently going
astray."

31. When (Zulaikha) heard of their malicious talk she sent for
them and prepared a banquet for them: she gave each of them a
knife; and she said (to Joseph) "Come out before them. When they
saw him they did extol him and (in their amazement) cut their
hands: they said "Allah preserve us! no mortal is this! This is
none other than a noble angel!"

32. She said: "There before you is the man about whom ye did
blame me! I did seek to seduce him from his (true) self but he
did firmly save himself guiltless!. And now if he doth not my
bidding he shall certainly be cast into prison and (what is more)
be in the company of the vilest!"

33. He said: "O my Lord! the prison is more to my liking than
that to which they invite me: unless thou turn away their snare
from me I should (in my youthful folly) feel inclined towards
them and join the ranks of the ignorant."

34. So his Lord heard him (in his prayer) and turned away from
him their snare: verily He heareth and knoweth (all things)

35. Then it occurred to the men after they had seen the Signs
(that it was best) to imprison him for a time

36. Now with him there came into the prison two young men. Said
one of them: "I see myself (in a dream) pressing wine." Said the
other: "I see myself (in a dream) carrying bread on my head and
birds are eating thereof." "Tell us" (they said) "the truth and
meaning thereof: for we see thou art one that doth good (to
all)."

37. He said: "Before any food comes (in due course) to feed
either of you will surely reveal to you the truth and meaning of
this ere it come to pass: that is part of the (Duty) which my
Lord hath taught me. I have (I assure you) abandoned the ways of
a people that believe not in Allah and that (even) deny the
Hereafter

38. "And I follow the ways of my fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob;
and never could we attribute any partners whatever to Allah: that
(comes) of the grace of Allah to us and to mankind: yet most men
are not grateful

39. "O my two companions of the prison! (I ask you): are many
lords differing among themselves better or Allah the One Supreme
and Irresistible?

40. "If not Him ye worship nothing but names which ye have named
ye and your fathers for which Allah hath sent you no authority:
the Command is for none but Allah: He hath commanded that ye
worship none but Him: that is the right religion but Most men
understand not

41. "O my two companions of the prison! as to one of you he will
pour out the wine for his lord to drink: as for the other he will
hang from the cross and the birds will eat from off his head.
(So) hath been decreed that matter whereof ye twain do enquire."

42. And of the two to that one whom he considered about to be
saved he said: "Mention me to thy lord." But Satan made him
forget to mention him to his lord: and (Joseph) lingered in
prison a few (more) years

43. The king (of Egypt) said: "I do see (in a vision) seven fat
kine whom seven lean ones devour and seven green ears of corn and
seven (others) withered. O ye chiefs! expound to me my vision if
it be that ye can interpret visions."

44. They said: "A confused medley of dreams: and we are not
skilled in the interpretation of dreams."

45. But the man who had been released one of the two (who had
been in prison) and who now bethought him after (so long) a space
of time said: "I will tell you the truth of its interpretation:
send ye me (therefor)."

46. "O Joseph!" (he said) "O man of truth! expound to us (the
dream) of seven fat kine whom seven lean ones devour and of seven
green ears of corn and (seven) others withered: that I may return
to the people and that they may understand."

47. (Joseph) said: "For seven years shall ye diligently sow as is
your wont: and the harvests that ye reap ye shall leave them in
the ear except a little of which ye shall eat.

48. "Then will come after that (period) seven dreadful (years)
which will devour what ye shall have laid by in advance for them
(all) except a little which ye shall have (specially) guarded

49. "Then will come after that (period) a year in which the
people will have abundant water and in which they will press
(wine and oil)."

50. So the king said: "Bring ye him unto me." But when the
messenger came to him (Joseph) said: "Go thou back to thy lord
and ask him `What is the state of mind of the ladies who cut
their hands?' for my Lord is certainl well aware of their snare."

51. (The king) said (to the ladies): "What was your affair when
ye did seek too seduce Joseph from his (true) self?" The ladies
said: "Allah preserve us! no evil know we against him!" Said the
`Aziz's wife: "Now is the truth manifest (to all): it was I who
sought to seduce him from his (true) self he is indeed of those
who are (ever) true (and virtuous)

52. "This (say I) in order that he may know that I have never
been false to him in his absence and that Allah will never guide
the snare of the false ones

53. "Nor do I absolve my own self (of blame): the (human soul) is
certainly prone to evil unless my Lord do bestow His Mercy: but
surely certainly my Lord is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful."

54. So the king said: "Bring him unto me; I will take him
specially to serve about my own person." Therefore when he had
spoken to him he said: "Be assured this day thou art before our
own Presence with rank firmly established and fidelity fully
proved!"

55. (Joseph) said: "Set me over the storehouses of the land: I
will indeed guard them as one that knows (their importance)."

56. Thus did We give established power to Joseph in the land to
take possession therein as when or where he pleased. We bestow of
Our mercy on whom We please and We suffer not to be lost the
reward of those who do good.

57. But verily the reward of the Hereafter is the best for those
who believe and are constant in righteousness

58. Then came Joseph's brethren: they entered his presence and he
knew them but they knew him not

59. And when he had furnished them forth with provisions
(suitable) for them he said: "Bring unto me a brother ye have of
the same father as yourselves (but a different mother): see ye
not that I pay out full measure and that I do provide the best
hospitality?

60. "Now if ye bring him not to me ye shall have no measure (of
corn) from me nor shall be ye (even) come near me."

61. They said: "We shall certainly seek to get our wish about him
from his father: indeed we shall do it."

62. And (Joseph) told his servants to put their stock in trade
(with which they had bartered) into their saddlebags so they
should know it only when they returned to their people in order
that they might come back

63. Now when they returned to their father they said: "O our
father! no more measure of grain shall we get (unless we take our
brother): so send our brother with us that we may get our
measure; and we will indeed take every care of him."

64. He said: "Shall I trust you with him with any result other
than when I trusted you with his brother aforetime? But Allah is
the best to take care (of him) and He is the Most Merciful of
those who show mercy!"

65. Then when they opened their baggage they found their stock in
trade had been returned to them. They said: "O our father! what
(more) can we desire? This our stock in trade has been returned
to us: so we shall get (more) food for our family; we shall take
care of our brother; and add (at the same time) a full camel's
load (of grain to our provisions): this is but a small quantity."

66. (Jacob) said: "Never will I send him with you until ye swear
a solemn oath to me in Allah's name that ye will be sure to bring
him back to me unless ye are yourselves hemmed in (and made
powerless)." And when they had sworn their solemn oath he said:
"Over all that we say be Allah the Witness and Guardian!"

67. Further he said; "O my sons! enter not all by one gate: enter
ye by different gates. Not that I can profit you aught against
Allah (with my advice): none can command except Allah: on Him do
I put my trust and let all that trust put their trust on Him."

68. And when they entered in the manner their father had enjoined
it did not profit them in the least against (the Plan of) Allah:
it was but a necessity of Jacob's soul which he discharged. For
he was by Our instruction full of knowledge (and experience): but
most men know not

69. Now when they came into Joseph's presence he received his
(full) brother to stay with him. He said (to him): "Behold! I am
thy (own) brother; so grieve not at aught of their doings."

70. At length when he had furnished them forth with provisions
(suitable) for them he put the drinking cup into his brother's
saddlebag. Then shouted out a Crier: "O ye (in) the Caravan!
Behold! ye are thieves without doubt!"

71. They said turning towards them: "What is it that ye miss?"

72. They said: "We miss the great beaker of the king; for him who
produces it is (the reward of) a camel-load; I will be bound by
it."

73. (The brothers) said: "By Allah! well ye know that we came not
to make mischief in the land and we are no thieves!"

74. (The Egyptians) said: "What then shall be the penalty of
this if ye are (proved) to have lied?"

75. They said: "The penalty should be that he in whose saddle bag
it is found should be held (as bondman) to atone for the (crime).
Thus it is we punish the wrongdoers!"

76. So he began (the search) with their baggage before (he came
to) the baggage of his brother: at length He brought it out of
his brother's baggage. Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not
take his brother by the law of the king except that Allah willed
it (so). We raise to degrees (of wisdom) whom We please: but over
all endued with knowledge is One the All-Knowing

77. They said: "If he steals there was a brother of his who did
steal before (him)." But these things did Joseph keep locked in
his heart revealing not the secrets to them. He (simply) said (to
himself): "Ye are the worse situated; and Allah knoweth best the
truth of what ye assert!"

78. They said: "O exalted one! Behold! he has a father aged and
venerable (who will grieve for him): so take one of us in his
place: for we see that thou" art (gracious) in doing good."

79. He said: "Allah forbid that we take other than him with whom
we found our property: indeed (if we did so) we should be acting
wrongfully."

80. Now when they saw no hope of his (yielding) they held a
conference in private. The leader among them said: "Know ye not
that your father did take an oath from you in Allah's name and
how before this ye did fail in your duty with Joseph? Therefore
will I not leave this land until my father permits me or Allah
commands me; and He is the best to command

81. "Turn ye back to your father and say `O our father! behold!
thy son committed theft: we bear witness only to what we know and
we could not" well guard against the unseen!

82. " `Ask at the town where we have been and the caravan in
which we returned; and (you will find) we are indeed telling the
truth.' "

83. Jacob said: "Nay but ye have yourselves contrived a story
(good enough) for you. So patience is most fitting (for me).
Maybe Allah will bring them (back) all to me (in the end): for He
is indeed full of knowledge and wisdom."

84. And he turned away from them and said: "How great is my grief
for Joseph!" And his eyes became white with sorrow and he fell
into silent melancholy

85. They said: "By Allah! (never) wilt thou cease to remember
Joseph until though reach the last extremity of illness or until
thou die!"

86. He said: "I only complain of my distraction and anguish to
Allah and I know from Allah that which ye know not

87. "O my sons! go ye and enquire about Joseph and his brother
and never give up hope of Allah's Soothing Mercy: truly no one
despairs of Allah's Soothing Mercy except those who have no
faith."

88. Then when they came (back) into (Joseph's) presence they
said: "O exalted one! distress has seized us and our family; we
have (now) brought but scanty capital: So pay us full measure (we
pray thee) and treat it as charity to us: for Allah doth reward
the charitable."

89. He said: "Know ye how ye dealt with Joseph and his brother
not knowing (what ye were doing)?"

90. They said: "Art thou indeed Joseph?" He said: "I am Joseph
and this is my brother: Allah has indeed been gracious to us
(all): behold he that is righteous and patient never will Allah
suffer the reward to be lost of those who do right."

91. They said: "By Allah! indeed has Allah preferred thee above
us and we certainly have been guilty of sin!"

92. He said: "This day let no reproach be (cast) on you: Allah
will forgive you and He is the Most Merciful of those who show
mercy?

93. "Go with this my shirt and cast it over the face of my
father: he will come to see (clearly). Then come ye (here) to me
together with all your family."

94. When the caravan left (Egypt) their father said: "I do indeed
scent the presence of Joseph: nay think me not a dotard."

95. They said: "By Allah! truly thou art in thine old wandering
mind."

96. Then when the bearer of the good news came he cast (the
shirt) over his face and he forthwith regained clear sight. He
said: "Did I not say to you `Know from Allah that which ye know
not?'"

97. They said: "O our father! ask for us forgiveness for our sins
for we were truly at fault."

98. He said: "Soon will I ask my Lord for forgiveness for you:
for He is indeed Oft-Forgiving Merciful."

99. Then when they entered the presence of Joseph he provided a
home for his parents with himself and said: "Enter ye Egypt (all)
in safety if it please Allah."

100. And he raised his parents high on the throne (of dignity)
and they fell down in prostration (all) before him. He said: "O
my father! this is the fulfillment of my vision of old! Allah
hath made it come true! He was indeed good to me when He took me
out of prison and brought you (all here) out of the desert (even)
after Satan had sown enmity between me and my brothers. Verily my
Lord understandeth best the mysteries of all that He planneth to
do: for verily He is full of knowledge and wisdom

101. "O my Lord! Thou hast indeed bestowed on me some power and
taught me something of the interpretation of dreams and events O
Thou Creator of the heavens and the earth! Thou art my Protector
in this world and in the Hereafter take thou my soul (at death)
as one submitting to Thy Will (as a Muslim) and unite me with the
righteous."

102. Such is one of the stories of what happened unseen which We
reveal by inspiration unto thee: nor wast thou (present) with
them when they concerted their plans together in the process of
weaving their plots

103. Yet no faith will the greater part of mankind have however
ardently thou dost desire it

104. And no reward dost thou ask of them for this: it is no less
than a Message for all creatures

105. And how many Signs in the heavens and the earth do they pass
by? Yet they turn (their faces) away from them!

106. And most of them believe not in Allah without associating
(others as partners) with Him!

107. Do they then feel secure from the coming against them of the
covering veil of the wrath of Allah or of the coming against them
of the (final) Hour all of a sudden while they perceive not?

108. Say thou: "This my way: I do invite unto Allah on evidence
clear as the seeing with one's eyes I and whoever follows me:
Glory to Allah! and never will I join gods with Allah!"

109. Nor did We send before thee (as Apostles) any but men whom
We did inspire (men) living in human habitations. Do they not
travel through the earth and see what was the end of those before
them? But the home of the Hereafter is best for those who do
right. Will ye not then understand?

110. (Respite will be granted) until when the apostles give up
hope (of their people) and (come to ) think that they were
treated as liars there reaches them Our help. And those whom We
will are delivered into safety. But never will be warded off Our
punishment from those who are in sin

111. There is in their stories instruction for men endued with
understanding. It is not a tale invented but a confirmation of
what went before it a detailed exposition of all things and a
Guide and a Mercy to any such as believe

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