12YūsufJosephسُورَةُ يوسف

Alif-Lām-Ra’ [A-L-R]. These are [the alphabetical letters that become the] āyāt [amazing verses] of a revelation clear in and of itself and clearly showing the truth:

[Observe how] We have bestowed it [the Qur’an] from on high as a discourse in the Arabic tongue, so that you might encompass it with your reason.

In the measure that We reveal this Qur’an to you, [O Prophet], We explain it to you in the best possible way, seeing that before this you were indeed among those who are unaware [of what revelation is].

Be thoughtful! [Consider what] Yūsuf said to his father, “O my father! Truly, I saw [in a dream] eleven stars, as well as the Sun and the Moon: I saw them prostrate themselves before me!”

[Ya‘qūb] replied, “O my dear son! Do not recount your dream to your brothers lest [out of envy] they devise a retaliatory scheme against you; verily Satan is man’s open foe!

“In that manner [in which you were presented with a telling dream] you will be made eminent and chosen by your Sustainer, and He will impart to you some understanding of the eventual meaning of incidents and will bestow the full measure of His blessings upon you and upon the House of Ya‘qūb — even as, aforetime, He bestowed it in full measure upon your forefathers Ibrāhīm and Isḥāq. Certainly, your Sustainer is all-knowing, wise!”

Indeed, in [the story of] Yūsuf and his brothers there are āyāt [illustrations of Allah’s phenomenal involvement in man’s affairs] for all who are curious [about the truth].

Now [Yūsuf’s brothers] spoke [saying to each other], “Truly, Joseph and his brother [Benjamin] are dearer to our father than we, even though we are so intrinsic to each other and the ones that matter [the core of the family]. Behold, our father is surely suffering from an aberration!”

[Said one of them], “Kill Yūsuf, or else drive him away to some [faraway] land [or disable him], so that your father’s regard may be for you alone: and after this is done, you will be [free to repent and to live once again as] righteous people!”

Another one of them said, “Do not kill Yūsuf, but rather — if you must do something — cast him into the dark depths of a well, [whence] some caravan may pick him up.”

[On this they agreed; and thereupon] they spoke [declaring to their father], “O our father! Why will you not trust us with Yūsuf, seeing that we are indeed his well-wishers?

Let him go out with us tomorrow, that he may enjoy himself and play: and, of course, we shall guard him well!”

[Ya‘qūb] answered, “Actually, it grieves me indeed [to think] that you might take him with you, for I dread lest the wolf devour him at a moment when you are distracted from him!”

Said they, “Surely, if the wolf were to devour him even though we are a solid band — then, behold, we are inept [and ought ourselves to perish]!”

And so, when they [the brothers] went away with him [Yūsuf], they [collectively] decided to cast him into the dark depths of the well. And We revealed [the following] to him, “You will yet remind them of this, their deed, at a time when they shall not perceive [who you are]!”

And at nightfall they came to their father, weeping,

[And] said, “O our father! Behold, we went off racing with one another, and left Yūsuf behind with our things; and thereupon the wolf devoured him! But [we knew that] you would not believe us even though we speak the truth” —

And they produced his tunic [garment] with false blood on it. [But Ya‘qūb] exclaimed, “No, but it is your [own] minds that have made [so terrible] a happening seem a matter of little account to you! But [as for myself], patience in trying times is most pleasing [in the sight of Allah]; and it is to Allah [alone] that I pray to give me strength to bear the misfortune that you have described to me.”

And there came a caravan; and they sent forth their drawer of water, and he let down his bucket into the well — [and when he saw Yūsuf] he exclaimed, “Oh, what a lucky find, this boy!” And they hid him with a view to selling him, but Allah had full knowledge of all that they were doing.

And they sold him for a paltry price — a mere few silver coins: and they were unconcerned with him [having no need of him].

And the man from Egypt who bought him [Yūsuf] said to his wife, “Make his stay [with us] honorable; he may well be of use to us, or we may adopt him as a son.” And thus We gave to Yūsuf a well-grounded place in the land; and [We did this] so that We might impart to him some understanding of the consequential meaning of events. For, Allah always prevails in whatever be His purpose: but most people know it not.

And when he [Yūsuf] reached full manhood, We bestowed upon him the ability to judge [between right and wrong], as well as [appropriate] knowledge: for thus do We reward those who strive to do better.

And [it so happened that] she in whose house he [Yūsuf] was living [conceived a passion for him and] sought [in an engaging way] to make him yield himself to her; and she bolted the doors and said, “Come you to me [I am sexually yours]!” [But Yūsuf] answered, “May Allah safeguard me! Behold, most pleasant has my lord made my stay [in this house]! Verily, with no success are they who perform [such] wrongdoing!”

And, indeed, she [passionately] desired him, and he [passionately] desired her; [and he would have succumbed] had he not seen [in this temptation] an evidence of his Sustainer’s [real-time testing for the] truth: thus [We willed it to be] in order that We might avert from him all indecencies and all deeds of immorality — for, behold, he was truly one of Our attendant subjects.

And [at that moment when she single-mindedly wanted him and he ardently refused] they both rushed to the door; and she [grasped and] pulled his shirt from behind — and [lo and behold] they met her lord at the door! Said she, “What ought to be the punishment of one who had disreputable designs on [the virtue of] your wife — [what] but imprisonment or a [yet more] grievous suffering?”

[Yūsuf] exclaimed, “It was she who enchantingly sought to make me yield myself to her!” Now one of those present, a member of her own household, suggested this, “If his shirt has been torn from the front, then she is telling the truth, and he is a liar;

“But if his shirt has been torn from behind, then she is lying, and he is speaking the truth.”

And when [her husband] saw that his [Yūsuf’s] shirt was torn from behind, he said, “Sure enough, this is [an instance] of your slyness O womankind! Verily, awesome is your slyness!

“[But] Yūsuf, let this pass! And you, [O wife], ask forgiveness for your sin — for, verily, you have been greatly at fault!”

[What followed was] the women of the city saying [to one another], “The wife of the populist ruler is trying to induce her adolescent boy-servant to [sexually] yield himself to her! Her love for him has penetrated her heart; verily, we see that she is undoubtedly suffering from an aberration!”

Thereupon when she heard of their malicious talk, she sent for them, and prepared for them a sumptuous repast, and handed each of them a knife and said [to Yūsuf], “Come out and show yourself to them!” And when the women saw him, they were greatly amazed by his beauty, and [so flustered were they that] they injured their hands [with their knives], exclaiming, “Allah save us! This is no mortal man! This is no one but a noble angel!”

Said she, “This, then, is he about whom you have been blaming me! And, indeed, I did try to make him yield himself to me, but he remained chaste. Now, however, if he does not do what I bid him, he shall most certainly be imprisoned, and shall most certainly find himself among those who are demeaned and degraded!”

Said he [Yūsuf] “O my Sustainer! Prison is more desirable to me than [compliance with] what these women invite me to: for, unless You turn away their guile from me, I might yet yield to their allure and become one of those who are practically oblivious [of right conduct and wrongdoing].”

And his Sustainer responded to his prayer, and freed him from the threat of their guile: verily, He alone is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

For, in the aftermath [of this development] it occurred to the nobleman and his household — [even] after they had seen all the signs [of Yūsuf’s innocence] — that they might as well imprison him for a time.

And [as Allah would have it] two young men happened to go to prison at the same time as Yūsuf. One of them said, “Consider this! I saw myself [in a dream] pressing [grapes to make] wine.” And the other said, “Consider this! I saw myself [in a dream] carrying bread on my head, and birds were eating thereof.” [And both requested Yūsuf], “Let us know the real meaning of this! Indeed, we see that you are one of those who know well [how to interpret dreams].”

[Yūsuf] answered, “Before there comes to you the meal that you are [daily] fed, I shall have informed you of the real meaning of your dreams, [so that you might know what is to come] before it comes to you: for this is [part] of the knowledge that my Sustainer has imparted to me. Behold, I have left behind me the ways of people who do not commit themselves to Allah, and who persistently refuse to acknowledge the truth of the life to come;

“And I follow the creed of my forefathers Ibrāhīm, Isḥāq, and Ya‘qūb. It is not conceivable that we should [be allowed to] ascribe divinity/authority to anyone/anything beside Allah: this is [an outcome] of Allah’s bounty upon us and upon all mankind — but most people are ungrateful.

“O my companions in imprisonment! Which is more reasonable: [belief in the existence of numerous divine] lords, each of them different from the other, or [in] the One God, who holds absolute sway over all that exists?

“All that you comply with besides Allah is nothing but [empty] names that you have invented — you and your forefathers — [and] for which Allah has bestowed no warrant from on high. Judgement [as to what is right and what is wrong] rests with Allah alone — [and] He has ordained that you should conform to nothing and no one but Him: this is the [one] ever-true dīn; but most people know it not.

“[And now], O my companions in confinement! [I shall tell you the meaning of your dreams]: as for one of you two, he will [again] give his lord [the king] wine to drink; but as for the other, he will be crucified, and birds will eat off his head. [But whatever your future is], the matter on which you have asked me to enlighten you has been decided [by Allah].”

And [thereupon Yūsuf] said to the one of the two whom he considered rescued, “Mention me to your lord [when you are free]!” But Satan caused him to forget to mention [Yūsuf] to his lord, and so he [Yūsuf] remained in prison a few [more] years.

And [one day] the king said, “Attention! I saw [in a dream] seven fat cows being devoured by seven emaciated ones, and seven green ears [of wheat] next to [seven] others that were dried up! O you nobles! Enlighten me about [the meaning of] my dream, if you are able to interpret dreams!”

They answered, “[This is one of] the most involved and confusing of dreams, and we have no deep knowledge of the real-world meanings of dreams.”

At that moment, the one of the two [erstwhile prisoners] who had been saved, and [who suddenly] remembered [Yūsuf] after all that time, spoke up [saying], “It is I who can inform you of the real meaning of this [dream]; so let me go [in search of it].”

[And he went to see Yūsuf in the prison and said to him], “Yūsuf, O you truthful one! Enlighten us about [the meaning of a dream in which] seven fat cows were being devoured by seven emaciated ones, and seven green ears [of wheat appeared] next to [seven] others that were dried up — so that I may return [with your explanation] to the people [of the court, and] that they may come to know [the meaning of the dream and what manner of man you are]!”

[Yūsuf] replied, “You shall sow for seven years as usual; but let all [the grain] you harvest remain [untouched] in its ear, excepting only a little, whereof you may eat:

“For, after that [period of seven produce-yielding years] there will come seven hard [and famine years] that will devour all that you shall have arranged for them, excepting only a little of that which you shall have kept in store.

“And after that there will come a year in which the people will be provided for and relieved from all distress, and in which they will press [oil and juices as before].”

And [as soon as Yūsuf’s interpretation was conveyed to him], the king said, “Bring him before me!” But when the [king’s] messenger came to him, [Yūsuf] said, “Go back to your lord and ask him [first to find out the truth] about those women who injured their hands — for, truly, [until now it is] my Sustainer [alone who] has full knowledge of their slyness!”

[Thereupon the king sent for those women; and when they came], he asked, “What was it that you hoped to achieve when you sought to make Yūsuf yield himself to you?” The women answered, “God save us! We did not perceive the least evil [intention] on his part!” [And] the wife of Yūsuf’s former master exclaimed, “Now has the truth come to light! It was I who sought to make him yield himself to me — whereas he, behold, was indeed one who tells the truth!”

[When Yūsuf learned what had happened, he said, “I asked for] this, so that [my former master] might know that I did not betray him behind his back, and that Allah does not bless with His guidance the artful schemes of those who betray their trust.1

“And yet, I am not trying to absolve myself [of the tendencies of human nature]: for, verily, man’s inner self does incite [him] to evil, except for they whom my Sustainer has blessed — [for] indeed, my Sustainer is much forgiving, very merciful!”

And the king said, “Bring him [Yūsuf] to me, so that I may assign him to my own person.” And when he had spoken with him, [the king] said, “Behold, [from] this day you shall be of high standing with us, invested with all trust!”

[Yūsuf] replied, “Give me the responsibility of managing the resources of the land; behold, I shall be able to take good and knowledgeable care [of them].”

And thus We established Yūsuf securely in the land [of Egypt]: he had full mastery over it, [doing] whatever he willed. [Thus do] We cause Our grace to alight upon whomever We will; and We do not fail to compensate all who endeavor to do better [in their responsibilities].

But in the eyes of those who have committed themselves [to Our authority and power] and have always been vigilant about Us [in their social affairs], the reward in the life to come is a far greater good [than any reward in this world].

And [after some years], Yūsuf’s brothers came [to Egypt] and presented themselves before him: and he knew them [at once], whereas they did not recognize him.

And when he [Yūsuf] had provided them with their provisions, he said, “[When you come here next], bring to me that brother of yours from your father’s side. Do you not see that I have given [you] full measure and have been the best in providing accommodations?”

But if you do not bring him to me, you shall never again receive a single measure [of grain] from me, nor shall you [be allowed to] come near me!”

They answered, “We shall try to persuade his father to part with him, and, verily, we shall do [our utmost]!”

And [Yūsuf] said to his servants, “Place their [payment for the] merchandise [they purchased] in the camel-packs, so that they may find it there when they return home, and hence be the more eager to return [to us].”

And so, when they [Yūsuf’s brothers] returned to their father, [they] said, “O our father! All grain is [to be] withheld from us [in the future unless we bring Benjamin with us]: send, therefore, our brother with us, so that we may obtain our measure [of grain]; and, verily, we shall guard him well!”

[Ya‘qūb] replied, “Shall I trust you with him in the same way as I trusted you with his brother [Yūsuf] in the past? [No], but Allah’s guardianship is better [than yours], for He is the most merciful of the merciful!”

Thereupon, when they opened their packs, they discovered that their [payment for the] merchandise had been returned to them; [and] they said, “O our father! What more could we desire? Here is our [payment for the] merchandise: it has been returned to us! [If you send Benjamin with us], we shall [again] be able to bring food for our family, and shall guard our brother [well], and receive in addition another camel-load of grain. That [which we have brought the first time] was but a scanty measure.”

Said [Ya‘qūb], “I will not send him with you until you give me a solemn pledge, before Allah, that you will indeed bring him back to me, unless you yourselves be surrounded [by death]!” And when they had given him their solemn pledge, [Ya‘qūb] said, “Allah is a trusted witness to all that we say!”

And he added, “O my sons! Do not enter [the country all] by one passageway, but enter by different passageways. Yet [even so], I can be of no avail whatever to you against [anything that may be willed by] Allah: judgement [as to what is to happen] rests with none but Allah. In Him have I placed my trust: for, all who have confidence [in His existence and resolve] must place their trust in Him alone.”

But although they entered [Yūsuf’s city] in the way their father had bidden them, this proved of no avail whatever to them against [the plan of] Allah. [His request] had served only to satisfy Ya‘qūb’s heartfelt desire [to protect them]: for, behold, thanks to what We had imparted to him, he [Ya‘qūb] was indeed endowed with the knowledge [that Allah’s will must always prevail]; but most people do not know [this to be the case].

And when [the sons of Ya‘qūb] presented themselves before Yūsuf, he drew his brother [Benjamin] to himself, saying [to him in secret], “Behold, I am your brother! So do not grieve over their [past] practices!”

And [later], when he [Yūsuf] had provided them with their provisions, he placed the [king’s] drinking-cup in his brother’s camel-pack. And [as they were leaving the city], a herald called out, “O people of the caravan! Verily, you are thieves!”

Turning toward the herald and his companions, the brothers asked, “What is it that you are missing?”

They answered, “We miss the king’s goblet; and he who produces it shall receive a camel-load [of grain as reward]!” And [the herald added], “I pledge myself to this [promise]!”

Said [the brothers], “By Allah! Well do you know that we have not come to commit deeds of corruption in this land, and that we have not been thieving!”

[The authorities] said, “But what shall be the requital of this [deed] if you are [proved to be] liars?”

[The brothers] replied, “Its requital? He in whose camel-pack [the cup] is found — he shall be [detained as] a requital [for what he has done]! Thus do we [ourselves] requite [such] offenders.”

Thereupon [they were brought before Yūsuf to be searched; and] he began with the bags of his half-brothers before the bag of his brother [Benjamin]: and in the end he brought forth the drinking-cup out of his brother’s bag. In this way did We contrive for Yūsuf [the attainment of his heart’s desire]: under the king’s law, he would [otherwise] not have been able to detain his brother, had not Allah so willed. We do raise to [high] degrees [of knowledge] whomever We will — but above everyone who is endowed with knowledge there is One who knows all.

[As soon as the cup came to light out of Benjamin’s bag, the brothers] exclaimed, “If he has stolen — well, a brother of his used to steal in times past!” Thereupon Yūsuf said to himself, without revealing his thought to them, “You are far worse in this respect, and Allah is fully aware of what you are recounting.”

They said, “O you populist [ruler]! [We beg your] attention, he has a father, a very old man: detain, therefore, one of us in his stead; verily, we see that you try to do your best!”

He answered, “May Allah preserve us from [the sin of] detaining any other than him with whom we have found our property — for then, behold, we would indeed be evildoers!”

And so, when they [the brothers] lost all hope of [influencing] him, they withdrew to take counsel [among themselves]. The eldest of them said, “Do you not remember that your father has bound you by a solemn pledge before Allah — and how, before that, you had failed with regard to Yūsuf? Hence, I shall not depart from this land until my father gives me permission or Allah passes judgement in my favor: for He is the best of all judges.

“[And as for you others], return to your father and say, ‘O our father! Behold, your son has stolen, but we [can] bear witness to no more than what has become known to us; and [although we gave you our pledge], we could not guard against something that [lay hidden in the future and, hence], was beyond the reach of our perception.

“And ask [those in] the town in which we were [at the time], and of the people of the caravan with whom we traveled hither, and [you will find that] we are indeed telling the truth!’”

[And when they returned to their father and told him what had happened], he exclaimed, “No, but it is your [own] minds that have made [so terrible] a happening seem a matter of little account to you! But [as for myself], patience in times of distress is most resplendent; Allah may well bring them all [back] to me: verily, He alone is the All-Knowing, the Truly Wise!”

[And then] he turned away from them and said, “O how grief-stricken I am for Yūsuf!” — and his eyes became dim from the anguish that had built up in him [throughout the years].

Said [his sons], “By Allah! You will never cease to remember Yūsuf till you are broken in body and spirit or are dead!”

He answered, “It is only to Allah that I complain of my deep grief and my sorrow: for I know, from Allah, something that you do not know.

[Hence], O my sons, go forth and try to obtain some favorable news about Yūsuf and his brother; and do not lose hope of Allah’s life-giving mercy: indeed, none but people who deny the truth [of Allah’s caring authority and power for justice] can ever lose hope of Allah’s life-giving mercy.

[And the sons of Ya‘qūb went back to Egypt and to Yūsuf]; and when they presented themselves before him, they said, “O most popular and beloved one! Hardship has visited us and our folk, and so we have brought but scanty merchandise; but give us a full measure [of grain], and be charitable to us: behold, Allah rewards those who give in charity!”

Replied he, “Do you remember what you did to Yūsuf and his brother when you were unaware [of the consequences of your deeds]?”

They exclaimed, “Why — could it be that you, you are Yūsuf [himself]?” He answered, “I am Yūsuf, and this is my brother. Allah has indeed been gracious to us. Certainly, if one is conscious of Him [final power and first authority] and patient [in trying times] — behold, Allah does not fail to compensate those who become better [seeking higher standards]!”

[The brothers] said, “By Allah! Most certainly has Allah raised you high above us, and we were indeed at fault!”

Said he, “No reproach shall be uttered today against you. May Allah forgive you [your unfairness]: for He is the most Merciful of the merciful!

[And now] go and take this shirt of mine and lay it over my father’s face, and he will recover his sight. And thereupon come [back] to me with all your family.”

And as soon as the caravan [with which Ya‘qūb’s sons were traveling] was on its way, their father said [to the people around him], “Behold, were it not that you might consider me a dotard, [I would say that] I truly feel the whiff of Yūsuf [in the air]!”

They answered, “By Allah! You are indeed still lost in your old aberration!”

But when the bearer of good news came [with Yūsuf’s shirt], he laid it over his [Ya‘qūb’s] face; and he regained his sight, [and] exclaimed, “Did I not tell you, ‘Verily, I know, from Allah, something that you do not know’?”

His sons answered, “O our father! Ask Allah to forgive us our sins, for, verily, we were in the wrong.”

He said, “I shall ask my Sustainer to forgive you: He alone is the Truly Forgiving, the Most Merciful!”

And when they [all arrived in Egypt and] presented themselves before Yūsuf, he drew his parents to himself, saying, “Enter Egypt! If Allah so wills, you shall be secure [from all pressures]!”

And he raised his parents to the throne’s highest place of honor; and they [all] fell down before him, prostrating themselves in adoration. Thereupon [Yūsuf] said, “O my father! This is the real meaning of my dream of long ago, which my Sustainer has made come true. And He was indeed good to me when He freed me from the prison, and [when] He brought you [all to me] from the desert after Satan had sown discord between me and my brothers. Verily, my Sustainer is unfathomable in [the way He brings about] whatever He wills: indeed, He alone is the All-Knowing, the Truly Wise!

“O my Sustainer! You have indeed bestowed upon me something of the reign of power, and have imparted to me some knowledge of the consequential meaning of events. Originator of the heavens and the earth! You are near to me in this world and in the life to come: let me die as one who has surrendered himself to You, and include me with those who are right and righteous!”

This [historical] account of something that was beyond the reach of your knowledge and perception We [now] reveal to you, [O Prophet], for you were not with Yūsuf’s brothers when they resolved upon what they were going to do and wove their schemes [against him].

Yet — however strongly you may desire it — most people will not commit [to this revelation’s contents and consequences],

Although you do not ask of them [the God-deniers] any reward for it: it is but [Allah’s induced] consciousness to all mankind.

But [then] — how many a sign [of Allah’s eternal authority and prevailing power] is there in the heavens and on earth that they pass by [unthinkingly], and on which they turn their backs!

And most of them do not even commit themselves to Allah [as sole power and only authority] without [also] ascribing divine powers [and worldly authority] to other beings besides Him.

Do they, then, feel free from the fear that there might fall upon them the overwhelming shock of Allah’s infliction, or that the Last Hour might come upon them of a sudden, without their being aware [of its approach]?

Say [O Prophet], “This is my way: resting upon conscious insight accessible to reason, I am calling [you all] to Allah — I and they who follow me.” And [say], “Limitless is Allah in His glory; and I am not one of those who ascribe divinity/authority to anyone or anything beside Him!”

And [even] before your time, We never sent [as Our apostles] any but [mortal] men, whom We inspired, [and whom We always chose] from among the people of the [very] communities [to whom the message was to be brought]. Have, then, they [who reject this divine Writ] never journeyed about the earth and observed what happened in the end to those [deniers of the divine truth] who lived before them? — and [do they not know that] to those who are conscious of Allah, the life in the hereafter is indeed better [than this world]? Will they not, then, use their reason?

[All the earlier apostles had to suffer persecution for a long time] but at last — when those apostles had lost all hope and saw themselves branded as liars — Our support attained to them: whereupon everyone whom We willed [to be saved] was saved [and the deniers of Allah’s power and authority were destroyed]: for, never can Our punishment be averted from people who are lost [and hell-bent] on crime and sin.

Indeed, in their stories there is a lesson for those who are endowed with insight. [As for this revelation], it could not possibly be a discourse invented [by man]: no indeed, it is [a divine writ] confirming the truth of whatever there still remains [of earlier divine revelations], clearly spelling out everything, and [offering] guidance and grace to people who will [responsibly] commit [to Allah’s power and authority].