HOLY QURAN - THE TREASURE OF FAITH
(English Translation)
YUSUF
(PROPHET JOSEPH)
(Revealed
at Mecca - contains 111 verses - 12 sections)
Allah - beginning with the name of - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
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Section 1 [Yusuf
12:1] Alif-Lam-Ra *; these are verses of the clear Book. (* Alphabets of
the Arabic language; Allah and to whomever He reveals, know their precise
meanings.) [Yusuf
12:2] Indeed We have sent down an Arabic Qur’an, so that you may
perceive. [Yusuf
12:3] We relate to you the best narrative because We have sent the divine
revelation of this Qur’an, to you; although surely you were unaware
before this. [Yusuf
12:4] Remember when Yusuf (Joseph) said to his father, "O my
father! I saw eleven stars and the sun and the moon - I saw them prostrating
to me." [Yusuf
12:5] He said, "O my child! Do not relate your dream to your brothers,
for they will hatch a plot against you; indeed Satan is an open enemy towards
mankind." [Yusuf
12:6] "And this is how your Lord will choose you and teach you how to
interpret events, and will perfect His favours upon you and upon the family
of Yaqub, the way He perfected it upon both your forefathers, Ibrahim and
Ishaq; indeed your Lord is All Knowing, Wise." Section
2
[Yusuf
12:7] Indeed in Yusuf and his brothers are signs * for those who enquire **. (*
Of the truthfulness of Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him. **
The Jews who enquired about their story.) [Yusuf
12:8] When they said, "Indeed Yusuf and his brother * are dearer to our
father than we are, and we are one group; undoubtedly our father is, clearly,
deeply engrossed in love." (* Of the same mother.) [Yusuf
12:9] "Kill Yusuf or throw him somewhere in the land, so that your
father’s attention may be directed only towards you, and then after it
you may again become righteous!" [Yusuf
12:10] A speaker among them said, "Do not kill Yusuf - and drop him into
a dark well so that some traveller may come and take him away, if you have
to." [Yusuf
12:11] They said, "O our father! What is the matter with you that you do
not trust us with Yusuf, although we are in fact his well-wishers?" [Yusuf
12:12] "Send him with us tomorrow so that he may eat some fruits and
play, and indeed we are his protectors." [Yusuf
12:13] He said, "I will indeed be saddened by your taking him away, and
I fear that the wolf may devour him, whilst you are unaware of him." (*
Prophet Yaqub knew of what was about to happen.) [Yusuf
12:14] They said, "If the wolf devours him, whereas we are a group, then
surely we are useless!" [Yusuf 12:15] So when they took him away - and all
of them agreed that they should drop him in the dark well; and We sent the
divine revelation to him, “You will surely tell them of their deed at a
time when they will not know.” [Yusuf
12:16] And at nightfall they came to their father, weeping. [Yusuf
12:17] Saying, "O our father! We went far ahead while racing, and left
Yusuf near our resources - therefore the wolf devoured him; and you will not
believe us although we may be truthful." [Yusuf
12:18] And they brought his shirt stained with faked blood; he said, "On
the contrary - your hearts have fabricated an excuse for you; therefore
patience is better; and from Allah only I seek help against the matters that
you relate." [Yusuf
12:19] And there came a caravan - so they sent their water-drawer, he
therefore lowered his pail; he said, "What good luck, this is a
boy!"; and they hid him as a treasure; and Allah knows what they do. [Yusuf
12:20] And the brothers sold him for an improper price, a limited number of
coins; and they had no interest in him. Section
3
[Yusuf
12:21] And the Egyptian who purchased him said to his wife, "Keep him
honourably - we may derive some benefit due to him or we may adopt him as our
son"; and this is how we established Yusuf in the land, and that We
might teach him how to interpret events; and Allah is Dominant upon His
works, but most men do not know. [Yusuf
12:22] And when he matured to his full strength, We bestowed him wisdom and
knowledge; and this is how We reward the virtuous. [Yusuf
12:23] And the woman in whose house he was, allured him not to restrain
himself and she closed all the doors - and said, "Come! It is you I
address!"; he said, "(I seek) The refuge of Allah - indeed
the governor is my master - he treats me well; undoubtedly the unjust never
prosper." [Yusuf
12:24] And indeed the woman desired him; and he too would have desired her
were he not to witness the sign of his Lord *; this is what We did, to turn
away evil and lewdness from him; indeed He is one of Our chosen bondmen. (*
Allah saved him and he never desired this immorality.) [Yusuf
12:25] And they both raced towards the door, and the woman tore his shirt
from behind, and they both found her husband at the door; she said,
"What is the punishment of the one who sought evil with your wife, other
than prison or a painful torture?" [Yusuf
12:26] Said Yusuf, "It was she who lured me, that I may not guard
myself" - and a witness from her own household testified; "If his
shirt is torn from the front, then the woman is truthful and he has spoken
incorrectly." [Yusuf
12:27] "And if his shirt is torn from behind, then the woman is a liar
and he is truthful." [Yusuf
12:28] So when the governor saw his shirt torn from behind, he said,
"Indeed this is a deception of women; undoubtedly the deception of women
is very great." [Yusuf
12:29] "O Yusuf! Disregard this - and O woman! Seek forgiveness for your
sin; indeed you are of the mistaken." Section
4
[Yusuf
12:30] And some women of the city said, "The governor’s wife is
seducing her young slave; indeed his love has taken root in her heart; and we
find her clearly lost." [Yusuf
12:31] And when she heard of their secret talk, she sent for them and
prepared cushioned mattresses for them and gave a knife to each one of them
and said to Yusuf, "Come out before them!" When the women saw him
they praised him and cut their hands, and said, "Purity is to Allah -
this is no human being; this is not but an honourable angel!" [Yusuf
12:32] She said, "This is he on whose account you used to insult me; and
indeed I tried to entice him, so he safeguarded himself; and indeed if he
does not do what I tell him to, he will surely be imprisoned, and will surely
be humiliated." [Yusuf
12:33] He said, "O my Lord! Prison is dearer to me than the deed they
invite me to; and if You do not repel their deceit away from me, I may
incline towards them and be unwise." [Yusuf
12:34] So his Lord heard his prayer and repelled the women’s deceit away
from him; indeed He only is the All Hearing, the All Knowing. [Yusuf
12:35] Then after having seeing all the signs, they all decided that he
should be imprisoned for some time. Section
5
[Yusuf
12:36] And two young men went to prison along with him; one of them said, "I
dreamt that I am pressing wine"; the other said, "I dreamt that I
am carrying some bread upon my head from which birds were eating";
"Tell us their interpretation; indeed we see that you are
virtuous." [Yusuf
12:37] Said Yusuf, "The food which you get will not reach you, but I
will tell you the interpretation of this before it comes to you; this is one
of the sciences my Lord has taught me; indeed I did not accept the religion
of the people who do not believe in Allah and are deniers of the
Hereafter." [Yusuf
12:38] "And I have chosen the religion of my forefathers, Ibrahim and
Ishaq and Yaqub; it is not rightful for us to ascribe anything as a partner
to Allah; this is a grace of Allah upon us and upon mankind, but most men are
not thankful." [Yusuf
12:39] "O both my fellow-prisoners! Are various lords better, or One
Allah, the Dominant above all?" [Yusuf
12:40] "You do not worship anything besides Him, but which are merely
names coined by you and your forefathers - Allah has not sent down any proof
regarding them; there is no command but that of Allah; He has commanded that
you do not worship anyone except Him; this is the proper religion, but most
people do not know." [Yusuf
12:41] "O my two fellow-prisoners! One of you will give his lord (the
king) wine to drink; regarding the other, he will be crucified, therefore
birds will eat from his head; the command has been given concerning the
matter you had enquired about." [Yusuf
12:42] And of the two, Yusuf said to the one whom he sensed would be
released, "Remember me, in the company of your lord"; so Satan
caused him to forget to mention Yusuf to his lord, he therefore stayed in
prison for several years more. Section
6
[Yusuf
12:43] And the king said, "I saw in a dream seven healthy cows whom
seven lean cows were eating, and seven green ears of corn and seven others
dry; O court-members! Explain my dream, if you can interpret dreams." [Yusuf
12:44] They answered, "These are confused dreams - and we do not know
the interpretation of dreams." [Yusuf
12:45] And of the two the one who was released said - and after a long time
he had remembered - "I will tell you its interpretation, therefore send
me forth." [Yusuf
12:46] "O Yusuf! O truthful one! Explain for us the seven healthy cows
which seven lean cows were eating and the seven green ears of corn and seven
others dry, so I may return to the people, possibly they may come to
know." [Yusuf
12:47] He said, "You will cultivate for seven years continuously; so
leave all that you harvest in the ear, except a little which you eat." [Yusuf
12:48] "Then after that will come seven hard years which will devour all
that you had stored for them, except a little which you may save." Yusuf
12:49] "Then after that will come a year when the people will be given
rain and in which they will extract juices." Section
7
[Yusuf
12:50] And the king said, "Bring him to me"; so when the bearer
came to him, Yusuf said, "Return to your lord and ask him what is the
status of the women who had cut their hands; indeed my Lord knows their
deception." [Yusuf
12:51] The king said, "O women! What was your role when you tried to
entice Yusuf?" They answered, "Purity is to Allah - we did not find
any immorality in him"; said the wife of the governor, "Now the
truth is out; it was I who tried to entice him, and indeed he is
truthful." [Yusuf
12:52] Said Yusuf, "I did this so that the governor may realise that I
did not betray him behind his back, and Allah does not let the deceit of betrayers
be successful." PART
13
[Yusuf
12:53] "And I do not portray my soul as innocent; undoubtedly the soul
excessively commands towards evil, except upon whom my Lord has mercy; indeed
my Lord is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful." [Yusuf
12:54] And the king said, "Bring him to me so that I may choose him
especially for myself"; and when he had talked to him he said,
"Indeed you are today, before us, the honourable, the trusted." [Yusuf
12:55] Said Yusuf, "Appoint me over the treasures of the earth; indeed I
am a protector, knowledgeable." [Yusuf
12:56] And this is how We gave Yusuf the control over that land; to stay in
it wherever he pleased; We may convey Our mercy to whomever We will, and We
do not waste the wages of the righteous. [Yusuf
12:57] And undoubtedly the reward of the Hereafter is better, for those who
accept faith and remain pious. Section
8
[Yusuf
12:58] And Yusuf’s brothers came and presented themselves before him, so
he recognised them whereas they remained unaware of him. [Yusuf
12:59] And when he provided them with their provisions he said, "Bring
your step-brother to me; do you not see that I measure in full and that I am
the best host?" [Yusuf
12:60] "And if you do not bring him to me, there shall be no measure (provisions)
for you with me and do not ever come near me." [Yusuf
12:61] They said, "We will seek him from his father - this we must
surely do." [Yusuf
12:62] He said to his slaves, "Place their means back into their sacks,
perhaps they may recognise it when they return to their homes, perhaps they
may come again." [Yusuf
12:63] So when they returned to their father, they said, "O our father!
The provisions have been denied to us, therefore send our brother with us so
that we may bring the provisions, and we will surely protect him." [Yusuf
12:64] He said, "Shall I trust you regarding him the same way I had
trusted you earlier regarding his brother? Therefore Allah is the Best
Protector; and He is More Merciful than all those who show mercy." [Yusuf
12:65] And when they opened their belongings they found that their means had
been returned to them; they said, "O our father! What more can we ask
for? Here are our means returned to us; we may get the provision for our
homes and guard our brother, and get a camel-load extra; giving all these is
insignificant for the king." [Yusuf
12:66] He said, "I shall never send him with you until you give me an
oath upon Allah that you will bring him back to me, unless you are
surrounded"; and (recall) when they gave him their oath that
"Allah’s guarantee is upon what we say." (* He knew that
Bin Yamin would be restrained.) [Yusuf
12:67] And he said, "O my sons! Do not enter all by one gate - and enter
by different gates; I cannot save you against Allah; there is no command but
that of Allah; upon Him do I rely; and all those who trust, must rely only
upon Him." [Yusuf
12:68] And when they entered from the place where their father had commanded
them to; that would not at all have saved them against Allah - except that it
was Yaqub’s secret wish, which he fulfilled; and indeed he is a
possessor of knowledge, due to Our teaching, but most people do not know. Section
9
[Yusuf
12:69] And when they entered in the company Yusuf, he seated his brother
close to him and said, "Be assured, I really am your brother - therefore
do not grieve for what they do." [Yusuf
12:70] And when he had provided them their provision, he put the drinking-cup
in his brother’s bag, and then an announcer cried, "O people of the
caravan! You are indeed thieves!" [Yusuf
12:71] They answered and turned towards them, "What is it you cannot
find?" [Yusuf
12:72] They said, "We cannot find the king’s cup, and for him who
brings it is a camel-load, and I am its guarantor." [Yusuf
12:73] They said, "By Allah, you know very well that we did not come
here to cause turmoil in the land, and nor are we thieves!" [Yusuf
12:74] They said, "And what shall be the punishment for it, if you are
liars?" [Yusuf
12:75] They said, "The punishment for it is that he in whose bag it
shall be found, shall himself become a slave for it; this is how we punish
the unjust." [Yusuf
12:76] So he first searched their bags before his brother’s bag, then
removed it from his brother’s bag; this was the plan We had taught
Yusuf; he had no right to take his brother by the king’s law, except if
Allah wills; We may raise in ranks whomever We will; and above every
possessor of knowledge is another scholar. [Yusuf
12:77] They said, "If he steals, then indeed his brother has stolen
before"; so Yusuf kept this in his heart and did not reveal it to them;
he replied within himself, "In fact, you are in a worse position; and
Allah well knows the matters you fabricate." [Yusuf
12:78] They said, "O governor! He has a very aged father, so take one of
us in his stead; indeed we witness your favours." [Yusuf
12:79] He said, "The refuge of Allah from that we should take anyone
except him with whom our property was found - we would then surely be unjust."
Section
10
[Yusuf
12:80] So when they did not anticipate anything from him, they went away and
started consulting each other; their eldest brother said, "Do you not
know that your father has taken from you an oath upon Allah, and before this,
how you had failed in respect of Yusuf? Therefore I will not move from here
until my father permits or Allah commands me; and His is the best
command." [Yusuf
12:81] "Return to your father and then submit, ‘O our father!
Indeed your son has stolen; we were witness only to what we know and we were
not guardians of the unseen.’ [Yusuf
12:82] ‘And ask the township in which we were, and the caravan in which
we came; and indeed we are truthful.’ " [Yusuf
12:83] Said Yaqub, "Your souls have fabricated an excuse for you;
therefore patience is excellent; it is likely that Allah will bring all * of
them to me; undoubtedly only He is the All Knowing, the Wise." (* All
three including Yusuf.) [Yusuf
12:84] And he turned away from them and said, "Alas - the separation from
Yusuf!" and his eyes turned white with sorrow, he therefore kept
suppressing his anger. [Yusuf
12:85] They said, "By Allah, you will keep remembering Yusuf till your
health fails you or you lose your life." [Yusuf
12:86] He said, "I complain of my worry and grief only to Allah, and I
know the great traits of Allah which you do not know." [Yusuf
12:87] "O my sons, go and search for Yusuf and his brother, and do not
lose hope in the mercy of Allah; indeed none lose hope in the mercy of Allah
except the disbelieving people." [Yusuf
12:88] Then when they reached in the company of Yusuf they said, "O
governor! Calamity has struck us and our household, and we have brought goods
of little value, so give us the full measure and be generous to us;
undoubtedly Allah rewards the generous." [Yusuf
12:89] He said, "Are you aware of what you did to Yusuf and his brother
when you were unwise?" [Yusuf
12:90] They said, "Are you, in truth you, really Yusuf?" He said,
"I am Yusuf and this is my brother; indeed Allah has bestowed favour
upon us; undoubtedly whoever practices piety and patience - so Allah does not
waste the wages of the righteous." [Yusuf
12:91] They said, "By Allah, undoubtedly Allah has given you superiority
over us, and we were indeed guilty." [Yusuf
12:92] He said, "There is no reproach on you, this day! May Allah
forgive you - and He is the Utmost Merciful, of all those who show
mercy." [Yusuf
12:93] "Take along this shirt of mine and lay it on my father’s
face, his vision will be restored; and bring your entire household to
me." (Prophet Yusuf knew that this would miracle would occur.) Section
11
[Yusuf
12:94] When the caravan left Egypt, their father said *, "Indeed I sense
the fragrance of Yusuf, if you do not call me senile." (* Prophet
Yaqub said this in Palestine, to other members of his family. He could
discern the fragrance of Prophet Yusuf’s shirt from far away.) [Yusuf
12:95] They said, "By Allah, you are still deeply engrossed in the same
old love of yours." [Yusuf
12:96] Then when the bearer of glad tidings came, he laid the shirt on his
face, he therefore immediately regained his eyesight*; he said, "Was I
not telling you? I know the great traits of Allah which you do not
know!" (This was a miracle that took place by applying Prophet Yusuf’s
shirt.) [Yusuf
12:97] They said, "O our father! Seek forgiveness for our sins, for we
were indeed guilty." [Yusuf
12:98] He said, "I shall soon seek forgiveness for you from my Lord;
indeed He only is the Oft Forgiving, the Most Merciful." [Yusuf
12:99] So when they all reached in Yusuf’s company, he kept his parents
close to him, and said, "Enter Egypt, if Allah wills, in safety." [Yusuf
12:100] And he seated his parents on the throne, and they all prostrated
before him; and Yusuf said, "O my father! This is the interpretation of
my former dream; my Lord has made it true; and indeed He has bestowed favour
upon me, when He brought me out of prison and brought you all from the
village, after Satan had created a resentment between me and my brothers;
indeed my Lord may make easy whatever He wills; undoubtedly He is the All
Knowing, the Wise." [Yusuf
12:101] "O my Lord! you have given me a kingdom * and have taught me how
to interpret some events; O Creator of the heavens and the earth - you are my
Supporter in the world and in the Hereafter; cause me to die as a Muslim, and
unite me with those who deserve Your proximity." (* Prophethood and
the rule over Egypt. Prophet Yusuf said this prayer while his death
approached him.) [Yusuf
12:102] These are some tidings of the Hidden which We divinely reveal to you (O
dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him); and you were
not with them when they set their task and when they were scheming. [Yusuf
12:103] And however much you long for, most men will not accept faith. [Yusuf
12:104] You do not ask them any fee in return for it; this is not but an
advice to the entire world. Section
12
[Yusuf
12:105] And how many signs exist in the heavens and the earth, over which
most people pass and remain unaware of them! [Yusuf
12:106] And most of them are such that they do not believe in Allah except
while ascribing partners (to Him)! [Yusuf
12:107] Do they remain complacent over Allah’s punishment coming and
surrounding them, or the Last Day coming suddenly upon them whilst they are
unaware? [Yusuf
12:108] Proclaim, "This is my path - I call towards Allah; I, and
whoever follows me, are upon perception; and Purity is to Allah - and I am
not of the polytheists." [Yusuf
12:109] And all the Noble Messengers We sent before you, were exclusively men
- towards whom We sent the divine revelations, and were dwellers of
townships; so have not these people travelled in the land and seen what sort
of fate befell those before them? And undoubtedly the abode of the Hereafter
is better for the pious; so do you not have sense? [Yusuf
12:110] To the extent that when the Noble Messengers lost hope from the visible
means, and the people thought that they had spoken wrongly, Our help came to
them - therefore whoever We willed was saved; and Our punishment is never
averted from the guilty. [Yusuf
12:111] Indeed in their tidings is enlightenment for the men of understanding;
this (the Qur’an) is not some made up story but a confirmation of
the Books before it, and a detailed explanation of all things, and a guidance
and a mercy for the Muslims. |
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END
OF SURAH