Chapter 12. Joseph, Yusuf

12.0 In The Name Of YHWH: The Almighty, The Merciful.

12:1 alif lām rā

Those are the Proofs of the Clear Book.

12:2 We sent it down

as an Arabic recitation

that you might use reason.

12:3 Yea We narrate to thee the best of narratives

in what We instruct thee with this Quran

for thou were among those unaware before it.

12:4 Like when Joseph said to his father: O my father

I saw eleven stars and the sun and the moon

submitting to me.

12:5 He said: O my son

do not tell thy vision to others lest the enemies will become fearful and plan a plan against thee.

Yea the degenerate inhuman imposter is a sure enemy to humanity.

12:6 And thus Will thy Lord Choose thee and Teach thee the interpretation of events

and Complete His Covenant with thee and upon the house of Jacob

as He Completed It upon thy fathers

Abraham and Isaac.

Thy Lord Is The Knowing, Wise.

12:7 In Joseph and his brethren are Proofs for all who ask.

12:8 When they said: Joseph and his brother Benjamin are dearer to our father than we are

when we are a group of 10

so our father is in obvious error.

12:9 Then kill Joseph or banish him to a land

so the countenance of your father will pass to you

and be a Righteous people after it.

12:10 Said one speaker among them:

Kill not Joseph but cast him into the depth of the well

where some caravan will find him

if you must act.

12:11 They began by saying: O our father what is with thee?

Does thou not trust us with Joseph

when we are sincere protectors of him.

12:12 Send him with us on the morrow that he might run and play

we will keep him safe.

12:13 He said: Taking him away saddens me

and I fear a wolf may eat him when you are unmindful of him.

12:14 They said: If a wolf eats him under our watch

then we will be the losers.

12:15 Then when they took him and agreed to place him in the depth of the well

We instructed him:

Thou will one day inform them of this deed of theirs when they perceive not. Watch this prophecy unfold!

12:16 And they went to their father in the evening weeping

12:17 when they said: O our father

we went to run races and left Joseph with our goods and the wolf ate him.

And thou would not be one who believes us though we speak the Truth.

12:18 And they came with his shirt they had bloodied

but their father said: The Truth is your souls have enticed you into a matter

so wait thee with much patience

for God Is The One Whose Aid is sought about what you allege. And God Takes His Time!

12:19 And there came a caravan

who sent their water drawer

when he let down his pail

he said: O glad tidings here is a lad!

And they hid him to keep as merchandise

yea and God Knows what they did.

12:20 And they sold him for a low price

a few dirhams

for they did not value him.

12:21 He who bought took him home to his wife who said:

Be thou generous to him in our dwelling

it may be that he will benefit us

or we might take him as our son.

And thus did We establish Joseph in the land

so We might teach him how to interpret events.

Hence Did God Prevail Over his affair

but most do not understand.

12:22 And when he reached maturity We gave him much discernment and knowledge

and thus do We help the doers of Good.

12:23 And he was sought by the woman wishing to seduce him in their home

when she closed the doors and said: Come thou hither!

But he said: I seek refuge in God for He Is my Lord Who Has Made a Good dwelling here for me

and the wrongdoers do not succeed.

12:24 But she desired him

and he desired her

were it not for his awareness of his Lord Looking On.

Thus that We might turn him away from evil and sexual immorality

so he was among Our most pure hearted servants.

12:25 So he raced to the door

and she tore his shirt from behind

but they met her master at the door.

She said: What is the penalty of him who wishes hardship on thy household

other than that he be imprisoned

or a painful scourge.

12:26 But Joseph said: She sought to lure me from my soul!

And there bore witness another of the household

saying: If his shirt be torn from the front

she has spoken the Truth and he is a liar.

12:27 But if his shirt be torn from behind

she has lied and he is of those who speak the Truth.

12:28 And when he saw his shirt torn from behind he said:

This cunning is of your work woman

and your cunning is serious.

12:29 So disregard this Joseph!

And as for thee my wife: Beg Forgiveness for thy transgression

for thou are in despicable error.

12:30 And women in the town said:

The wife of the governor is seeking to lure her houseboy away from his soul

for he has captivated her to love him

but we see her in clear error.

12:31 When she heard of their rumoring she sent to them

and prepared a feast for them

and gave to every one of them a knife and said:

Come thou out to them Joseph

and when they saw him they exalted him and cut their hands and said:

God Forbid!

This is no mortal!

This is no less than an angel!

12:32 She said: This is he for whom you blamed me

and yes I sought to lure him away from his soul

but he proved to have wisdom.

Even when by not doing what I commanded him he would face being imprisoned

and of those brought low.

12:33 He said: My Lord prison is preferable to me than that to which they invite me

and were it not for Thou Diverting their plan from me

I may have succumbed and been among the ignorant.

12:34 Yea God Responded to him

and Diverted their cunning from him

for He Is The All Hearing, All Knowing.

12:35 Then it became clear to them he did not desire them

so they sought to punish and imprison him for a time.

12:36 And two young men entered the prison with him

one of them said: I dreamt that I was pressing wine.

And the other said: I dreamt that I was carrying bread upon my head whereof the birds were eating.

Inform us of the interpretation Joseph

for we hear thou are among the gifted.

12:37 Said he: The foods you dreamt of will not come to you

but I will inform you of its interpretation before the events happen

for that is of what my Lord Has Shown me.

I left the creed of people who do not believe in God

and are deniers of the Hereafter.

12:38 I followed the creed of my forefathers Abraham and Isaac and Jacob

for it is not that we serve other than God.

That is of the Grace Of God upon us and upon mankind

but most are not grateful.

12:39 O my two prison companions

are diverse lords better

or Is The One God, The Omnipotent?

12:40 You serve besides Him only names which you and your fathers have invented.

But God did not send down any warrant for them

and True Judgement is only for God.

Yea YHWH Commanded that you correctly serve none but Him.

That is the Right Doctrine

but most do not know.

12:41 O my two prison companions

as for one of you

he will pour wine for his lord

and as for the other

he will be put to death upon a stake

so that birds will eat from his head.

Hence concluded is the matter you sought opinion of.

12:42 And he said to the one to be saved of the two:

Remember me before thy master.

But a degenerate inhuman imposter caused him to forget to mention him to his master

and he stayed in prison some years.

12:43 And the king said:

I saw seven fat cows eating seven fresh ears of corn and seven lean cows eating seven dried ears.

O my eminent seers

advise me concerning my dream if you can interpret.

12:44 They said: These are confusing dreams

and we are not learned in the interpretation of them.

12:45 But the man of the two who was saved said:

I will deliver the interpretation

if thou send me to Joseph.

12:46 Joseph O thou man of Truth

interpret on the seven fat cows eating seven ears of fresh corn

and seven lean cows eating seven dried ears

that I might return to the people

and they might know of your abilities.

12:47 He said: You will sow crops seven years as usual

that you have reaped

but set aside your wheat

for of that will you soon eat.

12:48 For after that will come seven hard years

and the people will eat from what you have saved for them rationing it from storage.

12:49 Then after that will come a year

wherein you will be given abundant rain

and you will press fruits in season.

12:50 And the king said: Bring him to me.

And when the messenger came to him he said:

Return thou to thy seer and ask him what of the women who cut their hands?

Yea my Lord Knows of their plan.

12:51 Said he: What was the case of you women when you sought to lure Joseph away from his soul?

They said: God Forbid! We do not know of any sin against him.

Then said the wife of the house: Now the Truth is out.

Yea I sought to lure him away from his soul

and he speaks the Truth.

12:52 That is so the man of the house might know that I have not betrayed him

for God does not guide the cunning betrayers.

12:53 I do not absolve myself completely

for the soul is incited to evil

but my Lord Has Mercy.

Yea my Lord Is Forgiving, Merciful.

12:54 And the king said: Bring him to me that I might attach him to myself.

Then when he spoke to him he said:

Thou are this day established in rank and trustworthy.

12:55 Joseph said: Set me over the treasuries of the land

for I am a trustworthy guardian.

12:56 And thus We established Joseph over the land to dwell however he wished.

We reach with Our mercy whom We will

and We do not forget rewards for the doers of Good.

12:57 But the Final Reward of the Hereafter is better

for those who believe and are in Wise Fear.

12:58 And the brethren of Joseph came and entered before him

and he recognized them

but they did not recognize him.

12:59 And when he had allotted their provision he said:

First bring me your brother Benjamin from your father.

As you see I will give full measure and I am the best of hosts.

12:60 But if you do not bring him to me

you will not get your measure

nor shall you approach me again.

12:61 They said: We will seek to bring him from his father

that we will do.

12:62 And he said to his servants:

Place their measures in their saddlebags

that they might know I gave it to them freely when they return home

this so that they be eager to return.

12:63 And when they returned to their father they said:

O our father forbidden us is the measure

unless thou send us with our brother Benjamin.

Then we will obtain the measure

and we will keep him safe.

12:64 Said he: How can I trust him to you as I trusted his brother to you before?

But God Is The Best Custodian

and He Is The Most Merciful of those who show mercy.

12:65 And when they opened their belongings they found their full measures

and they said: O our father what more can we ask

here are our supplies for free!

So now we will get more for our people and we will guard our brother

then we will have increase by a camels’ measure.

Yea for all this is but a light measure.

12:66 Said he: I will not send him with you until you give me a solemn oath before God

that you will bring him back to me unless you are dead.

And when they had given him their solemn oath he said:

God Is Guardian over what you say.

12:67 And he said: O my sons enter not at one gate but enter at diverse gates so as not to attract attention as a group

yet I cannot avail you in anything against God

for True Judgement is only For Him.

And in Him Alone do I place all my trust

and in Him Alone let those who invest trust place all their trust.

12:68 And when they entered in the manner their father had commanded it was not to change whatever God Wills

but as a desire of Jacob which He Satisfied.

And he was a man of knowledge due to what We taught him

but most do not know this.

12:69 And when they entered upon Joseph he took his brother aside

and privately said: I am thy brother Joseph

so be not distressed about me any longer.

12:70 And when he had furnished them with their provision

he put a fine goblet in Benjamins’ saddlebag

then had his crier cry out: O you of the caravan you are thieves!

12:71 Said they approaching them:

What is it you are missing?

12:72 They said: We do miss the cup of the king.

And for him who brings it will be a camel load

this we guarantee.

12:73 Said they: By God you know we did not come to work corruption in the land

and we are not thieves.

12:74 They said: And what is the reward for it should you be liars?

12:75 Said they: The reward for it is that if he in whose baggage it is found he is the reward for it.

Thus We repay the wrongdoers.

12:76 And he began the search with their bags before the bag of his brother

then he produced it from the bag.

And thus did We plan for Joseph

for he could not have taken his brother within the doctrine of the king except that God Had So Willed

yea We raise in degree whom We will.

And over every possessor of knowledge is The One

The All Knowing.

12:77 Said they: If he stole he is like his brother Joseph who stole. He took an idol and smashed it so it couldn’t be worshipped.

Joseph concealed his rage within his soul and did not reveal his identity to them prophecy fulfilled!

he said: You are in a worse situation than I

for God Knows Best what you describe.

12:78 Said they: O governor he has a father a very aged man

so take one of us in his place

we see thou are among the Righteous.

12:79 He said: God Forbid that we take other than him with whom we found the cup as agreed

then we would all be wrongdoers.

12:80 And when they despaired of him they separated themselves for private conference

where the eldest of them said:

Do you not know your father took a solemn oath from you before God

and that you failed concerning Joseph before?

I will not leave the land until my father says to

or God Is Judge in my favor

for He Is The Best of judges.

12:81 Return to your father and say:

O father thy son is accused of stealing a goblet

and we bear witness only to what we know

for we are not of the unseen Who saw it.

12:82 If in doubt go and ask those of the city

and those of the caravan we came back with

for we speak the Truth.

12:83 He said: The Truth is your souls have brought you into a matter

so wait thee with much patience

for it may be that God Will Bring both of them back to me.

He Is The Knowing, The Wise.

12:84 Then he turned away from them and said:

O my grief for Joseph!

And his eyes became white from the sorrow he was suppressing. Depression is linked to cataracts which are white.

12:85 They said: By God thou will never cease remembering

Joseph until thou be ready to die or are dead!

12:86 He said: I only complain of my distress and grief to God

and I know From God what you know not.

12:87 O my sons go and inquire concerning Joseph and his brother

and do not lose hope of Comfort From God

for none lose hope of Comfort From God except fools.

12:88 And when they entered upon him they said:

O governor affliction has touched us and our family and we bring paltry goods for exchange

but please fulfill thou the full measure for us

and forgive us by way of charity

for God Will Reward the charitable.

12:89 He said: Do you know what you did to Joseph and his brother when you were in ignorance?

12:90 They said: Is it thou?

Thou are Joseph!

He said: I am Joseph this is my brother

and God Has Advantaged us.

Yea whoever has Wise Fear and is steadfast

God suffers not the loss of rewards for doers of Good.

12:91 They said: Yea God Has Preferred thee over us

we were those in definite error.

12:92 He said: No discontent of mine is upon you this day

and if you ask God He may Forgive you

for He Is The Most Merciful of those who show mercy.

12:93 Go with my shirt and lay it upon the face of my father

then his sight will return

and then come to me with your household one and all.

12:94 And when the caravan departed their father said:

Do I perceive the scent of Joseph

or do you think I am of faint mind?

12:95 They said: By God thou are in thy old age erring.

12:96 Then when the one chosen to bear the Glad Tidings came forth he laid the shirt upon his face

and he could see again.

He said: Did I not tell you that I know From God what you do not?

12:97 They said: O our father ask thou Forgiveness for us for our transgressions

for we were those in error.

12:98 He said: I will ask Forgiveness for you Of my Lord

for He Is The Forgiving, The Merciful.

12:99 And when they entered upon Joseph he took his parents unto himself and said:

Enter this land in safety God Willing.

12:100 And he exalted his parents to the throne

and they fell down to him in thankful praise

and he said: O my father this is the fulfillment of my dream of which I told you long ago

for now our Lord Has Made It True.

He Did Good to me when He Took me out of prison

and Brought you from the desert

after a degenerate inhuman imposter had incited my brethren to do evil upon me.

Yea my Lord Is Subtle In What He Wills

He Is The Knowing, The Wise.

12:101 My Lord Thou Have Given me some Dominion and Taught me some of the interpretation of events.

Thou The Originator of the Heavens and the Earth

and Thou Are my Ally in this world and the Hereafter

so please Take me as one submitted

and Enjoin me with the Righteous.

12:102 That is among the reports from the unseen

We reveal to thee Mohamet.

Thou were not present with them the angels when they agreed to these affairs

when they were planning.

12:103 You see that most are not believers even if thou are eager for them to be.

12:104 Do not ask any reward from them for this

it is only a Remembrance for all of mankind.

12:105 And how many a Proof is there in the Heavens and the Earth

which they pass by yet towards which they are disinclined!

12:106 Yea most of them do not believe in God except the polytheists who ascribe partners with Him.

12:107 Do they feel secure from the All Encompassing Punishment Of God coming upon them?

Yea the unexpected event that comes when they are

not ready?

12:108 Say: This is my way

I invite to God with insight

I and whoever follows me.

And All Glory Be Unto God

that I am not of the polytheists!

12:109 And We sent before thee only whom We instructed from among the people of the cities.

Have they not travelled in the land and seen the final outcomes of those who were before them?

Yea the Abode of the Hereafter is best for those who are in Wise Fear

so will they then not use reason!?

12:110 When the messengers had despaired and thought that they had been rejected

Our help came to them

hence We deliver whom We will.

But Our wrath is not repelled from evil doing peoples.

12:111 In their narrative is a lesson for those possessed of insight.

It is not a fictional narration

but a bona fide confirmation of what has occurred

and an explanation of each lesson

as a guidance and mercy for those who believe.