الٓرۚ تِلۡكَ ءَايَـٰتُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ ٱلۡمُبِينِ
Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the clear Book.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
(1. Alif-Lam-Ra. These are the verses of the Book that is clear.) (2. Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an in order that you may understand.) (3. We relate unto you the best of stories through Our revelations unto you, of this Qur'an. And before this, you were among those who knew nothing about it.)
إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ قُرۡءَٲنًا عَرَبِيًّ۬ا لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ
Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an that you might understand.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
(1. Alif-Lam-Ra. These are the verses of the Book that is clear.) (2. Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an in order that you may understand.) (3. We relate unto you the best of stories through Our revelations unto you, of this Qur'an. And before this, you were among those who knew nothing about it.)
نَحۡنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيۡكَ أَحۡسَنَ ٱلۡقَصَصِ بِمَآ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ هَـٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ وَإِن ڪُنتَ مِن قَبۡلِهِۦ لَمِنَ ٱلۡغَـٰفِلِينَ
We relate to you, [O Muhammad], the best of stories in what We have revealed to you of this Qur’an although you were, before it, among the unaware.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
(1. Alif-Lam-Ra. These are the verses of the Book that is clear.) (2. Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an in order that you may understand.) (3. We relate unto you the best of stories through Our revelations unto you, of this Qur'an. And before this, you were among those who knew nothing about it.)
إِذۡ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّى رَأَيۡتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوۡكَبً۬ا وَٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ رَأَيۡتُہُمۡ لِى سَـٰجِدِينَ
[Of these stories mention] when Joseph said to his father, "O my father, indeed I have seen [in a dream] eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me."
On the reason behind revealing Ayah (12:3), Ibn Jarir At-Tabari recorded that `Abdullah bin `Abbas said, "They said, `O, Allah's Messenger! Why not narrate to us stories' Later on, this Ayah was revealed,
(We relate unto you the best of stories...)'' There is a Hadith that is relevant upon mentioning this honorable Ayah, which praises the Qur'an and demonstrates that it is sufficient from needing all books besides it. Imam Ahmad recorded a narration from Jabir bin `Abdullah that `Umar bin Al-Khattab came to the Prophet with a book that he took from some of the People of the Book. `Umar began reading it to the Prophet who became angry. He said,
(Are you uncertain about it Ibn Al-Khattab By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! I have come to you with it white and pure. Do not ask them about anything, for they might tell you something true and you reject it, or they might tell you something false and you believe it. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! If Musa were living, he would have no choice but to follow me.) Imam Ahmad also recorded a narration from `Abdullah bin Thabit who said, "`Umar came to Allah's Messenger and said; `O Messenger of Allah! I passed by a brother of mine from ﴿the tribe of﴾ Qurayzah, so he wrote some comprehensive statements from the Tawrah for me, should I read them to you' The face of Allah's Messenger changed (with anger). So I said to him, `Don't you see the face of Allah's Messenger'' `Umar said, `We are pleased with Allah as our Lord, Islam as our religion, and Muhammad as our Messenger.' So the anger of the Prophet subsided, and he said,
(By the One in Whose Hand is Muhammad's soul, if Musa appeared among you and you were to follow him, abandoning me, then you would have strayed. Indeed you are my share of the nations, and I am your share of the Prophets.)''
(4. (Remember) when Yusuf said to his father: "O my father! Verily, I saw (in a dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon - I saw them prostrating themselves to me.'')
قَالَ يَـٰبُنَىَّ لَا تَقۡصُصۡ رُءۡيَاكَ عَلَىٰٓ إِخۡوَتِكَ فَيَكِيدُواْ لَكَ كَيۡدًاۖ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنَ لِلۡإِنسَـٰنِ عَدُوٌّ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬
He said, "O my son, do not relate your vision to your brothers or they will contrive against you a plan. Indeed Satan, to man, is a manifest enemy.
Allah says, `Mention to your people, O Muhammad, among the stories that you narrate to them, the story of Yusuf.' Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) mentioned his dream to his father, Prophet Ya`qub (Jacob), son of Prophet Ishaq (Isaac), son of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), peace be upon them all. `Abdullah bin `Abbas stated that the dreams of Prophets are revelations from Allah. Scholars of Tafsir explained that in Yusuf's dream the eleven stars represent his brothers, who were eleven, and the sun and the moon represent his father and mother. This explanation was collected from Ibn `Abbas, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, Sufyan Ath-Thawri and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. Yusuf's vision became a reality forty years later, or as some say, eighty years, when Yusuf raised his parents to the throne while his brothers were before him,
(and they fell down before him prostrate. And he said: "O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream aforetime! My Lord has made it come true!'')
(5. He (the father) said: "O my son! Relate not your vision to your brothers, lest they should arrange a plot against you. Verily, Shaytan is to man an open enemy!'')
وَكَذَٲلِكَ يَجۡتَبِيكَ رَبُّكَ وَيُعَلِّمُكَ مِن تَأۡوِيلِ ٱلۡأَحَادِيثِ وَيُتِمُّ نِعۡمَتَهُ ۥ عَلَيۡكَ وَعَلَىٰٓ ءَالِ يَعۡقُوبَ كَمَآ أَتَمَّهَا عَلَىٰٓ أَبَوَيۡكَ مِن قَبۡلُ إِبۡرَٲهِيمَ وَإِسۡحَـٰقَۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ۬
And thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of narratives and complete His favor upon you and upon the family of Jacob, as He completed it upon your fathers before, Abraham and Isaac. Indeed, your Lord is Knowing and Wise."
Allah narrates the reply Ya`qub gave his son Yusuf when he narrated to him the vision that he saw, which indicated that his brothers would be under his authority. They would be subjugated to Yusuf's authority to such an extent that they would prostrate before him in respect, honor and appreciation. Ya`qub feared that if Yusuf narrated his vision to any of his brothers, they would envy him and conspire evil plots against him. This is why Ya`qub said to Yusuf,
(Relate not your vision to your brothers, lest they should arrange a plot against you.) This Ayah means, "They might arrange a plot against you that causes your demise.'' In the Sunnah, there is a confirmed Hadith that states,
(If any of you saw a vision that he likes, let him narrate it. If he saw a dream that he dislikes, let him turn on his other side, blow to his left thrice, seek refuge with Allah from its evil and not tell it to anyone. Verily, it will not harm him in this case.) In another Hadith that Imam Ahmad and collectors of the Sunan collected, Mu`awiyah bin Haydah Al-Qushayri said that the Messenger of Allah said,
(The dream is tied to a bird's leg, as long as it is not interpreted. If it is interpreted, it comes true.) Therefore, one should hide the prospects or the coming of a bounty until it comes into existence and becomes known. The Prophet said,
(Earn help for fulfilling needs by being discrete, for every owner of a blessing is envied.)
(6. "Thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of dreams (and other things) and perfect His favor on you and on the offspring of Ya`qub, as He perfected it on your fathers, Ibrahim and Ishaq aforetime! Verily, your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise.'')
۞ لَّقَدۡ كَانَ فِى يُوسُفَ وَإِخۡوَتِهِۦۤ ءَايَـٰتٌ۬ لِّلسَّآٮِٕلِينَ
Certainly were there in Joseph and his brothers signs for those who ask,
Allah says that Ya`qub said to his son Yusuf, `Just as Allah chose you to see the eleven stars, the sun and the moon prostrate before you in a vision,
(Thus will your Lord choose you) designate and assign you to be a Prophet from Him,
(and teach you the interpretation of Ahadith).' Mujahid and several other scholars said that this part of the Ayah is in reference to the interpreting of dreams. He said next,
(and perfect His favor on you), `by His Message and revelation to you.' This is why Ya`qub said afterwards,
(as He perfected it aforetime on your fathers, Ibrahim...), Allah's intimate friend,
(and Ishaq), Ibrahim's son,
(Verily, your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise.) Allah knows best whom to chose for His Messages.
(7. Verily, in Yusuf and his brethren there were Ayat for those who ask.) (8. When they said: "Truly, Yusuf and his brother are dearer to our father than we, while we are `Usbah (a group). Really, our father is in a plain error.'') (9. "Kill Yusuf or cast him out to some (other) land, so that the favor of your father may be given to you alone, and after that you will be righteous folk.'') (10. One from among them said: "Kill not Yusuf, but if you must do something, throw him down to the bottom of a well; he will be picked up by some caravan of travelers.'')
إِذۡ قَالُواْ لَيُوسُفُ وَأَخُوهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىٰٓ أَبِينَا مِنَّا وَنَحۡنُ عُصۡبَةٌ إِنَّ أَبَانَا لَفِى ضَلَـٰلٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ
When they said, "Joseph and his brother are more beloved to our father than we, while we are a clan. Indeed, our father is in clear error.
Allah says that Ya`qub said to his son Yusuf, `Just as Allah chose you to see the eleven stars, the sun and the moon prostrate before you in a vision,
(Thus will your Lord choose you) designate and assign you to be a Prophet from Him,
(and teach you the interpretation of Ahadith).' Mujahid and several other scholars said that this part of the Ayah is in reference to the interpreting of dreams. He said next,
(and perfect His favor on you), `by His Message and revelation to you.' This is why Ya`qub said afterwards,
(as He perfected it aforetime on your fathers, Ibrahim...), Allah's intimate friend,
(and Ishaq), Ibrahim's son,
(Verily, your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise.) Allah knows best whom to chose for His Messages.
(7. Verily, in Yusuf and his brethren there were Ayat for those who ask.) (8. When they said: "Truly, Yusuf and his brother are dearer to our father than we, while we are `Usbah (a group). Really, our father is in a plain error.'') (9. "Kill Yusuf or cast him out to some (other) land, so that the favor of your father may be given to you alone, and after that you will be righteous folk.'') (10. One from among them said: "Kill not Yusuf, but if you must do something, throw him down to the bottom of a well; he will be picked up by some caravan of travelers.'')
ٱقۡتُلُواْ يُوسُفَ أَوِ ٱطۡرَحُوهُ أَرۡضً۬ا يَخۡلُ لَكُمۡ وَجۡهُ أَبِيكُمۡ وَتَكُونُواْ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ قَوۡمً۬ا صَـٰلِحِينَ
Kill Joseph or cast him out to [another] land; the countenance of your father will [then] be only for you, and you will be after that a righteous people."
Allah says that Ya`qub said to his son Yusuf, `Just as Allah chose you to see the eleven stars, the sun and the moon prostrate before you in a vision,
(Thus will your Lord choose you) designate and assign you to be a Prophet from Him,
(and teach you the interpretation of Ahadith).' Mujahid and several other scholars said that this part of the Ayah is in reference to the interpreting of dreams. He said next,
(and perfect His favor on you), `by His Message and revelation to you.' This is why Ya`qub said afterwards,
(as He perfected it aforetime on your fathers, Ibrahim...), Allah's intimate friend,
(and Ishaq), Ibrahim's son,
(Verily, your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise.) Allah knows best whom to chose for His Messages.
(7. Verily, in Yusuf and his brethren there were Ayat for those who ask.) (8. When they said: "Truly, Yusuf and his brother are dearer to our father than we, while we are `Usbah (a group). Really, our father is in a plain error.'') (9. "Kill Yusuf or cast him out to some (other) land, so that the favor of your father may be given to you alone, and after that you will be righteous folk.'') (10. One from among them said: "Kill not Yusuf, but if you must do something, throw him down to the bottom of a well; he will be picked up by some caravan of travelers.'')
قَالَ قَآٮِٕلٌ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ لَا تَقۡتُلُواْ يُوسُفَ وَأَلۡقُوهُ فِى غَيَـٰبَتِ ٱلۡجُبِّ يَلۡتَقِطۡهُ بَعۡضُ ٱلسَّيَّارَةِ إِن كُنتُمۡ فَـٰعِلِينَ
Said a speaker among them, "Do not kill Joseph but throw him into the bottom of the well; some travelers will pick him up – if you would do [something]."
Allah says that Ya`qub said to his son Yusuf, `Just as Allah chose you to see the eleven stars, the sun and the moon prostrate before you in a vision,
(Thus will your Lord choose you) designate and assign you to be a Prophet from Him,
(and teach you the interpretation of Ahadith).' Mujahid and several other scholars said that this part of the Ayah is in reference to the interpreting of dreams. He said next,
(and perfect His favor on you), `by His Message and revelation to you.' This is why Ya`qub said afterwards,
(as He perfected it aforetime on your fathers, Ibrahim...), Allah's intimate friend,
(and Ishaq), Ibrahim's son,
(Verily, your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise.) Allah knows best whom to chose for His Messages.
(7. Verily, in Yusuf and his brethren there were Ayat for those who ask.) (8. When they said: "Truly, Yusuf and his brother are dearer to our father than we, while we are `Usbah (a group). Really, our father is in a plain error.'') (9. "Kill Yusuf or cast him out to some (other) land, so that the favor of your father may be given to you alone, and after that you will be righteous folk.'') (10. One from among them said: "Kill not Yusuf, but if you must do something, throw him down to the bottom of a well; he will be picked up by some caravan of travelers.'')