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Surah 12. Yusuf

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بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Bismi All a hi a l rra h m a ni a l rra h eem i
IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE DISPENSER OF GRACE:1
  - Mohammad Asad

According to most of the authorities, this invocation (which occurs at the beginning of every surah with the exception of surah 9) constitutes an integral part of "The Opening" and is, therefore, numbered as verse {1}. In all other instances, the invocation "in the name of God" precedes the surah as such, and is not counted among its verses. - Both the divine epithets rahman and rahim are derived from the noun rahmah, which signifies "mercy", "compassion", "loving tenderness" and, more comprehensively, "grace". From the very earliest times, Islamic scholars have endeavoured to define the exact shades of meaning which differentiate the two terms. The best and simplest of these explanations is undoubtedly the one advanced by Ibn al-Qayyim (as quoted in Manar I,48): the term rahman circumscribes the quality of abounding grace inherent in, and inseparable from, the concept of God's Being, whereas rahim expresses the manifestation of that grace in, and its effect upon, His creation - in other words, an aspect of His activity.

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
In the Name of Allah- the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.
  - Mustafa Khattab
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
In the name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful. 19
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Arabic words "Rahman" and "Rahim" translated "Most Gracious" and "Most Merciful" are both intensive forms referring to different aspects of God's attribute of Mercy. The Arabic intensive is more suited to express God's attributes than the superlative degree in English. The latter implies a comparison with other beings, or with other times or places, while there is no being like unto God, and He is independent of Time and Place. Mercy may imply pity, long-suffering, patience, and forgiveness, all of which the sinner needs and God Most Merciful bestows in abundant measure. But there is a Mercy that goes before even the need arises, the Grace which is ever watchful, and flows from God Most Gracious to all His creatures, protecting the, preserving them, guiding them, and leading them to clearer light and higher life. For this reason the attribute Rahman (Most Gracious) is not applied to any but God, but the attribute Rahim (Merciful), is a general term, and may also be applied to Men. To make us contemplate these boundless gifts of God, the formula: "In the name of God Most Gracious, Most Merciful": is placed before every Sura of the Qur-an (except the ninth), and repeated at the beginning of every act by the Muslim who dedicates his life to God, and whose hope is in His Mercy.

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12:1
الٓر ۚ تِلْكَ ءَايَـٰتُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ ٱلْمُبِينِ Alifl a mr a tilka a y a tu alkit a bi almubeen u
Alif. Lam. Ra.1 THESE ARE MESSAGES of a revelation clear in itself and clearly showing the truth:2
  - Mohammad Asad

See Appendix II.

The participial adjective mubin may denote an attribute of the noun which it qualifies ("clear", "manifest", "obvious", etc.) as well as its function ("making clear" or "manifesting", i.e. the truth), either of which meanings is dictated by its context. In the consensus of authoritative opinion, both these meanings are comprised in the above instance; consequently, a compound phrase is necessary in order to render the term appropriately.

Alif L'am Ra. These are the verses of the Book that make things clear.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Alif-Lãm-Ra. These are the verses of the clear Book.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Alif. Lam. Ra. These are verses of the Scripture that maketh plain.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Alif Lam Ra. These are the Symbols (or Verses) of the Perspicuous Book. 1627 1628 1629
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

For the meaning of these letters, see App. I.

Ayat: Signs and verses of the Our-Sn. The whole of Joseph's story is a Sign or a Miracle-a wonder-working exposition of the Plan and Purpose of Allah.

Cf. v. 15, n. 716. The predominant meaning of Mubin here is: one that explains or makes things clear.

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12:2
إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ قُرْءَٰنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ Inn a anzaln a hu qur a nan AAarabiyyan laAAallakum taAAqiloon a
behold, We have bestowed it from on high as a discourse in the Arabic tongue, so that you might encompass it with your reason.3
  - Mohammad Asad

This, according to Zamakhshari, is the meaning of la'allakum ta'qilun in the above context. Although they were in the first instance addressed to the Arabian contemporaries of the Prophet, these two verses apply to all people, whatever their origin, who understand the Arabic language. They are meant to impress upon everyone who listens to or reads the Qur'an that its appeal is directed, primarily, to man's reason, and that "feeling" alone can never provide a sufficient basis of faith. (See also 13:37 and 14:4 , as well as the corresponding notes.)

We have revealed this Qur'an in the Arabic language so that you (Arabs) may understand.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Quran1 so that you may understand.2
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Quran literally means recitation.

 The address here is to the Arabs and, by extension, all of humanity.

Lo! We have revealed it, a Lecture in Arabic, that ye may understand.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an in order that ye may learn wisdom. 1630
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Qur-an means: something (1) to be read, or (2) recited, or (3) proclaimed. It may apply to a verse, or a Sura, or to the whole Book of Revelation.

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12:3
نَحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ أَحْسَنَ ٱلْقَصَصِ بِمَآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ وَإِن كُنتَ مِن قَبْلِهِۦ لَمِنَ ٱلْغَـٰفِلِينَ Na h nu naqu ss u AAalayka a h sana alqa s a s i bim a aw h ayn a ilayka h atha alqur a na wain kunta min qablihi lamina algh a fileen a
In the measure that We reveal4 this Qur'an unto thee, [0 Prophet,] We explain it to thee in the best possible way,5 seeing that ere this thou wert indeed among those who are unaware [of what revelation is].6
  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "By Our having revealed".

Lit., "with the best explanation (ahsan al-iqtisas)". This rendering is very close to the interpretation given by Zamakhshari: "We set forth this Qur'an unto thee in the best way in which it could be set forth." According to Razi, it may safely be assumed that the adjective "best" refers not to the contents of "that which is set forth" - i.e., the particular story narrated in this surah - but rather to the manner in which the Qur'an (or this particular surah) is set forth: and herein he agrees with Zamakhshari. It should be borne in mind that the verb qassa (the infinitive nouns of which are qasas and iqtisas) signifies, primarily, "he followed step by step" or "by degrees", and, subsequently, "he related [a piece of news or a story] as though he followed its traces": hence, "he expounded [it] gradually" or "he explained [it]" (cf. Lane VII, 2526, quoting the Qamus and the Taj al-'Arus with specific reference to the above verse). If, on the other hand, the infinitive noun qasas is regarded as synonymous, in this context, with qissah ("story" or "narrative"), the above sentence might be rendered as "We narrate unto thee the best of narratives", i.e., the subsequent story of Joseph. In my opinion, however, the rendering "We explain it [i.e., the Qur'an] in the best possible way" is preferable inasmuch as it fully coincides with the two opening verses of this surah, which state, in effect, that the Qur'an is self-explanatory.

At this point in his commentary, Razi draws the reader's attention to 42:52 "thou didst not know what revelation is, nor what faith [implies]": a passage similar in purport to the closing words of the above verse: hence my addition, between brackets, of the phrase "of what revelation is".

We relate to you the best of stories through this Qur'an by Our revelation to you (O Muhammad), though before this you were one of those who did not know.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
We relate to you 'O Prophet' the best of stories through Our revelation of this Quran, though before this you were totally unaware 'of them'.
  - Mustafa Khattab
We narrate unto thee (Muhammad) the best of narratives in that We have inspired in thee this Quran, though aforetime thou wast of the heedless.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
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. 1631
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Most beautiful of stories: see Introduction to this Sura. Eloquence consists in conveying by a word or hint many meanings for those who can understand and wish to learn wisdom. Not only is Joseph's story "beautiful" in that sense, Joseph himself was renowned for manly beauty; the women of Egypt, called him a noble angel (xii. 31), and the beauty of his exterior form was a symbol of the beauty of his soul.

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12:4
إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّى رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِى سَـٰجِدِينَ I th q a la yoosufu liabeehi y a abati innee raaytu a h ada AAashara kawkaban wa al shshamsa wa a lqamara raaytuhum lee s a jideen a
LO!7 Thus spoke Joseph unto his father: "O my father! Behold, I saw [in a dream] eleven stars, as well as the sun and the moon: I saw them prostrate themselves before me!"
  - Mohammad Asad

The particle idh is usually a time-reference, and can in most cases be translated as "when". Occasionally, however, it is used as a corroborative particle meant to draw the reader's (or hearer's) attention to the sudden occurrence of a thing (Mughni, Qamus, Taj al-'Arus), or-as is often the case in the Qur'an-to a turn in the discourse: and in such instances it is suitably rendered as "lo" or "now".

This is the narrative of that time, when Yusuf (Joseph) said to his father: "O my father! In a dream I saw eleven stars, the sun and the moon - I saw them prostrate themselves before me!"
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
'Remember' when Joseph said to his father, 'O my dear father! Indeed I dreamt of eleven stars, and the sun, and the moon- I saw them prostrating to me!'1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 This dream came true at the end of the story (see 12:100).

When Joseph said unto his father: O my father! Lo! I saw in a dream eleven planets and the sun and the moon, I saw them prostrating themselves unto me.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
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!" 1632 1633
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

For the Parable all that is necessary to know about Joseph is that he was one of the Chosen Ones of Allah. For the story it is necessary to set down a few more details. His father was Jacob, also called Israel the son of Isaac, the younger son of Abraham, (the elder son having been Isma'il, whose story is told in ii. 124-129. Abraham may be called the Father of the line of Semitic prophecy. Jacob had four wives. From three of them he had ten sons. In his old age he had from Rachel (Arabic Rahil), a very beautiful woman, two sons Joseph and Benjamin (the youngest). The place where Jacob and his family and his flocks were located was in Canaan, and is shown by tradition near modern Nablus (ancient Shechem), some thirty miles north of Jerusalem. The traditional site of the well into which Joseph was thrown by his brothers is still shown in the neighbourhood.

Joseph was a mere lad. But he was true and frank and righteous; he was a type of manly beauty and rectitude. His father loved him dearly. His half-brothers were jealous of him and hated him. His destiny was prefigured in the vision. He was to be exalted in rank above his eleven brothers (stars) and his father and mother (sun and moon), but as the subsequent story shows, he never lost his head, but always honoured his parents and repaid his brothers' craft and hatred with forgiveness and kindness.

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12:5
قَالَ يَـٰبُنَىَّ لَا تَقْصُصْ رُءْيَاكَ عَلَىٰٓ إِخْوَتِكَ فَيَكِيدُوا۟ لَكَ كَيْدًا ۖ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ Q a la y a bunayya l a taq s u s ruy a ka AAal a ikhwatika fayakeedoo laka kaydan inna a l shshay ta na lilins a ni AAaduwwun mubeen un
[Jacob] replied: "O my dear son!8 Do not relate thy dream to thy brothers lest [out of envy] they devise an evil scheme against thee; verily, Satan is man's open foe!9
  - Mohammad Asad

See surah {11}, note [65].

As in the Biblical account of Joseph's story, the Qur'an shows that Jacob did not fail to understand the meaning of his son's dream-vision of future greatness, with the eleven stars symbolizing his brothers, and the sun and the moon his parents. But whereas the Bible quotes the father as "rebuking" his son (Genesis xxxvii, 10) in the obvious assumption that the dream was an outcome of wishful thinking, the Qur'an makes it clear that Jacob - who was himself a prophet - at once realized its prophetic quality and its deeper implications.

He replied: "My dear little son! Do not say any thing about this dream to your brothers, lest they plot an evil scheme against you; for Shaitan is an open enemy to human beings.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
He replied, 'O my dear son! Do not relate your vision to your brothers, or they will devise a plot against you. Surely Satan is a sworn enemy to humankind.
  - Mustafa Khattab
He said: O my dear son! Tell not thy brethren of thy vision, lest they plot a plot against thee. Lo! Satan is for man an open foe.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
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! 1634 1635
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The young lad Yusuf was innocent and did not even know of his brothers' guile and hatred, but the father knew and warned him.

The story is brought up at once to its spiritual bearing. These wicked brothers were puppets in the hands of Evil. They allowed their manhood to be subjugated by Evil, not remembering that Evil was the declared opposite or enemy of the true nature and instincts of manhood.

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