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Surah 12. Yusuf

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12:6
وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَجْتَبِيكَ رَبُّكَ وَيُعَلِّمُكَ مِن تَأْوِيلِ ٱلْأَحَادِيثِ وَيُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰٓ ءَالِ يَعْقُوبَ كَمَآ أَتَمَّهَا عَلَىٰٓ أَبَوَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ Waka tha lika yajtabeeka rabbuka wayuAAallimuka min taweeli ala ha deethi wayutimmu niAAmatahu AAalayka waAAal a a li yaAAqooba kam a atammah a AAal a abawayka min qablu ibr a heema wais ha qa inna rabbaka AAaleemun h akeem un
For, [as thou hast been shown in thy dream,] even thus will thy Sustainer elect thee, and will impart unto thee some understanding of the inner meaning of happenings,10 and will bestow the full measure of His blessings upon thee and upon the House of Jacob - even as, aforetime, He bestowed it in full measure upon thy forefathers Abraham and Isaac. Verily, thy Sustainer is all-knowing, wise!"
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "sayings" or "tidings" (ahadith). Most of the commentators assume that this refers specifically to Joseph's future ability to interpret dreams; but Razi points out that in this context the term hadith (of which ahadith is the plural) may be synonymous with hadith ("something that newly comes into existence", i.e., "an event" or "a happening"). This is, to my mind, much more convincing than a mere reference to dream-interpretation, the more so as the term ta'wil is often used in the Qur'an (e.g., in 3:7 , 10:39 or 18:78 ) in the sense of "final meaning", "inner meaning" or "real meaning" of a happening or statement or thing, as distinct from its outward, prima-facie appearance. The use of the particle min ("of") before the term ta'wil indicates that absolute knowledge of what a thing or event implies rests with God alone (cf. 3:7 - "none save God knows its final meaning"), and that even God's elect, the prophets - albeit their vision is much wider than that of ordinary men - are granted only a partial insight into the mysteries of God's creation.

It will happen, as you have seen in your dream, that you will be chosen by your Rabb for His work. He will teach you how to interpret visions, and will perfect His favor upon you and the children of Ya'qoob (Jacob), as He perfected it upon your forefathers Ibrahim (Abraham) and Ishaq (Isaac) before you. Surely your Rabb is Knowledgeable, Wise.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And so will your Lord choose you 'O Joseph', and teach you the interpretation of dreams, and perfect His favour upon you and the descendants of Jacob- 'just' as He once perfected it upon your forefathers, Abraham and Isaac. Surely your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
Thus thy Lord will prefer thee and will teach thee the interpretation of events, and will perfect his grace upon thee and upon the family of Jacob as he perfected it upon thy forefathers, Abraham and Isaac. Lo! thy Lord is Knower, Wise.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"Thus will thy Lord choose thee and teach thee the interpretation of stories (and events) and perfect His favor to thee and to the posterity of Jacob even as He perfected it to thy fathers Abraham and Isaac aforetime! For Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom." 1636 1637
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If Joseph was to be of the elect, he must understand and interpret Signs and events aright. The imagination of the pure sees truths, which those not so endowed cannot understand. The dreams of the righteous prefigure great events, while the dreams of the futile are mere idle futilities. Even things that happen to us are often like dreams. The righteous man received disasters and reverses, not with blasphemies against Allah, but with humble devotion, seeking to ascertain His Will. Nor does he receive good fortune with arrogance, but as an opportunity for doing good, to friends and foes alike. His attitude to histories and stories is the same: he seeks the edifying material which leads to Allah.

Whatever happens is the result of Allah's Will and Plan. And He is good and wise, and He knows all things. Therefore we must trust Him. In Joseph's case he could look back to his fathers, and to Abraham, the True, the Righteous, who through all adversities kept his Faith pure and undefiled and won through.

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12:7
لَّقَدْ كَانَ فِى يُوسُفَ وَإِخْوَتِهِۦٓ ءَايَـٰتٌ لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ Laqad k a na fee yoosufa waikhwatihi a y a tun li l ss a ileen a
Indeed, in [the story of] Joseph and his brothers there are messages for all who search [after truth].11
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "those who inquire".

Indeed in the story of Yusuf and his brothers, there are signs for inquirers.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Indeed, in the story of Joseph and his brothers there are lessons for all who ask.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Verily in Joseph and his brethren are signs (of Allah's Sovereignty) for the inquiring.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Verily in Joseph and his brethren are Signs (or Symbols) for Seekers (after Truth). 1638
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In Joseph's story we have good and evil contrasted in so many different ways. Those in search of true spiritual knowledge can see it embodied in concrete events in this story of many facets, matching the colours of Joseph's many-coloured coat.

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12:8
إِذْ قَالُوا۟ لَيُوسُفُ وَأَخُوهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىٰٓ أَبِينَا مِنَّا وَنَحْنُ عُصْبَةٌ إِنَّ أَبَانَا لَفِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ I th q a loo layoosufu waakhoohu a h abbu il a abeen a minn a wana h nu AAu s batun inna ab a n a lafee d al a lin mubeen in
NOW [Joseph's brothers] spoke [thus to one another:] "Truly, Joseph and his brother [Benjamin] are dearer to our father than we, even though we are so many.12 Behold, our father is surely suffering from an aberration!"13
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "a company" or "group". Benjamin was Joseph's full brother - both being sons of Jacob's wife Rachel - whereas the other ten were only his half-brothers.

Lit., "is in most obvious error".

This is how the story begins: his step brothers held a meeting and said to one another: "This Yusuf and his brother (Benjamin) are loved more by our father than us, even though we are a group of ten and can help him more than them. In fact, our father is clearly mistaken.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
'Remember' when they said 'to one another', 'Surely Joseph and his brother 'Benjamin' are more beloved to our father than we, even though we are a group of so many.1 Indeed, our father is clearly mistaken.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Unlike Joseph’s other brothers, Benjamin was Joseph’s full brother. They lost their mother at a young age, so their half-brothers thought that their father loved them more.

When they said: Verily Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we are, many though we be. Lo! our father is in plain aberration.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
They said: "Truly Joseph and his brother are loved more by our father than we: but we are a goodly body! Really our father is obviously wandering (in his mind)! 1639
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The ten brothers envied and hated their innocent younger brothers Joseph and Benjamin. Jacob had the wisdom to see that his young and innocent sons wanted protection and to perceive Joseph's spiritual greatness. But his wisdom, to them, was folly or madness of imbecility, because it touched their self-love, as truth often does. And they relied on the brute strength of numbers-the ten hefty brethren against old Jacob, the lad Joseph, and the boy Benjamin!

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12:9
ٱقْتُلُوا۟ يُوسُفَ أَوِ ٱطْرَحُوهُ أَرْضًا يَخْلُ لَكُمْ وَجْهُ أَبِيكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ قَوْمًا صَـٰلِحِينَ Oqtuloo yoosufa awi i t ra h oohu ar d an yakhlu lakum wajhu abeekum watakoonoo min baAAdihi qawman sa li h een a
[Said one of them:] "Slay Joseph, or else drive him away to some [faraway] land, 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!"14
  - Mohammad Asad

The phrase interpolated by me within brackets - reflecting the unconscious irony in the attitude of Joseph's brethren - is based on the consensus of most of the classical commentators.

Let us kill Yusuf or throw him out to some far-off land so that the attention of our father turns exclusively towards us, after that, we may again become righteous people!"
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Kill Joseph or cast him out to some 'distant' land so that our father's attention will be only ours, then after that you may 'repent and' become righteous people!'
  - Mustafa Khattab
(One said): Kill Joseph or cast him to some (other) land, so that your father's favor may be all for you, and (that) ye may afterward be righteous folk.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"Slay ye Joseph or cast him out to some (unknown) land that so the favor of your father may be given to you alone: (There will be time enough) for you to be righteous after that!" 1640
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

There seems to be some irony here, consistent with the cynical nature of these callous, worldly-wise brethren. The goodness of Joseph was a reproach to their own wickedness. Perhaps the grieved father contrasted Joseph against them, and sometimes spoke of it: "Why don't you be good like Joseph?" This was gall and wormwood to them. Real goodness was to them nothing but a name. Perhaps it only suggested hypocrisy to them. So they plotted to get rid of Joseph. In their mean hearts they thought that would bring back their father's love whole to them. But they valued that love only for what material good they could get out of it. On the other hand their father was neither foolish nor unjustly partial. He only knew the difference between gold and dross. They say in irony, "Let us first get rid of Joseph. It will be time enough then to pretend to be 'good' like him, or to repent of our crime after we have had all its benefits in material things"!

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12:10
قَالَ قَآئِلٌ مِّنْهُمْ لَا تَقْتُلُوا۟ يُوسُفَ وَأَلْقُوهُ فِى غَيَـٰبَتِ ٱلْجُبِّ يَلْتَقِطْهُ بَعْضُ ٱلسَّيَّارَةِ إِن كُنتُمْ فَـٰعِلِينَ Q a la q a ilun minhum l a taqtuloo yoosufa waalqoohu fee ghay a bati aljubbi yaltaqi t hu baAA d u a l ssayy a rati in kuntum f a AAileen a
Another of them said: "Do not slay Joseph, but rather - if you must do something - cast him into the dark depths of this well, [whence] some caravan may pick him up."15
  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "and take him with them to a faraway land" (cf. the preceding verse). The term jubb - rendered by me as "well" - is usually applied to a desert well simply cut through the earth or through rock and not cased with stone: the implication being that this particular well did not contain enough water to drown Joseph, but was deep enough to hide him from sight.

At this one of them said: "Do not kill Yusuf, but if you must, throw him into some dark well, so that he may be picked up by some passing by caravan."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
One of them said, 'Do not kill Joseph. But if you must do something, throw him into the bottom of a well so perhaps he may be picked up by some travellers.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
One among them said: Kill not Joseph but, if ye must be doing, fling him into the depth of the pit; some caravan will find him.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Said one of them: "Slay not Joseph but if ye must do something throw him down to the bottom of the well: he will be picked up by some caravan of travellers." 1641
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

One of the brethren, perhaps less cruel by nature, or perhaps more worldly-wise, said: "Why undertake the risk of blood-guiltiness? Throw him into the well you see there! Some travellers passing by will pick him up and remove him to a far country. If not, at least we shall not have killed him," This was false casuistry, but such casuistry appeals to sinners of a certain kind of temperament. The well was apparently a dry well, deep enough to prevent his coming out, but with no water in which he could be drowned. It was Allah's Plan to save him alive, but not to make Joseph indebted to any of his brethren for his life!

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12:11
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَا مَا لَكَ لَا تَأْمَ۫نَّا عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَنَـٰصِحُونَ Q a loo y a ab a n a m a laka l a tamann a AAal a yoosufa wainn a lahu lan as i h oon a
[On this they agreed; and thereupon] they spoke [thus to their father]: "O our father! Wherefore wilt thou not trust us with Joseph, seeing that we are indeed his well-wishers?
  - Mohammad Asad
After this meeting, they asked their father: "O our father! Why is it that you do not trust us with Yusuf, though we are his sincere well-wishers?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
They said, 'O our father! Why do you not trust us with Joseph, although we truly wish him well?
  - Mustafa Khattab
They said: O our father! Why wilt thou not trust us with Joseph, when lo! we are good friends to him?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
They said: "O our father! why dost thou not trust us with Joseph seeing we are indeed his sincere well-wishers? 1642
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The plot having been formed, the brethren proceed to put it into execution. Jacob, knowing the situation, did not ordinarily trust his beloved Joseph with the brethren. The latter therefore remonstrate and feign brotherly affection.

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12:12
أَرْسِلْهُ مَعَنَا غَدًا يَرْتَعْ وَيَلْعَبْ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَـٰفِظُونَ Arsilhu maAAan a ghadan yartaAA wayalAAab wainn a lahu la ha fi th oon a
Let him go out with us tomorrow, that he may enjoy himself and play: and, verily, we shall guard him well!"
  - Mohammad Asad
Send him with us tomorrow, that he may play and enjoy himself. We shall take good care of him."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Send him out with us tomorrow so that he may enjoy himself and play. And we will really watch over him.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
Send him with us tomorrow that he may enjoy himself and play. And lo! we shall take good care of him.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"Send him with us tomorrow to enjoy himself and play and we shall take every care of him." 1643
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They did not expect their protestations to be believed in. But they added an argument that might appeal both to Jacob and Joseph. 'They were going to give their young brother a good time. Why not let him come out with them and play and enjoy himself to his heart's content?'

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12:13
قَالَ إِنِّى لَيَحْزُنُنِىٓ أَن تَذْهَبُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَأَخَافُ أَن يَأْكُلَهُ ٱلذِّئْبُ وَأَنتُمْ عَنْهُ غَـٰفِلُونَ Q a la innee laya h zununee an tha th haboo bihi waakh a fu an yakulahu a l thth ibu waantum AAanhu gh a filoon a
[Jacob] answered: "Behold, 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 heedless of him!"
  - Mohammad Asad
Their father said: "I will be worried if you take him away, for I fear lest a wolf should eat him up while you are off your guard ."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
He responded, 'It would truly sadden me if you took him away with you, and I fear that a wolf may devour him while you are negligent of him.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
He said: Lo! in truth it saddens me that ye should take him with you, and I fear lest the wolf devour him while ye are heedless of him.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
(Jacob) said: "Really it saddens me that ye should take him away: I fear lest the wolf should devour him while ye attend not to him." 1644
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Jacob did not know the precise plot, but he had strong misgivings. But how could he put off these brethren? If they were driven to open hostility, they would be certain to cause him harm. He must deal with the brethren wisely and cautiously. He pleaded that he was an old man, and would miss Joseph and be sad without him. And after all, Joseph was not of an age to play with them. They would be attending to their own affairs, and a wolf might come and attack and kill Joseph. In saying this he was really unwittingly giving a cue to the wicked ones, for they use that very excuse in verse 17 below. Thus the wicked plot thickens, but there is a counter-plan also, which is drawing a noose of lies round the wicked ones, so that they are eventually driven into a corner, and have to confess their own guilt in verse 91 below, and through repentance obtain forgiveness.

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12:14
قَالُوا۟ لَئِنْ أَكَلَهُ ٱلذِّئْبُ وَنَحْنُ عُصْبَةٌ إِنَّآ إِذًا لَّخَـٰسِرُونَ Q a loo lain akalahu a l thth ibu wana h nu AAu s batun inn a i th an lakh a siroon a
Said they: "Surely, if the wolf were to devour him notwithstanding that we are so many - then, behold, we ought ourselves to perish!"
  - Mohammad Asad
They said: "If a wolf could eat him despite our number, then surely we would be worthless people!"
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
They said, 'If a wolf were to devour him, despite our strong group, then we would certainly be losers!'
  - Mustafa Khattab
They said: If the wolf should devour him when we are (so strong) a band, then surely we should have already perished.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
They said: "If the wolf were to devour him while we are (so large) a party then should we indeed (first) have perished ourselves!" 1645
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Jacob's objections as stated could be easily rebutted, and the brethren did so. They would be eleven in the party, and the ten strong and grown-up men would have to perish before the wolf could touch the young lad Joseph! So they prevailed, as verbal arguments are apt to prevail, when events are weaving their web on quite another Plan, which has nothing to do with verbal arguments. Presumably Benjamin was too young to go with them.

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12:15
فَلَمَّا ذَهَبُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَأَجْمَعُوٓا۟ أَن يَجْعَلُوهُ فِى غَيَـٰبَتِ ٱلْجُبِّ ۚ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْهِ لَتُنَبِّئَنَّهُم بِأَمْرِهِمْ هَـٰذَا وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ Falamm a th ahaboo bihi waajmaAAoo an yajAAaloohu fee ghay a bati aljubbi waaw h ayn a ilayhi latunabiannahum biamrihim h atha wahum l a yashAAuroon a
And so, when they went away with him, they decided to cast him into the dark depths of the well. And We revealed [this] unto him: "Thou wilt yet remind them of this their deed at a time when they shall not perceive [who thou art]!"16
  - Mohammad Asad

See verses {89-90} of this surah.

When after such persistence they were able to take him away, they resolved to throw him into a dark well. We revealed this (to Yusuf) : "A time will come when you will admonish them about this act of theirs, now they do not perceive its consequences."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And so, when they took him away and decided to throw him into the bottom of the well, We inspired him: ''One day' you will remind them of this deed of theirs while they are unaware 'of who you are'.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
Then, when they led him off, and were of one mind that they should place him in the depth of the pit, We inspired in him: Thou wilt tell them of this deed of theirs when they know (thee) not.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
So they did take him away and they all agreed to throw him down to the bottom of the well: and We put into his heart (this Message): "Of a surety thou shalt (one day) tell them the truth of this their affair while they know (thee) not." 1646 1647
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah was with Joseph in all his difficulties, sorrows, and sufferings, as He is with all His servants who put their trust in Him. The poor lad was betrayed by his brothers, and left, perhaps to die or to be sold into slavery. But his heart was undaunted. His courage never failed him. On the contrary he had an inkling, a presentiment, of things that were to be-that his own rectitude and beauty of soul would land him on his feet, and perhaps some day, his brothers would stand in need of him, and he would be in a position to fulfil that need, and would do it gladly, putting them, to shame for their present plotting and betrayal of him.

This situation actually occurred when Joseph later on became the govenor of Egypt and his brothers stood before him suing for his assistance although they did not know that he was their betrayed brother; see xii. 89 below; also xii. 58.

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12:16
وَجَآءُوٓ أَبَاهُمْ عِشَآءً يَبْكُونَ Waj a oo ab a hum AAish a an yabkoon a
And at nightfall they came to their father, weeping,
  - Mohammad Asad
At nightfall they return to their father, weeping.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then they returned to their father in the evening, weeping.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And they came weeping to their father in the evening.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then they came to their father in the early part of the night weeping. 1648
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The plotters were ready with their false tale for their father, but in order to make it appear plausible, they came some time after sundown, to show that they had made an effort to search for their brother and save him.

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12:17
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَآ إِنَّا ذَهَبْنَا نَسْتَبِقُ وَتَرَكْنَا يُوسُفَ عِندَ مَتَـٰعِنَا فَأَكَلَهُ ٱلذِّئْبُ ۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ بِمُؤْمِنٍ لَّنَا وَلَوْ كُنَّا صَـٰدِقِينَ Q a loo y a ab a n a inn a th ahabn a nastabiqu watarakn a yoosufa AAinda mat a AAin a faakalahu a l thth ibu wam a anta bimuminin lan a walaw kunn a sa diqeen a
[and] said: "O our father! Behold, we went off racing with one another, and left Joseph behind with our things; and thereupon the wolf devoured him! But [we know that] thou wouldst not believe us even though we speak the truth" -
  - Mohammad Asad
They said: "Father! We went off to compete in racing with one another, and left Yusuf by our belongings, and a wolf ate him ! But you will not believe us even though we are telling the truth."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
They cried, 'Our father! We went racing and left Joseph with our belongings, and a wolf devoured him! But you will not believe us, no matter how truthful we are.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
Saying: O our father! We went racing one with another, and left Joseph by our things, and the wolf devoured him, and thou believest not our sayings even when we speak the truth.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
They said: "Oh our father! we went racing with one another and left Joseph with our things: and the wolf devoured him. But thou wilt never believe us even though we tell the truth." 1649 1650
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They wanted to make out that they were not negligent of Joseph. They were naturally having games and exercise, while the boy was left with their belongings. It was the racing that prevented them from seeing the wolf. And Jacob's fears about the wolf (xii. 13 above) made them imagine that he would swallow the wolf story readily.

They were surprised that Jacob received the story about the wolf with cold incredulity. So they grew petulant, put on an air of injured innocence, and bring out the blood-stained garment described in the next verse.

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12:18
وَجَآءُو عَلَىٰ قَمِيصِهِۦ بِدَمٍ كَذِبٍ ۚ قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا ۖ فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ Waj a oo AAal a qamee s ihi bidamin ka th ibin q a la bal sawwalat lakum anfusukum amran fa s abrun jameelun wa A ll a hu almustaAA a nu AAal a m a ta s ifoon a
and they produced his tunic with false blood upon it. [But Jacob] exclaimed: "Nay, but it is your [own] minds that have made [so terrible] a happening seem a matter of little account to you!17 But [as for myself,] patience in adversity is most goodly [in the sight of God]; and it is to God [alone] that I pray to give me strength to bear the misfortune which you have described to me."18
  - Mohammad Asad

Apparently Jacob did not believe the tale of the wolf but, knowing his sons' envy of Joseph, at once realized that it was they themselves who had done grievous harm to him. Nevertheless - as is evident from Jacob's expression of hope in verse {83} of this surah - he was not quite convinced that Joseph was really dead.

Lit., "it is to God that I turn for aid against what you are describing".

As proof they brought his shirt stained with false blood. "No!" He cried, "Your souls have tempted you to evil. I need good patience! Allah Alone can help me bear the loss you are speaking of."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And they brought his shirt, stained with false blood.1 He responded, 'No! Your souls must have tempted you to do something 'evil'. So 'I can only endure with' beautiful patience!2 It is Allah's help that I seek to bear your claims.'
  - Mustafa Khattab

 They stained Joseph’s shirt with blood from a sheep, but forgot to tear his shirt. So Jacob became suspicious when he saw the intact shirt.

 i.e., patience without complaining.

And they came with false blood on his shirt. He said: Nay, but your minds have beguiled you into something. (My course is) comely patience. And Allah it is whose help is to be sought in that (predicament) which ye describe.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
They stained his shirt with false blood. He said: "Nay but your minds have made up a tale (that may pass) with you. (For me) patience is most fitting: against that which ye assert it is Allah (alone) whose help can be sought"... 1651 1652
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Joseph wore a garment of many colours, which was a special garment peculiar to him. If the brethren could produce it blood-stained before their father, they thought he would be convinced that Joseph had been killed by a wild beast. But the stain on the garment was a stain of "false blood",-not the blood of Joseph, but the blood of a goat which the brethren had killed expressly for this purpose. Their device, however, was not quite convincing because, as some Commentators have pointed out the garment was intact which is unconceivable if a wolf had indeed devoured Joseph.

Jacob saw that there had been some foul play, and he did not hesitate to say so. In effect he said "Ah me! the tale you tell may be good enough for you, who invented it! But what about me, your aged father? What is there left in life for me now, with my beloved son gone? And yet what can I do but hold my heart in patience and implore Allah's assistance? I have faith, and I know that all that He does is for the best!"

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12:19
وَجَآءَتْ سَيَّارَةٌ فَأَرْسَلُوا۟ وَارِدَهُمْ فَأَدْلَىٰ دَلْوَهُۥ ۖ قَالَ يَـٰبُشْرَىٰ هَـٰذَا غُلَـٰمٌ ۚ وَأَسَرُّوهُ بِضَـٰعَةً ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ Waj a at sayy a ratun faarsaloo w a ridahum faadl a dalwahu q a la y a bushr a h atha ghul a mun waasarroohu bi da AAatan wa A ll a hu AAaleemun bim a yaAAmaloon a
AND THERE CAME a caravan;19 and they sent forth their drawer of water, and he let down his bucket into the well - [and when he saw Joseph] he exclaimed: "Oh, what a lucky find,20 this boy!" And they hid him with a view to selling him: but God had full knowledge of all that they were doing.
  - Mohammad Asad

According to the Bible (Genesis xxxvii, 25), they were "Ishmaelites" - i.e., Arabs - who "came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt". (Gilead is the Biblical name for the region east of the Jordan.)

Lit., "O good news!"

On the other side, a caravan passed by, and sent a water carrier who let down his bucket into the well. Seeing Yusuf in it, he shouted with joy: "Good news! I found a young boy." They concealed him like trade merchandise. But Allah knew what they did.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And there came some travellers, and they sent their water-boy who let down his bucket into the well. He cried out, 'Oh, what a great find! Here is a boy!' And they took him secretly 'to be sold' as merchandise, but Allah is All-Knowing of what they did.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And there came a caravan, and they sent their water-drawer. He let down his pail (into the pit). He said: Good luck! Here is a youth. And they hid him as a treasure, and Allah was Aware of what they did.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then there came a caravan of travellers: they sent their water-carrier (for water) and he let down his bucket (into the well)... He said: "Ah there! Good news! Here is a (fine) young man! So they concealed him as a treasure! But Allah knoweth well all that they do! 1653 1654 1655 1656
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Then comes the caravan of unknown travellers-Midianite or Arab merchants travelling to Egypt with merchandise, such as the balm of Gilead in Trans-Jordania. In accordance with custom the caravan was preceded by advance parties to search out water and pitch a camp near. They naturally went to the well and let down their bucket.

The water carrier is surprised and taken aback, when he finds a youth of comely appearance, innocent like an angel, with a face as bright as the sun! What is he to make of it? Anyhow, to see him is a delight! And he shouts it out as a piece of good news. Some Commentators think that "Bushra", the Arabic word for "Good news", is a proper noun, the name of the companion to whom he shouted.

It was a caravan of merchants, and they think of everything in terms of the money to be made out of it! Here was an unknown, unclaimed youth, of surpassing beauty, with apparently a mind as refined as was his external beauty. If he could be sold in the opulent slave markets of Memphis or whatever was the capital of the Hyksos Dynasty then ruling in Egypt, what a price he would fetch! They had indeed lighted upon a treasure! And they wanted to conceal him lest he was another's slave and had run away from his master who might come and claim him! The circumstances were peculiar and the merchants were cautious. Bidha'at=stock-in-trade; capital; money; wealth; treasure.

To different mind the situation appeared different. Joseph must have felt keenly the edge of his brethren's treason. His father Jacob was lost in the sorrow of the loss of his best-beloved son. The brethren were exulting in their plan of getting rid of one whom they hated. The merchants were gloating over their gains. But the horizon of all was limited. Allah knew their deeds and their feelings and motives, and He was working out His own Plan. Neither the best of us nor the worst of us know whither our Destiny is leading us-how evil plots are defeated and goodness comes to its own in marvellous ways!.

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12:20
وَشَرَوْهُ بِثَمَنٍۭ بَخْسٍ دَرَٰهِمَ مَعْدُودَةٍ وَكَانُوا۟ فِيهِ مِنَ ٱلزَّٰهِدِينَ Washarawhu bithamanin bakhsin dar a hima maAAdoodatin wak a noo feehi mina a l zz a hideen a
And they sold him for a paltry price - a mere few silver coins: thus low did they value him.
  - Mohammad Asad
They (brought him to Egypt and) sold him for a petty price, a few dirhams (silver coins), they had such a low estimation of him.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
They 'later' sold him for a cheap price, just a few silver coins- only wanting to get rid of him.1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Other possible translations: 1. “… so little did they value him.” 2. “… they had no interest in him.” In any case, they wanted to sell him immediately before someone claimed him. According to some Quran commentators, it was Joseph’s brothers who sold him to the travellers after he was picked up from the well. The verse states that Joseph was sold for a few worthless coins. Ironically, in 12:88 Joseph’s brothers came to him after he became Egypt’s Chief Minister, begging for supplies and saying that the only money they could afford was a few worthless coins. This is when Joseph revealed his true identity to them.

And they sold him for a low price, a number of silver coins; and they attached no value to him.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The (Brethren) sold him for a miserable price for a few dirhams counted out: in such low estimation did they hold him! 1657 1658
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Dirham: from Greek, drachma, a small silver coin, which varied in weight and value at different times and in different States.

There was mutual deceit on both sides. The Brethren had evidently been watching to see what happened to Joseph. When they saw the merchants take him up and hide him, they came to claim his price as a run away slave, but dared not haggle over the price, lest their object, to get rid of him, should be defeated. The merchants were shrewd enough to doubt the claim in their own minds; but they dared not haggle lest they should lose a very valuable acquisition. And so the most precious of human lives in that age was sold into slavery for a few silver pieces!

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12:21
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِى ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ مِن مِّصْرَ لِٱمْرَأَتِهِۦٓ أَكْرِمِى مَثْوَىٰهُ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَنفَعَنَآ أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُۥ وَلَدًا ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلِنُعَلِّمَهُۥ مِن تَأْوِيلِ ٱلْأَحَادِيثِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَمْرِهِۦ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ Waq a la alla th ee ishtar a hu min mi s ra li i mraatihi akrimee mathw a hu AAas a an yanfaAAan a aw nattakhi th ahu waladan waka tha lika makkann a liyoosufa fee alar d i walinuAAallimahu min taweeli ala ha deethi wa A ll a hu gh a libun AAal a amrihi wal a kinna akthara a l nn a si l a yaAAlamoon a
And the man from Egypt who bought him21 said to his wife: "Make his stay [with us] honourable; he may well be of use to us, or we may adopt him as a son." And thus We gave unto Joseph a firm place on earth; and [We did this] so that We might impart unto him some understanding of the inner meaning of happenings.22 For, God always prevails in whatever be His purpose: but most people know it not.
  - Mohammad Asad

The Qur'an does not mention his name or position; but a later reference to him (in verse {30} below) as al-'aziz ("the great [or "mighty"] one") points to his having been a high official or a nobleman.

See note [10] above.

The Egyptian who bought Yusuf said to his wife: "Be kind to him. He may prove useful to us, or we may adopt him as a son." Thus We established Yusuf in the land and arranged to teach him the understanding of affairs. Allah has full power over His affairs; though most people do not know.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The man from Egypt1 who bought him said to his wife, 'Take good care of him, perhaps he may be useful to us or we may adopt him as a son.' This is how We established Joseph in the land, so that We might teach him the interpretation of dreams. Allah's Will always prevails, but most people do not know.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Potiphar, the Chief Minister of Egypt (Al-’Azîz).

And he of Egypt who purchased him said unto his wife: Receive him honorably. Perchance he may prove useful to us or we may adopt him as a son. Thus We established Joseph in the land that We might teach him the interpretation of events. And Allah was predominant in his career, but most of mankind know not.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The man in Egypt who bought him said to his wife: "Make his stay (among us) honorable: maybe he will bring us much good or we shall adopt him as a son." Thus did we establish Joseph in the land that We might teach him the interpretation of stories (and events). And Allah hath full power and control over His affairs; but most among mankind know it not. 1659 1660 1661 1662 1663
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Joseph is now clear of his jealous brethren in the land of Canaan. The merchants take him to Egypt. In the city of Memphis (or whatever was the Egyptian capital then) he was exposed for sale by the merchants. The merchants had not miscalculated. There was a ready market for him; his handsome presence, his winning ways, his purity and innocence, his intelligence and integrity, combined with his courtesy and noble manliness, attracted all eyes to him. There was the keenest competition to purchase him, and in the highest Court circles. Every competitor was outbid by a high court official, who is called in verse 30 below "the 'Aziz" (the Exalted in rank).

See last note. The 'Aziz's motive was perhaps worldly. Such a handsome, attractive, intelligent son would get him more honour, dignity, power and wealth.

How unerringly Allah's plan works! To teach Joseph wisdom and power, he had to be tested and proved in righteousness, and advanced and established in Egypt, and the way prepared for Israel and his posterity to proclaim Allah's truth to the world and to make possible the subsequent missions of Moses.

Ahadith might be stories, things imagined or related, things that happened, in life or in true dreams. To suppose that phenomenal events are the only reality is a mark of one-sided materialism. As Hamlet said to Horatio, "there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." External events have their own limited reality, but there are bigger realities behind them, that sometimes appear darkly in the visions of ordinary men, but more clearly in the visions of poets, seers, sages and prophets. Joseph had to be trained in seeing the realities behind events and visions. He was hated by his brothers and sold by them into slavery; they were sending him into the land of Egypt, where he was to rule men. He loved his father dearly and was separated from him, and his mother had died early; but his affection was not blunted, but drawn to a keener edge when his benevolent work benefited millions in Egypt, and in the world. His own visions of stars, sun, and moon prostrating themselves before him, was no idle dream of a selfish fool, but the prefigurement of a power, which, used rightly, was to make his own honour an instrument of service to millions he had not seen, through men and women whose own power and dignity were sanctified through him. He was to understand the hidden meaning of what seemed futilities, blunderings, snares, evil-plottings, love gone wrong, and power used tyrannically. He was to interpret truth to those who would never have reached it otherwise.

Cf.: "There is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them as we will." Only, in Shakespeare, (Hamlet, V. 2), we have a vague and distant ideal, an irresolute striving, an unsuccessful attempt at getting beyond "this too, too solid flesh"! In Joseph we have the Prophet of Allah, sure in faith, above all carnal motives, and advancing the destiny of mankind with a conscious purpose, as the scroll of knowledge, wisdom, and power, unfolds itself before him by the grace of Allah, All-Good and All-Powerful.

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12:22
وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُۥٓ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ Walamm a balagha ashuddahu a tayn a hu h ukman waAAilman waka tha lika najzee almu h sineen a
And when he reached full manhood, We bestowed upon him the ability to judge [between right and wrong], as well as [innate] knowledge: for thus do We reward the doers of good.
  - Mohammad Asad
When he reached maturity, We bestowed on him wisdom and knowledge. Thus do We reward the righteous.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And when he reached maturity, We gave him wisdom and knowledge. This is how We reward the good-doers.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And when he reached his prime We gave him wisdom and knowledge. Thus We reward the good.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
When Joseph attained his full manhood We gave him power and knowledge: thus do We reward those who do right. 1664 1665
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When Joseph left Canaan, he was a young and immature lad, but his nature was innocent and good. Through the vicissitudes of his fortune in Egypt, he grew in knowledge, judgment, and power.

Muhsinin: those who do right, those who do good. Both ideas are implied. In following right conduct, you are necessarily doing good to yourself and to others.

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12:23
وَرَٰوَدَتْهُ ٱلَّتِى هُوَ فِى بَيْتِهَا عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ وَغَلَّقَتِ ٱلْأَبْوَٰبَ وَقَالَتْ هَيْتَ لَكَ ۚ قَالَ مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ رَبِّىٓ أَحْسَنَ مَثْوَاىَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ War a wadathu allatee huwa fee baytih a AAan nafsihi waghallaqati alabw a ba waq a lat hayta laka q a la maAA ath a All a hi innahu rabbee a h sana mathw a ya innahu l a yufli h u a l thth a limoon a
And [it so happened that] she in whose house he was living [conceived a passion for him and] sought to make him yield himself unto her; and she bolted the doors and said, "Come thou unto me!" [But Joseph] answered: "May God preserve me! Behold, goodly has my master made my stay [in this house]! Verily, to no good end come they that do [such] wrong!"
  - Mohammad Asad
Now, the lady of the house (his master's wife) attempted to seduce him. She bolted the doors and said: "Come!" He replied: "May Allah protect me from this! My lord has provided me with good residence. Should I betray his trust? Such wrongdoers shall not prosper."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And the lady, in whose house he lived, tried to seduce him. She locked the doors 'firmly' and said, 'Come to me!' He replied, 'Allah is my refuge! It is 'not right to betray' my master, who has taken good care of me. Indeed, the wrongdoers never succeed.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And she, in whose house he was, asked of him an evil act. She bolted the doors and said: Come! He said: I seek refuge in Allah! Lo! he is my lord, who hath treated me honorably. Wrong- doers never prosper.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
But she in whose house he was sought to seduce him from his (true) self: she fastened the doors and said: "Now come thou (dear one)!" He said: "Allah forbid! truly (thy husband) is my lord! He made my sojourn agreeable! Truly to no good come those who do wrong!" 1666 1667
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The 'Aziz had treated Joseph with honour; he was more his guest and son than his slave. In trying to seduce Joseph in these circumstances, his wife was guilty of a crime against Joseph's own honour and dignity. And there was a third fault in her earthly love. True love blots Self out: it thinks more of the loved one than of the Self. The 'Aziz's wife was seeking the satisfaction of her own selfish passion, and was in treason against Joseph's pure soul and his high destiny. It was inevitable that Joseph should repel the advances made by the wife of the courtier.

Joseph's plea in rejecting her advances is threefold: '(1) I owe a duty, and so do you, to your husband, the 'Aziz; (2) the kindness, courtesy, and honour, with which he has treated me entitied him to more than mere gratitude from me; (3) in any case, do you not see that you are harbouring a guilty passion, and that no good can come out of guilt? We must all obey laws, human and divine.'

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12:24
وَلَقَدْ هَمَّتْ بِهِۦ ۖ وَهَمَّ بِهَا لَوْلَآ أَن رَّءَا بُرْهَـٰنَ رَبِّهِۦ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ ٱلسُّوٓءَ وَٱلْفَحْشَآءَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا ٱلْمُخْلَصِينَ Walaqad hammat bihi wahamma bih a lawl a an ra a burh a na rabbihi ka tha lika lina s rifa AAanhu a l ssooa wa a lfa h sh a a innahu min AAib a din a almukhla s een a
And, indeed, she desired him, and he desired her; [and he would have succumbed] had he not seen [in this temptation] an evidence of his Sustainer's truth:23 thus [We willed it to be] in order that We might avert from him all evil and all deeds of abomination - for, behold, he was truly one of Our servants.24
  - Mohammad Asad

The interpolated phrase "and he would have succumbed", is, according to Zamakhshari, implied in the above sentence. In his commentary on this verse, he further points out that the moral significance of "virtue" consists in one's inner victory over a wrongful desire, and not in the absence of such a desire. Cf. the well-known saying of the Prophet, recorded, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, by Bukhari and Muslim: "God, exalted be He, says: 'If a servant of Mine [merely] desires to do a good deed, I shall count this [desire] as a good deed; and if he does it, I shall count it tenfold. And if he desires to commit a bad deed, but does not commit it, I shall count this as a good deed, seeing that he refrained from it only for My sake...'" - i.e., in consequence of a moral consideration (which, in the present instance, is described as "an evidence of God's truth").

Lit., "he was among Our sincere servants".

She advanced toward him, and he would have advanced towards her had he not seen a sign from his Rabb. Thus did We shielded him from indecency and immodesty, for he was one of Our chosen, a sincere devotee.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
She advanced towards him, and he would have done likewise, had he not seen a sign from his Lord.1 This is how We kept evil and indecency away from him, for he was truly one of Our chosen servants.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Joseph (ﷺ) received warning against fornication either through divine inspiration or a vision of his father.

She verily desired him, and he would have desired her if it had not been that he saw the argument of his lord. Thus it was, that We might ward off from him evil and lewdness. Lo! he was of Our chosen slaves.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And (with passion) did she desire him and he would have desired her but that he saw the evidence of his Lord: thus (did We order) that We might turn away from him (all) evil and shameful deeds: for he was one of Our servants sincere and purified. 1668 1669
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

She was blinded with passion, and his plea had no effect on her. He was human after all, and her passionate love and her beauty placed a great temptation in his path. But he had a sure refuge,-his faith in Allah. His spiritual eyes saw something that her eyes, blinded by passion, did not see. She thought no one saw when the doors were closed. He knew that Allah was there. That made him strong and proof against temptation.

The credit of our being saved from sin is due, not to our weak earthly nature, but to Allah. We can only try, like Joseph, to be true and sincere; Allah will purify us and save us from all that is wrong. Tempted but true, we rise above ourselves.

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12:25
وَٱسْتَبَقَا ٱلْبَابَ وَقَدَّتْ قَمِيصَهُۥ مِن دُبُرٍ وَأَلْفَيَا سَيِّدَهَا لَدَا ٱلْبَابِ ۚ قَالَتْ مَا جَزَآءُ مَنْ أَرَادَ بِأَهْلِكَ سُوٓءًا إِلَّآ أَن يُسْجَنَ أَوْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ Wa i stabaq a alb a ba waqaddat qamee s ahu min duburin waalfay a sayyidah a lad a alb a bi q a lat m a jaz a o man ar a da biahlika sooan ill a an yusjana aw AAa tha bun aleem un
And they both rushed to the door; and she [grasped and] rent his tunic from behind - and [lo!] they met her lord at the door! Said she: "What ought to be the punishment of one who had evil designs on [the virtue of] thy wife - [what] but imprisonment or a [yet more] grievous chastisement?"
  - Mohammad Asad
They both rushed to the door. In order to stop him she caught his shirt, and as a result she ripped his shirt from behind. At the door they met her husband. Seeing him she cried: "What punishment does someone who intended evil against your wife deserve except imprisonment or a painful chastisement?"
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
They raced for the door and she tore his shirt from the back, only to find her husband at the door. She cried, 'What is the penalty for someone who tried to violate your wife, except imprisonment or a painful punishment?'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And they raced with one another to the door, and she tore his shirt from behind, and they met her lord and master at the door. She said: What shall be his reward, who wisheth evil to thy folk, save prison or a painful doom?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
So they both raced each other to the door and she tore his shirt from the back: they both found her lord near the door. She said: "What is the (fitting) punishment for one who formed an evil design against thy wife but prison or a grievous chastisement?" 1670 1671
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

With his master's wife in her mad passion, the situation became intolerable, and Joseph made for the door. She ran after him to detain him. She tugged at his garment to detain him. As he was retreating, she could only catch hold of the back of his shirt, and in the struggle she tore it. He was determined to open the door and leave the place, as it was useless to argue with her in her mad passion. When the door was opened, it so happened, that the 'Aziz was not far off. We need not assume that he was spying, or had any suspicions either of his wife or Joseph. In his narrow limited way he was a just man. We can imagine his wife's consternation. One guilt leads to another. She had to resort to a lie, not only to justify herself but also to have her revenge on the man who had scorned her love. Slighted love (of the physical kind) made her ferocious, and she lost all sense of right and wrong.

Her lie and her accusation were plausible. Joseph was found with his dress disarranged. She wanted the inference to be drawn that he had assaulted her and she had resisted. For one in his position it was a dreadful crime. Should he not be consigned to a dungeon or at least scourged? Perhaps she hoped that in either case he would be more pliable to her designs in the future.

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