Author: sftwr2020

12-69 And when they went in to Joseph, he lodged his brother with himself, saying: I am thy brother, so grieve not at what they do.^a

وَلَمَّا دَخَلُوا۟ عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ ءَاوَىٰٓ إِلَيْهِ أَخَاهُ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَنَا۠ أَخُوكَ فَلَا تَبْتَئِسْ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ (۶۹)

12-69a: Joseph gave his real brother accommodation with him and in private told him that he was his brother and asked him not to grieve at what their half-brothers had done, that is not to feel distressed at how the half-brothers had treated Joseph.

12-70 Then when he furnished them with their provision, (someone) placed the drinking-cup in his brother’s bag. Then a crier cried out: O caravan, you are surely thieves!^a

فَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهَازِهِمْ جَعَلَ ٱلسِّقَايَةَ فِى رَحْلِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ أَيَّتُهَا ٱلْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَـٰرِقُونَ (۷۰)

12-70a: سِّقَايَةَ – سَقیٰ and اَسۡقیٰ mean to give a drink. اسقاء is more comprehensive than سَقۡی, and means to present a drink so that the drinker may drink it as he wants. Examples are: وَسَقَىٰهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ شَرَابًۭا طَهُورًا (their Lord makes them to drink a pure drink) (76:21); وَأَسْقَيْنَـٰكُم مَّآءًۭ فُرَاتًۭا (and given you to drink of sweet water) (77:27); نُّسْقِيكُم مِّمَّا فِى بُطُونِهَا (We make you to drink of what is in their bellies) (23:21). سِّقَايَةَ is the container in which the drink is poured, that is a glass or cup from which the drink is drunk. Further in the narrative it is called صُواع and صاع is a measuring cup. The king’s cup is called صُواع because it also served as a measuring cup (R).

عِير – Is a party that is conveying a load of grain, that is the camels loaded with grains and the men accompanying them. The word however is used as well separately for the two components, the men and the loaded camels.

Joseph was not the one to place the cup in Benjamin’s sack: Who is the person indicated in the pronoun in جَعَلَ ٱلسِّقَايَةَ ((someone) placed the drinking-cup)? Most commentators think it is Joseph who placed the drinking cup in Benjamin’s sack, but the Quranic words create several difficulties for such an interpretation. How can it be befitting for a prophet to put the cup himself in the sack and then have a public announcement made أَيَّتُهَا ٱلْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَـٰرِقُونَ ( O caravan you are surely thieves). Even if an ordinary person was to commit such an act, he would be open to prosecution. The Quran states: وَمَن يَكْسِبْ خَطِيٓـَٔةً أَوْ إِثْمًۭا ثُمَّ يَرْمِ بِهِۦ بَرِيٓـًۭٔا فَقَدِ ٱحْتَمَلَ بُهْتَـٰنًۭا وَإِثْمًۭا مُّبِينًۭا (And whoever commits a fault or sin, then accuses of it one innocent, he indeed takes upon himself the burden of a calumny and a manifest sin) (4:112). The commentator’s response to this is that they are called thieves because they had stolen Joseph from his father. The question however is that the public announcement made before the Egyptian public is that the brothers had stolen the drinking-cup while they were not guilty of it if Joseph had put the cup in the sack. Finally, they recovered the bowl from the sack of one of them and showed them as thieves in the sight of the public. The intention of the Quran can never be that Joseph had put the cup in the sack or had ordered it to be put in the sack. Previously when Joseph wanted his brother’s money to be returned to them, Joseph had ordered his servants to do so. It is obvious that filling the sacks was not a work that Joseph was doing himself or that was performed before him. Hence if Joseph had wanted to put the cup in the sack, he would have ordered his servants to do so as he had done with the returned money. It follows that it was someone else who placed the cup in the sack. It appears from the Quran that just as Joseph’s brothers had acted wickedly towards him, they had acted wickedly against Benjamin as well. Accordingly, when Joseph finally reveals his identity to them, he says: هَلْ عَلِمْتُم مَّا فَعَلْتُم بِيُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ (Do you know how you treated Joseph and his brother) (12:89). It is obvious that there is no other recorded incident in which Benjamin had been treated in a similar fashion to Joseph. This is the only incident. This supposition is further corroborated by the fact that they also falsely accused Joseph of theft: إِن يَسْرِقْ فَقَدْ سَرَقَ أَخٌۭ لَّهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ (If he did steal, a brother of his did indeed steal before) (12:77). Both the accusations were of course false. Instead of providing testimony to clear the charge, they support the claim of theft by implying that both the brothers are thieves. Later when they returned and mentioned to Jacob that his son had committed theft, he blamed the incident on them by saying: بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًۭا ۖ (Nay, your souls have contrived an affair for you) (12:83) which means clearly that this is their mischief. The real incident appears to be that someone from the brothers put the cup in Benjamin’s sack out of mischief so that he too, like Joseph, may be removed from his father’s presence. There is no doubt, however, that in the Biblical version it is Joseph who instructed his servants to put the cup in Benjamin’s sack. The Bible however is guilty of imputing the most shameful acts to prophets. For example, it has imputed adultery to Lot and that too with his own daughters, assigning partners with Allah to Aaron, idol worship to Solomon, adultery to David. The Quran has exonerated prophets from all these shameful charges and has taught the principle of the sinlessness of prophets. So, if the Bible imputes such an act to Joseph, it is one of the many corruptions of the Bible. The Quran, however, does not do this.

12-71 They said, while they turned towards them: What is it that you miss?^ا

 قَالُوا۟ وَأَقْبَلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِم مَّاذَا تَفْقِدُونَ (۷۱)

12-71a: أَقْبَلُوا – اِقۡبال means to turn attention to, as in فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ (Then some of them will turn to others) (37:50).

12-72 They said: We miss the king’s drinking-cup, and he who brings it shall have a camel-load, and I am responsible for it.^a

قَالُوا۟ نَفْقِدُ صُوَاعَ ٱلْمَلِكِ وَلِمَن جَآءَ بِهِۦ حِمْلُ بَعِيرٍۢ وَأَنَا۠ بِهِۦ زَعِيمٌۭ (۷۲)

12-72a: زَعِيمٌۭ – See 4-60a for the meaning of زعم . The meaning of  زَعَامَة is to give a verbal surety by a responsible chief, and the surety and chief are called زعیم because of a conjecture that they may not keep their word (R).

The word صُوَاعَ ٱلْمَلِكِ (the king’s drinking cup) shows that the missing thing was not Joseph’s cup but the cup of the king. This is another instance that shows that Joseph had no connection with the cup. Plausibly, the cup was made of gold, and this explains the reason for the detailed investigation.

12-73 They said: By Allah! You know for certain that we have not come to make mischief in the land, and we are not thieves.^a

قَالُوا۟ تَٱللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُم مَّا جِئْنَا لِنُفْسِدَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا كُنَّا سَـٰرِقِينَ (۷۳)

12-73a: تَٱللَّه – تا before a discourse stands for an oath (R). In the opinion of most syntax experts, it is a substitute for و but it is not used with any word other than Allah (RM).

12-74 They said: But what is the penalty for this, if you are liars?

قَالُوا۟ فَمَا جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥٓ إِن كُنتُمْ كَـٰذِبِينَ (۷۴)

12-75 They said: The penalty for this — the person in whose bag it is found, he himself is the penalty for it. Thus do we punish the wrongdoers.^a

قَالُوا۟ جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥ مَن وُجِدَ فِى رَحْلِهِۦ فَهُوَ جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

12-75a: The pronoun (this) in جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥ (penalty for this) stands for the verb, as seen in the previous verse as well, that is the punishment for theft is فَهُوَ جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥ ۚ(He himself is the penalty for the theft). The strange thing is that the brothers first inquire what is it that they have lost and when it is confirmed that it is the cup, they then propose the punishment to be the arrest of the person from whose bag the cup is recovered because they knew that the cup is in Benjamin’s sack.

12-76 So he began with their sacks before the sack of his brother, then he brought it out from his brother’s sack. Thus did We plan for the sake of Joseph. He could not take his brother under the king’s law, unless Allah pleased. We raise in degree whom We please. And above everyone possessed of knowledge is the All-Knowing One.^a

فَبَدَأَ بِأَوْعِيَتِهِمْ قَبْلَ وِعَآءِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَخْرَجَهَا مِن وِعَآءِ أَخِيهِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كِدْنَا لِيُوسُفَ ۖ مَا كَانَ لِيَأْخُذَ أَخَاهُ فِى دِينِ ٱلْمَلِكِ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَـٰتٍۢ مَّن نَّشَآءُ ۗ وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِى عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌۭ (۷۶)

12-76a: أَوْعِيَة – It is the plural of دِعَاء and the meaning of دَعۡی is to remember a thing, as in أُذُنٌۭ وَٰعِيَةٌۭ (ear might retain it) (69:12). The meaning of اِیۡعاء is to protect one’s things in a وَعَاء (receptacle). The plural is فادعیٰ (withholds) (70:18). دِعَاء is the utensil in which a thing is protected.

كِدْنَا – For کاد in the sense of اراد see 2:71a. The meaning here is plan.

دین – For the meaning of دین in shariah see 1:3a. Here دین is used in the sense of law. According to Qatadah the meaning is command and decree.

Benjamin stays behind with Joseph: The events narrated do not show that all this is taking place in the presence of Joseph. Apparently, the person who has come to investigate is doing this of his own accord. Leaving the search of Benjamin’s sack for the last, if deliberate, is perhaps because Joseph had particularly honored him. Allah states that it was His will that Joseph’s brother should stay back with Joseph. The use of the word كِدْنَا in the sense of اردنا also manifests this, and the statement a bit later in the verse إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ (unless Allah pleased) shows this happened under Allah’s pleasure and will. If كِدْنَا is taken in the sense of a plan, then Allah says that this is His plan for the sake of Joseph and not that this is Joseph’s plan. In this case there is an indication in the use of the word كِدْنَا that the plan of the half-brothers to prevent the return of Benjamin to Jacob is diverted by Allah in favor of Joseph so that the two real brothers could be together. Joseph could not have kept his brother back without revealing his identity and he did not want to reveal this reality. So, Allah created the conditions as a result of which Benjamin stayed back with Joseph. Although this happened without the knowledge of Joseph but God Who had more knowledge than Joseph did this for him. If Joseph had done this himself then it would not have been an occasion that would befit the statement نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَـٰتٍۢ مَّن نَّشَآءُ (We raise in degrees whom We please) because then it would at best be a cunning trick and not an occasion for نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَـٰتٍۢ مَّن نَّشَآءُ that is of raising by degrees. However, for the conditions to develop organically to the point where Joseph could keep his brother is a testimonial to Joseph having been raised to a high degree where Allah is taking care of his affairs. Thus, when one gives himself to Allah, then Allah creates the conditions to benefit the person.

Accepting the laws of a king of different faith: It can also be derived from this verse that when a person is living under the rule of a king of a different faith, the law of that king must be followed. Joseph was under a king who was not of his faith but nevertheless he followed his laws. This small incident provides the foundation for a grand principle.

12-77 They said: If he steal, a brother of his did indeed steal before. But Joseph kept it secret in his soul, and disclosed it not to them. He said: You are in an evil condition, and Allah knows best what you state.^a

قَالُوٓا۟ إِن يَسْرِقْ فَقَدْ سَرَقَ أَخٌۭ لَّهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ فَأَسَرَّهَا يُوسُفُ فِى نَفْسِهِۦ وَلَمْ يُبْدِهَا لَهُمْ ۚ قَالَ أَنتُمْ شَرٌّۭ مَّكَانًۭا ۖ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تَصِفُونَ (۷۷)

12-77a: Some commentators have tried to justify the accusation of theft levied against Joseph either by distorting some statements in the Bible or by putting forward their own made-up stories. However, the brothers levying the accusation of stealing are a group who had no compunction in taking the life of an innocent person and then lying about it to their father, Jacob. So, it is not far-fetched if they have again resorted to a lie. The matter is quite clear. The half-brothers first separate themselves from the affair of theft and then to prove the accusation of theft on Joseph’s brother, they provide the supporting testimony that his brother Joseph is also a thief. Their objective in doing this is to remove Benjamin from the eyes of Jacob, as they had done previously with Joseph. So, their contention is that they, the half-brothers, are a pious band but Joseph and his brother are thieves. What is it that Joseph keeps secret in his soul? Joseph did not want to reveal his identity; otherwise in response to this accusation, his reply would have been: you accuse me falsely to my face. 

12-78 They said: O chief, he has a father, a very old man, so take one of us in his place. Surely we see thee to be of the doers of good.

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْعَزِيزُ إِنَّ لَهُۥٓ أَبًۭا شَيْخًۭا كَبِيرًۭا فَخُذْ أَحَدَنَا مَكَانَهُۥٓ ۖ إِنَّا نَرَىٰكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ (۷۸)

12-79 He said: Allah forbid that we should seize other than him with whom we found our property, for then surely we should be unjust!^a

قَالَ مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ أَن نَّأْخُذَ إِلَّا مَن وَجَدْنَا مَتَـٰعَنَا عِندَهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِذًۭا لَّظَـٰلِمُونَ (۷۹)

12-79a: There were some among the half-brothers who were good hearted. It is one of them who had said on the earlier occasion: لَا تَقْتُلُوا۟ يُوسُفَ (Do not slay Joseph). Even this time, one of them suggests to Joseph that one of them should be imprisoned in place of Benjamin but Joseph rejects the proposal. 

12-58 And Joseph’s brethren came and went in to him, and he knew them, while they recognized him not.^a

وَجَآءَ إِخْوَةُ يُوسُفَ فَدَخَلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِ فَعَرَفَهُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُۥ مُنكِرُونَ (۵۸)

12-58a: Many intermediate events have been left out. The seven years of abundant harvest have passed, and the years of famine have begun. Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt in search of grain and are brought before Joseph. Because Joseph was only a teenager when they were separated and because his condition had changed so much, they did not recognize him.

12-59 And when he furnished them with their provision, he said: Bring to me a brother of yours from your father. See you not that I give full measure and that I am the best of hosts?

وَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهَازِهِمْ قَالَ ٱئْتُونِى بِأَخٍۢ لَّكُم مِّنْ أَبِيكُمْ ۚ أَلَا تَرَوْنَ أَنِّىٓ أُوفِى ٱلْكَيْلَ وَأَنَا۠ خَيْرُ ٱلْمُنزِلِينَ (۵۹)

12-59a: جَهَّز – جہاز – جَہاز are those provisions etcetera that are made ready and تَجۡھِیزا is to lift the provisions or to send them.

كَيْل – Is a measure of grain. See 7-85b. It has also been used to mean grain.

مُنزِل – نُزُول means حلول (descending, coming down, disembarking, sojourn, residence). نَزِیل means a guest. نُزل is provisions for entertainment or hospitality. Accordingly, اِنزال is hospitality and مُنۡزِل is the host.

In his conversation with them, Joseph finds out everything about their circumstances and therefore commands them to bring their brother. The mention of giving them the full measure and his hospitality is not to manifest a favor but to recount their treatment so that they may come again. Hospitality is a special attribute of the Arabs and hence there was no one in Egypt equal to Joseph in his hospitality.

12-60 But if you bring him not to me, you shall have no measure (of corn) from me, nor shall you come near me.

فَإِن لَّمْ تَأْتُونِى بِهِۦ فَلَا كَيْلَ لَكُمْ عِندِى وَلَا تَقْرَبُونِ (۶۰)

12-61 They said: We shall strive to make his father yield about him, and we are sure to do (it).

قَالُوا۟ سَنُرَٰوِدُ عَنْهُ أَبَاهُ وَإِنَّا لَفَـٰعِلُونَ (۶۱)

12-62 And he said to his servants: Put their money into their bags that they may recognize it when they go back to their family, so that they may come back.^a

 وَقَالَ لِفِتْيَـٰنِهِ ٱجْعَلُوا۟ بِضَـٰعَتَهُمْ فِى رِحَالِهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَعْرِفُونَهَآ إِذَا ٱنقَلَبُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ (۶۲)

12-62a: رِحَال – It is the plural of رَحل (the baggage that is placed on a camel for carriage) and sometimes it is used to mean a camel and sometimes the thing on which one sits in the house. The meaning of ارتحال is to journey, march, migrate or decamp, as in: رِحْلَةَ ٱلشِّتَآءِ وَٱلصَّيْفِ (journey in the winter and summer) (106:2).

The purpose of returning the money paid for the grain was that they should come back to Egypt for any future supply of grain that they needed either because of the favor shown to them, or possibly even to return the money they find in their bags.

12-63 So when they returned to their father, they said: O our father, the measure is withheld from us, so send with us our brother that we may get the measure, and we will surely guard him.^a

فَلَمَّا رَجَعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَبِيهِمْ قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَا مُنِعَ مِنَّا ٱلْكَيْلُ فَأَرْسِلْ مَعَنَآ أَخَانَا نَكْتَلْ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَـٰفِظُونَ (۶۳)

12-63a: نَكْتَلْ – The actual word is نکتیل, that is it is a concoction (باب افتعال) where ی has been replaced by ا which has been dropped because of the joining of the consonants.

12-64 He said: Can I trust you with him, except as I trusted you with his brother before. So Allah is the Best Keeper, and He is the most Merciful of those who show mercy.^a

قَالَ هَلْ ءَامَنُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا كَمَآ أَمِنتُكُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَخِيهِ مِن قَبْلُ ۖ فَٱللَّهُ خَيْرٌ حَـٰفِظًۭا ۖ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ (۶۴)

12-64a: The meaning is that if I trust you, it will be like when I trusted you with Joseph. Protection is only from Allah, and this is the way of the righteous. They are asked to give a solemn pledge, but trust is put only in Allah. Resources are to be used but pious people do not consider resources as the basis of success. For هَلْ see 2-210a.

12-65 And when they opened their goods, they found their money returned to them. They said: O our father, what (more) can we desire? This is our property returned to us, and we shall bring corn for our family and guard our brother, and have in addition the measure of a camel-load. This is an easy measure.^a

وَلَمَّا فَتَحُوا۟ مَتَـٰعَهُمْ وَجَدُوا۟ بِضَـٰعَتَهُمْ رُدَّتْ إِلَيْهِمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَا مَا نَبْغِى ۖ هَـٰذِهِۦ بِضَـٰعَتُنَا رُدَّتْ إِلَيْنَا ۖ وَنَمِيرُ أَهْلَنَا وَنَحْفَظُ أَخَانَا وَنَزْدَادُ كَيْلَ بَعِيرٍۢ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ كَيْلٌۭ يَسِيرٌۭ (۶۵)

12-65a: نَمِيرُ – مِیۡرۃ is provisions, supplies, commissariat. مَارَ یَمِیۡرُ means brought grain or corn.

يَسِير – It is the opposite of عُسۡرand يَسِير means ease but a small quantity of a thing is also called يَسِير (R). It is the latter sense in which the word is used here, and the meaning is that the grain they had brought was small in quantity or that it was not sufficient for the period of famine.

12-66 He said: I will by no means send him with you, until you give me a firm covenant in Allah’s name that you will bring him back to me, unless you are completely surrounded. And when they gave him their covenant, he said: Allah is Guardian over what we say.^a

قَالَ لَنْ أُرْسِلَهُۥ مَعَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ تُؤْتُونِ مَوْثِقًۭا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لَتَأْتُنَّنِى بِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن يُحَاطَ بِكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّآ ءَاتَوْهُ مَوْثِقَهُمْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌۭ (۶۶)

12-66a: Despite taking a firm covenant from his sons, Jacob entrusts the matter to God. An attorney is the person to whom a matter is entrusted and the person to whom the matter is entrusted is the custodian of the matter, hence the meaning of وَكِيل here is guardian.

يُحَاطَ بِكُمْ – It can mean surrounded and can also mean killed because one who is surrounded by an enemy may also be killed.

12-67 And he said: O my sons, enter not by one gate but enter by different gates. And I can avail you naught against Allah. Judgment is only Allah’s. On Him I rely, and on Him let the reliant rely.^a

وَقَالَ يَـٰبَنِىَّ لَا تَدْخُلُوا۟ مِنۢ بَابٍۢ وَٰحِدٍۢ وَٱدْخُلُوا۟ مِنْ أَبْوَٰبٍۢ مُّتَفَرِّقَةٍۢ ۖ وَمَآ أُغْنِى عَنكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۖ إِنِ ٱلْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَعَلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ (۶۷)

12-67a: Reason for the advice to enter from different gates: Most commentators have inclined to the view that this advice was given to avoid the evil eye. The Bible states that in the first visit Joseph was harsh with his brothers and accused them of being spies (Genesis 42:9). Jacob may have thought that if they entered together, the government of Egypt may suspect them and arrest them even before they could reach the king, and the kind attitude of the king may not even come into play. Hence Jacob advised them to adopt this cautious approach while entering the city. This explanation is supported by two other facts as well. First, when Jacob took a covenant from his sons, he allowed for an exception namely  إِلَّآ أَن يُحَاطَ بِكُم (unless you are completely surrounded). Second, he also stated with this: مَآ أُغْنِى عَنكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ (I can avail you nought against Allah), that is if some calamity is destined to befall them from Allah, then he (Jacob) will not be able to help them. In the next verse, this same thing is mentioned, and it is followed by: وَإِنَّهُۥ لَذُو عِلْمٍۢ لِّمَا عَلَّمْنَـٰهُ (And surely he was possessed of knowledge, because We had given him knowledge) (12:68). This indicates that Jacob had been informed, either through a revelation or a vision, that some calamity from Allah was going to befall them but revealed prophecies do not have full details and affairs are shown only in a succinct form. Jacob’s mind led him to believe that since the last time his sons were suspected of spying, the calamity that was to befall them may be their arrest on the same ground. However, since this was an idea based on his own thinking, he added that he would not be able to help them whatever the nature of the calamity. As stated in the next verse, they followed their father’s advice and safely entered the city but this did not avert the calamity which was to come from another source. In the case of Joseph also, Jacob had been shown some details of the coming calamity and that is why he had remarked وَأَخَافُ أَن يَأْكُلَهُ ٱلذِّئْبُ  (I fear lest the wolf devour him) (12:13). Prophecies often do not have an exact timing of when an event will occur.

The evil eye: Just as an attractive person can be impacted by the evil eye so can a group, but if the source of anxiety was the evil eye, why did Jacob not advise his sons the first time to enter the city by different gates? The difference between ten sons on the first trip and eleven in the second is not that significant. Events are supportive of the theory that for the first trip Joseph had had no vision about any kind of calamity. For the second trip, Jacob was given information of an impending calamity and so he advised his sons as best as he understood the vision. Even so, like any righteous and pious person, he did not rely on this advice and instead told them to put their trust in Allah. This again goes to show that pious people do not think that available resources should not be used. It is also necessary to add here that the effect of the evil eye is mentioned in the hadith and such a phenomenon is in fact a reality. In the present times, those who have seen the wondrous acts of mesmerism can easily understand the astonishing acts that the eyes can perform and how an ordinary person can be put in a trance by the eyes of a hypnotist. This is a testimony to the truthfulness of the Holy Prophet that even while doing away with all kinds of superstitions, he stated without any fear of reproach a power that exists in humans.

12-68 And when they entered as their father had bidden them, it availed them naught against Allah, but (it was only) a desire in the soul of Jacob, which he satisfied. And surely he was possessed of knowledge, because We had given him knowledge, but most people know not.

وَلَمَّا دَخَلُوا۟ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَهُمْ أَبُوهُم مَّا كَانَ يُغْنِى عَنْهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ إِلَّا حَاجَةًۭ فِى نَفْسِ يَعْقُوبَ قَضَىٰهَا ۚ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَذُو عِلْمٍۢ لِّمَا عَلَّمْنَـٰهُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (۶۸)

12-50 And the king said: Bring him to me. So when the messenger came to him, he said: Go back to thy lord and ask him, what is the case of the women who cut their hands. Surely my Lord knows their device.^a

وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱئْتُونِى بِهِۦ ۖ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُ ٱلرَّسُولُ قَالَ ٱرْجِعْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَسْـَٔلْهُ مَا بَالُ ٱلنِّسْوَةِ ٱلَّـٰتِى قَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى بِكَيْدِهِنَّ عَلِيمٌۭ (۵۰)

12-50a: بَالُ – Manner or condition that deserves attention. In hadith بال is described as کل امرذی (important affairs or matters). In adopting this word, the purport is to draw attention to the importance that Joseph attached to clarifying the matter regarding the women who cut their hands.

The Bible does not exonerate Joseph from the accusations: There is no mention of this matter in the Bible. In the Bible narrative, when Pharoah summoned Joseph to interpret the dream, he presented himself forthwith in the royal court. In contrast the Quran mentions this episode to show that worldly dignity has no meaning in the eyes of a man of God. Joseph knew that he would be honored by the king because of the interpretation of the dream but he had no desire to get out of the jail unless he was exonerated of the charges based on which he was jailed. The importance that Joseph attached to the incident of the women cutting their hands shows that this was the major testimony in his conviction. 

In the explanation of this incident in Bukhari, it is stated that the Holy Prophet said: و لو لَبِثۡثُ فی السِّجۡن ما لَبِثَ یُوۡسُفُ لا جَبۡتُ الداعی   (If I had stayed in the jail like Yusuf, I would have accepted the offer sent with the caller). The meaning of this is just to honor the action of Joseph in desiring to wash the slur on his chastity so intensely that he preferred to stay in jail rather than to keep on carrying the burden of the accusation. As far as the Holy Prophet’s statement above is concerned, there is a different angel to it, which is that the objective of the Holy Prophet’s mission is so much greater than that of Joseph’s mission that he would not have cared what people thought of him. The only magnificent objective before him was the social, moral and spiritual reformation of the people. If such a grand objective had been before Joseph, he too would not have worried about the accusation because the objective of reformation is greater than anything else. As far as false allegations are concerned, the Holy Prophet’s teaching is to avoid situations that will give people a chance to levy such accusations. Once when the Holy Prophet was standing with his wife in a public spot and a companion happened to pass by, the Holy Prophet called the Companion and told him that the lady with him was his wife and added that the devil whispers all kinds of evil in a person’s mind.

12-51 (The king) said: What was your affair when you sought to seduce Joseph? They said: Holy Allah! We knew of no evil on his part. The chief’s wife said:Now has the truth become manifest. I sought to seduce him and he is surely of the truthful.^a

  قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُنَّ إِذْ رَٰوَدتُّنَّ يُوسُفَ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ قُلْنَ حَـٰشَ لِلَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِن سُوٓءٍۢ ۚ قَالَتِ ٱمْرَأَتُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْـَٔـٰنَ حَصْحَصَ ٱلْحَقُّ أَنَا۠ رَٰوَدتُّهُۥ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ (۵۱)

12-51a: خَطْب – See 11-37a. خَطْب is said of a very important matter in which there are many addresses.

حَصْحَصَ – حَصّ means to sever, and accordingly حِصّه is that which is separated from the whole. The meaning of حَصَّ and حَصْحَصَ is that the matter has become manifest and the thing that had covered it has been removed (R).

Cutting of hands was a conspiracy against Joseph: Why did the king examine the women with the accusatory statement: What was your affair when you sought to seduce Joseph? There appear to be two reasons for this. First is the influence of Joseph’s righteousness brought about by listening to his travails and the impact of his knowledge exhibited in interpreting the king’s dream. This made him realize his greatness. Second, the message that Joseph sent to the king from the prison included the statement that the cutting of the hands was a کید or a stratagem that the women had used against him and although it was not manifest to the people at the time, but Allah knew about it. The message, conveyed in this manner, convinced the king that there was a conspiracy afoot against Joseph. Accordingly, the women realized that Joseph’s righteousness had now become manifest, and their secret could no longer remain hidden. So, they confessed that Joseph had shown no evil attention towards them. Finally, the chief’s wife also admitted that all the veils behind which she had tried to hide the truth had vanished and the truth had now become manifest. This shows that the cutting of the hands by the women was the way in which Joseph’s righteousness had been veiled.

12-52 This is that he might know that I have not been unfaithful to him in secret, and that Allah guides not the device of the unfaithful.^a

 ذَٰلِكَ لِيَعْلَمَ أَنِّى لَمْ أَخُنْهُ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى كَيْدَ ٱلْخَآئِنِينَ (۵۲)

12-52a: It appears as if the statement in this verse and in the next is a continuation of the statement of the chief’s wife, but the text contradicts this and shows that the statement is actually that of Joseph. Most commentators agree to this. The chief’s wife could not say that she had not been unfaithful in secret because it was her unfaithfulness that was the cause of Joseph landing in jail. It appears that since the investigation would necessarily take some time, people must have advised Joseph to accept the offer and not to unnecessarily stay in jail. Joseph’s response is given in this verse and the reason he gives is that the king may become aware that he had not been unfaithful to the chief behind his back. Another explanation is that the pronoun in أَخُنْهُ refers to the king but by unfaithfulness to the king would still mean unfaithfulness to the chief because unfaithfulness to a high-powered noble of the king is unfaithfulness to the king. By guidance here is meant reaching the desired goal for which see 1-5a.

12-53 And I call not myself sinless; surely (man’s) self is wont to command evil, except those on whom my Lord has mercy. Surely my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.^a

وَمَآ أُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِىٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلنَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌۢ بِٱلسُّوٓءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّىٓ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ (۵۳)

12-53a: The way of the righteous: This verse also shows that this is not the statement of the chief’s wife. The stress with which Joseph asserted his innocence could lead one to think that he is claiming a status that no righteous person has claimed before, namely that his soul is so pure that it can never be disobedient. Hence, he draws attention to the fact that it is not the excellence of his soul but merely the blessing of Allah that enabled him to stay away from evil. The soul of every person is the same and its first stage is that it keeps prompting a person to commit evil. It is true however that the soul of those on whom Allah has mercy have already been set aright, such as the prophets who are sinless, some saints who are protected, and those who reform themselves later. The first stage of the soul which is akin to that of an animal is here named نفس امّارہ  and in this stage the animal characteristics dominate a person’s personality. The second stage is called نفس لوّامہ (self-accusing spirit) and this is the stage in which if a person commits some evil, the conscience reprimands and does not agree with what has been done. The third stage is that of نفس مطمئنہ (the soul that is at rest) and this is the stage where the soul is fully reformed and walks only in the ways that pleases Allah.

12-54 And the king said: Bring him to me, I will choose him for myself. So when he talked with him, he said: Surely thou art in our presence today dignified, trusted.^a

وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱئْتُونِى بِهِۦٓ أَسْتَخْلِصْهُ لِنَفْسِى ۖ فَلَمَّا كَلَّمَهُۥ قَالَ إِنَّكَ ٱلْيَوْمَ لَدَيْنَا مَكِينٌ أَمِينٌۭ (۵۴)

12-54a: أَسْتَخْلِصْ – اِسۡتَخۡلَصَ and اَخۡلَص have the same meaning. اَخۡلَصه‘ means اخۡتَارَہٗ that is: I have authority over him or I have selected him (LA). In خَلَصُوا۟ نَجِيًّۭا ۖ(conferred together privately) (12:80), the meaning of خَلَصُوا۟ is انفردوا خالِصِینَ عن غیرِھم that is to withdraw to confer privately (R).

مَكِينٌ – It means بَیِّن المکانَةِ  (a person whose honorable status is manifest) (LA). In ذِى قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِى ٱلْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍۢ (The possessor of strength, established in the presence of the Lord of the Throne) (81:20) the meaning of مَكِينٍۢ is taken as مُتَمکّنٍ ذی قَدۡرٍ و مَنۡزِلَةٍ (Possessor of power and dignity).

12-55 He said: Place me (in authority) over the treasures of the land; surely I am a good keeper, knowing well.^a

قَالَ ٱجْعَلْنِى عَلَىٰ خَزَآئِنِ ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ إِنِّى حَفِيظٌ عَلِيمٌۭ (۵۵)

12-55a: Joseph takes over the financial management of Egypt: When the king honored Joseph, he requested to be put in charge of the country’s finances because in view of the looming crisis, it was necessary that the financial management of the country be in the hands of an intelligent and trustworthy person. The words good keeper (حَفِيظٌ ) and knowing (عَلِيمٌۭ ) draws attention to this. Righteousness and piety is not just isolating oneself from the world with a rosary. The discharge of the business of the world and performance of national duties in a trustworthy manner is also righteousness of a high degree. It is stated in the Bible that the king handed over all the powers of governance to Joseph. The Quran states ٱجْعَلْنِى عَلَىٰ خَزَآئِنِ ٱلْأَرْضِ (Place me in authority over the treasures of the land) to show that the control of finances is real governance. Today when the western powers desire to pressurize a country, their first weapon is to start interfering in the financial management of the country which begins by extending loans to them.

12-56 And thus did We give to Joseph power in the land — he had mastery in it wherever he liked. We bestow Our mercy on whom We please, and We waste not the reward of the doers of good.

وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَتَبَوَّأُ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ يَشَآءُ ۚ نُصِيبُ بِرَحْمَتِنَا مَن نَّشَآءُ ۖ وَلَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ (۵۶)

12-57 And certainly the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believe and guard against evil.

وَلَأَجْرُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ خَيْرٌۭ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَكَانُوا۟ يَتَّقُونَ (۵۷)

12-43 And the king said: I have seen seven fat cows which seven lean ones devoured; and seven green ears and (seven) others dry. O chiefs, explain to me my dream, if you can interpret the dream.^a

وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلِكُ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰ سَبْعَ بَقَرَٰتٍۢ سِمَانٍۢ يَأْكُلُهُنَّ سَبْعٌ عِجَافٌۭ وَسَبْعَ سُنۢبُلَـٰتٍ خُضْرٍۢ وَأُخَرَ يَابِسَـٰتٍۢ ۖ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلَأُ أَفْتُونِى فِى رُءْيَـٰىَ إِن كُنتُمْ لِلرُّءْيَا تَعْبُرُونَ (۴۳)

12-43a: سِمَان – It is the plural of سَمِین (fat, corpulent) and سِمَن (to fatten) is the opposite of ھُزال (leanness, skinniness). The meaning of اَسۡمَنَ is made him fat, as in لَّا يُسْمِنُ وَلَا يُغْنِى مِن جُوعٍۢ (Neither nourishing nor satisfying hunger) (88:7) (R). سَمۡن is ghee because it fattens (R).

عِجَافٍ – It is the plural of اعجف and عجفاء and means emaciated from hunger.

خُضْرٍ – It is the plural of اَخۡضَر and means green.

يَابِسَ – It is derived from یَبۡس which means dried up or desiccated (R).

 تَعْبُرُون – The meaning of عَبۡر is to cross from one state to another. عُبُور is specific to crossing a body of water and تَعۡبِیۡر is specific to interpreting dreams (another word used for interpreting dreams is تاویل but it is a word of general use and is used in other situations as well). Thus, تَعْبُرُون is crossing over from what is manifest to what is hidden behind it.

For عبرۃ etcetera see  3-13b.

12-44 They said: Confused dreams, and we know not the interpretation of dreams.^a

قَالُوٓا۟ أَضْغَـٰثُ أَحْلَـٰمٍۢ ۖ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَأْوِيلِ ٱلْأَحْلَـٰمِ بِعَـٰلِمِينَ (۴۴)

12-44a: أَضْغَـٰث – It is the plural of ضِغۡث (bunch, bundle) and ضِغۡث is to make one part of a thing to meet another part. ضِغۡث الحدیث is to confuse a statement or affair, and hence dreams which out of worry merge into one another are called أَضْغَـٰث . They cannot be interpreted because they are mixed up (LA).

أَحْلَـٰمٍ – حِلۡم means forbearance, or to control one’s temperament from the agitation of anger. Its plural is also أَحْلَـٰمٍۢ , as in أَمْ تَأْمُرُهُمْ أَحْلَـٰمُهُم بِهَـٰذَآ ۚ(Or do their understanding bid them this) (52:32) where the purport is intelligence, although the actual meaning of حِلۡم is not intelligence. أَحْلَـٰمٍ is also the plural of حُلۡم and حُلُم which means dreams. حُلُم also means puberty, as in وَإِذَا بَلَغَ ٱلْأَطْفَـٰلُ مِنكُمُ ٱلْحُلُمَ (And when the children among you attain to puberty) (24:59). In the pre-Islamic period حُلۡم was used for dreams both good and bad but in the Islamic terminology distinction is made between حُلۡم (bad dreams) and رؤیا (good dreams), as in the statement: الرُوۡٔیا من اللّٰہ و الحلم من الشیطان (Good dreams are from Allah and bad dreams are from the devil). احتلام (puberty; sexual maturity) is also from this (LA). This difference between رؤیا and حُلۡم  exists in the Quran as well because the king calls his dream رؤیا but the courtiers call it أَحْلَـٰمٍ .

12-45 And of the two, he who had found deliverance and remembered after a long time said: I will inform you of its interpretation, so send me.^a

وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِى نَجَا مِنْهُمَا وَٱدَّكَرَ بَعْدَ أُمَّةٍ أَنَا۠ أُنَبِّئُكُم بِتَأْوِيلِهِۦ فَأَرْسِلُونِ (۴۵)

12-45a: ٱدَّكَر – In reality the word is اِذۡتَکر that is, it is conjugated from ذِکۡر using the principle of conjugation known as باب افتعال where ت has been replaced by د and ذ has been merged.

12-46 Joseph, O truthful one, explain to us seven fat kine which seven lean ones devoured, and seven green ears and (seven) others dry, that I may go back to the people so that they may know.

يُوسُفُ أَيُّهَا ٱلصِّدِّيقُ أَفْتِنَا فِى سَبْعِ بَقَرَٰتٍۢ سِمَانٍۢ يَأْكُلُهُنَّ سَبْعٌ عِجَافٌۭ وَسَبْعِ سُنۢبُلَـٰتٍ خُضْرٍۢ وَأُخَرَ يَابِسَـٰتٍۢ لَّعَلِّىٓ أَرْجِعُ إِلَى ٱلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ (۴۶)

12-47 He said: You shall sow for seven years as usual, then that which you reap, leave it in its ear, except a little which you eat.^a

قَالَ تَزْرَعُونَ سَبْعَ سِنِينَ دَأَبًۭا فَمَا حَصَدتُّمْ فَذَرُوهُ فِى سُنۢبُلِهِۦٓ إِلَّا قَلِيلًۭا مِّمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ (۴۷)

12-47a: دَأَبًۭا – See 3-11a. According to Al-Mufradat, the meaning of دَأَب is اِدَاھةُ السَّیۡر (to keep going perpetually), as in وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ دَآئِبَيْنِ ۖ (And He has made subservient to you the sun and the moon, pursuing their courses) (14:33). So, by دَأَب is meant a permanent habit (R).

Along with the interpretation, Joseph also gives a strategy to prepare for the years of famine. He interpreted the seven fat cows and seven green ears as normal agricultural years with a good harvest and added that only what is necessary should be eaten and the rest of the grain stored in the ears. This is to protect the grain from being eaten by insects or otherwise spoilt.

12-48 Then after that will come seven years of hardship, which will eat away all you have beforehand stored for them, except a little which you have preserved.^a

ثُمَّ يَأْتِى مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ سَبْعٌۭ شِدَادٌۭ يَأْكُلْنَ مَا قَدَّمْتُمْ لَهُنَّ إِلَّا قَلِيلًۭا مِّمَّا تُحْصِنُونَ (۴۸)

12-48a: This is the interpretation of the seven lean cows that eat the fat cows and of the seven dry ears. The advice to preserve a little of the stored grain is so that seeds may be available to sow for the next year’s crop.

In the commentary of Surah Yusuf in Bukhari, a hadith is recorded here which mentions that as a result of the supplication of the Holy Prophet, a seven-year famine visited the Quraish of Makkah. The Holy Prophet had prayed:   قال اللّٰھم اکۡفِیۡنہِم بِسَبۡعٍ کَسَبۡعِ یوسَف (He said: O Allah send them seven years of famine like the seven years of famine in the time of Yusuf) فاصابَتۡہُم سَنَةٌ حَصَّتۡ کُلَّ شیَئۡیٍ حَتّی اَکَلُو الۡعِظَام حتی جَعَل الرجل یَنۡظُرُ الی اسمأ فیری بَیۡنَهٗ و بَبَیۡنَھا مِثۡلَ الدُّخان   (and save me from their mischief. As a result of this supplication there was a famine for seven years that destroyed everything. People ate bones to survive and when a person looked upwards, they saw a smokey haze between them and the sky). This prophecy is given elsewhere in the Quran: فَٱرْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِى ٱلسَّمَآءُ بِدُخَانٍۢ (So wait for the day when the heaven brings a drought) (44:10). The clear purpose for mentioning this hadith in Surah Yusuf is that events in the life of the Holy Prophet mirrored the events of Joseph and this is also the purpose of stating at the beginning of this chapter ءَايَـٰتٌۭ لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ (there are signs for the inquirer) (12:7).

12-49 Then after that will come a year in which people will have rain and in which they will press (grapes).^a

ثُمَّ يَأْتِى مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ عَامٌۭ فِيهِ يُغَاثُ ٱلنَّاسُ وَفِيهِ يَعْصِرُونَ (۴۹)

12-49a: عَام – It means a year just like سَنَة means a year, but the term سَنَة is generally used for a year in which there is drought and severity and عَام for a year that is rainy with an abundance of provisions.

يُغَاث– See 8-9a. غَوۡثmeans aid, help, succor and غَیۡث means rain. Giving aid is called اَغاث and to send rain upon، or water with rain is called غَاثَ (R).

It is given by way of good news that after seven years of drought there will be rain. It is stated in the hadith that when the Quraish had lived through seven years of drought, Abu Sufyan came to the Holy Prophet and said that your people are dying from hunger. The Holy Prophet then supplicated, and the rains came. It is to indicate this that the year in which the rain returns is mentioned at the end.

12-36 And two youths entered the prison with him. One of them said: I saw myself pressing wine. And the other said: I saw myself carrying bread on my head, of which birds were eating. Inform us of its interpretation; surely we see thee to be of the doers of good.^a

وَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ ٱلسِّجْنَ فَتَيَانِ ۖ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَآ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰنِىٓ أَعْصِرُ خَمْرًۭا ۖ وَقَالَ ٱلْـَٔاخَرُ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰنِىٓ أَحْمِلُ فَوْقَ رَأْسِى خُبْزًۭا تَأْكُلُ ٱلطَّيْرُ مِنْهُ ۖ نَبِّئْنَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِۦٓ ۖ إِنَّا نَرَىٰكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ (۳۶)

12-36a: Both the prisoners having spent time in the company of Joseph and seeing his piety relate their dreams to Joseph.

12-37 He said: The food with which you are fed shall not come to you, but I shall inform you of its interpretation before it comes to you. This is of what my Lord has taught me. Surely I have forsaken the religion of a people who believe not in Allah, and are deniers of the Hereafter.^a

قَالَ لَا يَأْتِيكُمَا طَعَامٌۭ تُرْزَقَانِهِۦٓ إِلَّا نَبَّأْتُكُمَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِۦ قَبْلَ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمَا ۚ ذَٰلِكُمَا مِمَّا عَلَّمَنِى رَبِّىٓ ۚ إِنِّى تَرَكْتُ مِلَّةَ قَوْمٍۢ لَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَهُم بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ هُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ (۳۷)

12-37a: Because the two prisoners themselves said that they had seen Joseph to be a doer of good, hence Joseph begins by advising them in the hope that they may reform themselves. This part is again missing from the Bible, and mention is only made of their dreams and Joseph’s interpretation. At every step one realizes how the Quran has filled the narrative of Joseph with useful advice, while the same in the Bible is a dry narrative. The Quran shows that even the walls of a prison cannot prevent a person from doing good, which is the real purpose of life. The purport of the mention of food at the beginning of the verse is not that Joseph will be able to interpret the condition of the food, but by تَأْوِيلِهِۦ is meant the interpretation of their dreams which they had requested. The fact is that worldly people soon tire of being sermonized. Hence Joseph conveys to them that in their current state their main concern is eating and filling their stomachs but he will interpret their dreams and also finish giving them advise before their food arrives.

12-38 And I follow the religion of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. It beseems us not to associate aught with Allah. This is by Allah’s grace upon us and on mankind, but most people give not thanks.^a

وَٱتَّبَعْتُ مِلَّةَ ءَابَآءِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ ۚ مَا كَانَ لَنَآ أَن نُّشْرِكَ بِٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍۢ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ (۳۸)

12-38a: Only the foundational principle of religion is mentioned here, that is the oneness of God which is common to all religions. The purport is that the basic principle of his religion is the same as that of their religion.

12-39 O my two fellow-prisoners, are sundry lords better or Allah the One, the Supreme?^a

يَـٰصَـٰحِبَىِ ٱلسِّجْنِ ءَأَرْبَابٌۭ مُّتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْوَٰحِدُ ٱلْقَهَّارُ (۳۹)

 12-39: Thus, a polytheist accepts the slavery of multiple masters and a slave with many masters cannot prosper. Allah has power over everything and anyone who choses to be His servant will not need to be dependent on anyone else.

12-40 You serve not besides Him but names which you have named, you and your fathers — Allah has sent down no authority for them. Judgment is only Allah’s. He has commanded that you serve none but Him. This is the right religion, but most people know not.^a

مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَسْمَآءًۭ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَـٰنٍ ۚ إِنِ ٱلْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۚ أَمَرَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (۴۰)

12-40a: أَسْمَآءًۭ here means that the names of the idols are just words with no underlying reality.

إِنِ ٱلْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ means that the correct command is the one that Allah gives and Allah has never given any command through any of His prophets to worship any other than Allah. In fact, He has always been commanding not to worship anything except Allah.

12-41 O my two fellow-prisoners, as for one of you, he will serve wine for his lord to drink; and as for the other, he will be crucified, so that the birds will eat from his head. The matter is decreed concerning which you inquired.

يَـٰصَـٰحِبَىِ ٱلسِّجْنِ أَمَّآ أَحَدُكُمَا فَيَسْقِى رَبَّهُۥ خَمْرًۭا ۖ وَأَمَّا ٱلْـَٔاخَرُ فَيُصْلَبُ فَتَأْكُلُ ٱلطَّيْرُ مِن رَّأْسِهِۦ ۚ قُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ ٱلَّذِى فِيهِ تَسْتَفْتِيَانِ (۴۱)

12-42 And he said to him whom he knew would be delivered of the two: Remember me with thy lord. But the devil caused him to forget mentioning (it) to his lord, so he remained in the prison a few years.^a

وَقَالَ لِلَّذِى ظَنَّ أَنَّهُۥ نَاجٍۢ مِّنْهُمَا ٱذْكُرْنِى عِندَ رَبِّكَ فَأَنسَىٰهُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ ذِكْرَ رَبِّهِۦ فَلَبِثَ فِى ٱلسِّجْنِ بِضْعَ سِنِينَ (۴۲)

12-42a: ذِكْرَ رَبِّهِۦ – The connection between ذِكْرَ (remember me) and رَبِّهِ (your lord) is known grammatically as اضافت ادنیٰ ملابست (prefixing two pronouns so that the former governs the latter) and the purport is ذکر یوسف عند ربه . This request is not considered as asking assistance from other than Allah. The prisoners had themselves witnessed and testified to Joseph’s piety, so Joseph desires that the prisoner who would be saved and return to the king’s court should convey the same testimony to the king so that he may know that Joseph has been unjustly accused.

12-30 And women in the city said: The chief’s wife seeks to seduce her slave. He has indeed affected her deeply with (his) love. Truly we see her in manifest error.^a

وَقَالَ نِسْوَةٌۭ فِى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ٱمْرَأَتُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ تُرَٰوِدُ فَتَىٰهَا عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۖ قَدْ شَغَفَهَا حُبًّا ۖ إِنَّا لَنَرَىٰهَا فِى ضَلَـٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ (۳۰)

12-30a: مَدِينَة – مَدَنَ بالمکان means stayed in the house and derived from it is مَدِينَة which means city. A fort that is made in the middle of a land is also called مَدِينَة and so is the land on which it is built. In particular this word is used as the name of the city to which the Holy Prophet migrated and anything belonging to that city is called مَدَنِّی. If مَدِينَة is used in its generic meaning of city, then anything attributed to the city is called مَدِینی. 

ٱلْعَزِيز – عَزِيز means mighty and also king or ruler. It was the title of the kings of Egypt (T). The meaning here is not king because the king of Egypt is referred to in this narrative as مَلِك and instead the word is used here for a grand noble of the court of the king to whom it appears the business of the state was delegated. This is surmised from the same title being accorded to Yusuf when he was delegated the functioning of the state. In the Bible, this noble’s name is given as Potiphar and he was the captain of Pharoah’s guard.

شَغَف – شَغَاف is غلافُ القَلۡب or pericardium and the meaning of شَغَفَهَا حُبًّا is that love has entered her heart or has overtaken her heart (LA).

12-31 So when she heard of their device, she sent for them and prepared for them a repast, and gave each of them a knife, and said (to Joseph): Come out to them. So when they saw him, they deemed him great, and cut their hands (in amazement), and said: Holy Allah! This is not a mortal! This is but a noble angel.

فَلَمَّا سَمِعَتْ بِمَكْرِهِنَّ أَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَعْتَدَتْ لَهُنَّ مُتَّكَـًۭٔا وَءَاتَتْ كُلَّ وَٰحِدَةٍۢ مِّنْهُنَّ سِكِّينًۭا وَقَالَتِ ٱخْرُجْ عَلَيْهِنَّ ۖ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْنَهُۥٓ أَكْبَرْنَهُۥ وَقَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ وَقُلْنَ حَـٰشَ لِلَّهِ مَا هَـٰذَا بَشَرًا إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا مَلَكٌۭ كَرِيمٌۭ (۳۱)

12-31a: بِمَكْرِهِنَّ – مَكْر  is a crafty scheme. The gossip of the women about the chief’s wife is called مَكْر because it was a crafty effort on their part to get to see Joseph. Another explanation why their backbiting and evil speech is called مَكْر is because these women and the chief’s wife were similarly adept at concealment. It is possible that by مَكْر is meant that these women may have conveyed to the chief’s wife a scheme to get Joseph to do her bidding and they were invited to fulfill this purpose. In this context, the purport of ضَلَـٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ  (manifest error) at the end of the previous verse can be that the chief’s wife had not adopted the right strategy to achieve her purpose. For example, she should have approached Joseph indirectly through someone else to convince him to do her bidding.

مُتَّكَـًۭٔا – The meaning of تَوَکَّأ and اِتَّکَأ (root تکا ) is to lean against a support, as in هِىَ عَصَاىَ أَتَوَكَّؤُا۟ عَلَيْهَا (This is my staff I lean on it) (20:18); ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ مُتَّكِـُٔونَ (reclining on raised couches) (36:56).  A pillow or cushion is also called مُتَّكَـًۭٔا and it is also another word for طعام or food because generally one leans back against a support while eating. Interestingly, this Ummah has been advised against eating while leaning back. Some have taken the meaning of مُتَّكَـًۭٔا as an assembly (LA). It also means citron (R). There are narratives in Ibn Jarir in line with the various meanings given here.

سِكِّينًۭ – It is derived from سکن . It means knife because the knife is used to slaughter animals and the slaughter puts the animal in a condition of سکون (peace or rest) (LA).

أَكْبَرْن – اَکۡبَرتُ الشئَ means رَأیۡتُه‘ کبیرا (saw him as great) (R).

حَـٰشَ لِلَّهِ – It means بُعۡدًا منه and is often used in a sarcastic manner.

The cutting of the hands because of the sudden appearance of Joseph when the women were engaged in eating and had knives in their hands is not an event lacking credence. The cutting of the hands does not mean that the hands were severed, and the purport is simply that they received a cut or otherwise injured their hands. Most commentators have preferred this meaning and there is even a meaning traced to Akramah that it was not the hands that were cut but the sleeve. The statement cutting of the hand could also be metaphorical and similar to the saying, biting the fingers in rage, as in: عَضُّوا۟ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْأَنَامِلَ مِنَ ٱلْغَيْظِ ۚ(they bite (their) finger tips in rage) (3:119). Their saying: This is not a mortal but a noble angel is not only because Joseph was handsome but more so because of the strength of his character in remaining chaste. It is imaginable that Joseph did not even cast a glance at this assembly of pretty and beautiful women, and this must have amazed them. Another interpretation of this passage can be based on what is indicated in the explanation of the word مَكْر, namely that this was a well crafted plan under which these women had schemed with the chief’s wife to have a repast in which the women were provided with knives. When Joseph appeared, all or some of them purposely cut their hands and then pressured Joseph that their wounds would be used as evidence against him unless he conceded to the request of the chief’s wife. When Joseph did not concede to their threat, they cried out in amazement that he was not a mortal but an angel because he cared not for their threats. Under this interpretation, the words لُمْتُنَّنِى فِيهِ ۖ in the next verse would amount to saying: You used to rebuke me that I could not get him to agree but now you have tried too and failed. For further explanation see 12:23a.

These events are not mentioned in the Bible but the desired objective of showing Joseph’s high level of chastity and morality cannot be fulfilled unless it is shown that Joseph not only resisted the advance of one woman but that even a bevy of beautiful women from the noblest families of the city were not able to tempt Joseph to compromise on his chastity. Evey Muslim should aspire to reach this high level of morality. The Bible fails to impart this lesson from its narrative of the events.

12-32 She said: This is he about whom you blamed me. And certainly I sought to seduce him, but he was firm in continence. And if he do not what I bid him, he shall certainly be imprisoned, and he shall certainly be of the abject.^a

قَالَتْ فَذَٰلِكُنَّ ٱلَّذِى لُمْتُنَّنِى فِيهِ ۖ وَلَقَدْ رَٰوَدتُّهُۥ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ فَٱسْتَعْصَمَ ۖ وَلَئِن لَّمْ يَفْعَلْ مَآ ءَامُرُهُۥ لَيُسْجَنَنَّ وَلَيَكُونًۭا مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰغِرِينَ (۳۲)

12-32a: ٱسْتَعْصَمَ – It means seeking a thing that will save him (R) or keep him chaste.

The wife of the chief threatened Joseph in front of the assemblage that if he did not satisfy her illegal wish then he would be reduced to an abject state and would be imprisoned. At the same time, she sought to get the sympathy of the women on her side by saying that this is he about whom you blamed me.

12-33 He said: My Lord, the prison is dearer to me than that to which they invite me. And if Thou turn not away their device from me, I shall yearn towards them and be of the ignorant.

قَالَ رَبِّ ٱلسِّجْنُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا يَدْعُونَنِىٓ إِلَيْهِ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَصْرِفْ عَنِّى كَيْدَهُنَّ أَصْبُ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْجَـٰهِلِينَ (۳۳)

12-33a: أَصْب – The meaning of صَبَاءَ is نَزَعَ وَ فَعَل فِعۡلَ الصِبۡیان that is to be drawn to a particular thing, to become desirous of it and to do what the boys do. صَبِی means a boy.

The women pressured Joseph: All the details of the conversation that the women had among themselves is not given in the Quran nor of what they said to Joseph but مِمَّا يَدْعُونَنِىٓ إِلَيْهِ (that to which they invite me) and كَيْدَهُنَّ (their devices) shows clearly that these women had put a proposal before Joseph and had initiated some crafty scheme which caused Joseph consternation. Now the seductress was not just one woman and her plan but a conspiracy with many actors all of whom were in some way pushing Joseph to do the bidding of the chief’s wife. It appears that these women were active assistants in fulfilling the purpose of the chief’s wife and attributed the cutting of their hands to an assault by Joseph on their chastity because of which they had sustained injuries. So, despite the chief being convinced that it was his wife who had initiated the seduction, Joseph was imprisoned. On the other hand, we see that when orders were sent to the jail to set Joseph free, he chose to stay in jail until he was exonerated. He does not ask for exoneration from the charge brought by the chief’s wife but instead says: مَا بَالُ ٱلنِّسْوَةِ ٱلَّـٰتِى قَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى بِكَيْدِهِنَّ عَلِيمٌۭ (what is the case of the women who cut their hands. Surely my Lord knows their device) (12:50). This shows that the incident of cutting hands was either part of a plan or that it was used as an excuse. The reply of these women: مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِن سُوٓءٍۢ ۚ(We know of no evil on his part) (12:51) exonerates Joseph and shows that they had made a fraudulent charge. This elucidation by the Quran clearly shows that the women had either purposely cut their hands or that if the hands were cut accidently in amazement, they leverage this to bring charges against Joseph. 

Jail preferred to committing sin: It was made clear to Joseph on this occasion that if he did not concede to the wishes of the chief’s wife, he would be incarcerated. So Joseph pleaded with Allah: رَبِّ ٱلسِّجْنُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا يَدْعُونَنِىٓ إِلَيْهِ (My Lord, the prison is dearer to me than that to which they invite me). Allah desires to establish every Muslim on this belief where sin is seen as as a greater catastrophe than going to jail.

12-34 So his Lord accepted his prayer and turned away their device from him. Surely He is the Hearer, the Knower.

فَٱسْتَجَابَ لَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥ فَصَرَفَ عَنْهُ كَيْدَهُنَّ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ (۳۴)

12-35 Then it occurred to them after they had seen the signs that they should imprison him till a time.

ثُمَّ بَدَا لَهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا رَأَوُا۟ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَيَسْجُنُنَّهُۥ حَتَّىٰ حِينٍۢ (۳۵)

12-35a: By ايَـٰت or signs is meant the sign of Joseph’s exoneration. All the circumstantial evidence favored Joseph but because the contention became one of Egyptian versus a non-Egyptian, the national bias won, and Joseph was imprisoned. 

12-21 And the Egyptian who bought him said to his wife: Make his stay honorable. Maybe he will be useful to us, or we may adopt him as a son. And thus We established Joseph in the land, and that We might teach him the interpretation of sayings. And Allah has full control over His affair, but most people know not.^a

وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِى ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ مِن مِّصْرَ لِٱمْرَأَتِهِۦٓ أَكْرِمِى مَثْوَىٰهُ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَنفَعَنَآ أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُۥ وَلَدًۭا ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلِنُعَلِّمَهُۥ مِن تَأْوِيلِ ٱلْأَحَادِيثِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَمْرِهِۦ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (۲۱)

12-21a: مَكَّنَّا – The meaning of تمکین is to give strength, power and large resources. See 6:6a. مَکانة is rank and station (T). Apart from this, the giving of large resources for disposition shows the attainment of a high and honorable status.

It has been said that the purchase mentioned in this verse is not the same as the transaction mentioned in the previous section. This would be the case if the sellers in the previous verse were taken to be Joseph’s brothers. With the purchase by the Egyptian, Joseph gets an honorable place in the house of a respected officer, and this becomes a source of strength and knowledge for him. Allah has full control over His affairs, means everything happens as He desires and there is none who can stop his decree from being implemented. Even in the condition of slavery Allah kept Yusuf in a respectable state and this is an indication of the high status and honor that was to be bestowed on him later.

12-22 And when he attained his maturity, We gave him wisdom and knowledge. And thus do We reward the doers of good.^a

وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُۥٓ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ حُكْمًۭا وَعِلْمًۭا ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ (۲۲)

12-22a: What is meant by maturity: The term أَشُدَّهُ is used both for physical maturity and spiritual maturity. Because Joseph was seventeen years old when he was taken out of Canaan, he had already attained physical maturity and so the أَشُدَّهُ mentioned here pertains to spiritual maturity. This is also apparent from the grant of wisdom and knowledge, both of which pertain to spiritual maturity. There is also a mention next that this is how Allah rewards the doers of good by giving them knowledge and wisdom. By حُكْم some have taken to mean prophethood, but this is not correct because Joseph had had no opportunity to preach till that time.

12-23 And she in whose house he was, sought to seduce him, and made fast the doors and said: Come. He said: Allah forbid! Surely my Lord made good my abode. The wrongdoers never prosper.^a

وَرَٰوَدَتْهُ ٱلَّتِى هُوَ فِى بَيْتِهَا عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ وَغَلَّقَتِ ٱلْأَبْوَٰبَ وَقَالَتْ هَيْتَ لَكَ ۚ قَالَ مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ رَبِّىٓ أَحْسَنَ مَثْوَاىَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ (۲۳)

12-23a: رَٰوَدَتْهُ – رَوۡد means to repeatedly be coming and going and gently pursuing the quest of something, and اِرَاَدۃ is a power which is an admixture of lust, need and expectation, that is one in which there is desire, need and hope or yearning. The beginning of ارادہ (intention) is for the self to be attracted to something and its maximal state is to order something to be or not to be as one wishes. When the word ارادہ is used for Allah, it means the final sequel, that is to order a thing, as in: إِنْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ سُوٓءًا أَوْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ رَحْمَةًۭ ۚ(if He intends harm for you or He intends to show you mercy) (33:17); إِذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍۢ سُوٓءًۭا فَلَا مَرَدَّ لَهُۥ ۚ(when Allah intends evil to a people, there is no averting it) (13:11). For humans, اِرَاَدۃ is for the self to be attracted to something, and sometimes its meaning is endeavor, desire or crave, as in: لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّۭا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ (no desire to exalt themselves in the earth) (28:83). Just as اِرَاَدۃ is used for humans who have free will, sometimes it is used for animals who act under instinctive power and for inanimate things who do not have any sense, as in: جِدَارًۭا يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ (a wall which was on the point of falling) (18:77). مُرَاودَۃ (the past tense of which appears in this verse) means a clash of intentions with another person so that your intention is against the intention of the other person or you seek a thing other than what the other person seeks. The meaning of راودته عن نفسه is تَصۡرفه عن رَأیِه (tried to change him from his intentions) (R).

غَلَّقَتِ – غَلۡق means to lock and اِغۡلاق or تَغۡلِیۡق (from which the verb is here) means to lock many times, that is to lock many doors or to repeatedly lock a door (R). 

هَيْتَ and ھَلُمَّ are very similar in meaning, and mean to come or come here. هَيْتَ لَكَ means اَقۡبِل (approach, draw near, come) (LA). Some have said this term is Aramaic or Sarayani etcetera, but Mujahid states this is Arabic (RM).

Chastity of Joseph: The words Quran has used provide ample testimony of Joseph’s strong intention to remain chaste. The word راودته shows that the intention of this woman was against the intention of Joseph and this fact is further strengthened by the use of عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ . In response to this woman’s machinations and intentions, Joseph gives the same response مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ (Allah forbid). This shows that there is not even a momentary lapse in Joseph’s intention to remain chaste. Some have taken إِنَّهُۥ رَبِّىٓ (my Lord) to mean this woman’s husband but the word رَبِّىٓ from the mouth of a chaste person is best taken to mean God. Also, Joseph attributes the words that follow: my Lord made good my abode not to the woman’s husband because he is merely a means, but to Allah who is the real source of all goodness. It is Allah who caused the chief’s heart to honor Joseph. At the same time, Joseph shows perfect belief as reflected in his statement that if he did what he is being incited to do then this will be wrongdoing and wrongdoers do not succeed. Joseph’s firm stand not to compromise his chastity despite the seclusion, the locked doors and a woman who is the mistress inviting her slave to come to her, is a fine spiritual lesson for the reader. The fact is that just as the chief’s wife tried to entice Joseph from his high level of morality, the Quraish of Makkah, who knew the Holy Prophet to be trustworthy and called him as such, tried to tempt him to compromise his high morals by offering him the most beautiful women. The Holy Prophet’s reply to this was that worldly governance, wealth and beauty have no reality and even if they placed the sun in his right hand and the moon in his left hand, he would not leave his moral station. 

12-24 And certainly she desired him, and he would have desired her, were it not that he had seen the manifest evidence of his Lord. Thus (it was) that We might turn away from him evil and indecency. Surely he was one of Our chosen servants.^a

وَلَقَدْ هَمَّتْ بِهِۦ ۖ وَهَمَّ بِهَا لَوْلَآ أَن رَّءَا بُرْهَـٰنَ رَبِّهِۦ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ ٱلسُّوٓءَ وَٱلْفَحْشَآءَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا ٱلْمُخْلَصِينَ (۲۴)

12-24a: وَهَمَّ بِهَا لَوْلَآ أَن رَّءَا بُرْهَـٰنَ رَبِّهِۦ – (and he would have desired her, were it not that he had seen the manifest evidence of his Lord). Abu Ubaidah is cited in Lisan al-Arab as stating that the last part of the sentence should precede the first part. So the sentence should read: 

لَوْلَآ أَن رَّءَا بُرْهَـٰنَ رَبِّهِ لھَۦَمَّ بِهَا  (Were it not that he had seen the manifest evidence of his Lord, he would have desired her).

The thought of being unchaste did not even cross Joseph’s mind: According to some commentators, Joseph did harbor some unchaste intention in his heart and there are some statements from Ibn Abbas in this vein, but this is not correct. The previous verse contradicts such a notion, and this verse is merely a further exposition of the same subject. There is mention there of مُرَاودَۃ that is the attempt of this woman to change Joseph from his intention and judgment. This attempt is mentioned in وَلَقَدْ هَمَّتْ بِهِ (And certainly she desired him) but the response to this مُرَاودَۃ was مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ رَبِّىٓ أَحْسَنَ مَثْوَاىَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ (Allah forbid! Surely my Lord made good my abode. The wrongdoers never prosper). If there had been any notion of doing evil in Joseph, the Quran would not have attributed مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ (Allah forbid) to Joseph. There is also evidence of this woman in another place about the chastity of Joseph: وَلَقَدْ رَٰوَدتُّهُۥ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ فَٱسْتَعْصَمَ ۖ(And certainly I tried to seduce him but he was firm in continence) (12:32). The reference here is of  مُرَاودَۃ and of Joseph staying firm. If there had been any other event, as some commentators have opined and have gone to the extent of writing: جلس منھا مجلس الرجل من امراته (He sat there as a man sits with his wife), that woman would not have given testimony of Joseph’s innocence. Wherever this incident is mentioned, there are only two things that are stated – the attempt at seduction of the woman and Joseph remaining firm against being seduced. When the other women gave testimony: قُلْنَ حَـٰشَ لِلَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِن سُوٓءٍۢ ۚ (Holy Allah! We knew of no evil on his part) (12:51), this woman also confessed: ٱلْـَٔـٰنَ حَصْحَصَ ٱلْحَقُّ أَنَا۠ رَٰوَدتُّهُۥ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ (Now has the truth become manifest. I sought to seduce him, and he is surely of the truthful) (12:51). Neither the other women nor the chief’s wife even hint in their testimony that Joseph had even a minor evil in his mind. The truth established by previous circumstantial evidence is now directly proven by the confession of the chief’s wife. In short, the thought that Joseph had any bad intention towards this woman is incorrect and against the clear evidence of the Quran. Before the events arrive at the stage of حل سراویل (untying the dress), there are many preliminary steps and anyone who indulges even in those cannot be called innocent. If such a person asserts his innocence, he cannot be called truthful. Further, it is stated in this verse: كَذَٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ ٱلسُّوٓءَ وَٱلْفَحْشَآءَ (Thus it was that We may turn away from him evil and indecency). It is clear that فَحْشَآءَ is the commission of an indecent act, whether it is adultery or the initiation of any basic requirement towards it, and سُّوٓءَ is any intention of indecency in one’s thoughts. So, Allah exonerates Joseph not only from adultery and acts preliminary to it but also from the entry of any evil intention into his pure heart.

The structure of هَمَّ بِهَا لَوْلَآ أَن رَّءَا بُرْهَـٰنَ رَبِّهِۦ (and he would have desired her, were it not that he had seen the manifest evidence of his Lord) is very similar to إِن كَادَتْ لَتُبْدِى بِهِۦ لَوْلَآ أَن رَّبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قَلْبِهَا (She would almost have disclosed it, had We not strengthened her heart) (28:10)۔ It is stated in Ruh al-Maani that the response preceding the condition does not forbid the response from having taken place. Even so, its structure is like a saying of Arabs: انت ظالم ان فعلت کذا (You are unjust if you do this) where injustice is not confirmed but contradicted. Similarly, here Joseph’s هَمَّ or desire is contradicted. In the commentary Tafsir Bihar ul Mohit, it is stated that some people have attributed to Joseph that which cannot even be attributed to a transgressor although there is nothing to show هَمَّ or intention. There is actually a contradiction of any intention.

Some have taken بُرْهَـٰنَ رَبِّهِۦ (manifest evidence of His Lord) to be the appearance of a likening of Jacob who gave advise. Some have said that this woman covered her idol and Joseph said: If you feel shame from this stone which neither hears nor has any intelligence, should I not show shame before my God who always sees regardless of the condition. Some have said that a written document appeared before him or that Gabriel came and stopped him. The Quran, however, gives the following testimony in the previous verse: إِنَّهُۥ رَبِّىٓ أَحْسَنَ مَثْوَاىَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ (Surely my Lord made good my abode. The wrongdoers never prosper) and it is this بُرْهَـٰنَ رَبِّهِۦ (manifest evidence of His Lord) that saves Joseph, that is his perfect belief in Allah and on His lordship and in the certainty that the unjust are not successful.

12-25 And they raced with one another to the door, and she rent his shirt from behind, and they met her husband at the door. She said: What is the punishment for one who intends evil to thy wife, except imprisonment or a painful chastisement?

وَٱسْتَبَقَا ٱلْبَابَ وَقَدَّتْ قَمِيصَهُۥ مِن دُبُرٍۢ وَأَلْفَيَا سَيِّدَهَا لَدَا ٱلْبَابِ ۚ قَالَتْ مَا جَزَآءُ مَنْ أَرَادَ بِأَهْلِكَ سُوٓءًا إِلَّآ أَن يُسْجَنَ أَوْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ (۲۵)

12-26 He said: She sought to seduce me. And a witness of her own family bore witness: If his shirt is rent in front, she speaks the truth and he is of the liars.^a

قَالَ هِىَ رَٰوَدَتْنِى عَن نَّفْسِى ۚ وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌۭ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَآ إِن كَانَ قَمِيصُهُۥ قُدَّ مِن قُبُلٍۢ فَصَدَقَتْ وَهُوَ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ (۲۶)

12-26a: Who was the witness: This witness according to some is a child and according to others an intelligent old man. Both these opinions are found in the commentaries by Ibn Jarir and Ibn Kathir. His testimony is restricted to suggesting a failproof method of determining the truth. This also goes to show that an efficacious method to judge the truth can be enough to decide a case.

The Quran very clearly manifests the innocence of Joseph here, and also further on in the narrative. The Bible mentions only that when the wife of the chief called him “ he left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth” (Genesis 39:13). There is no mention of his innocence, and this accusation is stated to be the reason for putting him in jail. The flight of Joseph after leaving his garment behind becomes corroborating evidence and there is nothing in the Biblical event to exonerate him. How can the Bible teach a high level of morality when after mentioning a great calumny against a pious person, it does not exonerate him from this calumny. In the chapter before the events of Joseph, there is a narration in the Bible of Judah, a brother of Joseph, and his involvement in a dirty and sinful episode which even if it is in a novel would have invoked censure. However, the Bible despite having these dirty stories is considered to be a Holy Book while the Quran despite its highly moral teachings is rejected.

12-27 And if his shirt is rent behind, she tells a lie and he is of the truthful.

وَإِن كَانَ قَمِيصُهُۥ قُدَّ مِن دُبُرٍۢ فَكَذَبَتْ وَهُوَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ (۲۷)

12-28 So when he saw his shirt rent behind, he said: Surely it is a device of you women. Your device is indeed great!

فَلَمَّا رَءَا قَمِيصَهُۥ قُدَّ مِن دُبُرٍۢ قَالَ إِنَّهُۥ مِن كَيْدِكُنَّ ۖ إِنَّ كَيْدَكُنَّ عَظِيمٌۭ (۲۸)

12-29 O Joseph, turn aside from this. And (O my wife), ask forgiveness for thy sin. Surely thou art one of the sinful.

يُوسُفُ أَعْرِضْ عَنْ هَـٰذَا ۚ وَٱسْتَغْفِرِى لِذَنۢبِكِ ۖ إِنَّكِ كُنتِ مِنَ ٱلْخَاطِـِٔينَ (۲۹) 

12-7 Verily in Joseph and his brethren there are signs for the inquirers.^a

لَّقَدْ كَانَ فِى يُوسُفَ وَإِخْوَتِهِۦٓ ءَايَـٰتٌۭ لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ (۷)

12-7a: The inquirers in this verse are people who inquired about the affairs of the Holy Prophet. There are signs for these inquirers in what transpired between Joseph and his brothers, that is the events in the Holy Prophet’s life were to mirror what happened between Joseph and his brothers. There were to be plans to kill him or to drive him out but, in the end, just as Joseph’s brothers presented themselves before Joseph in a helpless state, the Holy Prophet’s opponents will apologize to the Holy Prophet in a helpless and defeated state.

12-8 When they said: Certainly Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we, though we are a (strong) company. Surely our father is in manifest error —^a

إِذْ قَالُوا۟ لَيُوسُفُ وَأَخُوهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىٰٓ أَبِينَا مِنَّا وَنَحْنُ عُصْبَةٌ إِنَّ أَبَانَا لَفِى ضَلَـٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍ (۸)

12-8a: عُصْبَة –  عَصَب means sinews, and عَصۡب means to tie or bind. عُصْبَةٌ and عِصابة is a group numbering between ten and forty that does not have one leader. In Mufradat this is described as جماعة مُتَعَصِّبة مُتَعاضِدَۃ that is a group that assists each other. عَصَبَة means blood relationship or near kinship through father or son, and from the same root is the well known word تَعَصُّبۡ whose literal meaning is to gather or to come together, and then by extension applies to coming together to take sides against another party whether as an aggressor or because of being a victim. عَصَبیَّة is to call a person to assist the عَصَبَة . A hadith states: لَیۡس مِنّا من دعا الیٰ عَصَبِیَّة او قاتل عَصَبِیَّة   (he is not from among us who calls to عَصَبِیَّة or fights for  عَصَبِیَّة ) that is he sides with his blood relations regardless of whether the right or justice is on their side.

ضَلَـٰلٍۢ – Its meaning here is mistaken in his opinion (LA) that is his judgment is flawed.

By Joseph’s brother here is meant his real brother whose name was Benjamin. Joseph and Benjamin had the same mother. Joseph’s half brother’s jealousy is aroused merely because Joseph had a special place in his father’s heart. Their grouse is not that their father does not love them but only that he loves Joseph more. They do not try to think of how they could increase their father’s love for them but instead try to remove Joseph’s love by getting rid of Joseph. The result of such envy is never any good.

12-9 Slay Joseph or banish him to some (other) land, so that your father’s regard may be exclusively for you, and after that you may be a righteous people.^a

ٱقْتُلُوا۟ يُوسُفَ أَوِ ٱطْرَحُوهُ أَرْضًۭا يَخْلُ لَكُمْ وَجْهُ أَبِيكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ قَوْمًۭا صَـٰلِحِينَ (۹)

12-9a: ٱطْرَحُوا – طَرۡح means to throw, toss, hurl and to remove (R).

The purport of تَكُونُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ قَوْمًۭا صَـٰلِحِينَ  is that after this sin, they can repent and become righteous or the meaning is that by removing Joseph they can rectify their worldly affairs because then they will be the sole focus of their father’s attention.

12-10 A speaker among them said: Slay not Joseph, but, if you are going to do anything, cast him down to the bottom of the well. Some of the travelers may pick him up.^a

قَالَ قَآئِلٌۭ مِّنْهُمْ لَا تَقْتُلُوا۟ يُوسُفَ وَأَلْقُوهُ فِى غَيَـٰبَتِ ٱلْجُبِّ يَلْتَقِطْهُ بَعْضُ ٱلسَّيَّارَةِ إِن كُنتُمْ فَـٰعِلِينَ (۱۰)

12-10a: غَيَـٰبَتِ – Its root is غَیب (invisible) and غَیَابة is low lying ground or its depth as in the depth of a well (R).

جُبّ – جَبّ means to cut a thing from its root and جُبّ is a well that does not have a masonry parapet (R). A well with a parapet is called بِئۡر . According to some جُبّ is a deep well (LA). 

يَلْتَقِطْ – لَقۡط and اِلۡتِقاط is to pick something that is lying on the ground. لُقطَة is to pick something that was dropped, and لُقیط is to find an abandoned child (LA).

سَیّارۃ – سَیۡر means to walk or march and سَیّارَۃ is a party on the march or travelers.

According to Genesis 37:22 the brother who said this was Reuben.

12-11 They said: O our father, why dost thou not trust us with Joseph, and surely we are his sincere well-wishers?

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَا مَا لَكَ لَا تَأْمَ۫نَّا عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَنَـٰصِحُونَ (۱۱)

12-12 Send him with us tomorrow that he may enjoy himself and play, and we shall surely guard him well.

أَرْسِلْهُ مَعَنَا غَدًۭا يَرْتَعْ وَيَلْعَبْ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَـٰفِظُونَ (۱۲)

12-12a: يَرْتَعْ – رَتۡع means to graze or pasture and is used for animals typically but sometimes for humans as a metaphor (R) or a lifestyle in which one can eat and drink sumptuously (LA).

12-13 He said: Indeed it grieves me that you should take him away and I fear lest the wolf devour him, while you are heedless of him.^a

قَالَ إِنِّى لَيَحْزُنُنِىٓ أَن تَذْهَبُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَأَخَافُ أَن يَأْكُلَهُ ٱلذِّئْبُ وَأَنتُمْ عَنْهُ غَـٰفِلُونَ (۱۳)

12-13a: Jacob’s statement it grieves me that you take him, shows that he had an intuition that the brothers were taking Yousaf out to commit some mischief.

12-14 They said: If the wolf should devour him, while we are a (strong) company, we should then certainly be losers.

قَالُوا۟ لَئِنْ أَكَلَهُ ٱلذِّئْبُ وَنَحْنُ عُصْبَةٌ إِنَّآ إِذًۭا لَّخَـٰسِرُونَ (۱۴)

12-15 So when they took him away and agreed to put him down at the bottom of the pit, We revealed to him: Thou wilt certainly inform them of this affair of theirs while they perceive not.^a

فَلَمَّا ذَهَبُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَأَجْمَعُوٓا۟ أَن يَجْعَلُوهُ فِى غَيَـٰبَتِ ٱلْجُبِّ ۚ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْهِ لَتُنَبِّئَنَّهُم بِأَمْرِهِمْ هَـٰذَا وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ (۱۵)

12-15a: The Bible does not mention this revelation to Joseph, and even this deviation shows the wide difference between the two narrations in the Bible and the Quran. The Bible narration has the coloration of a mere story whose summary is that Jacob’s son was lost and then found. The Quranic narration on the other hand is full of spiritual and moral lessons. For example right at this very time when the brothers thought they had put an end to Yusuf and there did not seem to be any hope for him and the end of his life seemed to be near, an external voice comes and assures him that a time will come when he will inform his brothers of this deed. His position will be so high that they will not even be able to imagine that he has achieved such a high status. This voice not only creates perfect belief within Yousaf of Allah’s Being and creates the strength in him to bear the future tribulations that life will bring and gives him the power to stand firm in future trials, but also creates the same feelings in the reader. Omitting this small incident in the Bible renders the Bible narration a mere story but its presence in the Quran makes the incident into a valuable spiritual lesson.

Divine revelation before prophethood: This revelation does not necessarily imply that Joseph had become a prophet at that time. Verse 12:22 shows that wisdom and spiritual knowledge was given to him at maturity and that happened much later than this incident. Divine revelation can occur to a person who is not a prophet. There is mention in the Quran of revelation to the mother of Moses and the disciples of Jesus. This revelation of Joseph is prior to receiving prophethood, just as his vision was prior to prophethood. This revelation only had information about a future event, and information about future events can be revealed to non-prophets such as to the Mohaddessin of the Muslim ummah about whom it is stated in the ahadith: رجال یکلمون من غیران یکونوا انبیاء (Men who were spoken to though they were not prophets). Under the impression that revelation can only occur to a prophet, some have taken أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْهِ to refer to Jacob because Yusuf was only seventeen years old at the time. However, even this diminishes the real greatness of this event. وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ can be interpreted in two ways. One is that you will give this information to them when you are in a condition that they will not perceive it is you because of your high status. The other is that We have given you this good news, but your brothers do not have any knowledge of this.

12-16 And they came to their father at nightfall, weeping.

وَجَآءُوٓ أَبَاهُمْ عِشَآءًۭ يَبْكُونَ (۱۶)

12-17 They said: O our father, we went off racing one with another and left Joseph by our goods, so the wolf devoured him. And thou wilt not believe us, though we are truthful.^a

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَآ إِنَّا ذَهَبْنَا نَسْتَبِقُ وَتَرَكْنَا يُوسُفَ عِندَ مَتَـٰعِنَا فَأَكَلَهُ ٱلذِّئْبُ ۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ بِمُؤْمِنٍۢ لَّنَا وَلَوْ كُنَّا صَـٰدِقِينَ (۱۷)

12-17a: The purport of وَلَوْ كُنَّا صَـٰدِقِينَ (though we are truthful) is that even if your previous opinion about us was that we are truthful, you would not have believed us in this matter, but when your opinion about us even previously was not good, you will definitely not believe what we are saying.

12-18 And they came with false blood on his shirt. He said: Nay, your souls have made a matter light for you. So patience is goodly. And Allah is He Whose help is sought against what you describe.^a

وَجَآءُو عَلَىٰ قَمِيصِهِۦ بِدَمٍۢ كَذِبٍۢ ۚ قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًۭا ۖ فَصَبْرٌۭ جَمِيلٌۭ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ (۱۸)

12-18a: سَوَّلَتْ – The meaning of تَسۡوِیۡل is for the soul to embellish the thing that it desires and to beautify its shameful and ugly aspects, as in ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ سَوَّلَ لَهُمْ (the devil embellishes it for them (47:25). سُوۡل and اُمِنیَّة are very close in meaning. اُمِنیَّة is a desire that is born in one’s mind while سُوۡل (entice, tempt, allure) is a desire that one seeks to fulfill and is the stage after اُمِنیَّة . Its root is سُؤۡل and means a need that the soul desires and that a person wants fulfilled, as in قَدْ أُوتِيتَ سُؤْلَكَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ (Thou art indeed granted thy petition, O Moses) (20:36) (R).

There is a clear difference here again between the Bible and Quran narratives. According to the Bible when this news reached Jacob, he considered it credible and said: Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sack-cloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days (Genesis 37:33-34). This behavior is far from the dignity of a prophet. The Quran, on the other hand, portrays Jacob’s response in a very dignified way: فَصَبْرٌۭ جَمِيلٌۭ (So patience is goodly). Even after hearing such a calamitous news, Jacob not only shows patience but calls patience as goodly, meaning that to be patient under these circumstances is both elegant and excellent. There is a lesson in this for others as well that even under the harshest difficulties, they should not lament, howl and wail but show patience and accept what God has decreed. A hadith in Bukhari narrates that when the lady Ayesha became the victim of a great calumny that put her in a condition of great distress and grief, she responded with: I say what Jacob said: فَصَبْرٌۭ جَمِيلٌۭ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ (So patience is goodly. And Allah is He Whose help is sought against what you describe). Another big difference between the Quranic and Biblical versions is that according to the Quranic version, it appears that Jacob was convinced that joseph had not been killed and was alive and that Allah will bring about those things that Joseph had seen in the vision. Just as in the Biblical account, Jacob had scolded Joseph on hearing the account of his vision but in the Quranic version he interpreted it as meaning that Joseph will achieve worldly and spiritual greatness, Jacob, with full belief in the interpretation of the vision, tells his sons that what they allege is not correct and in وَٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُسْتَعَانُ , he conveys that Allah will fulfill those things that He has shown.

Joseph’s brothers had splattered some fake blood on Joseph’s shirt. According to the Bible, this was a coat of many colors that Jacob had made for Joseph. Regardless of the type of garment, the purport of the brothers was to give credence to their contention that a wolf had devoured Joseph and his coat soaked in blood was all that remained. It is noteworthy that during this narrative, Joseph’s shirt is significant on three occasions. Jacob gauged from the shirt that Joseph’s brothers presented as evidence that the blood was fake and it provided testimony that Joseph was alive. On a second occasion, Joseph’s shirt provided evidence of his ignorance, and on a third occasion Joseph sent his shirt to his father and it provided evidence of his great state. In other words, Joseph’s shirt provides testimony of his life, his chastity and his glory. Seeing a shirt in a dream symbolizes knowledge as is mentioned in an authentic hadith in which the Holy Prophet said that he had seen Umar with a long shirt and interpreted it as knowledge. In this surah too, just as there are three references to Joseph’s shirt, there are three specific mentions of Joseph’s knowledge in interpreting dreams, that is in verses 12:6, 12:21 and 12:101.

12-19 And there came travelers, and they sent their water-drawer and he let down his bucket. He said: O good news! This is a youth. And they concealed him as an article of merchandise, and Allah was Cognizant of what they did.^a

 وَجَآءَتْ سَيَّارَةٌۭ فَأَرْسَلُوا۟ وَارِدَهُمْ فَأَدْلَىٰ دَلْوَهُۥ ۖ قَالَ يَـٰبُشْرَىٰ هَـٰذَا غُلَـٰمٌۭ ۚ وَأَسَرُّوهُ بِضَـٰعَةًۭ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ (۱۹)

12-19a: بِضَـٰعَةًۭ – It is the major part of person’s property that is kept for trade, that is merchandise, as in: هَـٰذِهِۦ   بِضَـٰعَتُنَا رُدَّتْ إِلَيْنَا ۖ (This is our property returned to us) (12:65). Its root is بَضۡع which means a big piece of meat that has been cut out. There is a statement in hadith: فاطمة بَضۡعَةٌ مِنّی (Fatima is part of my body). بِضۡع means less than ten, and includes digits from three to nine.

12-20 And they sold him for a small price, a few pieces of silver, and they showed no desire for him.^a

وَشَرَوْهُ بِثَمَنٍۭ بَخْسٍۢ دَرَٰهِمَ مَعْدُودَةٍۢ وَكَانُوا۟ فِيهِ مِنَ ٱلزَّٰهِدِينَ (۲۰)

12-20a: زا هِدِين – زھید means insignificant, small, paltry, and the meaning of الزاھِدُ فی الشَّئ is a person who shows no desire for another person or in other words is satisfied with accepting a small price for him (R). This is the meaning here. زُھد has a religious connotation and is the opposite of worldly desire and greed (LA). The Quranic narrative diverges here from the Biblical narrative. According to the Bible, Joseph’s brothers first sold him to the Midianites (the people of the caravan) and they went and sold him in Egypt. From the Quranic version, it appears that the people of the caravan concealed Joseph and took him away and sold him in Egypt and they did not consider him to be of much value.

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

12-1 I, Allah, am the Seer. These are the verses of the Book that makes manifest.

الٓر ۚ تِلْكَ ءَايَـٰتُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ ٱلْمُبِينِ (۱)

12-2 Surely We have revealed it — an Arabic Qur’an — that you may understand.^a

إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ قُرْءَٰنًا عَرَبِيًّۭا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ (۲)

12-2a: عَرَبِيًّۭا – The progeny of Ishmael are called عَرَب and the meaning of عَرَبیّ  is مُفۡصِح that is a language which explains its meanings with eloquence and perspicuity. The meaning of اعۡراب is exposition, and a statement in hadith in the context of a widow deciding about a marriage proposal is: الثَیِبُ تُعۡرِبُ عَنۡ نَفۡسِہا (the widow states the matter very clearly herself). عَرَبِّی is a perspicuous and eloquent speech, as in: بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِىٍّۢ مُّبِينٍ (In plain Arabic language) (26:125); حُكْمًا عَرَبِيًّۭا ۚ(a true judgment, in Arabic) (13:37) where the term is explained as an eloquent exposition that shows truth to be truth and evil as evil. Some have taken its meaning to be noble and honorable, as in  كِتَـٰبٌۭ كَرِيمٌ (honorable letter) (27:29). Another meaning of عَرَبِّی can be attributed to the Arabian prophet (R). The opposite of عَرَب is عَجَم and اَعۡجَم is a person whose tongue has عُجۡمَة, that is his speech is confused, ambiguous and lacks clarity, and the term is used regardless of whether the person is an Arab or non-Arab, as in وَلَوْ جَعَلْنَـٰهُ قُرْءَانًا أَعْجَمِيًّۭا (And if We had made it a Quran in a foreign tongue) (41:44) (R).

According to Ibn Abbas, the Holy Prophet said that Adam’s language in Paradise was Arabic (RM). On this basis, Arabic is the mother of all other languages and accordingly some believe that Arabic is the original language while other languages came into being after it (RM). According to one hadith, the language of the people of Paradise will be Arabic. So, if by Arabic Quran is meant the Quran revealed in the Arabic language, then the indication in لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ is that the last message of Allah is revealed in the language that is the mother of all languages. It is a matter of great amazement that in the last thirteen or fourteen hundred years the literary Arabic used for educational purposes has not undergone any change, and today, fourteen hundred years later, the literary Arabic is the same as the one that existed in the time of the Holy Prophet. Other languages, on the other hand, have not retained their purity even in half this time. This provides testimony that the Arabic language has remained the same from the beginning. For a full discussion of Arabic as the mother of all languages, the reader is referred to the book Umm al Alsinata by Khawaja Kamaluddin. In the present time, attention is drawn to this fact by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian.

The most plausible explanation is that by قُرْءَٰنًا عَرَبِيًّۭا here is meant the Book that explains its text with acute perspicacity and eloquence so that people can understand it fully. Anyone who wishes can compare the Quran with other scriptures, and such a comparison reveals that the detailed, comprehensive, and eloquent way in which the Quran has explained the issues is far superior to anything in the other scriptures.

12-3 We narrate to thee the best of narratives, in that We have revealed to thee this Qur’an, though before this thou wast of those unaware.

نَحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ أَحْسَنَ ٱلْقَصَصِ بِمَآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ وَإِن كُنتَ مِن قَبْلِهِۦ لَمِنَ ٱلْغَـٰفِلِينَ (۳)

12-3a: قَصَصِ – For the meaning of قَصَصِ see 3-62a. قَصَصَ means a narration, or the news that is related. The plural of قِصة is قِصَص and the meaning of أَحْسَنَ ٱلْقَصَصِ is احسن البیان (the best of narratives) (LA).

ٱلْغَـٰفِلِينَ – غَفّلَة means to forget either because of lapse of memory or carelessness (R) or not being aware of something about which one should be aware or forgetfulness of a thing (LA).

The narration that is in this surah is referred to as the best of narratives because although it is an account of some events in the life of one person, it is full of great moral teachings from the beginning to the end. In addition, it is the picture of the relationship between the Holy Prophet and his nation, and this is indicated in the statement: إِن كُنتَ مِن قَبْلِهِۦ لَمِنَ ٱلْغَـٰفِلِينَ (though before this thou wast of those unaware). These words are literally true because the Holy Prophet had not heard this narrative from any source, nor had he read the books in which this is mentioned. It is only from revelation that he learned about it. However, the Quran delves both into what is manifest and what is hidden and along with the literal meaning, there is an indication that the Holy Prophet is unaware of the treatment that his nation will mete out to him, that he will perforce have to leave his home, and go to another place where he will be elevated to an honored status before which his nation will have to bow before him, just as the brothers of Joseph had to bow before him. The similarity of the events in the life of Joseph with that in the life of the Holy Prophet and that this surah maps his life is manifested by the use of words with which the Holy Prophet forgave his nation when they humbly presented themselves before him in a defeated state. The Holy Prophet forgave them using the same words with which Joseph forgave his brothers: لَا تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ (No reproof be against you this day) (12:92). The words in this verse that appear to be superfluous: بِمَآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ (in that We have revealed to thee this Quran) really convey that this is not a mere story because the Quran is not a Book of stories, but the purpose of the narration is to teach what constitutes high morals and virtues. If the narration of Joseph’s story in the Quran is compared with its narration in the Bible, it becomes apparent that from the beginning to the end the Quran is focused on teaching morals and virtues with this narration whereas this aspect is lacking in the Bible. This is the reason why the two narrations also diverge in some areas. Thus, it is made apparent that if this incident had not been related through revelation, it would have been sterile of moral teachings like the incident of the Bible.

12-4 When Joseph said to his father: O my father, I saw eleven stars and the sun and the moon — I saw them making obeisance to me.^a

إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّى رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًۭا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِى سَـٰجِدِينَ (۴)

12-4a: ابت – In reality this is ابی (my Father) and یا has been changed by تاۓ to make it into a feminine gender.

رَأَيْتُ – The meaning of رَأَيْتُ here is to see in a dream. In the past tense, when the meaning is to see in a dream the verbal noun is رُؤیا while in the ordinary sense of seeing the verbal noun is رُؤۡیة .

كَوْكَب – It means نَجۡم (star) and because of its likening to light, it is also called کَوۡکَبۡ . The chief of a tribe is also called كَوْكَب .

Joseph’s narrative begins with his dream. It is stated in the Hadith that the Holy Prophet also had true dreams before his elevation to prophethood and his dreams were crystal clear.

The prostration of the eleven stars and sun is an analogy: The literal meaning of prostration requires the forehead to be put on the ground. These heavenly bodies in their actual form therefore cannot perform this act in a person’s dream. So, either these bodies took on the form of a human to prostrate before Joseph or this prostration was in some form a manifestation of obeisance whose elucidation is not given here. The interpretation of this dream is given in the next verse and towards the end of this surah. The names of the eleven stars are given in a hadith but Ibn Jawzi has called the hadith manufactured.

12-5 He said: O my son, relate not thy dream to thy brethren, lest they devise a plan against thee. The devil indeed is an open enemy to man.

قَالَ يَـٰبُنَىَّ لَا تَقْصُصْ رُءْيَاكَ عَلَىٰٓ إِخْوَتِكَ فَيَكِيدُوا۟ لَكَ كَيْدًا ۖ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ عَدُوٌّۭ مُّبِينٌۭ (۵)

12-6 And thus will thy Lord choose thee and teach thee the interpretation of sayings, and make His favour complete to thee and to the Children of Jacob, as He made it complete before to thy fathers, Abraham and Isaac. Surely thy Lord is Knowing, Wise.^a

وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَجْتَبِيكَ رَبُّكَ وَيُعَلِّمُكَ مِن تَأْوِيلِ ٱلْأَحَادِيثِ وَيُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰٓ ءَالِ يَعْقُوبَ كَمَآ أَتَمَّهَا عَلَىٰٓ أَبَوَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌۭ (۶)

12-6a: أَحَادِيث – حدیث is from حدث and the meaning of حُدُوث is for a thing to be, after it was not. حدیث is any saying that reaches a person through hearsay or revelation whether in wakefulness or in a dream. Accordingly, even the Quran is called hadith, as in: أَفَمِنْ هَـٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ تَعْجَبُونَ (Wonder you then at this announcement?) (53:59); وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ حَدِيثًۭا (And who is more true in word than Allah) (4:87).

Difference between Quran and Bible: In the Bible narrative, when Joseph relates this dream to his father Jacob, “his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?” (Genesis 38:10). This speech is not befitting of a prophet because Jacob considers this dream to be meaningless and untrue. In contrast, according to the Quran Jacob accepts the dream to be true and interprets it as meaning that Joseph will become a great man, and this interpretation is also in accordance with the events present in the Book of Genesis.

What is the meaning of the sun and the moon and eleven stars prostrating to Joseph: According to Ruh al-Maani the interpretation of sun is king, or gold, or a beautiful wife, and the interpretation of moon is rich, and that of stars is nobles. So according to this, the prostration by the sun, moon and stars would mean the king’s allegiance to Joseph and also of the rich and noble persons of the land. Joseph did indeed achieve a status in Egypt where the King of Egypt and his nobles all bowed to Joseph, and he achieved a measure of superiority over them. The number eleven for the stars may be because perhaps the number of nobles in Egypt was eleven or it is a convenient whole number. Most commentators, however, consider that eleven stars mean the eleven brothers and by sun and moon means Joseph’s father and mother respectively. However, mere pre-eminence over the parents and brothers of a person does not convey the kind of high status that having eminence over the king and his courtiers does. The interpretation that Jacob made is that Joseph will reach a high status both spiritually and temporally as narrated further on.

Jacob’s interpretation: Jacob read three things in the dream. The first is اجتباء. See 3:179b for its meaning. Some commentators opine that this means selected for prophethood, some say selected for prostration and some give other explanations (RM). If the literal meaning of اجتباء, is taken, it would mean gathering together the best attributes in Yousaf. Allah puts together the best attributes in prophets, the truthful ones and faithful ones. Second, is the ability to  interpret sayings, and some have taken it to mean the interpretation of dreams, some the interpretation of consequential matters, and some the interpretation of the sayings of prophets and previous scriptures. However, just as the word أَحَادِيث is wide in its meanings and includes dreams and revelation, the meaning here also requires a wide interpretation, and will include the ability to get to the root of every matter and having great wisdom. The interpretation of dreams is included and is a part of this high quality of knowledge and wisdom. The third thing is the completion of blessings, and this means receiving both the blessings of this world and the next world, such as prophethood with kingship, or freedom from subservience of others, or both spiritual and physical blessings. This is the completion of blessings. Jacob apparently has understood this from the dream and it is possible that Allah may have in addition given him information through revelation that Joseph was about to reach an elevated status.

Another interpretation is that the sun is the primary source of light and so by its prostration is meant spiritual perfection because a person’s real blessings are spiritual. The moon borrows the light from the sun and so this implies perfection in earthly matters, and this is granted to Joseph through the instrumentality of his spiritual perfection, his righteousness, and his knowledge which propelled him to a position of governance. Finally, because knowledge is obtained from stars, as indicated in وَبِٱلنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ (And by the stars they find the right way) (16:16), the prostration by stars means obtaining knowledge.       

Name: The name of this surah is Yusuf (Joseph) and it has twelve chapters and one hundred and eleven verses. The name of the surah is taken from the narrative of Joseph which is the sole subject of this surah.

Summary: The subject matter of this surah is just one, that is the history of Joseph except that at the very beginning of the surah the real purpose of this narration is given and at the end of the chapter, the opponents of the Holy Prophet are clearly reminded of this. The first section mentions the vision of Joseph in which he is shown that he will be made into a great person, and there is an indication in this of the Holy Prophet’s physical and spiritual magnificence some of which was manifest at this time and some was hidden to be revealed in the future. The second section narrates the harsh treatment of Joseph at the hands of his half-brothers and their plans against him. The Holy Prophet had to face even harsher treatment and counter more dangerous plans. The third section mentions the steadfastness of Joseph in the face of many allurements and temptations and there is a reference in this to the Holy Prophet’s steadfastness because similar allurements were offered to the Holy Prophet as well. The fourth section narrates the imprisonment of Joseph and though Allah saved the Holy Prophet from such a fate but his besiegement in Shaib Abi Talib is a close parallel to Joseph’s imprisonment. The fifth section mentions how even in prison Joseph took every opportunity to sermonize and advise. The Holy Prophet during his confinement in Shaib Abi Talib continued with his preaching and advising to his fellow tribesmen of Banu Hashim who were besieged with him, and it was during this period that Islam found a place in the hearts of many of them. The sixth section mentions the dream of the King of Egypt in which there is an indication of a famine lasting seven years and in the explanation of this event, Bukhari mentions a famine of seven years that took place in Makkah as well. The seventh section manifests the exoneration of Joseph and his elevation to a position of great honor. The Holy Prophet was exonerated in a similar manner and all the tribes of Madinah accepted him as the arbitrator for all their disputes. The eighth and ninth section narrate the mutual dealings between Joseph and his brothers. In the seven-year famine that gripped Makkah, things got so bad that Abu Sufyan came to Madinah and asked the Holy Prophet to pray to Allah to remove the famine because, as he put it, the Holy Prophet’s brothers were dying. The Holy Prophet prayed and Allah caused the famine to end. In the tenth section, Joseph’s brothers accept their guilt and Joseph forgives them. The Holy Prophet used the same words that Joseph used: لَا تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ (No reproof be against you this day) (12:92) to forgive his opponents when Makkah was conquered and, in this way, he showed that it is really his life that is mapped in the story of Joseph. The eleventh section shows that the brothers migrated to Egypt and joined Joseph in the governance of the kingdom, and in this there is an indication that the people of Arabia would inherit this magnificent kingdom which they will get as successors of the Holy Prophet. In the twelfth section, the subject is made general and the Holy Prophet’s opponents are asked to reflect.

Relationship with previous surahs: This is the third surah in the sequence of surahs beginning with الرٰ. The previous two surahs explained to the opponents of the Holy Prophet, first through rational arguments and then by narrating the fate of the opponents of previous prophets, that their opposition will ultimately be futile. In this surah the history of a prophet is narrated whose opponents’ fate was to mirror very closely the fate that was to befall the opponents of the Holy Prophet. At the end of the last chapter, it is stated that in recounting the life of previous prophets, there is a reference to the life of the Holy Prophet.

Period of revelation: The second last verse of this surah provides testimony that the revelation of this surah took place at a time when the opposition of the Quraish had reached a peak and  people were paying no attention to the teachings and sermonizing of the Holy Prophet. After this, the assistance of Allah manifested itself in the creation of a strong party in Madinah to support the Holy Prophet.