12:1  Alif, Laam, Raa. These are the symbols of the Clear Book

12:2  We have sent it down as an Arabic Quran, in order that you may learn wisdom

12:3  We relate to you the most beautiful of stories, in that We reveal to you this Quran. Before this, you too were among those who knew it not

12:4  Behold, Joseph said to his father, “O my father, I saw eleven stars and the Sun and the Moon, I saw them prostrate themselves to me.

12:5  He said, “My son, do not share your vision with your brothers, lest they make a plan against you, for Satan is to humanity a sworn enemy

12:6  “Thus will your Guardian Evolver choose you and teach you the interpretation of stories and events, and perfect His favor on you and on the posterity of Jacob, even as He perfected it to your fathers Abraham and Isaac, for God is full of knowledge and wisdom.

12:7  Indeed in Joseph and his brothers are signs for seekers

12:8  They said, “Truly Joseph and his brother are loved more by our father than we are, though we are an excellent group. Indeed our father is clearly in error

12:9  “Slay Joseph or cast him out to some unknown land, so the favor of your father may be given to you alone. There will be enough time for you to be righteous after that.

12:10  One of them said, “Do not slay Joseph, but if you must do something, throw him down to the bottom of the well. He will be picked up by some caravan of travelers.

12:11  They said, “O our father, why do you not trust us with Joseph, seeing we are indeed his sincere well-wishers

12:12  “Send him with us tomorrow to enjoy himself and play, and we will take care of him.

12:13  Jacob said, “Really it saddens me that you should take him away. I fear the wolf should devour him while you are not watching him.

12:14  They said, “If the wolf were to devour him while we are such a large group, then we would indeed have also perished.

12:15  So they took him away, and they all threw him down to the bottom of the well, and We put into his heart this message, “Indeed you will tell them the truth about this act of theirs, while they know you not.

12:16  Then they came to their father in the early part of the night, weeping

12:17  They said, “O our father, we went racing with one another, and left Joseph with our things, and the wolf devoured him, but you will never believe us even though we tell the truth.

12:18  They stained his shirt with fake blood. He said, “No, your minds have made up a tale that may pass with you, but for me patience is most fitting against that which you assert, it is only God Whose help can be sought.

12:19  Then there came a caravan of travelers. They sent their water-carrier to the well, and he let down his bucket. He said, “Look here, good news. Here is a young man.” So they hid him like merchandise, but God knows well all that they do

12:20  They sold him for a miserable price, for a few coins counted out. In such low estimation did they hold him

12:21  The man in Egypt who bought him said to his wife, “Make his stay honorable. Maybe he will bring us much good, or we will take him as a son.” Thus did We establish Joseph in the land that We might teach him the interpretation of stories and events, and God has full power and control over His affairs, but most among humanity do not know

12:22  When Joseph reached maturity, We gave him power and knowledge. Thus do We reward those who do right

12:23  But she in whose house he stayed, sought to seduce him from himself. She locked the doors and said, “Come now.” He said, “God forbid, truly he is my lord. He made my sojourn comfortable. Truly no good comes to those who do wrong.

12:24  And indeed she desired him, and he would have desired her, but he saw the evidence of his Lord, so that We might avert from him harm, and immorality, for he was one of Our servants, sincere and innocent

12:25  So they both raced each other to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back. The two found her lord near the door. She said, “What is the punishment for one who committed a wrongful act against your wife, only prison or some other terrible chastisement?

12:26  He said, “It was she who sought to seduce me from myself.” Then one from her household saw this and bore witness, “If it be that his shirt is torn from the front, then her story is true, and he is a liar

12:27  “But if it be that his shirt is torn from the back, then she is the liar, and he is telling the truth.

12:28  So when he saw that his shirt was torn from the back her husband said, “Indeed the seduction was yours, truly extreme is your deception

12:29  “O Joseph, pass this over. O wife, ask forgiveness for your wrong, for truly you have been at fault.

12:30  The ladies in the city said, “The wife of the great Aziz has sought to seduce her slave from himself. Truly he has inspired her with violent love. We see she is evidently going astray.

12:31  When she heard of their gossip, she sent for them and prepared a banquet for them. She gave each of them a knife and said, “Come out before them.” When they saw him, they applauded him, and cut their hands. They said, “God preserve us, no mortal is this, this is none other than a noble angel.

12:32  She said, “There before you is the man for whom you blamed me. I did seek to seduce him from himself but he firmly saved himself guiltless, and now, if he does not as I wish, he will certainly be cast into prison, and be of the company of the hardest.

12:33  He said, “O my Lord, the prison is more to my liking than that which they invite me. Unless You turn away their temptation from me, I should feel inclined towards them and join the ranks of the ignorant.

12:34  So his Lord responded to him, and turned away their temptation from him, indeed He hears and knows all things

12:35  Then it occurred to the people, after they had seen the signs, to imprison him for a time

12:36  With him there came into the prison two young people. One of them said, “I see myself pressing wine.” Said the other, “I see myself carrying bread on my head, and birds are eating from it. Tell us the true meaning of it, for we see you are one who does right.

12:37  He said, “Before any food comes to feed either of you, I will surely reveal to you the truth and meaning of this, and before it befalls you. That is part of the duty which my Lord has taught me. I have abandoned the ways of a people who do not believe in God and who deny the hereafter

12:38  “And I follow the ways of my forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and never could we attribute any partners to God. That is from the grace of God to us and to humanity, yet most people are not grateful

12:39  “O my two companions of the prison. Are many lords differing among themselves better, or One God, Supreme and Irresistible

12:40  “If not Him, you worship nothing but names which you have named, you and your parents, for which God has sent down no authority. The command is for none but God. He has asked that you worship none but Him. That is the right way, but most people do not understand

12:41  “O my two companions of the prison. As for one of you, he will pour out the wine for his lord to drink. As for the other, he will hang from the cross, and the birds will eat from off his head. So is decreed the matter which you two inquire.

12:42  And of the two, to the one who he considers about to be saved he said, “Mention me to your lord.” But Satan made him forget to mention him to his lord, and Joseph lingered in prison a few more years

12:43  The king said, “I see seven fat cows which seven lean ones devour, and seven green ears of corn, and seven withered. O advisors, explain to me my vision if you can interpret visions.

12:44  They said, “A confused medley of dreams, and we are not skilled in the interpretation of dreams.

12:45  But the person who had been released, one of the two, now remembered him after a period of time and said, “I will tell you the truth of its interpretation. Bring me

12:46  “O Joseph, O person of truth, expound to us concerning the seven fat cows that the seven lean ones devour, and the seven green ears of corn and withered ones. That I may return to the people, and that they may understand.

12:47  Joseph said, “For seven years you will diligently sow as you will, and the harvests of what you reap, you will leave in the ear, except a little of which you will eat

12:48  “Then will come after that seven dreadful years which will devour what you will have saved in anticipation for them, all except a little which you will have stored

12:49  “Then will come after that, a year in which the people will have abundant water, and in which they will use to produce.

12:50  So the king said, “Bring him to me.” But when the messenger came to him Joseph said, “Go back to your lord, and ask him what state of mind the ladies who cut their hands is? For my Lord is certainly well aware with their temptation.

12:51  The king said to the ladies, “What was your state when you sought to seduce Joseph from himself?” The ladies said, “God preserve us, we do not know anything bad about him.” Said the Aziz’s wife, “Now the truth is manifest. It was I who sought to seduce him from himself. He is indeed of those who are truthful

12:52  “That in order that he may know that I have never betrayed him in his absence, and that God will never assist the plans of betrayal. (End of Part 12

12:53  “Nor do I absolve myself, though the soul is certainly prone to difficulty, unless my Lord bestows His mercy. But surely my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Mercifully Redeeming.

12:54  So the king said, “Bring him to me, I will appoint him to myself.” Therefore, when he spoke to him he said, “Be assured this day that you are in our presence with ranks firmly established, and integrity fully proven

12:55  Joseph said, “Appoint me over the treasury of the land. I will indeed guard it as an expert.

12:56  Thus We gave power to Joseph in the land to take possession when or where he pleased. We bestow Our mercy on whom We please, and We cause not to be lost, the reward of those who do right

12:57  But indeed the reward of the hereafter is best for those who believe and are constant in righteousness

12:58  Then Joseph’s brothers came. They entered his presence and he knew them, but they knew him not

12:59  And once he supplied their provisions he said, “Bring to me a brother you have, of the same father as you. Do you not see that I give a good amount, and that I provide the best hospitality

12:60  “Now, if you do not bring him to me, you will no longer receive any amount from me, nor will you even come near me.

12:61  They said, “We will certainly seek to get permission concerning him from his father, indeed we will.

12:62  And Joseph told members of his staff to put their goods with which they had bartered into their saddlebags so they would find it only when they returned to their people, in order that they might return

12:63  Now when they returned to their father they said, “O our father, no amount of grain will we get unless you send our brother with us, only then will we receive our measure. We will indeed take every care of him.

12:64  He said, “Shall I trust you with him to any end other than when I trusted you with his brother? But God is the best Caretaker, and He is a better redeemer than all who redeem.

12:65  Then when they opened their luggage they found their goods had been returned to them and they said, “O our father, what more can we ask for? These goods have been returned to us. We will get food for our family, we will take care of our brother, and add a full camel’s load. This is just a small quantity

12:66  Jacob said, “Never will I send him with you until you swear a solemn oath to me, in the name of God, that you will indeed bring him back to me, unless you yourselves are captured. Once they swore their solemn oath he said, “Over all that we say, God is Witness and Guardian.

12:67  Further he said, “O my sons, do not enter all through one gate. Enter through different gates. Not that I can help you over God. None can determine anything except for God. On Him do I put my trust, and let all who trust, put their trust in Him.

12:68  And when they entered in the manner their father had advised, it did not profit them in the least against God. It was only helpful for Jacob’s soul which he carried out. For he was, by our instruction, full of knowledge. But most people do not understand

12:69  Then when they came into Joseph’s presence, he invited his brother to stay with him. He said to him, “Behold, I am your brother, so do not grieve about any of their doings.

12:70  Then when he had given them provisions, he put the drinking cup into his brother’s saddlebag. Then someone shouted, “You in that caravan! Indeed you are thieves!

12:71  They said turning towards them, “What is it you miss?

12:72  They said, “We miss the great goblet of the king. For him who produces it, is a camel’s load. I will be bound by it.

12:73  The brothers said, “By God, you know full well that we did not come to commit crimes in the land, and that we are not thieves.

12:74  They said, “What then will be the penalty for this if you are proved to have lied?

12:75  They said, “The penalty should be that he in whose saddle-bag it is found should be held to pay for the crime. This is how we punish criminals.

12:76  So he began to search their baggage, then he came to the baggage of his brother, and brought it out of his brother’s bag. We planned this for Joseph. He could not take his brother by the law of the king except that God willed it. We raise in degrees who We please. But over all, endued with knowledge is One, All Knowing

12:77  They said, “He steals. And there was a brother of his who stole before him.” But these things did Joseph keep locked in his heart, not revealing the secrets to them. He said, “You are worse situated, and God knows best the truth of what you assert.

12:78  They said, “O exalted one, behold, he has a father who is very old, so take one of us in his place, for we see that you graciously do good.

12:79  He said, “God forbids that we take other than him with whom we found our property. Indeed, we would be acting wrongfully

12:80  Now, when they saw no hope of him changing, they held a conference in private. The eldest among them said, “Do you not know that your father took a promise from you in God's name, and how, before this, you failed in your duty with Joseph? Therefore, I will not leave this land until my father permits me, or God commands me, and He is the best to command

12:81  “Turn back to your father and say, ‘O our father, behold, your son committed theft. We bear witness only to what we know, and we cannot testify against the unknown

12:82  “Ask at the town where we have been, and the caravan in which we returned, and you will find that we are indeed telling the truth.

12:83  Jacob said, “No, but you have contrived a story for you. Patience is most fitting. Maybe God will bring them to me together, for He is indeed full of knowledge and wisdom.

12:84  And he turned away from them and said, “How great is my grief for Joseph.” And his eyes became white with sorrow, and he fell into silence

12:85  They said, “By God, will you not cease to remember Joseph until you reach the last extremity of illness, or until you die.

12:86  He said, “I only complain of my suffering and grief to God, and I learned from God that which you know not

12:87  “O my sons, go and inquire about Joseph and his brother, and never give up hope of God's mercy. Truly no one despairs of God's mercy, except those who have no faith.

12:88  Then when they came back into Joseph’s presence they said, “O exalted one, distress has seized us and our family. We have come with goods of little value. So pay us full measure. Consider it as charity to us, for God rewards the charitable.

12:89  He said, “Do you know how you dealt with Joseph and his brother knowingly?

12:90  They said, “Are you indeed Joseph?” He said, “I am Joseph, and this is my brother. God has indeed been gracious to us all. Behold, he who is righteous and patient, never will God cause his reward to be lost on those who do right.

12:91  They said, “By God, God has indeed preferred you above us, and we certainly have been guilty of wrong.

12:92  He said, “This day let no blame be on you. God will forgive you, and He is the Most Redeeming of those who redeem

12:93  “Go with this, my shirt, and cast it over the face of my father. He will come to see. Then come to me together with all your family.

12:94  As the caravan left, their father said, “I indeed smell the presence of Joseph. And do not think that I am weak of mind.

12:95  They said, “By God, truly you are in your old wandering mind.

12:96  Then when the bearer of the good news came, he cast the shirt over his face, and he immediately regained clear sight. He said, “Did I not say to you, ‘I know from God that which you know not?’

12:97  They said, “O our father, ask for us forgiveness for our sins, for we are truly at fault.

12:98  He said, “Soon will I ask my Lord for forgiveness for you, for he is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Mercifully Redeeming.

12:99  Then when they entered the presence of Joseph, he provided a home for his parents with himself and said, “Enter Egypt in peace, if it is the will of God.

12:100  And he raised his parents high on the throne, and they all fell down in prostration before him. He said, “O my father, this is the fulfillment of my vision in the past. God has made it come true. He was indeed good to me when He took me out of prison and brought you out of the desert, even after Satan had sown enmity between my brothers and me. Indeed my Lord understands best, the mysteries of all that He plans, for indeed He is full of knowledge and wisdom

12:101  “O my Lord, You have indeed bestowed on me some power, and taught me something of the interpretation of dreams and events, O Creator of the heavens and the earth, You are my Protector in the present and in the hereafter. Take my soul as one submitting to Your will, and unite me with the righteous.

12:102  Such is one of the stories unknown, which We reveal by inspiration to you, nor were you with them when they concerted their plans and while they plotted

12:103  But most of humanity will not believe, no matter how much you desire it

12:104  And no reward do you ask of them for this. It is no less than a message for all worlds

12:105  And how many signs in the heavens and the earth do they pass by? Yet they turn away from them

12:106  And most of them do not believe in God without associating partners with Him

12:107  Do they then feel secure from the coming against them of the covering veil of punishment from God, or of the coming against them of the Hour all of a sudden, while they expect it not

12:108  Say, “This is my way. I invite to God, with evidence as clear as the seeing with one’s eyes, I and whoever follows me. Glory is to God, and never will I join gods with God.

12:109  Nor did We send before you any except human beings whom we inspired. People living in human societies. Do they not travel through the earth and see what the end of those before them was? But the home of the hereafter is best for those who do right. Then will you use reason

12:110  Until the messengers give up hope and think that they are treated as liars, Our help will come to them, and those that We wish to be delivered into safety, will be delivered, but never will our punishment be warded off from those who are in sin

12:111  There is in their stories instruction for people of understanding. It is not a narrative made up, but a confirmation of that which came before it, a detailed explanation of all things, and a guide and a mercy to people who believe