12:1  Alif. Lãm. Ra. Those there are signs of the expressive Book.

12:2  WE have sent it down as a recital in Arabic, to enable you to reach for its meaning.

12:3  WE relate to you through what WE have revealed unto you in this Quran the best of the narrations, whereas prior to it, you indeed were of the oblivious.

12:4  [There was a time] when Joseph said to his father, “O my papa, I have seen with clarity eleven stars, and the sun, and the moon— I saw them fallen in prostration unto me.

12:5  He said, “O my sweet son, do not relate your vision to your brothers, or they may devise a plan for you. Of certain, Satan is a blatant enemy unto man.

12:6  Thus, your Rabb selects you. And HE will teach you about the factual meanings of the [symbolic] transmissions, and perfect HIS blessings upon you and upon the descendants of Jacob, just as he perfected them upon your forefathers, Abraham and Isaac. Hearken! Your Rabb is ever knowing, ever wise.”

12:7  Most certainly, ever in Joseph and his brothers, are signs for the earnest seekers.

12:8  [There was a time] when [Joseph’s brothers] said amongst themselves. “Clearly Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than us, while we are [merely] a pack [without our personhood]. Surely, our father is in brazen error.

12:9  Kill Joseph or cast him out to a distant land, to shift your father’s attention toward you. Thereafter you can be a people on the mend.”

12:10  Said one of them, who verbalized his thoughts, “Do not kill Joseph. Put him for offer in the recesses of the well, where one of the caravans will pull him out and take him away — if you are to do anything.

12:11  They said, “O our father, what is with you that you do not trust us regarding Joseph when we duly are his trusted counselors?

12:12  Send him with us tomorrow. Let him roam and play. And with surety, we are his reliable guardians.”

12:13  He said, “It does make me sad that you go off with him, and I fear that the wolf may devour him, the while you are unmindful of him.”

12:14  They said, “If the wolf devours him while we are a [tight] pack—surely then, we would be definite losers.”

12:15  So, when they left with him. And they concurred that they should place him in the recesses of the well. And WE revealed unto Joseph, “You will indeed most effectively tell them about this undertaking of theirs, while they are unaware.”

12:16  And they came to their father in the evening, weeping.

12:17  They said, “O our father! We went racing with one another leaving Joseph behind with our things, and just then, the wolf devoured him. You are not one to believe us, even if we were truthful.”

12:18  And they had come with false blood on his shirt. He said, “Nay! Your souls have pestered you to a bidding. So [till Allah’s purpose prevails], beautiful patience. Allah is the Ultimate Resort against what you depict”

12:19  And a caravan came, and they sent their water-drawer, and he let down his bucket. He exclaimed, “Great news! This one is a boy! They hid him as merchandise, while Allah was ever knowing of what they were doing.

12:20  And they sold him for a worth-demeaning price, of some limited dirhams. They were quite the ones not interested in retaining him.

12:21  And the one from Egypt who bought him, said to his wife, “Honor his stay. He may well be an asset for us, or we may take him in as a son.” Thus, did WE establish a place for Joseph in the land, and in order to teach him some knowledge of the factual meanings of the [symbolic] transmissions. Allah is all-prevailing in HIS purpose, though most of humankind realize not.

12:22  And when he reached his prime, WE gave him judgment and knowledge. Thus, do WE reward the ones who do good in selfless devotion to God.

12:23  She in whose house he was, sought to seduce him. She locked the doors shut and said, “Come you here.” He said, “Refuge of Allah. Truly, he is my lord, who made my stay beautiful. Surely, the unjust do not prosper.”

12:24  She was beyond smitten with him, and he would have been smitten with her, if it were not that he sighted an artifact of his lord. That was OUR way to avert the odious and the indecent deeds from him. Indeed, he was of the purified devotees of OURS.

12:25  They both raced to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back. And they came upon her mentor at the door. She said, “There is not an appropriate consequence for one who had meant harm to your family, except imprisonment or an agonizing punishment!”

12:26  [Joseph] said, “She sought to seduce me.” And a witness from her household offered, “If his shirt be torn from the front, then she is telling the truth, and he is of the liars.”

12:27  “And if his shirt be torn from the back, then she has lied, and he is of the truthful.”

12:28  Thereupon, when he saw that his shirt was torn from the back, he said, “Verily, this is one of ploys of you women. Immense indeed are the ploys of you women.”

12:29  “O Joseph, put this behind you. And you [i.e., the lady of the house] ask forgiveness for your trespass. Surely, you were of the ones at fault.”

12:30  And womenfolk in the wider community said: “The nobleman’s wife tempted her young attendant to yield himself. He has made her fall in love. We consider her to be in brazen error.”

12:31  When she heard of their gossip-mongering, she sent for them and arranged a repast for them. And she handed each one of them a knife and called out [to Joseph], “Come out before them.” So, when the women saw him, they erupted in his acclaim and slit their hands and said: “It is for Allah to truly know. This is no ordinary mortal. This is none except a noble angel.”

12:32  She said, “That is the one, concerning whom you blamed me. I did tempt him to yield himself, but he was unyielding. Now, surely, if he does not do what I bid him to do, he shall definitely be imprisoned and will for sure be of the earthly ones.

12:33  He said, “My Rabb, the prison is more desirable to me, than what they invite me to. Unless YOU deflect their scheming away from me, I may give in to them and be of those without moral sense.

12:34  Thereupon his Rabb responded to him and deflected their scheming away from him. Behold! HE is the all-hearing, the ever knowing.

12:35  Then, after they had seen the signs, it became apparent to them that they should necessarily imprison him for some time.

12:36  And along with him two young men entered the prison. Said one of the two, “I see myself drawing wine,” and the other said, “I see that birds are eating the bread I am carrying upon my head. Tell us the factual meaning foreboded by each. We do see you to be of the ones who do good selflessly.”

12:37  He said, “No food you are [divinely] endowed with, will come unto you, except I will tell you both the factual meaning of it prior to its coming to you. That pertains to what my Rabb has taught me. I have left behind the creed of a people who do not believe in Allah, and they are the very disbelievers in the Hereafter.

12:38  “And I have followed the creed of my forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Not ever is it for us to associate partners with Allah in any sense. That [the creed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob] is of the grace of Allah upon us and upon all of humankind, though most of humankind are ungrateful.”

12:39  “O my mates in this prison, are divided disparate lords better or Allah, the One, the Supreme Subduer?”

12:40  “What you worship besides HIM are nothing but names you have named—you and your forefathers. Allah has not vested any authority in them. The sovereign say over all matters belongs to none except Allah. HE has commanded that you worship none but HIM. That is the timelessly correct religion, whereas most of humankind know not.”

12:41  “O my mates of the prison, as for one of you—he will serve wine for his lord. And as for the other— he will be crucified, where after the birds will eat from his head. Done is the matter which you two inquire about.”

12:42  And he said to this one, having deemed that he of the two of them was to be a survivor, “Do mention me while in the presence of your master.” Then Satan made him forget the [requested] intimation of his master. So, he remained in the prison a few years.”

12:43  And the king said, “I do see seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones. And seven green ears of grain and others withered. O noble ones, opine regarding my vision, if you can undertake to interpret these visions^..”

12:44  They said, “A medley of dreams. And we are not learned in the knowledge of the signification held [in these] dreams.”

12:45  Said he, of the two who survived—and he had come to remember after an accrual [of time and service], “I can inform you of its signification so dispatch me [for that purpose].”

12:46  [And he went to Joseph in prison and said], “Joseph! O you the one with veracity! Explain to us about seven fat cows, being eaten by seven lean ones; and seven green ears and others withered— enable me to return to the people, to enable them to know.”

12:47  He said, “You will cultivate for seven cycles in the usual pattern but then leave in its ear what you harvest—except a little, from which you will eat.

12:48  Then after that will come seven unyielding ones to consume what you had stored ahead for them, except a little of what you will preserve [for seed].

12:49  Then after that will come a year in which people across the land will be rained upon, and in which they will press and extract abundantly.”

12:50  Said the king, “Bring him to me.” Accordingly, when the messenger came to him [i.e., Joseph], he said, “Return to your lord to ask him about the case of the women who slit their hands. Indeed, my Rabb is fully knowing of their scheme.”

12:51  He asked [of the women], “What is your stance regarding [the incident] when you tempted Joseph to yield himself?” They said, “It is for Allah to truly know, we knew of no evil about him.” Said the wife of the nobleman, “Now the truth has come to light. I tempted him to yield himself, and he indeed is of the truthful.”

12:52  “That, so he may know, that I did not betray him in absentia, and that Allah does not guide the scheme of the betrayers.”

12:53  “And I absolve not myself. The soul is indeed compulsive with vice— save what my Rabb has mercifully spared. My Rabb truly is forgiving, ever merciful.”

12:54  Said the king, “Bring him to me. I intend to attach him exclusively to myself. Then when he spoke directly to him, he said, “Indeed, this day you have a trusted position in our domain.”

12:55  He said, “Place me in charge over the treasuries of the land. Verily, I am a conscientious guardian, with deep knowledge.”

12:56  Thus, did WE establish Joseph across the land, to settle where he willed. WE bring OUR mercy to bear upon whom WE will, and WE do not fail to deliver the reward of those who do good in devotion to God.

12:57  And the reward of the Hereafter is better for the ones who had believed and were conscientious.

12:58  And the brothers of Joseph came and entered into his presence. Thereupon he recognized them, while they had no notion of him.

12:59  And after, he had furnished them with their supplies, he said, “Bring to me a brother you have from your father’s side. Don’t you see that I fully deliver the measure, and I am the best of the hosts?

12:60  So, if you do not bring him to me, then no measure will you have with me, and neither are you to approach me.”

12:61  They said, “We shall attempt to make his father yield him. We shall surely get working on that.”

12:62  He said to his aides, “Place their merchandise in their baggage, so they may discover it when they get back to their families and enable them to return.”

12:63  When they returned to their father, they said, “O our father, the [fullest allotted] measure [of ration] was withheld from us, so send our brother with us. [If you do so] we will obtain our measure. And surely, we are most reliably guardians for him.”

12:64  He said, “Am I to trust you over him, except it be like I trusted you over his brother aforetime? So [not for your reasons but Allah’s]— Allah [alone] is the best Guardian and HE is the most merciful of the merciful.”

12:65  And when they opened their provisions, they found their merchandise which was returned to them. They said, “O our father what [more] do we want! This here is our merchandise returned to us. We can obtain provision for our families, guard our brother, and get an increase of a camel-load! That is an easy measure [of ration].

12:66  He said, “I will not send him with you until you give me a solemn pledge before Allah that you will bring him back to me under all circumstances, excepting that you yourselves are confined.” Then when they gave him their solemn pledge, he said, “Allah is the trustee over what we say.”

12:67  And he said, “O my sons, do not enter through one gate, but enter by separate gates. I am of no avail to you against anything from Allah. The sovereign-say over all matters belongs to none but Allah. Upon HIM do I place my trust, and upon HIM let the trusting, place their trust.”

12:68  And when they entered from where their father had instructed them, it was not to avail them against Allah anywise, except it was a need in Jacob’s soul which he did fulfil. He indeed was one with knowledge, for what WE had taught him, whereas most of humankind know not.

12:69  When they entered into Joseph’s presence, he drew his brother unto him and said, “I am your brother. So, do not be distressed anymore on account of what they were doing.

12:70  Then when he had provided them with their provisions, he placed the drinking goblet [of his for keepsake] in the baggage of his brother. Then [when they were setting off], a caller called out, “You in the caravan, you must surely be thieves.”

12:71  They said, while being confronted, “What are you missing?”

12:72  They said, “We are missing the King’s measuring container, and to whoever comes up with it, a camel-load, and I am the guarantor for it.”

12:73  They said, “By Allah. You have known that we did not come here to break the order in the land, and we are not thieves.”

12:74  They said, “So then what should be the consequence if you are lying?”

12:75  They said, “He in whose baggage it is found, his fair requital is that he himself is its recompense. Thus, do we requite the wrongdoers.”

12:76  So, he started with their bags before the bag of his brother. Then, he pulled it [i.e., the drinking goblet placed by Joseph] out from the bag of his brother. Thus WE had planned for Joseph. He was not to claim his brother per the king’s code, except by Allah’s will. WE raise in ranks whom WE will. And above everyone endowed with knowledge, is One all-knowing.

12:77  They said, “If he did steal—so did a brother to him steal before.” Yet Joseph hid it within himself, and did not reveal it to them. He said, “You are wicked, stuck in place. Allah knows best about what you depict.”

12:78  They said, “O mighty sir, for a fact, he has a father who is advanced in age, so take one of us in his place. We do see you to be of the ones who do good in devotion to God.”

12:79  He said, “Sanctuary of Allah that we take other than the one with whom we found our goods. If that were to happen, we would be truly unjust.”

12:80  So, when they became despondent with him, they moved aside to huddle. Said the senior most amongst them, “Do you not realize that your father has already taken a pledge from you upon Allah, and that before this you had fallen short regarding Joseph. I will not quit this land until my father gives me permission or Allah decides for me—HE is the best of the judges.

12:81  Return to your father to say to him, ‘O our father, your son committed theft, and we testified to only what we knew; and we were not responsible for the unseen.

12:82  And ask the town in which we were, and the caravan in which we have come back, while we assuredly are truth tellers’”

12:83  He said, “Nay! Your souls have pestered you to a bidding. So, [till Allah’s purpose prevails], beautiful patience. Allah offers hope of HIS bringing them all back to me. Behold! HE is the all-knowing, the all-wise.”

12:84  He turned away from them and said, “O what sorrow on Joseph.” And his eyes had turned white with the grief, for he was one to be stoical.

12:85  They said, “By Allah you will cease to dwell on Joseph only when you fall apart, or you become one of those who killed themselves.”

12:86  He said, “I verbalize my moaning and my grief only to Allah.” And I know from Allah that which you do not know.

12:87  “O my sons go [back], then stay keen of sense for any news from Joseph and his brother, and do not lose hope of Allah’s breeze of mercy. Surely, none lose hope of Allah’s breeze of mercy except the disbelieving people.”

12:88  So, when they entered into his presence they said, “O mighty sir, we and our families have been gripped by hardship, and we have brought scant goods to trade— do give us the allowed measure and be charitable towards us. Surely, Allah rewards the charitable.”

12:89  He asked, “Have you realized what you did to Joseph and his brother when you were morally ignorant?”

12:90  They said, “Is it indeed you? You are Joseph!” He said, “I am Joseph, and this here is my brother. Allah has indeed been gracious to us. Of certain, he who is conscious of God, and perseveres, then indeed, Allah does not fail to deliver the reward of those who do good in selfless devotion to God.”

12:91  They said, “By Allah! HE has most certainly preferred you over us and we were surely at fault.”

12:92  He said, “No reproach is upon you this day. Allah forgives you. And HE is the most merciful of the merciful.

12:93  Go with this shirt of mine. Then lay it over my father’s face; he will come to see. And come back to me with your families—all together.

12:94  And as the caravan set off, their father said, “I am sensing the scent of Joseph for sure—were it not that you will invalidate me.”

12:95  They said, “By Allah, you are indeed back in your time-ripened error.”

12:96  Yet when it was that the bearer of the tiding came, he laid it on his face— he was back to seeing. He said, “Did I not tell you that I know from Allah that which you do not know.”

12:97  They said, “O our father, ask forgiveness for us, for our many trespasses. We indeed were the ones at fault.”

12:98  He said, “I shall ask my Rabb for your forgiveness. For certain, HE is truly forgiving, all-merciful.”

12:99  So thus, when they entered Joseph’s presence, he took in his parents unto himself and said, “Be in safety in Egypt, if Allah has willed it so.”

12:100  He raised his parents upon the high seat, and they [all] fell in prostration to him. He said, “My papa, this is the culmination of my vision of yore. My Rabb has made it real. HE has indeed been good to me when HE brought me out of the prison and brought you here from the desert after Satan had stirred evil between me and my brothers. Behold! My Rabb is One with unfathomable means to whatever HE wills. HE indeed is the ever knowing, the all-wise.

12:101  My Rabb, YOU did grant me from the sovereignty [only YOU can bestow], and YOU taught me the factual meanings of the [symbolic] transmissions. [O YOU] Originator of the heavens and the earth, YOU are the protecting ally in the world and Hereafter. Collect me as one surrendered to YOU [i.e., a muslim] and join me with the righteous.”

12:102  That is from among the tidings of the unseeable realm which WE have revealed unto you. You were not present with them when they packaged their undertaking, the while they were conspiring.

12:103  And most of humankind, even if you were to direly want, will not be believers

12:104  And you are not asking them for any compensation for it. It is not but a remembrance for all realms.

12:105  How many of the signs in the heavens and the earth do they repeatedly pass by, while they are dismissive of them?

12:106  Most of them do not believe in Allah, except while they associate partners with HIM.

12:107  Have they then acquired security, should the onset of an overwhelming event from Allah’s chastisement, or the sudden onset of the Hour be upon them, while they are still unawares?

12:108  Say, “This is my way: I invite unto Allah, based on clear insight—I and whoever follows me. Limitless is Allah’s glory and I am not of the polytheists.”

12:109  WE did not send messengers before you— except men from among their own community— toward whom WE directed inspiration. Have they not traveled the land and beheld what remains of the ones who preceded them? The home of the Hereafter is better for the ones who are conscious of God. Will you not apply your intellect?

12:110  [Repentance was an option offered to them] until the Messengers lost hope and concluded that they [themselves] had been rejected as liars. [Thereupon] OUR help came to them [i.e., the Messengers], and whosoever WE willed, WE saved. OUR might cannot be turned back from the guilty people.

12:111  Ever has been, in their narratives, a lesson for the seekers of the essence. This is not an account that he has invented; on the contrary it is a validating yardstick of what was [revealed] before it, and a distinct exposition of all things, and guidance and mercy for a people who believe.