12:1  Alif, Lam, Ra... These are the signs of the Knowledge that clearly manifests the reality.

12:2  Indeed, We revealed the (READable, comprehendible) Quran in Arabic (from the essential reality of man denoted by the Beautiful Names, from the dimension of Knowledge to the consciousness of man) so that you may evaluate it with your reason.

12:3  We (as the qualities of the Names) reveal to you (from the knowledge in your essential reality to your consciousness) this (READable, comprehendible) Quran and disclose to you an exemplary account with the best narration... Indeed, this knowledge was not apparent to you before!

12:4  And when Joseph said to his father, “O my father! Indeed, I saw the eleven planets, the Sun, the Moon... I saw them prostrating to me.”

12:5  (His father) said, “My son... Do not recount your dream to your brothers, lest they set a trap for you (out of jealousy)... Indeed, Satan is a clear enemy to man.”

12:6  “Thus your Rabb chooses you, and teaches you to see the essence of affairs, and completes His blessing upon you and the family of Jacob, like he completed upon your fathers Abraham and Isaac before you. Indeed, your Rabb is the Aleem, the Hakim.”

12:7  Indeed, there are lessons in the incident of Joseph and his brothers for those who ask!

12:8  When they (his brothers) said, “Our father loves Joseph and his brother (Benjamin) more, while we are greater in number and more powerful! Indeed, our father is in clear error!”

12:9  “Kill Joseph or cast him out to (another) place so that his father’s love will turn to you! After that you will be at ease.”

12:10  Another one of them said, “If you want to do something, do not kill Joseph! Throw him into a well (not too deep), a caravan will (find him and) pick him up!”

12:11  They said, “O our father, why do you not trust us with Joseph while we only have well wishes for him?”

12:12  “Send him with us tomorrow so that he can freely go about and play... Indeed, we are protectors over him.”

12:13  (Jacob) said, “Indeed, it will sadden me if you take him... I fear a wolf will eat him while you are not paying attention to him.”

12:14  They said, “If a wolf should eat him while we are a strong group, then we will surely be losers.”

12:15  So, when they took him and agreed to put him into the bottom of the well, We revealed to him, “Indeed, you will confront them with this affair (one day) in a place where they will not recognize you!”

12:16  And they came to their father in the first hours of the night, weeping.

12:17  They said, “O our father! Indeed we went, we were racing... we left Joseph with our possessions... and then a wolf ate him... No matter how truthfully we speak to you, you will not believe us.”

12:18  And they came with his shirt, on which they stained with false blood... (Their father) said, “No (I do not believe you)! Your souls have enticed you to do something (bad)! So, from now on patience is most fitting for me... And Allah is my refuge against that which you assert!”

12:19  Then a caravan came by the well and their water-carrier let down his bucket, and when he saw, he said, “Ah, good news! There is a little boy here”... They took him out to sell him. Allah is Aleem over what they do (as their essence and the creator of their actions).

12:20  (Then in Egypt) they sold him for a small price, a few dirhams, to get rid of him.

12:21  The Egyptian who bought him told his wife, “Look after him well... I hope he will benefit us, or maybe we will adopt him as a son”... And thus We established Joseph there, and taught him to READ the essence of life’s events... The command of Allah will prevail! But most of the people are not aware!

12:22  When (Joseph) reached maturity, We gave him judgment and knowledge. Thus We reward the doers of good.

12:23  The woman in whose house Joseph lived sought to seduce him. She firmly closed the doors and said, “I am yours, come”... (Joseph) refused and said, “I seek refuge in Allah! Indeed, he (your husband) is my master, he gave me my possessions. Indeed, the wrongdoers will not succeed.”

12:24  Indeed, she desired him... Had it not been for the proof of his Rabb (if Joseph’s reason did not prevail against his feelings/emotions) he would have inclined towards her! Thus We kept bad deeds (ego-based feelings/emotions) and desires away from him! For he is of Our sincere servants.

12:25  And they both raced to the door... She tore his shirt from the back... And they ran into her husband next to the door... She said, “What is the punishment for the one who intends to do bad things to one’s wife, other than imprisonment or a painful suffering?”

12:26  (Joseph) said, “It was she who sought to take advantage of me”... And a person from her household testified, “If his shirt is torn from the front she has told the truth, and he is of the liars.”

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

12:28  When (al-Azeez; her husband) saw (Joseph’s) shirt torn from the back, he said, “This is surely the guile of you women... the guile of women is great indeed!”

12:29  “Joseph... Overlook this (forget it happened)... (Woman!) Ask forgiveness for your mistake... Indeed, you have made a big mistake.”

12:30  And the news reached the women in the city, “The wife of al-Azeez tried to seduce her slave! His love has captured her heart! Indeed, we see her in clear perversion!”

12:31  When (the wife of al-Azeez) heard them talking behind her back she sent them an invitation and prepared for them a banquet and gave each of them a knife then called out (to Joseph), “Come out before them (and show yourself)!”... When (the women of the city) saw him they extolled him (his handsomeness) and cut their hands (instead of what they were holding) in astonishment... They claimed, “Never! By Allah, this is no mortal; this could only be a fine angel.”

12:32  (The wife of al-Azeez) said, “That is the one about whom you blamed me! And yes, I certainly tried to seduce him, but he sought to remain pure (and refused)! I swear, if he does not do as I order him, he will surely be imprisoned and be among the debased.”

12:33  (Joseph) said, “My Rabb... Prison is more pleasant to me than that to which they invite me... If You do not protect me from their guile, I will incline toward them and be among the ignorant.”

12:34  (Joseph’s) Rabb responded to his prayer and warded off their guile from him! Indeed, He is the Sami, the Aleem.

12:35  Then (even) after seeing (so much) evidence, they decided to imprison him for some time.

12:36  And two young men were also imprisoned with him... One of them said, “I saw (in my dream) that I was pressing grapes for wine”... The other said, “And I saw in my dream that I was carrying bread on top of my head and the birds were eating from it”... “Inform us of the realities to which these (visions) point... Indeed, we see you of the doers of good.”

12:37  (Joseph) said, “I will inform you of the interpretation before it is time to eat and your provision is brought to you... This is from the knowledge my Rabb has taught me... This is why I have abandoned the religion of the people, for they do not believe in Allah, the essence of the worlds (with His Names) and they deny the eternal life to come.”

12:38  “I follow (the religion of unity) of my fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob... It is not for us to associate anything/anyone (including ourselves) to Allah! This is Allah’s bounty upon us and upon mankind. But the majority of the people are not grateful (do not evaluate this reality).”

12:39  (Joseph said), “O my companions of prison... Are diverse Rabbs of differing qualities better, or Allah, the Wahid’ul Qahhar (the only ONE under whose command lays all things)?”

12:40  “The things you worship besides Him exist only in name (i.e. they have no real existence), which you and your fathers have made up; there is no evidence in regards to their existence from Allah. The judgment is Allah’s alone! And he commands that you serve only Him! This is the valid (understanding of) Religion... But the majority of the people are not aware of this!”

12:41  “O my companions of prison... Of the two of you, one (will be let out of prison and) serve wine to his rabb (master)! As for the other, he will be crucified and the birds will eat from his head! The matter about which you inquire has been decreed as such.”

12:42  And (Joseph) said to the one whom he assumed will be let free, “Remember me (and mention me) before your master!” But Satan made him forget to mention Joseph when he was next to his master, and Joseph remained in prison for many years.

12:43  The king said, “Indeed, I have seen (in a dream) seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean cows. And seven green ears (of corn) and seven dry ones... O eminent ones! Explain to me your ruling of my vision, if you can interpret dreams.”

12:44  They said, “It is but a bunch of imaginary fables... And we are not learned in the interpretation of dreams!”

12:45  The one of the two (of Joseph’s prison friends) who was freed, remembered and said, “I will inform you of its interpretation... Take me immediately (to the prison)!”

12:46  “O Joseph! O man of truth! Give us the interpretation (explain the meaning of the symbols) of seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean cows and seven ears (of grain) and seven dry ones that I may return to the people and they may know (its values).”

12:47  (Joseph) said, “Cultivate for seven years as you are accustomed to... And leave what you harvest in the ear, except for a little, of which you will eat.”

12:48  “Then will come seven intense years of drought during which you will consume what you saved... Except a little, from which you will store.”

12:49  “Then will come after that a year in which the people will be given an abundance of rain and in which they will press (an abundance of grapes, fruit, milk).”

12:50  The king said, “Bring him (Joseph) to me!”... But when the rasul (the king’s delegate) came to him, (Joseph) said, “Return to your rabb (your master)... Ask him ‘what happened to the women who cut their hands?’... Indeed, my Rabb is Aleem of their trap.”

12:51  (The King) said (to the women), “What did Joseph do when you tried to seduce him?”... “Never! By Allah, we did not witness any wrong conduct from him.” The wife of al-Azeez said, “Now the truth has become evident! I tried to seduce him... Indeed, he (Joseph) is of the truthful!”

12:52  “This is so my master knows I did not betray him and Allah does not allow the deceit of the betrayers to be successful.”

12:53  “I do not exonerate myself... Indeed, the soul commands malice with all its might... Except for those upon whom my Rabb bestows grace... Indeed, my Rabb is the Ghafur, the Rahim.”

12:54  The king said, “Bring him (Joseph) to me! I shall make him my special friend”... When he spoke to him, he said, “Indeed today you have a reliable position with us.”

12:55  (Joseph) said, “Appoint me treasurer of your land. Indeed, I am a trustworthy and knowledgeable person.”

12:56  And thus We established Joseph in that land (Egypt)... He could go about and lodge wherever he willed therein... We manifest Our mercy/grace when We will... We will not leave unrequited the deeds of the doers of good.

12:57  The return pertaining to their eternal life to come is surely better for those who believe and protect themselves.

12:58  And (finally) the brothers of Joseph came... They entered his presence... Though they did not recognize Joseph, he recognized them.

12:59  After having their supplies loaded, he said, “(Next time you come for supplies) bring to me your step-brother (i.e. Joseph’s brother Benjamin)... As you see, I give a full measure of supplies and I am the most auspicious of accommodators.”

12:60  “If you do not bring him to me, neither expect a measure of supplies from me, nor approach me.”

12:61  They said, “We will try to convince our father (to allow us) to bring him... And we will surely succeed.”

12:62  (Joseph) told his servants, “Put their capital into their saddlebags – that when they return to their family, they will recognize it and return to us.”

12:63  When they returned to their father, they said, “O our father... If we do not take (Benjamin) with us the next time we go we will be given no supplies... We will surely protect him.”

12:64  (Their father) said, “Shall I entrust you with him as I entrusted you with your brother (Joseph) before? Allah is the protector! He is the most Rahim of the Rahim.

12:65  When they opened their baggage they found the fee they had paid returned to them... They said, “O our father... What else can we want? The fee we paid has been returned to us! We shall get supplies for our family, watch over our brother and obtain an extra camel’s load (as Benjamin’s due)... This (what we obtain now) is a small quantity.”

12:66  (Their father) said, “Never shall I send him with you unless you promise in the name of Allah that you will bring him back to me, except if you are completely surrounded by enemies and threatened with death”... And when they gave their solemn promise (their father) said, “Allah is Wakil over what we say.”

12:67  And he said, “O my sons... Do not all enter from one gate... but enter from different gates... (Though) I cannot protect you from (what is to come from) Allah... The judgment is Allah’s alone... I have placed my trust in Him and I turn to Him (believe the Name Wakil in my essence will fulfill its function without failure!)... Those who place their trust should place their trust in Him.”

12:68  Their father’s order to enter through different gates was not to change the decree of Allah... It was only a desire in Jacob’s heart that he fulfilled... Indeed, he possessed knowledge because of what We taught Him... But the majority of the people do not know (these realities).

12:69  And when (the brothers) arrived next to Joseph, he took his brother (Benjamin) and said, “I am your brother... So do not despair over what has happened!”

12:70  So when (Joseph) loaded them with supplies he had a water cup put into his brother’s bag... Then a messenger and his men ran after them and called out, “O people of this caravan... You are thieves!”

12:71  They turned them and asked, “What is missing?”

12:72  They said, “The water cup of the king is missing... He who finds it will be rewarded a camel’s load... I am the guarantor of this award.”

12:73  (The brothers) said, “By Allah (i.e. a type of vow connoting astonishment)! You certainly know we have not come here to cause corruption... And we are not thieves.”

12:74  (The Egyptians) said, “What will be the recompense if you are lying?”

12:75  (The brothers) said, “Its recompense will be that in whose bag the water cup is found (the owner of the bag) shall be arrested... Thus do we recompense the wrongdoers!”

12:76  Upon this (Joseph) started searching, he began with the other bags before his brother’s bag... Then he found (the water cup) in his brother’s bag and took it out... Thus We progressed (the events) in favor of Joseph. For he could not have taken his brother within the religion of the king (based on the regulations of the King) except if Allah willed... We increase in knowledge whom We will. But over every possessor of knowledge there is One who knows all.

12:77  (The brothers) said, “If he has stolen it, his brother has also stolen before!” Joseph kept this (slander) within himself and did not reveal it to them, “Now you are in a really bad position... Allah knows the truth of what you ascribe to whom.”

12:78  (The brothers) said, “O Azeez... Indeed, he has a father who is very old... Take one of us in his stead... Indeed, we see you as a doer of good.”

12:79  (Joseph) said, “We take refuge in Allah from taking one other than he in whose bag we found our possession... For then, we will indeed be wrongdoers.”

12:80  So when they lost hope (in Joseph) they secluded themselves and spoke privately among each other... Their eldest said, “Do you not remember how your father has taken an oath from you in the name of Allah, and your guilt regarding Joseph? Indeed, I will not leave this land until my father permits me or until Allah decides for me... He is the best of judges.”

12:81  “Return to your father and say, ‘O our father... Indeed, your son has stolen... We only bear witness to what we have seen... We could not have guarded that which we couldn’t see.’”

12:82  “Ask the people of the city and the caravan with which we have traveled... We are indeed telling you the truth.”

12:83  (Their father) said, “No (I do not think so)! Your souls have enticed you to something (bad). So, from now on patience is most fitting for me... Perhaps Allah will bring them all back to me... Indeed, He is the Aleem, the Hakim.”

12:84  He turned away from them and with his eyes that became white from grief he said, “Ah.. How you have done wrong by Joseph!”... He was now one trying to digest his sorrow.

12:85  They said, “By Allah! You are still reminiscing Joseph... You are either going to become fatally ill or die from this sorrow.”

12:86  (Jacob) said, “I direct my sorrow and grief to Allah alone... I know about Allah things that you do not know.”

12:87  “O my sons... Go and find out about Joseph and his brother! Do not lose hope of Allah’s reviving grace... For none loses hope of the reviving mercy of Allah except those who deny the knowledge of the reality.”

12:88  So when they (the brothers who went back to Egypt for more supplies) entered the presence of Joseph, they said, “O Azeez... Our family has fallen into a great shortness and adversity... and we have come with capital of scant worth... Give us full measure and be charitable to us from your bounty... Indeed, Allah recompenses those who are charitable.”

12:89  (Joseph) said, “Do you remember what you did to Joseph when you were young and ignorant?”

12:90  (The brothers) said, “Ah! You... yes, you are Joseph, indeed?”... (Joseph) said, “I am Joseph and this is my brother... Allah has certainly bestowed his favor upon us... For whoever protects himself and is patient, indeed Allah will not allow the deeds of the doers of good to be lost.”

12:91  (The brothers) said, “By Allah! Indeed, Allah has raised you above us... We were certainly in error.”

12:92  (Joseph) said, “No reproach shall be uttered against you today, you shall not be condemned! Allah will forgive you... for He is the most Rahim of the Rahim.”

12:93  “Go (to our father) with my shirt... And put it in front of him, he will see the truth... And gather the whole family and bring them to me!”

12:94  And when the caravan left (the land of Joseph), their father (in their own land) said, “If you do not think I am old and weakened in mind, indeed I perceive the scent (frequency) of Joseph.”

12:95  They said, “By Allah! Indeed, you are repeating your same old error.”

12:96  And when the bearer of good news came, he put the shirt in front of Jacob and immediately he saw the truth! (Jacob) said, “Didn’t I tell you, indeed I know about Allah things that you do not know.”

12:97  (Joseph’s brothers) said, “O our father... Ask for us forgiveness of our sins... Indeed, we were mistaken.”

12:98  (Jacob) said, “I will ask forgiveness for you from my Rabb... Indeed, he is the Ghafur, the Rahim.”

12:99  And when they came next to Joseph, he embraced his parents and said, “Allah willing, welcome to Egypt, safe and secure!”

12:100  And he raised his parents to the throne... His brothers prostrated to him in respect... And (Joseph) said, “My father... This is the interpretation (actualization) of my dream before (i.e. father = sun, mother = moon, eleven brothers = eleven planets)... My Rabb has made it true (actualized it)... (My Rabb) has indeed been good to me... After Satan induced provocation between my brothers and I, He took me out of the prison and brought you from the desert... Indeed, my Rabb is Latif upon whom He wills... For He is the Aleem, the Hakim.”

12:101  “My Rabb... Indeed, You have given to me from Your sovereignty and taught me to see the true meanings of life events... You are the Fatir of the heavens and the earth (1. Universal meaning: The dimension of knowledge comprising the essence of the universe, and the material dimension that exists based on the perception of creation, 2. Worldly meaning: The skies, with all of its dimensions, and the earth, 3. The meaning pertaining to humans: The levels of consciousness of man – the seven stations of self/consciousness – and the body). You are my Waliyy (guardian/protector) in the world and the eternal life to come (I am experiencing the awareness of the Name Waliyy among Your names that comprise my essence at every given instance)... Cause me to die (take me out of the life of this material dimension) in this submissive state and join me with the righteous (those who fulfill the requirements of their faith)!”

12:102  This that We reveal to you is news from the unperceivable realms... And you were not with them (Joseph’s brothers) when they were conspiring to put together their plan.

12:103  And most of the people, although you ardently strive (to help them) are not experiencing true faith.

12:104  (Whereas) you do not even ask them for any payment (to warn them of the reality). It is simply a reminder to the worlds (man and jinn).

12:105  And there are many signs within the heavens and earth, from which they turn away and leave behind.

12:106  And most of them believe in Allah only as dualists (by associating their assumed gods or selves)!

12:107  (Or) do they give a guarantee against the punishment of Allah that will envelope them all, or the Hour (death) that will come upon them suddenly while they are unaware?

12:108  Say, “This is my way, I invite to Allah based on insight (not by imitation but by experiencing the essence)... I and those who follow me (live with insight). Subhan is Allah! I am not of those who associate things to Allah!”

12:109  And We have not disclosed before you any men except those in the city to whom We revealed... Have they not traveled upon the earth and seen how the end of those before them has been... The eternal life to come is surely better for those who protect themselves... Will you not use your reason?

12:110  Until the Rasuls lost hope and (before the punishment became manifest) they assumed they had been denied (that is when) Our help came to them. And whoever We willed was saved... Our punishment will not be repelled from the guilty people.

12:111  Indeed, there is a lesson in their life stories for those who contemplate in depth! It (the Quran) is not a narration invented (by man)... It is a confirmation of the essential knowledge, which came before it, and a detailed narration of huda (knowledge of the reality) and grace (knowing one’s self and living accordingly) for a believing people.