12:1  A.L.R. These are the signs of the clear Book.

12:2  We have brought it down as an Arabic Quran so that you may reason.

12:3  We narrate to you the best stories through this Quran which We have revealed to you. And before it, you were indeed among the oblivious.

12:4  When Joseph said to his father, "O my father, I saw eleven planets, and the sun, and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me,"

12:5  he said, "My son, do not narrate your vision to your brothers, lest they scheme some scheme against you. The devil is indeed a clear enemy to the human being."

12:6  And thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of narratives, and perfect His blessings upon you and upon the family of Jacob as He completed it previously upon your fathers Abraham and Isaac. Indeed, your Lord is Knowledgeable, Wise.

12:7  In Joseph and his brothers are lessons indeed for the inquisitive.

12:8  When they said, "Surely Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than us, even though there is a whole group of us! Indeed, our father is in clear misguidance.

12:9  Kill Joseph, or cast him out to some land, then your father's attention will be all yours. After that, you can always be a righteous people."

12:10  A speaker among them said, "Do not kill Joseph. Rather, throw him into the bottom of the well, if you will. Some travellers would then pick him up."

12:11  They said, "Our father, what is the matter with you that you do not trust us with Joseph when we are good advisers to him?

12:12  Send him with us tomorrow so that he may enjoy himself and play, and we shall take good care of him."

12:13  He said, "It would sadden me if you were to take him with you, for I fear that the wolf would eat him while you are not watching him."

12:14  They said, "If the wolf should eat him when there is a whole group of us, we would be losers indeed."

12:15  So when they went away with him, and they all agreed to condemn him to the bottom of the well, We inspired him: "You will inform them of this matter of theirs when they will be totally unaware."

12:16  They came to their father in the evening weeping.

12:17  They said, "Our father, we went racing one another and left Joseph by our belongings, so the wolf ate him. But you will not believe us, even if we were truthful."

12:18  And they brought his shirt with fake blood on it. He said, "Rather, your own selves have enticed you to some matter. So patience will do me good, and God is the One sought for help against what you portray."

12:19  A travelling caravan came by, whereupon they sent their water-drawer, and he lowered his bucket. He said, "Good news! There is a boy!" They concealed him as merchandise. God was Knowledgeable of what they were doing.

12:20  They traded him for a meagre price, a few dirhams, for they had no need for him.

12:21  The one from Egypt who bought him said to his wife, "Make for him a kind home. Perhaps he may be of benefit to us, or we may take him for a son." We thus established Joseph in the land, and so We would teach him the interpretation of narratives. God will always prevail, but most people do not know.

12:22  When he reached maturity, We granted him sound judgment and knowledge. We thus reward the good-doers.

12:23  The woman in whose house he lived tried to seduce him. She closed the doors and said, "I am all yours." He said, "God forbid! Indeed, he is my master, and he has made good my home. The transgressors will surely not succeed."

12:24  She was about to go for him, and he was about to go for her, had he not seen his Lord's proof. It happened thus so that We would avert from him sin and immorality, for he was one of Our purified servants.

12:25  They both raced for the door, and she tore his shirt from the back, and they found her husband at the door. She said, "What is the penalty for one who wanted harm to your family, other than to be imprisoned or receive a painful punishment?"

12:26  He said, "She is the one who tried to seduce me." A witness from her family testified, "If his shirt has been torn from the front, then she has told the truth, and he is of the liars.

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

12:28  So when he saw that his shirt was torn from the back, he said, "This is one of your women's schemes! Indeed, your scheming is formidable.

12:29  Joseph, disregard this. As for you, ask forgiveness for your sin. Indeed, you have been of the wrong-doers."

12:30  Some women in the city said, "The governor's wife is trying to seduce her young man. He has deeply infatuated her with love. We see that she is in clear misguidance."

12:31  When she heard of their scheming, she sent for them and prepared for them a banquet. She then gave each of them a knife and said, "Come out before them." When they saw him, they praised him highly, and they cut their hands. They said, "God forbid! This is no human; this is but a noble angel."

12:32  She said, "This is the one whom you blamed me for. I did indeed try to seduce him, but he chose to be pious. If he does not do what I command him to do, he will be imprisoned and will surely be belittled."

12:33  He said, "My Lord, prison is preferable to me than what they are inviting me to. Unless You avert from me their scheming, I will succumb to them and be among the ignorant ones."

12:34  His Lord responded to him and averted from him their scheming. Indeed, He is the Hearer, the Knowledgeable.

12:35  Then it occurred to them after they had seen the signs to imprison him until a certain time.

12:36  Two young men 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 from which the birds were eating. Inform us of the interpretation of these. We see that you are a good-doer."

12:37  He said, "There is not any food that comes to you as provision that I cannot inform you of before you receive it. This is some of what my Lord has taught me. I have abandoned the creed of a people who do not believe in God, and with regard to the Hereafter, they are disbelievers.

12:38  And I have followed the creed of my fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is not for us to associate anything with God. That is from God's favour upon us and upon the people, but most people do not give thanks.

12:39  O my two prison companions, are separate lords better, or God the One, the All-Conquering?

12:40  What you worship besides Him are nothing but names that you have made up, you and your fathers, for which God has not brought down authorisation. Judgment belongs to God alone. He has commanded that you worship none but Him. That is the correct religion, but most people do not know.

12:41  O my two prison companions, one of you will serve wine to his lord. As for the other one, he will be crucified, and the birds will eat from his head. The matter about which you inquire has been settled."

12:42  And he said to the one he knew would be saved of the two, "Mention me when you are with your lord." Thus, the devil caused him to forget the remembrance of his Lord, so he remained in prison for a few years.

12:43  The king said, "I saw seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green spikes and others dried up. O my leaders, advise me regarding my vision if you are able to interpret visions."

12:44  "Muddled dreams," they said, "and we are not knowledgeable regarding the interpretation of dreams."

12:45  The one who was saved said, having remembered after a time, "I can inform you of its interpretation, so send me out."

12:46  "Joseph, O truthful one, explain to us regarding seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green spikes and others dried up so that I may return to the people so that they may know."

12:47  He said, "You shall cultivate continuously for seven years and leave what you harvest in their spikes, except for the little from which you eat.

12:48  After that, there will come seven severe ones that will consume what you saved for them, except for the little that you have safely guarded.

12:49  After that, a year will come in which the people will receive abundant rain, and in which they will press juice."

12:50  The king said, "Bring him to me." When the envoy came to him, he said, "Go back to your master and ask him what happened regarding the women who cut their hands. Indeed, my Lord is Knowledgeable of their schemes."

12:51  He said, "What do you have to say about the time when you tried to seduce Joseph?" They said, "God forbid! We have not known anything evil to come from him." The governor's wife said, "Now that the truth has emerged, it was I who tried to seduce him, and he is of the truthful."

12:52  "This is so he knows that I have not betrayed him in his absence and that God does not guide the schemes of the betrayers.

12:53  I do not claim innocence for myself. The self is indeed an enjoiner of sin, except for what my Lord has mercy upon. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiver, Merciful."

12:54  The king said, "Bring him to me so I can have him work exclusively for me." Then when he spoke to him, he said, "Today, you are with us firmly established and trusted."

12:55  He said, "Put me in charge of the treasuries of the land, for indeed, I am a knowledgeable guardian."

12:56  And thus We established Joseph in the land, settling therein where he pleased. We bestow Our mercy upon whom We will, and We do not let the reward of the good-doers go to waste.

12:57  And certainly, the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believed and were reverent.

12:58  Joseph's brothers came and they entered upon him. He knew them, but they did not recognise him.

12:59  And when he equipped them with their baggage, he said, "Bring to me a brother from your father. Do you not see that I give the full measure and that I am the best of hosts?

12:60  If you do not bring him to me, you shall receive no measure from me, and you are not to come near me."

12:61  They said, "We will try to persuade his father to let him go. We will surely do."

12:62  He then told his lads: "Put their goods back into their saddlebags so that they may recognise them upon their return to their family and so that they may come back."

12:63  When they returned to their father, they said, "Our father, the measure has been denied to us, so send our brother with us so that we may receive our measure. We will take good care of him."

12:64  He said, "Should I entrust him to you as I have entrusted you with his brother before? God is the best Guardian, and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful."

12:65  Then, when they opened their baggage, they found their goods returned to them. They said, "Our father, what more can we ask for? Here are our goods returned to us. And so, we shall get provisions for our family, take good care of our brother and increase our measure by an extra camel-load. This is an easy measure."

12:66  He said, "I will not send him with you unless you give me a solemn pledge before God that you will bring him back to me unless you are totally surrounded." When they gave him their solemn pledge, he said, "God is Trustee over what we say."

12:67  And he said, "O my sons, do not enter from one door, but enter from separate doors. I cannot avail you in any way against God, for judgment belongs to God alone. I put my trust in Him, and in Him should those who trust put their trust."

12:68  When they entered from where their father had instructed them, it was not to avail them in any way against God, other than it being for a need which Jacob kept in himself and which he fulfilled, for he possessed certain knowledge that We taught him, but most people do not know.

12:69  When they entered upon Joseph, he drew his brother closer to him and said, "I am your brother, so do not be distressed by what they used to do."

12:70  So when he equipped them with their baggage, he placed the drinking cup in his brother's saddlebag, then an announcer called out: "O you caravan people, you are thieves!"

12:71  They said, as they approached them, "What is it that you are missing?"

12:72  They said, "We are missing the king's goblet. The one who comes up with it shall receive a camel-load; I guarantee this."

12:73  They said, "By God, you know that we did not come to corrupt in the earth, and we are not thieves."

12:74  They said, "So what shall its penalty be if you are liars?"

12:75  They said, "Its penalty is that he in whose saddlebag it is found will himself be held as a penalty. We thus repay the transgressors."

12:76  So he began with their bags before his brother's bag, then he pulled it out of his brother's bag. That was what We planned for Joseph. He could not have held his brother under the king's law unless God had willed it to be. We raise in ranks whom We will, and above every possessor of knowledge, there is One who is Most Knowledgeable.

12:77  They said, "If he steals, so did a brother of his before." So Joseph kept this to himself and did not disclose it to them. He said, "You are in a worse position, and God knows best regarding what you portray."

12:78  They said, "O dignified one, he has a father who is an old man, so take one of us in his place. We see you are one of the good-doers."

12:79  He said, "God forbid that we should take other than the one with whom we found our goods, for then we would be transgressors."

12:80  When they despaired of him, they conferred privately. Their eldest said, "Do you not know that your father had taken from you a solemn pledge before God, as well as before when you failed with regards to Joseph? I am not leaving this land until my father permits me or until God decides for me, for He is the best of judges.

12:81  Go back to your father and tell him, 'Our father, your son has stolen. We have not testified except to what we knew, and we are not guardians of the unseen.

12:82  And ask around the village where we have been and the caravan in which we came back, for indeed, we are truthful.' "

12:83  He said, "Rather, your own selves have enticed you to some matter. Therefore, patience is good. May God bring them all to me. He is the Knowledgeable, the Wise."

12:84  He turned away from them and said, "Oh, my sorrow over Joseph." His eyes turned white from the grief he suppressed.

12:85  They said, "By God, you will keep on remembering Joseph until you become critically ill, or become of those who perish."

12:86  He said, "I am only complaining to God about my grief and sorrow, and I know from God what you do not know.

12:87  O my sons, go seek news of Joseph and his brother, and do not despair of God's grace, for none despairs of God's grace other than the disbelieving people."

12:88  When they entered upon him, they said, "O dignified one, hardship has touched us and our families, and so we have come with inferior merchandise, so give us full measure and be charitable to us. Indeed, God rewards the charitable."

12:89  He said, "Have you realised what you did to Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant?"

12:90  They said, "Are you indeed Joseph?" He said, "I am Joseph, and this is my brother. God has bestowed favour upon us. Indeed, for the one who reverences God and is patient, God does not let the reward of the good-doers go to waste."

12:91  They said, "By God, God has favoured you over us. We were surely wrong-doers."

12:92  He said, "There is no blame upon you today; God will forgive you. He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.

12:93  Go with this shirt of mine and cast it over my father's face. His sight will be restored. Then come back to me with all your family."

12:94  When the caravan set out, their father said, "I surely sense the scent of Joseph, if only you would not think that I lost my mind."

12:95  They said, "By God, you are still in your old delusion."

12:96  When the bearer of good news arrived, he cast it over his face, whereupon his sight was restored. He said, "Did I not tell you that I know from God what you do not know?"

12:97  They said, "Our father, ask forgiveness for our sins. Indeed, we have been wrong-doers."

12:98  He said, "I will ask my Lord to forgive you. He is the Forgiver, the Merciful."

12:99  When they entered upon Joseph, he drew his parents closer to him and said, "Enter Egypt, God willing, safely."

12:100  He raised his parents upon the throne. They fell prostrate before him. He said, "O my father, this is the interpretation of my vision of old. My Lord has made it come true. He has been good to me when He took me out of prison and brought you out of the desert after the devil had driven a wedge between me and my brothers. Indeed, my Lord is Gentle in what He wills. Indeed, He is the Knowledgeable, the Wise.

12:101  My Lord, You have granted me of the sovereignty and taught me the interpretation of narratives. Initiator of the heavens and the earth; You are my Ally in this world and in the Hereafter. Take me back as a Submitter and join me to the righteous ones."

12:102  That is news from the unseen that We inspire to you. You were not present among them when they all agreed their plan while they were scheming.

12:103  The majority of people, no matter how eager you may be, are not believers.

12:104  And you do not ask them for a reward for it; it is but a Reminder for all the people.

12:105  How many a sign in the heavens and the earth do they pass by, yet they turn away from them!

12:106  The majority of those who believe in God do not do so without committing shirk.

12:107  Do they feel assured that an overwhelming punishment of God will not come upon them, or that the Hour will not come upon them suddenly while they are unaware?

12:108  Say, "This is my path: I invite to God with clear insight, I and those who follow me. Glory to God. I am not one of the mushrikeen."

12:109  We did not send before you except men whom We inspired from among the people of the villages. Have they not travelled in the land and seen what the outcome of those before them was? The Abode of the Hereafter is better for those who were reverent, so will you not reason?

12:110  Then, when the messengers despaired and thought that they had been rejected, Our victory came to them. We save whom We will, and Our might cannot be averted from the criminal people.

12:111  In their stories there are lessons for those who possess intelligence. This is not a fabricated hadith but a confirmation of what came before it, a detailed account of all things, and guidance and mercy for a people who believe.