Surah 12

Alif-Lãm-Ra. These are the verses of the clear Book.

Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Quran¹ so that you may understand.²

We relate to you ˹O Prophet˺ the best of stories through Our revelation of this Quran, though before this you were totally unaware ˹of them˺.

˹Remember˺ when Joseph said to his father, “O my dear father! Indeed I dreamt of eleven stars, and the sun, and the moon—I saw them prostrating to me!”¹

He replied, “O my dear son! Do not relate your vision to your brothers, or they will devise a plot against you. Surely Satan is a sworn enemy to humankind.

And so will your Lord choose you ˹O Joseph˺, and teach you the interpretation of dreams, and perfect His favour upon you and the descendants of Jacob—˹just˺ as He once perfected it upon your forefathers, Abraham and Isaac. Surely your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

Indeed, in the story of Joseph and his brothers there are lessons for all who ask.

˹Remember˺ when they said ˹to one another˺, “Surely Joseph and his brother ˹Benjamin˺ are more beloved to our father than we, even though we are a group of so many.¹ Indeed, our father is clearly mistaken.

Kill Joseph or cast him out to some ˹distant˺ land so that our father’s attention will be only ours, then after that you may ˹repent and˺ become righteous people!”

One of them said, “Do not kill Joseph. But if you must do something, throw him into the bottom of a well so perhaps he may be picked up by some travellers.”

They said, “O our father! Why do you not trust us with Joseph, although we truly wish him well?

Send him out with us tomorrow so that he may enjoy himself and play. And we will really watch over him.”

He responded, “It would truly sadden me if you took him away with you, and I fear that a wolf may devour him while you are negligent of him.”

They said, “If a wolf were to devour him, despite our strong group, then we would certainly be losers!”

And so, when they took him away and decided to throw him into the bottom of the well, We inspired him: “˹One day˺ you will remind them of this deed of theirs while they are unaware ˹of who you are˺.”

Then they returned to their father in the evening, weeping.

They cried, “Our father! We went racing and left Joseph with our belongings, and a wolf devoured him! But you will not believe us, no matter how truthful we are.”

And they brought his shirt, stained with false blood.¹ He responded, “No! Your souls must have tempted you to do something ˹evil˺. So ˹I can only endure with˺ beautiful patience!² It is Allah’s help that I seek to bear your claims.”

And there came some travellers, and they sent their water-boy who let down his bucket into the well. He cried out, “Oh, what a great find! Here is a boy!” And they took him secretly ˹to be sold˺ as merchandise, but Allah is All-Knowing of what they did.

They ˹later˺ sold him for a cheap price, just a few silver coins—only wanting to get rid of him.¹