Joseph

"Joseph came to you before with clear signs, but you continued to doubt what he brought. When he died, you said, ‘Allah will not send another messenger after him.’ Thus, Allah leaves the transgressors and doubters to stray."

When Joseph said to his father, “O my father, I saw eleven stars, the sun, and the moon, I saw them bowing to me.”

He said, “O my son, do not share your vision with your brothers, lest they plot against you. Satan is a sworn enemy to humanity.”

“Thus, your Lord will choose you, teach you the interpretation of dreams, and complete His favour upon you and the family of Jacob, just as He did upon your forefathers Abraham and Isaac. Your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

In Joseph and his brothers are lessons for those who seek understanding.

They said, “Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we are, though we are a strong group. Our father is clearly mistaken.”

“Kill Joseph or cast him far away, so our father’s attention will be ours. Then we can be righteous.”

One of them said, “Do not kill Joseph, throw him into the depths of a well, and perhaps a passing caravan will pick him up, if you must do something.”

They said, “Father, why do you not trust us with Joseph, though we care for him?”

“Send him with us tomorrow so he may play and enjoy himself. We will watch over him.”

He said, “It worries me that you would take him, and I fear a wolf may devour him while you are distracted.”

They said, “If a wolf eats him while we are a strong group, then we are truly worthless.”

So they took him away and agreed to place him at the bottom of the well. We inspired him, “One day, you will remind them of this deed while they do not recognize you.”

That evening, they returned to their father weeping.

They said, “O father, we were racing, and we left Joseph with our belongings, and the wolf ate him. But you will not believe us, even though we are truthful.”

They brought his shirt stained with false blood. He said, “Your souls have enticed you to do something. But patience is beautiful, and Allah is my refuge against what you describe.”

A caravan passed by, and they sent their water-carrier. He lowered his bucket and said, “Good news! Here is a boy.” They hid him as merchandise, but Allah was aware of what they did.

They sold him for a cheap price, a few coins, considering him of little value.

The Egyptian who bought him said to his wife, “Take good care of him, he may benefit us, or we may adopt him as a son.” Thus, We established Joseph in the land to teach him the interpretation of events. Allah has control over His affairs, but most people do not realize it.

When he reached maturity, We granted him wisdom and knowledge. This is how We reward the righteous.

The woman in whose house he lived tried to seduce him. She locked the doors and said, “Come to me.” He replied, “I seek refuge in Allah! My master has treated me well, wrongdoers never succeed.”

She desired him, and he would have desired her had he not seen his Lord’s proof. Thus, We kept him away from evil and immorality, he was one of Our chosen servants.

They raced to the door, and she tore his shirt from behind. They found her husband at the door. She said, “What should be the punishment for one who intended harm against your family? Prison or a severe penalty?”

Joseph said, “It was she who tried to seduce me.” A witness from her household testified, “If his shirt is torn from the front, then she is truthful, and he is lying.

But if his shirt is torn from the back, then she is lying, and he is truthful.”

When her husband saw the shirt torn from the back, he said, “This is one of your schemes, your scheming is truly great.”

“Joseph, ignore this. And you, seek forgiveness for your sin, you were clearly in the wrong.”

The women of the city gossiped, “The governor’s wife is trying to seduce her servant, she is deeply infatuated! We see her in clear error.”

When she heard their whispers, she invited them to a banquet, gave each a knife, and said to Joseph, “Come out before them.” When they saw him, they were so stunned that they cut their hands, exclaiming, “This is no mortal, he must be a noble angel!”

She said, “This is the one you blamed me for. I tried to seduce him, but he resisted. If he does not do as I command, he will be imprisoned and humiliated.”

Joseph prayed, “My Lord, prison is preferable to what they invite me to. If You do not turn their schemes away from me, I may yield to them and become ignorant.”

So his Lord answered his prayer and turned their schemes away from him.

Yet, despite seeing clear proof, they decided to imprison him for a time.

Two young men entered prison with him. One said, “I saw myself pressing grapes.” The other said, “I saw myself carrying bread on my head, and birds were eating from it. Tell us what this means, we see you as a righteous man.”

He replied, “I will interpret your dreams before your next meal arrives. This is part of what my Lord has taught me. I have abandoned the faith of those who do not believe in Allah and deny the Hereafter.”

“I follow the faith of my forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We do not associate anything with Allah. This is Allah’s grace upon us and upon humanity, but most people are ungrateful.”

“O my fellow prisoners, are many gods better, or is the One, the Almighty?”

“You worship nothing but names you and your ancestors invented, Allah has sent no authority for them. Judgment belongs only to Allah. He commands that you worship none but Him. This is the true faith, but most people do not realize it.”

“O my fellow prisoners, one of you will serve wine to his master, while the other will be crucified, and birds will eat from his head. This is the matter decreed.”

He said to the one he knew would be freed, “Mention me to your master.” But Satan made him forget to do so, and Joseph remained in prison for several years.

The king said, “I saw seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green ears of grain alongside seven dry ones. Tell me what this means, if you can interpret dreams.”

They said, “These are confused visions, we do not interpret such dreams.”

Then the freed prisoner remembered Joseph and said, “I will tell you its meaning, send me to him.”

He said, “Joseph, O truthful one, explain the dream of seven fat cows eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green ears alongside seven dry ones, so I may return with understanding.”

He said, “You will plant for seven years as usual, but leave what you harvest in its ear, except for what you eat.”

“Then seven difficult years will come, consuming what you stored, except for a little you preserve.”

“Then a year will follow in which people will have abundant rain and will press juice.”

The king said, “Bring him to me.” But when the messenger came, Joseph said, “Return to your master and ask him about the women who cut their hands, my Lord knows their schemes.”

The king asked the women, “What was your affair with Joseph when you tried to seduce him?” They replied, “Allah forbid! We found no wrongdoing in him.” The governor’s wife said, “Now the truth is clear, it was I who sought to seduce him, and he was truthful.”

Joseph said, “This was so my master may know that I did not betray him in secret, and that Allah does not guide the schemes of the treacherous.”

“Yet I do not claim to be free of fault, the soul is inclined toward evil, except for those whom my Lord has shown mercy. My Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.”

The king said, “Bring him to me, so I may appoint him exclusively for myself.” When he spoke with Joseph, he said, “You are now honoured and trusted among us.”

Joseph said, “Appoint me over the storehouses of the land, I am knowledgeable and trustworthy.”

Thus, We established Joseph in the land, granting him authority wherever he pleased. We bestow Our mercy upon whomever We will, and We do not let the reward of the righteous go to waste.

But the reward of the Hereafter is far greater for those who believe and remain mindful of Allah.

Joseph’s brothers came and entered his presence, but he recognized them while they did not recognize him.

When he had provided them with their supplies, he said, “Bring me your brother from your father’s side. Do you not see that I give full measure and am the best of hosts?”

“If you do not bring him to me, you will receive no more provisions, nor will you be allowed near me.”

They said, “We will try to persuade his father to send him, and we will do our best.”

Joseph told his servants to secretly place their goods back into their saddlebags, so they would discover them upon returning home and be encouraged to return.

When they returned to their father, they said, “O father, we have been denied further provisions. Send our brother with us so we may receive our share. We will watch over him.”

He said, “Should I trust you with him as I once trusted you with his brother? But Allah is the best protector, and He is the Most Merciful.”

When they opened their bags, they found their goods returned to them. They said, “O father, what more could we ask for? Our goods have been returned. We will bring food for our family, protect our brother, and receive an extra camel-load. This is an easy trade.”

He said, “I will not send him with you unless you swear by Allah that you will bring him back unless you are overwhelmed.” When they swore, he said, “Allah is witness to what we say.”

He said, “O my sons, do not enter the city through one gate, enter through different gates. But I cannot protect you from Allah’s decree. Judgment belongs only to Him. In Him I place my trust, and in Him should the faithful place their trust.”

When they entered as their father instructed, it did not change Allah’s decree, but it fulfilled Jacob’s inner concern. He had knowledge from Allah that they did not understand.

When they entered Joseph’s presence, he drew his brother close and said, “I am your brother, so do not grieve over what they have done.”

When he had provided them with their supplies, he placed the king’s cup in his brother’s bag. Then a caller announced, “O caravan, you are thieves!”

They turned and asked, “What have you lost?”

They said, “We have lost the king’s cup, and whoever returns it will receive a camel-load of grain, I guarantee it.”

They said, “By Allah, you know we did not come to cause corruption in the land, nor are we thieves.”

They asked, “What should be the penalty if you are lying?”

They replied, “The penalty for theft is that the thief himself will be taken as compensation. This is how we enforce justice.”

So he began searching their bags before his brother’s, then finally pulled it from his brother’s sack. Thus, We devised a plan for Joseph, he could not have taken his brother under the king’s law unless Allah had willed. We elevate in rank whom We choose, and above every possessor of knowledge is One who knows all.

They exclaimed, “If he has stolen, then his brother before him also stole!” But Joseph kept his thoughts to himself and did not reveal them, saying inwardly, “You are in a worse position, and Allah knows best what you claim.”

They pleaded, “O noble one, he has an elderly father, take one of us in his place. We see you as a man of kindness.”

He replied, “Allah forbid that we take anyone except the one in whose bag we found the item. Otherwise, we would be unjust.”

When they lost hope, they withdrew to confer privately. The eldest among them said, “Do you not recall your father’s oath and how you failed Joseph before? I will not leave this land until my father permits or Allah decides for me.”

“Return to your father and say, ‘O our father, your son has stolen. We testify only to what we know, and we could not guard against the unseen.’”

“Ask the town where we were and the caravan we travelled with, they will confirm we speak the truth.”

Their father said, “No! Your souls have enticed you into something. But patience is beautiful. Perhaps Allah will bring them all back to me. He alone is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

He turned away and lamented, “Oh, my sorrow for Joseph!” His eyes turned white with grief, but he suppressed his anguish.

They said, “By Allah, you will not stop remembering Joseph until you waste away or perish.”

He replied, “I only express my sorrow and grief to Allah, and I know from Him what you do not.”

“O my sons, go and search for Joseph and his brother. Do not despair of Allah’s mercy, only those who reject faith despair of His mercy.”

When they returned to Joseph, they pleaded, “O noble one, hardship has struck us and our family. We have brought meagre goods, please grant us full measure and be charitable to us. Allah rewards those who give.”

He asked, “Do you remember what you did to Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant?”

They gasped, “Are you truly Joseph?” He said, “I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allah has been gracious to us. Whoever is mindful and patient, Allah never lets the reward of the righteous go to waste.”

They admitted, “By Allah, He has favoured you over us, and we were indeed mistaken.”

He said, “No blame upon you today. May Allah forgive you, He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.”

“Take my shirt and place it over my father’s face, his sight will return. Then bring your family to me.”

As the caravan departed, their father said, “I sense Joseph’s scent, though you may think me deluded.”

They said, “By Allah, you are still lost in your old longing.”

But when the bearer of good news arrived, he placed the shirt over his face, and his sight was restored. He exclaimed, “Did I not tell you that I know from Allah what you do not?”

They pleaded, “O our father, seek forgiveness for us, we were truly in error.”

He said, “I will ask my Lord to forgive you, He is the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

When they entered Joseph’s presence, he embraced his parents and said, “Enter Egypt in peace, if Allah wills.”

He raised his parents to the throne, and they all bowed before him. He said, “O my father, this is the fulfilment of my dream from before. My Lord has made it come true. He was kind to me when He freed me from prison and brought you from the desert after Satan had sown discord between me and my brothers. My Lord is subtle in His plans, He is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

"My Lord, You have granted me authority and taught me the wisdom of interpreting dreams. Creator of the heavens and the earth, You are my guardian in this life and the next. Let me depart in submission to You and unite me with the righteous."