12. Yusuf

Joseph · Meccan · 111 ayahs

سُورَةُ يُوسُفَ

Reading Al-Mukhtasar in Interpreting the Noble Qur'an by Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies

Ayahs 101–110 of 111

۞ رَبِّ قَدْ ءَاتَيْتَنِى مِنَ ٱلْمُلْكِ وَعَلَّمْتَنِى مِن تَأْوِيلِ ٱلْأَحَادِيثِ ۚ فَاطِرَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ أَنتَ وَلِىِّۦ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْءَاخِرَةِ ۖ تَوَفَّنِى مُسْلِمًۭا وَأَلْحِقْنِى بِٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ

My Lord, You have given me [something] of sovereignty and taught me of the interpretation of dreams. Creator of the heavens and earth, You are my protector in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die a Muslim and join me with the righteous."

Then Joseph called upon his Lord, saying that He had given him power in Egypt and had taught him the interpretation of dreams; and that He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, originating them when there was nothing like them, the Protector of all his affairs in the life of this world and the Protector of all of them in the Afterlife. Joseph asked Him to take his soul at the end of his life whilst being in a state of submission to God, and to join him with the righteous prophets from his fathers and others in the highest level of Paradise.

Yusuf 12:101Listen in Qur'an →

102

ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ أَجْمَعُوٓا۟ أَمْرَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَمْكُرُونَ

That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal, [O Muhammad], to you. And you were not with them when they put together their plan while they conspired.

Allah revealed all that has been mentioned from the story of Joseph and his brothers to the Messenger (peace be upon him). He had no knowledge of it beforehand, since he was not there with the brothers of Joseph when they agreed to throw him into the bottom of a well, and when they planned their trick; but Allah revealed this all to the Messenger (peace be upon him).

Yusuf 12:102Listen in Qur'an →

103

وَمَآ أَكْثَرُ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

And most of the people, although you strive [for it], are not believers.

Most people will not have faith, even if the Messenger should make every effort for them to believe; so he should not lose himself in grief over them.

Yusuf 12:103Listen in Qur'an →

104

وَمَا تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ ۚ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌۭ لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ

And you do not ask of them for it any payment. It is not except a reminder to the worlds.

If they used their reason they would believe the Messenger (peace be upon him), because he did not ask any reward for the Qur’ān or for what he called them to. The Qur’ān is only a reminder for all people.

Yusuf 12:104Listen in Qur'an →

105

وَكَأَيِّن مِّنْ ءَايَةٍۢ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ يَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضُونَ

And how many a sign within the heavens and earth do they pass over while they, therefrom, are turning away.

The signs showing that there is only one Allah, glory be to Him, are many, spread out through the heavens and the earth. The disbelievers pass by them, turning away from thinking about them and considering them, not paying attention to them.

Yusuf 12:105Listen in Qur'an →

106

وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُم بِٱللَّهِ إِلَّا وَهُم مُّشْرِكُونَ

And most of them believe not in Allah except while they associate others with Him.

Most people do not admit Allah as the Creator and Provider, Who brings to life and causes death, without also worshipping images and idols next to Him, or claiming that He has a son, glory be to Him!

Yusuf 12:106Listen in Qur'an →

107

أَفَأَمِنُوٓا۟ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ غَٰشِيَةٌۭ مِّنْ عَذَابِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْ تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةًۭ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ

Then do they feel secure that there will not come to them an overwhelming [aspect] of the punishment of Allah or that the Hour will not come upon them suddenly while they do not perceive?

Do the idolaters feel safe from a punishment in this world enveloping and overwhelming them, so that they cannot repel it; or from the Hour coming to them suddenly, when they are unaware so that they might prepare for it? Is it because of this that they do not believe?

Yusuf 12:107Listen in Qur'an →

108

قُلْ هَٰذِهِۦ سَبِيلِىٓ أَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا۠ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِى ۖ وَسُبْحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ

Say, "This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of those who associate others with Him."

Allah tells the Messenger (peace be upon him) to say to those he calls to the truth that this is his way which he calls people to, with insight, as do those who follow him, guided by his guidance and following the Sunnah; and that he is not of those who associate partners with Allah, but worships Allah alone, glory be to Him!

Yusuf 12:108Listen in Qur'an →

109

وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًۭا نُّوحِىٓ إِلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ ۗ أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۗ وَلَدَارُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ خَيْرٌۭ لِّلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ

And We sent not before you [as messengers] except men to whom We revealed from among the people of cities. So have they not traveled through the earth and observed how was the end of those before them? And the home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear Allah; then will you not reason?

Allah only sent men, not angels, before the Messenger (peace be upon him), whom He gave revelation as He does to the Messenger, and they were from the people of the towns and not the desert. Their peoples denied them and Allah destroyed them. Do those who deny the Messenger not travel through the earth and think about what the end was of those who denied the truth before them, learning from their example? The bliss in the home of the Afterlife is better for those who are Mindful in this world. Do they not realise that is better, and so become mindful of Allah by following what He instructs (with faith being the most important instruction) and staying away from what He has prohibited (with not associating others with Allah being the most important prohibition)?

Yusuf 12:109Listen in Qur'an →

110

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ٱسْتَيْـَٔسَ ٱلرُّسُلُ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ كُذِبُوا۟ جَآءَهُمْ نَصْرُنَا فَنُجِّىَ مَن نَّشَآءُ ۖ وَلَا يُرَدُّ بَأْسُنَا عَنِ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ

[They continued] until, when the messengers despaired and were certain that they had been denied, there came to them Our victory, and whoever We willed was saved. And Our punishment cannot be repelled from the people who are criminals.

Allah gave time to the enemies of these messengers He sent, not being quick to punish, but luring them gradually until when their destruction was overdue, and the messengers despaired of it and the disbelievers thought that their messengers had lied to them in their promises of a punishment for those who deny the truth and the rescue of those who have faith; then Allah’s help came to His messengers, saving the messengers and believers from the destruction which the disbelievers suffered, and Allah’s punishment cannot be turned away from the sinners when He sends it down.

Yusuf 12:110Listen in Qur'an →

Commentary: Al-Mukhtasar in Interpreting the Noble Qur'an by Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies. Qur'an text and translation via AlQuran Cloud.