يوسف
Joseph
Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
ir'jiʿū ilā abīkum faqūlū yāabānā inna ib'naka saraqa wamā shahid'nā illā bimā ʿalim'nā wamā kunnā lil'ghaybi ḥāfiẓīna
Return to your father and say, 'O our father, indeed your son has stolen, and we did not testify except to what we knew. And we were not witnesses of the unseen.
wasali l-qaryata allatī kunnā fīhā wal-ʿīra allatī aqbalnā fīhā wa-innā laṣādiqūna
And ask the city in which we were and the caravan in which we came - and indeed, we are truthful.'"
qāla bal sawwalat lakum anfusukum amran faṣabrun jamīlun ʿasā l-lahu an yatiyanī bihim jamīʿan innahu huwa l-ʿalīmu l-ḥakīmu
[Jacob] said, "Rather, your souls have enticed you to something, so patience is most fitting. Perhaps Allāh will bring them to me all together. Indeed, it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise."
watawallā ʿanhum waqāla yāasafā ʿalā yūsufa wa-ib'yaḍḍat ʿaynāhu mina l-ḥuz'ni fahuwa kaẓīmun
And he turned away from them and said, "Oh, my sorrow over Joseph," and his eyes became white from grief, for he was [of that] a suppressor.
qālū tal-lahi tafta-u tadhkuru yūsufa ḥattā takūna ḥaraḍan aw takūna mina l-hālikīna
They said, "By Allāh, you will not cease remembering Joseph until you become fatally ill or become of those who perish."
qāla innamā ashkū bathī waḥuz'nī ilā l-lahi wa-aʿlamu mina l-lahi mā lā taʿlamūna
He said, "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allāh, and I know from Allāh that which you do not know.
yābaniyya idh'habū fataḥassasū min yūsufa wa-akhīhi walā tāy'asū min rawḥi l-lahi innahu lā yāy'asu min rawḥi l-lahi illā l-qawmu l-kāfirūna
O my sons, go and find out about Joseph and his brother and despair not of relief from Allāh. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allāh except the disbelieving people."
falammā dakhalū ʿalayhi qālū yāayyuhā l-ʿazīzu massanā wa-ahlanā l-ḍuru waji'nā bibiḍāʿatin muz'jātin fa-awfi lanā l-kayla wataṣaddaq ʿalaynā inna l-laha yajzī l-mutaṣadiqīna
So when they entered upon him [i.e., Joseph], they said, "O ʿAzeez, adversity has touched us and our family, and we have come with goods poor in quality, but give us full measure and be charitable to us. Indeed, Allāh rewards the charitable."
qāla hal ʿalim'tum mā faʿaltum biyūsufa wa-akhīhi idh antum jāhilūna
He said, "Do you know what you did with Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant?"
qālū a-innaka la-anta yūsufu qāla anā yūsufu wahādhā akhī qad manna l-lahu ʿalaynā innahu man yattaqi wayaṣbir fa-inna l-laha lā yuḍīʿu ajra l-muḥ'sinīna
They said, "Are you indeed Joseph?" He said, "I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allāh has certainly favored us. Indeed, he who fears Allāh and is patient, then indeed, Allāh does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good."
qālū tal-lahi laqad ātharaka l-lahu ʿalaynā wa-in kunnā lakhāṭiīna
They said, "By Allāh, certainly has Allāh preferred you over us, and indeed, we have been sinners."
qāla lā tathrība ʿalaykumu l-yawma yaghfiru l-lahu lakum wahuwa arḥamu l-rāḥimīna
He said, "No blame will there be upon you today. May Allāh forgive you; and He is the most merciful of the merciful.
idh'habū biqamīṣī hādhā fa-alqūhu ʿalā wajhi abī yati baṣīran watūnī bi-ahlikum ajmaʿīna
Take this, my shirt, and cast it over the face of my father; he will become seeing. And bring me your family, all together."
walammā faṣalati l-ʿīru qāla abūhum innī la-ajidu rīḥa yūsufa lawlā an tufannidūni
And when the caravan departed [from Egypt], their father said, "Indeed, I find the smell of Joseph [and would say that he was alive] if you did not think me weakened in mind."
qālū tal-lahi innaka lafī ḍalālika l-qadīmi
They said, "By Allāh, indeed you are in your [same] old error."
falammā an jāa l-bashīru alqāhu ʿalā wajhihi fa-ir'tadda baṣīran qāla alam aqul lakum innī aʿlamu mina l-lahi mā lā taʿlamūna
And when the bearer of good tidings arrived, he cast it over his face, and he returned [once again] seeing. He said, "Did I not tell you that I know from Allāh that which you do not know?"
qālū yāabānā is'taghfir lanā dhunūbanā innā kunnā khāṭiīna
They said, "O our father, ask for us forgiveness of our sins; indeed, we have been sinners."
qāla sawfa astaghfiru lakum rabbī innahu huwa l-ghafūru l-raḥīmu
He said, "I will ask forgiveness for you from my Lord. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
falammā dakhalū ʿalā yūsufa āwā ilayhi abawayhi waqāla ud'khulū miṣ'ra in shāa l-lahu āminīna
And when they entered upon Joseph, he took his parents to himself [i.e., embraced them] and said, "Enter Egypt, Allāh willing, safe [and secure]."
warafaʿa abawayhi ʿalā l-ʿarshi wakharrū lahu sujjadan waqāla yāabati hādhā tawīlu ru'yāya min qablu qad jaʿalahā rabbī ḥaqqan waqad aḥsana bī idh akhrajanī mina l-sij'ni wajāa bikum mina l-badwi min baʿdi an nazagha l-shayṭānu baynī wabayna ikh'watī inna rabbī laṭīfun limā yashāu innahu huwa l-ʿalīmu l-ḥakīmu
And he raised his parents upon the throne, and they bowed to him in prostration. And he said, "O my father, this is the explanation of my vision of before. My Lord has made it reality. And He was certainly good to me when He took me out of prison and brought you [here] from bedouin life after Satan had induced [estrangement] between me and my brothers. Indeed, my Lord is Subtle in what He wills. Indeed, it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise.