Alif [Common sense], Lam [Self references], Ra [Hadith references]. These are the verses of the obvious Book.
Indeed, We have sent it down, an arabic Qur'an, in order that you [mankind] may use your intellect [to interpret through Alif, Lam, Ra].
We relate upon you the best of stories [O Muhammad] in that [relation] We revealed to you this Qur'an whilst your were before it someone completely unaware.
[Mention] when Joseph said to his father, "O my father, indeed I have seen [in a dream] eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me."
He said, "O my son, do not relate your vision upon your brothers lest they lay a trap for you. Indeed Satan [the sun, moon, and stars worshippers] to the human [like you], is a manifest enemy.
And thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the result of narratives and complete His favour upon you and upon the family of Jacob, as He completed it upon your fathers before, Abraham and Isaac. Indeed, your Lord is Knowing, Wise."
Most certainly were there in Joseph and his brothers signs [of monotheism and polytheism, respectively] for those who inquire [Qur'an 12:4-6, Qur'an 12:37].
[Mention] when they said [to one another], "Joseph and his brother are more beloved to our father than we, while we are a clan. Indeed, our father is in obvious astray [discriminating us based on signs].
Kill Joseph or cast him out to [another] land to free for you the face [bias] of your father, and you will be after that a righteous community [free of polytheism, Qur'an 12:7]."
Said a speaker from them, "Do not kill Joseph but throw him in the bottom of the well; some travellers will pick him up - if you must do [something]."
They said, "O our father, what for, you do not trust us on Joseph while indeed, we are indeed well-wishers to him?
Send him with us tomorrow that he may enjoy and play. And indeed, we would be for him effective guardians.
[Jacob] said, "Indeed, it saddens me that you should go with him away, and I fear that the wolf would devour him while you are of him unaware."
They said, "If the wolf should devour him while we are a [strong] clan, indeed, we would then be real losers."
So when they went away with him and agreed to throw him into the bottom of the well. And We inspired to him, "You will most certainly inform them [one day] about this affair of theirs while they do not perceive [your identity]."
And they came back to their father early at night, weeping.
They said, "O our father, indeed we went racing each other and left Joseph with our possessions, and the wolf devoured him. And not you be believing us, even if we were truthful."
While they came with blood on his shirt. [Jacob] said, "No but is there [won't believe, Qur'an 12:17]. Your souls have tempted an affair for you [first target in Qur'an 12:8] so a beautiful patience. And Allah is the one, sought for help, against what you are describing."
And there came a caravan of travellers; then they sent their water drawer, and he let down his bucket. He said, "Good news! Here is a young man." And they concealed him as treasure; and Allah was Aware about what they were working.
And they sold him with a low price - a few dirhams - and they were, concerning him, keen to get rid of.
And the one who bought him from Egypt said to his woman, "Make his residence comfortable. Perhaps he may benefit us, or we will adopt him as a son." And thus, We rerank the status of Joseph [adopted son and a teacher] in the earth [Egypt] that We might teach him the result of narrations. And Allah is an overcomer upon His commands, but most of the people do not know.
And when Joseph attained his full manhood, We gave him authority and knowledge. And thus We reward the good doers.
And she, in whose house he was, sought to seduce him from his [noble] self. She closed the doors and said, "Come on, O you." He said, "[I seek] the refuge of Allah. Indeed, he [your husband] is my master, who has made good my residence. Indeed, oppressors will not succeed."
And she was certainly interested in him, and he would have interested in her had he not seen the proof of his Lord. And thus [it was] that We should avert from him evil and lewdness. Indeed, he was of Our chosen slaves.
And they both raced to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back, and they both found her husband at the door. She said, "What is the punishment of one who intended about your family evil except that he be imprisoned or a painful punishment?"
[Joseph] said, "It was she who sought to seduce me - from my [noble] self." And a witness from her family testified, "If his shirt is torn before you [her husband], then she has told the truth, and he is of the liars.
But if his shirt is torn from the back, then she has lied, and he is of the truthful."
So as her husband saw his shirt torn at back, he said, "Indeed, it is one of your [seducing, lying, blaming etc] evils. Indeed, all your evils are quite great.
Joseph, ignore this. And, [my woman], ask forgiveness for your sin. Indeed, you were of the sinful."
And women in the city said, "The woman of the chief minister is seeking to seduce her slave boy from his [noble] self; he has set her with deep love. Indeed, we clearly see her in obvious astray."
So when she heard about their scheming, she sent for them and prepared a banquet for them and gave each of them a knife and said [to Joseph], "Come forth upon them." So when they saw him, they extol him and cut their hands [with their knives] and said, "Perfect is Allah! This is not a man; Left is nothing, this [man] be except a noble angel."
She said, "That is the one you blamed me about him. And I already sought to seduce him from his [noble] self, but he saved himself; but [now] if he does not do what I order him, he will surely be imprisoned and will be of the debased ones."
He said, "My Lord, the prison is more loved to me than what they invite me to. And if You do not turn away from me their plan, I might incline toward them and [thus] be of the ignorant."
So his Lord responded to him and turned away from him their plan. Indeed, He is the Hearer, the Knower.
Then it occurred to the men after they had seen the signs [that it was best] to imprison him for a time.
And there entered the prison with Joseph two young men. One of them said, "Indeed, I have seen myself [in a dream] pressing wine." The other said, "Indeed, I have seen myself carrying on my head [some] bread, the birds were eating therefrom. Inform us about its result; indeed, we see you to be of the good doers.
[Joseph] said, "No food comes to both of you that you are provided with except that I inform both of you about the result before it comes to both of you. This [knowledge] is from what my Lord has taught me. Indeed, I have left the religion of a people who do not believe in Allah, and they, in the Hereafter, are infidels.
And I have followed the religion of my fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And it was not conceivable for us to associate with Allah anything. That is from the favour of Allah upon us and upon the people, but most of the people are not thankful.
O [my] two companions of prison, are different lords better or Allah, the One, the Supreme [Authority]?
You serve not other than Him except [the] names you have named it [your self-made authority] - you and your fathers - through which Allah did not send down any authority. The absolute authority is left to be to none except to Allah alone. He has commanded that you worship not except Him alone. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know.
O two companions of prison, as for [belief in Qur'an 12:39-40] one of you, he will give drink to his master of wine; but as for [disbelief] the other, he will be crucified, and the birds will eat from his head. The matter has been decided concerning which you both inquire."
And he said to the one whom he knew would go free from the two, "Mention me to your master." But Satan made him forget the mention [to] his master so Joseph remained in prison several years.
And the king [of Egypt] said, "Indeed, I have seen [in a dream] seven fat cows - seven [that were] lean are eating all of them, and seven green spikes [of grain] and others [that were] dry. O you chief commanders, give me a ruling concerning my vision, if you are to visions can cross over."
They said, "Confused dreams and we are not in knowledge about the result of the dreams."
But the one who was freed of the two and remembered after a time said, "I will inform you [people] about its result, so send me out."
[He said], "Joseph, O the truthful man, give us a ruling concerning seven fat cows; seven [that were] lean are eating all of them, and seven green spikes [of grain] and others [that were] dry - that I may return to the people; perhaps they will know [about you]."
[Joseph] said, "You will be planting for seven years as usual; so whatever you harvest thereafter leave in its spikes, except a little from which you will eat.
Then, after that, will come seven hard [years] which will consume what you saved for them, except a little of what you will store [for seed].
Then, after that, will come a year in it the people will be given rain and in it they will press [grapes, fruit, milk etc]."
And the king said, "Come up to me with him." But when the messenger came to him, [Joseph] said, "Return to your master and ask him what is the case of the women who cut their hands. Indeed, my Lord is well aware about their scheme."
[The king ] said [to the women], "What was your affair when you sought to seduce Joseph from his [noble] self?" They said, "Perfect is Allah. No evil we know against him!" The woman of chief minister said, "Now the truth is manifested [to all]. It was I who sought to seduce him from his [noble] self, and indeed, he is truly of the truthful ones.
[Then Joseph said], "[I asked for] this that he [chief minister, my master] may know that I did not betray him in [his] absence and that Allah does not guide the plan of betrayers.
And I do not absolve my [own carnal] self. Indeed, the soul is badly inclined in the badness, except what my Lord bestow mercy [Qur'an 12:33]. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful."
And the king said, "Come up to me with him; I will appoint him exclusively for myself." And when he spoke to him [Joseph], he said, "Indeed, you are today highly esteemed and fully trusted."
[Joseph] said, "Set me upon the charge of the treasuries [national reserve] of the land [Egypt]. Indeed, I will be a knowledgable, adept guardian."
And thus We positioned for Joseph [the custodian position of national reserve] in the land to take possessions thereof wherever he willed [preparing Egypt as per Qur'an 12:47-49]. We touch with Our mercy whoever We will, and We do not let go waste the reward of good doers.
And the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believed and were guarding their consciousness [of Allah].
And [in hard years, Qur'an 12:48] the brothers of Joseph came [to Egypt], and they entered upon him [seeking provisions]; and he [Joseph] recognized them while unknown was he to them.
And when he had furnished them with provisions [suitable] for them, he said, "Come up to me with a brother of yours from your father, [but a different mother]. Do not you see that I give full measure and that I am the best of hospitality?
But if you do not come up to me with him, no measure will there be [hereafter] for you from me, nor will you approach me."
They said, "We will seduce his father about him, and indeed, we will indeed do [it]."
And [Joseph] said to his servants, "Put their merchandise back into their saddlebags [they traded for grain], perhaps they will recognize it when they have gone back to their people, perhaps they will return."
So when they returned to their father, they said, "O our father, has been prevented from us the volume measure. So send with us our brother [that] we will be given measure. And indeed, we will be indeed guardians for him."
[Jacob] said, "Should I trust you on him except [for the same outcome] as I trusted you on his brother before? And Allah is the best guardian, and He is the most merciful of the merciful."
And when they opened their baggage, they found their merchandise had been returned to them. They said, "O our father, what [more] could we desire? This is our merchandise fully returned to us. And we will get provision for our family and protect our brother and obtain an increase of a full camel's load; this [measure of grain that we bring now] is a light measure."
[Jacob] said, "Never will I send him with you unless you provide me a charter from Allah that you will come up to me with him, unless you are all surrounded." And when they had given their charter, he said, "Allah, about what we say, is Witness."
And he said, "O my sons, do not enter from one gate and enter from different gates; and I cannot avail any of you from Allah in anything. The absolute authority is left to be to none except to Allah alone; upon Him I put my trust. And upon Him everyone who has trust [in His monotheism, absolute authority, not in those in Qur'an 12:4] must put their trust so."
And when they entered from where their father had commanded them, not was availing any of those [commands, trusts - Qur'an 12:67] from Allah - any thing [whatsoever in true sense] except a need in Jacob’s soul, which he accomplished. Nonetheless, indeed he was indeed a possessor of knowledge to what We taught him, but most of the people are not knowing.
And when they entered upon Joseph, he took his brother to himself; he said, "Indeed, I am your brother, so do not despair about what they were working [on you]."
So when he had furnished them with their provisions [suitable] for them, he put the [gold measuring] bowl in the saddle-bag of his brother. Then a crier called out, "O caravan, indeed you are indeed thieves."
They said while turning on them, "What is it you are missing?"
They [soldiers] said, "We are missing the cup of the king." [The Herald, believing one of the pair, -Qur'an 12:39, said], "And to whoever brings about it, would be [the reward of] a camel's load [of grain], and I guarantee about that."
[Joseph's brothers] said, "By Allah, you have certainly known that we did not come to do evil in the land and we were not thieves."
[The soldiers] said, "Then what should be his recompense if you are liars?"
[Joseph's brothers] said, "His recompense is whoever [the cup] is found in his saddle-bag, he [himself, his freedom] will be his recompense. Thus do we recompense the oppressors."
So he [the Herald] began [the search] with their bags before the bag of his [Joseph's] brother [Benjamin]; then he extracted it from the bag of his [Joseph's] brother. And thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not take his brother in the religion of the king except that Allah willed. We elevate whoever We will in degrees and [so] over every possessor of knowledge would always be one [more] knowing.
[Joseph's brothers] said, "If he steals then a brother for him has stolen [the cup] before." But Joseph kept it within himself and did not reveal it to them. He [the Herald] said, "You are worse in position, and Allah is most knowing of what you describe [a deliberate lie for Qur'an 12:78 or truth by coincidence]."
They said, "O chief minister, indeed he has a father [who is] an old man, so take one of us in his place. Indeed, we see you of the good doers."
He [the Herald] said, "[I seek] the refuge of Allah [to prevent] that we take except him with whom we found our possession. Indeed, we would then be indeed oppressors."
So when they had despaired of him, they secluded themselves in private consultation. The eldest of them said, "Don't you know that your father has already taken upon you a charter from Allah and [that] before you failed concerning Joseph? So I will not leave the land until my father permits me or Allah decides for me, and He is the best of deciders.
Return to your father and say, `O our father, indeed your son has stolen, and we did not testify except in what we knew. And we were not for the unseen keepers.
Or ask the city which we had been through and the caravan which we returned through. But indeed, we are indeed truthful.'"
[Jacob] said, "No but is there. Your souls have tempted an affair for you [the other target in Qur'an 12:8]. So beautiful patience - Allah's help likely to come up to me by them all together [as a panacea- Qur'an 12:93]. Indeed, He is the Knowing, the Wise."
And he turned away from them and said, "Oh, my sorrow upon Joseph," and gets whitened his both eyes from the grief, so he became of a suppressed [eye sight].
They said, "By Allah, you will be incessantly remembering Joseph until you become fatally ill or become of the perished ones."
He said, "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you do not know.
O my sons, go after the feeling of Joseph and his brother and despair not from spirit of Allah. Indeed, no one despairs from spirit of Allah [moral energy activation] except the disbelieving people."
So when they entered upon Joseph, they said, "O chief minister, adversity has touched us and our family. And we have brought a little merchandise, but give the full measure for us and be charitable upon us. Indeed, Allah rewards the charitable."
He said, "Did you know what you did with Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant ones?"
They said, "Are you indeed, indeed you, Joseph?" He said, "I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allah has already bestowed favours upon us. Indeed, he who guards his consciousness [of Allah] while being patient [for wages], for indeed, Allah never wastes the wages of the good doers."
They said, "By Allah, surely Allah has already influenced you against us, and indeed we were indeed sinners."
He said, "There is no reproach against you all today. Allah forgives you all; and He is the most merciful of the merciful.
[Now] go and take in my shirt this [healing medicine] then cast it over the face of my father; he will come considering or seeing [Qur'an 12:7 or Qur'an 12:84, respectively]. And come up to me with your family, all together."
And when the caravan departed [from Egypt], their father said, "Indeed, I indeed find the smell of Joseph if you did not think me weakened in mind [as well]."
They said, "By Allah, indeed you are indeed in your old astray."
And when the bearer of good tidings arrived, he cast it over his face, and he returned considering or seeing [Qur'an 12:7 or Qur'an 12:84, respectively]. He said, "Did I not tell you that I know from Allah that which you do not know?"
They said, "O our father, ask for us forgiveness of our sins; indeed, we have been sinners [in Qur'an 12:7, Qur'an 12:15]."
He said, "I will ask forgiveness for you from my Lord [for Qur'an 12:7 as for Qur'an 12:15 see Qur'an 12:92]. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
And when they entered upon Joseph, he took his parents unto him and said, "Enter Egypt, if Allah wills, safe."
And he raised his parents upon the throne, and they bowed to him in prostration. And he said, "O my father, this is the result of my vision before. My Lord has made it true. And He was certainly kind about me when He took me out of prison and brought your [family, clan, yourself] from bedouin life [to Egypt] after Satan had induced [evil] between me and my brothers. Indeed, my Lord is Subtle to what He wills. Indeed, it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise.
My Lord, You have already given me [something] of sovereignty and taught me of the results of narrations. Creator of the heavens and earth, You are my protector in the world and the Hereafter. Recall me [from the aftermath of those women attracted to me, siblings' jealousy] as muslim and join me with the righteous."
That is from the unseen news that We reveal to you [O Muhammad]. And you were not with them when they put together their plan while they conspired.
And most of the people, even though you desire, will not be believers.
And you ask of them upon it no payment. It is left to be nothing except a reminder to the worlds [i.e., everything].
And how many of a sign in the heavens and earth do they pass upon it [the Qur'an, scientifically, historically] but they are turning away from it.
And most of them believe not in Allah except while they are associating others with Him.
Then have they secured that come to them covering [undoing- Qur'an 12:21] from Allah's punishment or that the Hour will not come upon them suddenly while they do not perceive?
Say, "This is my way; I invite to Allah upon vision [remote strategy], I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of the polytheists."
And We sent not before you [as messengers] except men to whom We revealed - from the people of towns. So have they not traveled through the earth and seen how was the end of those before them? And the home of the Hereafter is best for those who guard their consciousness [of Allah]; then will you not reason?
Until, when the messengers despaired and were certain that they had been belied, there came to them Our victory, and whoever We willed was saved. And Our punishment cannot be repelled from the criminal people.
There was certainly in their stories a unique lesson for those of understanding that it [the Qur'an] was not an invented message but a self-confirmation of which is between its two hands [Qur'an 12:1-3] and a detailed explanation of everything and a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe.