In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
A. L. R. These (letters) are proofs of this profound scripture.*
*12:1 The Quranic initials constitute a major component of a great miracle (App. 1).
Joseph's Fate Already Decided by God
"Let us kill Joseph, or banish him, that you may get some attention from your father. Afterwards, you can be righteous people."*
*12:9 We learn from Joseph's dream that he was destined for a bright future. Thus, while his brothers met to decide his fate, his fate was already decided by God. Everything is done by God (8:17), and is already recorded (57:22).
Believers are Blessed with God's Assurances
Joseph is Taken to Egypt
God Protects the Believers From Sin
The lady of the house where he lived tried to seduce him. She closed the doors and said, "I am all yours." He said, "May GOD protect me. He is my Lord, who gave me a good home.* The transgressors never succeed."
*12:23 Joseph worded this statement in such a way that the governor's wife thought that he was talking about her husband, when in fact he was talking about God.
When she heard of their gossip, she invited them, prepared for them a comfortable place, and gave each of them a knife. She then said to him, "Enter their room." When they saw him, they so admired him, that they cut their hands.* They said, "Glory be to GOD, this is not a human being; this is an honorable angel."
*12:31 This is the same word used in 5:38 regarding the hand of the thief, and the sum of sura and verse numbers (12+31 and 5+38) are the same. Therefore, the thief 's hand should be marked, not severed as practiced by the corrupted Islam (see Footnote 5:38).
He then said to the one to be saved "Remember me at your lord."* Thus, the devil caused him to forget his Lord, and, consequently, he remained in prison a few more years.
*12:42 When Joseph begged his companion to intercede with the king on his behalf, he exhibited dependence on other than God to be saved from the prison. This does not befit a true believer, and such a serious slip cost Joseph a few years in the prison. We learn from the Quran that only God can relieve any hardship that might befall us. A true believer trusts in God and depends totally on Him alone (1:5, 6:17, 8:17, 10:107).
The King's Dream
Joseph Interprets the King's Dream
(The king) said (to the women), "What do you know about the incident when you tried to seduce Joseph?" They said, "GOD forbid; we did not know of anything evil committed by him." The wife of the governor said, "Now the truth has prevailed. I am the one who tried to seduce him, and he was the truthful one.
Joseph Attains Prominence
Jacob Senses Joseph
Back in Egypt
Joseph Keeps His Brother
He then started by inspecting their containers, before getting to his brother's container, and he extracted it out of his brother's container. We thus perfected the scheme for Joseph; he could not have kept his brother if he applied the king's law. But that was the will of GOD. We exalt whomever we choose to higher ranks. Above every knowledgeable one, there is one who is even more knowledgeable.
When they despaired of changing his mind, they conferred together. Their eldest said, "Do you realize that your father has taken a solemn pledge from you before GOD? In the past you lost Joseph. I am not leaving this place until my father gives me permission, or until GOD judges for me; He is the best Judge.
Back In Palestine
Israel Goes to Egypt
In Egypt
He raised his parents upon the throne. They fell prostrate before him. He said, "O my father, this is the fulfillment of my old dream. My Lord has made it come true. He has blessed me, delivered me from the prison, and brought you from the desert, after the devil had driven a wedge between me and my brothers. My Lord is Most Kind towards whomever He wills. He is the Knower, the Most Wise."