The dream
As a boy he sees in a dream eleven stars, the sun and the moon prostrating to him.
إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّى رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِى سَـٰجِدِينَ ٤Joseph
يوسف
Joseph
His surah is called the most beautiful of narratives. Thrown into the well by his brothers, sold, tested, then imprisoned, he was raised to the storehouses of Egypt through the interpretation of dreams, before forgiving his brothers.
His story, step by step
Each step links to the passage of the Quran that recalls it.
The well
Jealous of their father's love, his brothers take him away and cast him into the depths of a well.
فَلَمَّا ذَهَبُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَأَجْمَعُوٓا۟ أَن يَجْعَلُوهُ فِى غَيَـٰبَتِ ٱلْجُبِّ …
Sold in Egypt
Travellers find him and sell him for a few coins. In Egypt, the man who buys him tells his wife: “Make his stay honourable.”
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِى ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ مِن مِّصْرَ لِٱمْرَأَتِهِۦٓ أَكْرِمِى مَثْوَىٰهُ …
“Prison is dearer to me”
The official's wife tries to seduce him; he refuses and turns to Allah: “My Lord, prison is dearer to me than what they invite me to.”
قَالَ رَبِّ ٱلسِّجْنُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا يَدْعُونَنِىٓ إِلَيْهِ …
The prison
In prison, two companions tell him their dreams; before interpreting them, he speaks to them of the oneness of Allah.
وَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ ٱلسِّجْنَ فَتَيَانِ …
The king's dream
The king sees seven fat cows devoured by seven lean ones. Joseph reads in it seven years of plenty followed by seven of famine.
وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلِكُ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰ سَبْعَ بَقَرَٰتٍ سِمَانٍ يَأْكُلُهُنَّ سَبْعٌ عِجَافٌ …
The storehouses of the land
Cleared of all blame, he is placed over the storehouses of the land: “I am a knowing guardian.”
قَالَ ٱجْعَلْنِى عَلَىٰ خَزَآئِنِ ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ إِنِّى حَفِيظٌ عَلِيمٌ ٥٥
His brothers before him
During the famine his brothers come for grain. He recognizes them; they do not recognize him.
وَجَآءَ إِخْوَةُ يُوسُفَ فَدَخَلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِ فَعَرَفَهُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُۥ مُنكِرُونَ ٥٨
The forgiveness
He reveals himself and forgives them: “No blame upon you today. May Allah forgive you.”
قَالَ لَا تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ ۖ يَغْفِرُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ ٩٢
The dream fulfilled
His parents join him in Egypt and all bow down: “Father, this is the fulfilment of my dream of long ago.”
وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيْهِ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ وَخَرُّوا۟ لَهُۥ سُجَّدًا وَقَالَ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ هَـٰذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُءْيَـٰىَ مِن قَبْلُ …
His account in the Quran
by Mishary Al Afasi