Surah Yusuf 12:1-6 - Quran Translation Commentary

4. When Yusuf ⁶ said to his father: “O my father! Verily I saw (in a dream) that there are eleven stars and the sun and the moon, I saw them prostrating themselves before me⁷.

5. He said: “O my son! Tell not your brethren of your dream, lest they hatch a plot against you⁸. Verily Satan for man is an open enemy.”

6. Thus your Lord will choose you⁹ and will teach you the interpretation of the events¹⁰, and will perfect His favours upon you and upon the family of Yaqub as He perfected it upon your forefathers Ibrahim and Is’haq¹¹. Verily your Lord is All-Knowing, All Wise”¹².

Commentary

1. The explanation of these letters has been given in Surah Yunus Note.1. In this Surah Alif points to Allah (topics of monotheism), Lam points to “Do not worship others beside Him” (Ayat 40) and Ra points to the lordship of Allah, which has been mentioned in different verses. Moreover, it also points to the true dreams which have been specifically mentioned in this Surah, and which is one of the signs of the Lord.

2. Quran is a clear Book, because its teachings are quite explicit. Its message, the beliefs and commands presented by it, its guidance, its purpose and objective, in short everything connected with it is clear and unambiguous. On the one side this is the characteristic or Qur’an on account of which its teachings directly appeal to the heart and mind, and on the other side are the ‘holy books’ of other religions which are full of complications, and whose study requires grim determination.

3. The address is direct to the Arab nation, because the Prophet was sent directly to the Arabs. For this reason, the Qur’an was also revealed in the Arabic language, which was their mother tongue. For the non-Arab nations his message comes indirectly. Similarly, Qur’an is also an indirect message for the non-Arab nations. The letters which Prophet Muhammad (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) wrote to emperors Caeser and Cyrus were in Arabic, and in those letters verses of Qur’an, which were in Arabic, were also quoted, though the language of these emperors was not Arabic. They had to take the. help of the interpreters. It shows that if the message of Qur’an or its correct translation is conveyed to an individual or a nation through a reliable agency, then it will be considered that Allah’s message has been convincingly conveyed to that individual or nation.

And when Qur’an states: “so that you may understand” it means that mere recitation of Qur’an is not enough, but it is necessary to understand it properly. Besides, the message, to be read with understanding, is not reserved for Muslims only, but is also meant for every individual, who may be belonging to any religion, whether a learned man or a common man. And this idea is absolutely wrong that only ulema can understand Qur’an or that it is meant to be read only by Muslims.

4. The reasons for Prophet Yusuf’s story being the best one are various: Firstly, in this story is narrated the turns that came into the life of Prophet Yusuf from the time of his childhood to his coming of age, and how at every turn Allah provided him guidance, and how he proved himself to be a man of sterling character.

Secondly in his adulthood his chastity is put to a very severe test and he emerges successful without a single blemish which example is unparalleled in history, His behaviour in this whole episode is so strikingly above board that his opponents wonder whether he is an angel.

Thirdly in his story there are many aspects of moral lessons.

Fourthly this story presents such a picture of Prophet Yusuf’s biography which is very amazing and extremely attractive, and at the same time it is not even slightly deviating from truth.

Fifthly it is a comprehensive story for which a whole surah was revealed, which contains more than one hundred verses, and moreover it is reserved for this very chronicle.

In this story various characters present themselves, but among them all the character of Prophet Yusuf is so prominently etched that it wins the admiration of the readers; what the detractors had thrown as a useless stone proved to be a very valuable diamond and ultimately it shone like a crown.

5. Although the story of Prophet Yusuf is narrated in the Bible also (Genesis. Chapters 37 to 50), however it was not known to Prophet Muhammad (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) because he was unlettered and could not, therefore, read the Torah or any other book. Besides, the manner in which it is narrated in the Qur’an is absolutely different from the manner of narration in the Bible. Had the Prophet narrated this chronicle from what he heard from the people of the Book, then there would have not been such a difference between the two narratives, and those aspects would not have come to the fore which have not at all been narrated in the Bible.

6. Prophet Yusuf’s line of ancestors is most honourable. His father was Prophet Yaqub. His grandfather Ishaq was also a prophet. So was his great grandfather, Prophet Ibrahim (May Allah’s peace be upon all of them). Yusuf was not only a son of this family of prophets, but later on himself was blessed with this honour. Prophet Muhammad (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) has to say this about him:

“He himself was honourable, and was the son of an honourable father. His grandfather was also honourable, and great grandfather too, Yusuf bin Yaqub, bin Ishaq, bin Ibrahim.” -(Al-Bukhari, Kitabut Tafseer)

7. In the text the word ‘Sajideen’ is used, which is derived from the word ‘sajdah “ which literally means to bow down. It is also applied for touching the forehead to the ground, or merely for bowing down. In Arabic a loaded tree with palm-dates is called a ‘sajdah’ or bowing tree. - (Lisanul Arab, Vol. III, page 206). In the ayat prostrating of the stars and the sun and the moon cannot obviously mean to touch the forehead to the ground, but it can be taken only in its idiomatic sense that is their descending down in a bowing condition. (And the reality is known to Allah only).

8. Prophet Yusuf’s father, Yaqub, was a prophet. He grasped the meaning of the dream that the eleven stars meant the eleven brethren of Yusuf and the sun and the moon signified his parents. He also understood that this dream hints that the future of Yusuf is very bright, he would attain ruling power, and his whole family would be under his power.

Since ten of them were Yusuf’s step brethren and they were jealous of Yusuf, Prophet Yaqub, in view of their jealousy lest they might play some mischief with him, asked him not to relate his dream to them.

Some commentators, in view of the fact that prophet Yusuf saw his brethren in the dream in the form of stars, have come to the conclusion that they subsequently became prophets. This is a case of jumping to conclusion and allowing free reins to imagination, because the character and conduct prophet before his attainment of prophethood are also without blemishes and he exhibits the highest standard of good moral character, while the character of the brethren of Prophet Yusuf is well known, what heinous crimes they had committed. As for their appearing in a dream in the form of stars, it does not necessarily qualify them for being prophets. Prophet Yusuf saw his mother in the form of the moon, does it mean that she also became a prophetess ? Allama Ibn Taimiah has forcefully refuted this argument, which in brief is like this:

“What the Quran’s literal and metaphorical meanings signify is this that Prophet Yusuf’s brethren were not prophets, nor is it anywhere mentioned in the Qur’an that Allah had made them prophets, nor is it reported by the Prophet. As regards arguing from the word ‘Asbat’ (progeny), it does not mean Prophet Yaqub’s own progeny but it signifies his race... And the fact is that the title of’ Asbat’ was given during Prophet Moosa’s time and from that time onwards the chain of prophets occurred in them (in Bani Israil), otherwise before that except for Prophet Yusuf no mention of any prophet is found among them... And the major sins that Allah has narrated as committed by the brethren of Yusuf are of the type which never have been mentioned to have been committed by any prophet before attaining prophethood.” -(Roohul Ma’ani lil Aloosi, Vol. IV p. 184).

9. That is: Will bless with the honour of prophethood.

10. In the text the words ‘taveelul ahadeeth , have been used which mean to go to the bottom of a matter and to find the reality, that is understanding a matter, insight and reaching the right conclusions, in which the knowledge of interpreting the dreams is especially included.

11. Means the blessings of leadership an power, and good fortunes of this world and the next. Aal-i-Yaqub (family of Yaqub) means race of Yaqub which later on was called Bani Israil, who were raised to be a prominent nation by Allah among the nations of the world, and He made them a means of guidance for others.

12. He is All-Knowing, therefore, He has full knowledge of the future. He is Wise, therefore, all His decisions are based on wisdom.