بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Yusuf 12:4
Joseph · Juz 12 · Page 235
إِذۡ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّي رَأَيۡتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوۡكَبٗا وَٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ رَأَيۡتُهُمۡ لِي سَٰجِدِينَ ٤
[Of these stories mention] when Joseph said to his father,1 "O my father, indeed I have seen [in a dream] eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me."
1 translator’s note
- The prophet Jacob (upon whom be peace). ↩
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 12:4–5
According to a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, there are three kinds of dreams—those of wish fulfillment, fear of Satan and good tidings from God. A common man’s dream may be of any of these kinds, but a Prophet’s dream is always from God. Sometimes it is direct in meaning and sometimes it is purely symbolic. Joseph lived in the nineteenth century B.C. His father, Jacob, was a resident of Palestine. Joseph and his brother Benjamin (Bin Yamin) were born of the same mother, while their ten older brothers had different mothers. In Joseph’s dream the sun and the moon stood for his parents and the eleven stars meant his eleven brothers. This dream predicted that prophethood would be conferred on Joseph and it also signified that the political power and worldly glory ordained for him would be decreed by God after his reaching Egypt; after which all his family members would be compelled to recognize his greatness. Looking at Joseph’s personality and his popularity, his ten step brothers were jealous of him, so his father Jacob (Ya‘qub), on hearing his dream, immediately advised Joseph not to mention it to his stepbrothers, as they would otherwise become even more hostile towards him. Feeling jealous of a person on account of his greatness shows an evil nature. One who has this trait in him ought to turn to God in repentance, because this is a proof that he is not reconciled to God’s will; he is following the lead of Satan rather than God’s guidance.
Page 235
11:118
وَلَوۡ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لَجَعَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ أُمَّةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗۖ وَلَا يَزَالُونَ مُخۡتَلِفِينَ ١١٨
And if your Lord had willed, He could have made mankind one community; but they will not cease to differ,
11:119
إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ رَبُّكَۚ وَلِذَٰلِكَ خَلَقَهُمۡۗ وَتَمَّتۡ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لَأَمۡلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ أَجۡمَعِينَ ١١٩
Except whom your Lord has given mercy, and for that He created them. But the word of your Lord is to be fulfilled that, "I will surely fill Hell with jinn and men all together."
11:120
وَكُلّٗا نَّقُصُّ عَلَيۡكَ مِنۡ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلرُّسُلِ مَا نُثَبِّتُ بِهِۦ فُؤَادَكَۚ وَجَآءَكَ فِي هَٰذِهِ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَمَوۡعِظَةٞ وَذِكۡرَىٰ لِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ١٢٠
And each [story] We relate to you from the news of the messengers is that by which We make firm your heart. And there has come to you, in this, the truth and an instruction and a reminder for the believers.
11:121
وَقُل لِّلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٱعۡمَلُواْ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِكُمۡ إِنَّا عَٰمِلُونَ ١٢١
And say to those who do not believe, "Work according to your position; indeed, we are working.
11:122
وَٱنتَظِرُوٓاْ إِنَّا مُنتَظِرُونَ ١٢٢
And wait; indeed, we are waiting."
11:123
وَلِلَّهِ غَيۡبُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَإِلَيۡهِ يُرۡجَعُ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ كُلُّهُۥ فَٱعۡبُدۡهُ وَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَيۡهِۚ وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعۡمَلُونَ ١٢٣
And to Allāh belong the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth and to Him will be returned the matter, all of it, so worship Him and rely upon Him. And your Lord is not unaware of that which you do.
سورة يوسف
Yusuf
Joseph · Meccan · 111 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
12:1
الٓرۚ تِلۡكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ ٱلۡمُبِينِ ١
Alif, Lām, Rā.1 These are the verses of the clear Book.
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 2:1. ↩
12:2
إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ قُرۡءَٰنًا عَرَبِيّٗا لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ ٢
Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’ān1 that you might understand.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., revealed in the Arabic language. ↩
12:3
نَحۡنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيۡكَ أَحۡسَنَ ٱلۡقَصَصِ بِمَآ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ وَإِن كُنتَ مِن قَبۡلِهِۦ لَمِنَ ٱلۡغَٰفِلِينَ ٣
We relate to you, [O Muḥammad], the best of stories in what We have revealed to you of this Qur’ān although you were, before it, among the unaware.
12:4
إِذۡ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّي رَأَيۡتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوۡكَبٗا وَٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ رَأَيۡتُهُمۡ لِي سَٰجِدِينَ ٤
[Of these stories mention] when Joseph said to his father,1 "O my father, indeed I have seen [in a dream] eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me."
1 translator’s note
- The prophet Jacob (upon whom be peace). ↩