Surah 12

And he (the man) from Egypt who bought him, said to his wife: "Make his stay comfortable, may be he will profit us or we shall adopt him as a son." Thus did We establish Yûsuf (Joseph) in the land, that We might teach him the interpretation of events. And Allâh has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not.

And when he [Yûsuf (Joseph)] attained his full manhood, We gave him wisdom and knowledge (the Prophethood); thus We reward the Muhsinûn (doers of good - see the footnote of V.9:120).

And she, in whose house he was, sought to seduce him (to do an evil act), and she closed the doors and said: "Come on, O you." He said: "I seek refuge in Allâh (or Allâh forbid)! Truly, he (your husband) is my master! He made my living in a great comfort! (So I will never betray him). Verily, the Zâlimûn (wrong and evil-doers) will never be successful."

And indeed she did desire him, and he would have inclined to her desire, had he not seen the evidence of his Lord. Thus it was, that We might turn away from him evil and illegal sexual intercourse. Surely, he was one of Our chosen (guided) slaves.

So they raced with one another to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back. They both found her lord (i.e. her husband) at the door. She said: "What is the recompense (punishment) for him who intended an evil design against your wife, except that he be put in prison or a painful torment?"

He [Yûsuf (Joseph)] said: "It was she that sought to seduce me;" and a witness of her household bore witness (saying): "If it be that his shirt is torn from the front, then her tale is true and he is a liar!

"But if it be that his shirt is torn from the back, then she has told a lie and he is speaking the truth!"

So when he (her husband) saw his [(Yûsuf’s (Joseph)] shirt torn at the back, he (her husband) said: "Surely, it is a plot of you women! Certainly mighty is your plot!

"O Yûsuf (Joseph)! Turn away from this! (O woman!) Ask forgiveness for your sin. Verily, you were of the sinful."

And women in the city said: "The wife of Al-‘Azîz is seeking to seduce her (slave) young man, indeed she loves him violently; verily we see her in plain error."

So when she heard of their accusation, she sent for them and prepared a banquet for them; she gave each one of them a knife (to cut the foodstuff with), and she said [(to Yûsuf (Joseph)]: "Come out before them." Then, when they saw him, they exalted him (at his beauty) and (in their astonishment) cut their hands. They said: "How perfect is Allâh (or Allâh forbid)! No man is this! This is none other than a noble angel!"

She said: "This is he (the young man) about whom you did blame me, and I did seek to seduce him, but he refused. And now if he refuses to obey my order, he shall certainly be cast into prison, and will be one of those who are disgraced."

He said: "O my Lord! Prison is dearer to me than that to which they invite me. Unless You turn away their plot from me, I will feel inclined towards them and be one (of those who commit sin and deserve blame or those who do deeds) of the ignorant."

So his Lord answered his invocation and turned away from him their plot. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.

Then it occurred to them, after they had seen the proofs (of his innocence), to imprison him for a time.

And there entered with him two young men in the prison. One of them said: "Verily, I saw myself (in a dream) pressing wine." The other said: "Verily, I saw myself (in a dream) carrying bread on my head and birds were eating thereof." (They said): "Inform us of the interpretation of this. Verily, we think you are one of the Muhsinûn (doers of good)."

He said: "No food will come to you (in wakefulness or in dream) as your provision, but I will inform (in wakefulness) its interpretation before it (the food) comes. This is of that which my Lord has taught me. Verily, I have abandoned the religion of a people that believe not in Allâh and are disbelievers in the Hereafter (i.e. the Kan‘anyyûn of Egypt who were polytheists and used to worship sun and other false deities).

"And I have followed the religion of my fathers,[1] - Ibrâhîm (Abraham), Ishâq (Isaac) and Ya‘qûb (Jacob) [عليهم السلام], and never could we attribute any partners whatsoever to Allâh. This is from the Grace of Allâh to us and to mankind, but most men thank not (i.e. they neither believe in Allâh, nor worship Him).

"O two companions of the prison! Are many different lords (gods) better or Allâh, the One, the Irresistible?

"You do not worship besides Him but only names which you have named (forged) - you and your fathers - for which Allâh has sent down no authority. The command (or the judgement) is for none but Allâh. He has commanded that you worship none but Him (i.e. His Monotheism); that is the (true) straight religion, but most men know not.