A.L.R. These (letters) are proofs of this profound scripture.*
الر تِلكَ ءايٰتُ الكِتٰبِ المُبينِ
Alif-Laaam-Raa; tilka Aayaatul Kitaabil Mubeen
*12:1 The Quranic initials constitute a major component of a great miracle (App. 1).
A.L.R. These (letters) are proofs of this profound scripture.*
الر تِلكَ ءايٰتُ الكِتٰبِ المُبينِ
Alif-Laaam-Raa; tilka Aayaatul Kitaabil Mubeen
*12:1 The Quranic initials constitute a major component of a great miracle (App. 1).
We have revealed it an Arabic Quran, that you may understand.*
إِنّا أَنزَلنٰهُ قُرءٰنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَعَلَّكُم تَعقِلونَ
innaaa anzalnaahu quraanan ‘Arabiyyal la ‘allakum ta’qiloon
*12:2 Why was the Quran revealed in Arabic? See 41:44 and Appendix 4.
We narrate to you the most accurate history through the revelation of this Quran. Before this, you were totally unaware.
نَحنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيكَ أَحسَنَ القَصَصِ بِما أَوحَينا إِلَيكَ هٰذَا القُرءانَ وَإِن كُنتَ مِن قَبلِهِ لَمِنَ الغٰفِلينَ
nahnu naqussu ‘alaika ahsanal qasasi bimaaa awhainaaa ilaika haazal quraana wa in kunta min qablihee laminal ghaafileen
Recall that Joseph said to his father, “O my father, I saw eleven planets, and the sun, and the moon; I saw them prostrating before me.”
إِذ قالَ يوسُفُ لِأَبيهِ يٰأَبَتِ إِنّى رَأَيتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوكَبًا وَالشَّمسَ وَالقَمَرَ رَأَيتُهُم لى سٰجِدينَ
iz qaala Yoosufu li abeehi yaaa abati innee ra aytu ahada ‘ashara kawkabanw wash shamsa walqamara ra aytuhum lee saajideen
He said, “My son, do not tell your brothers about your dream, lest they plot and scheme against you. Surely, the devil is man’s worst enemy.
قالَ يٰبُنَىَّ لا تَقصُص رُءياكَ عَلىٰ إِخوَتِكَ فَيَكيدوا لَكَ كَيدًا إِنَّ الشَّيطٰنَ لِلإِنسٰنِ عَدُوٌّ مُبينٌ
qaala yaa bunaiya laa taqsus ru’yaaka ‘alaaa ikhwatika fayakeedoo laka kaidaa; innash Shaitaana lil insaani ‘aduwwum mubeen
“Your Lord has thus blessed you, and has given you good news through your dream. He has perfected His blessings upon you and upon the family of Jacob, as He did for your ancestors Abraham and Isaac before that. Your Lord is Omniscient, Most Wise.”
وَكَذٰلِكَ يَجتَبيكَ رَبُّكَ وَيُعَلِّمُكَ مِن تَأويلِ الأَحاديثِ وَيُتِمُّ نِعمَتَهُ عَلَيكَ وَعَلىٰ ءالِ يَعقوبَ كَما أَتَمَّها عَلىٰ أَبَوَيكَ مِن قَبلُ إِبرٰهيمَ وَإِسحٰقَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ عَليمٌ حَكيمٌ
wa kazaalika yajtabeeka rabbuka wa yu’allimuka min ta’weelil ahaadeesi wa yutimmu ni’matahoo ‘alaika wa ‘alaaa Aali Ya’qooba kamaaa atammahaa ‘alaaa abawaika min qablu Ibraaheema wa Ishaaq; inna Rabbaka ‘Aleemun hakeem
In Joseph and his brothers there are lessons for the seekers.
لَقَد كانَ فى يوسُفَ وَإِخوَتِهِ ءايٰتٌ لِلسّائِلينَ
laqad kaana fee Yoosufa wa ikhwatiheee Aayaatul lissaaa’ileen
They said, “Joseph and his brother are favored by our father, and we are in the majority. Indeed, our father is far astray.
إِذ قالوا لَيوسُفُ وَأَخوهُ أَحَبُّ إِلىٰ أَبينا مِنّا وَنَحنُ عُصبَةٌ إِنَّ أَبانا لَفى ضَلٰلٍ مُبينٍ
iz qaaloo la Yoosufu wa akhoohu ahabbu ilaaa Abeenaa minnaa wa nahnu ‘usbatun; inna abaanaa lafee dalaalim mubeen
(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.”*
اقتُلوا يوسُفَ أَوِ اطرَحوهُ أَرضًا يَخلُ لَكُم وَجهُ أَبيكُم وَتَكونوا مِن بَعدِهِ قَومًا صٰلِحينَ
uqtuloo Yoosufa awitra hoohu ardany yakhlu lakum wajhu abeekum wa takoonoo mim ba’dihee qawman saaliheen
*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).
One of them said, “Do not kill Joseph; let us throw him into the abyss of the well. Perhaps some caravan can pick him up, if this is what you decide to do.”
قالَ قائِلٌ مِنهُم لا تَقتُلوا يوسُفَ وَأَلقوهُ فى غَيٰبَتِ الجُبِّ يَلتَقِطهُ بَعضُ السَّيّارَةِ إِن كُنتُم فٰعِلينَ
qaalaa qaaa’ilum minhum laa taqtuloo Yoosufa wa alqoohu fee ghayaabatil jubbi yaltaqithu badus sai yaarati in kuntum faa ‘ileen