The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

نَحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ أَحْسَنَ الْقَصَصِ بِمَا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ هَـذَا الْقُرْآنَ...

12: 3. We do relate unto thee the most beautiful of stories, in that We reveal to thee this (portion of the) Qur'án:

C1631. Most beautiful of stories: see Introduction to this Surah.

Eloquence consists in conveying by a word or hint many meanings for those who can understand and wish to learn wisdom.

Not only is Joseph's story "beautiful" in that sense, Joseph himself was renowned for manly beauty; the women of Egypt, called him a noble angel (12:31), and the beauty of his exterior form was a symbol of the beauty of his soul.

...وَإِن كُنتَ مِن قَبْلِهِ لَمِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ ﴿٣﴾

before this, thou too wast among those who knew it not.

إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَا أَبتِ إِنِّي...

12: 4. Behold, Joseph said to his father: "O my father!

C1632. For the Parable all that is necessary to know about Joseph is that he was one of the Chosen Ones of Allah. For the story it is necessary to set down a few more details.

His father was Jacob, also called Israel the son of Isaac, the younger son of Abraham, (the elder son having been Isma'il, whose story is told in 2:124-129. Abraham may be called the Father of the line of Semitic prophecy.

Jacob had four wives. From three of them he had ten sons. In his old age he had from Rachel (Arabic Rahil) a very beautiful woman, two sons Joseph and Benjamin (the youngest).

The place where Jacob and his family and his flocks were located was in Canaan, and is shown by tradition near modern Nablus (ancient Shechem), some thirty miles north of Jerusalem. The traditional site of the well into which Joseph was thrown by his brothers is still shown in the neighbourhood.

...رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِي سَاجِدِينَ ﴿٤﴾

I did see eleven stars and the sun and the moon:

I saw them prostrate themselves to me!"

C1633. Joseph was a mere lad. But he was true and frank and righteous; he was a type of manly beauty and rectitude. His father loved him dearly. His half-brothers were jealous of him and hated him.

His destiny was prefigured in the vision. He was to be exalted in rank above his eleven brothers (stars) and his father and mother (sun and moon), but as the subsequent story shows, he never lost his head, but always honoured his parents and repaid his brothers' craft and hatred with forgiveness and kindness.

لَّقَدْ كَانَ فِي يُوسُفَ وَإِخْوَتِهِ آيَاتٌ لِّلسَّائِلِينَ ﴿٧﴾

12: 7. Verily in Joseph and his brethren are Signs (or Symbols) for Seekers (after Truth).

C1638. In Joseph's story we have good and evil contrasted in so many different ways. Those in search of true spiritual knowledge can see it embodied in concrete events in this story of many facets, matching the colours of Joseph's many-coloured coat.

Other versions:

12:3 We relate to you the best stories through what We have inspired to you in this Quran; and before it you were of those who were unaware.

[also see the Bible story: Exodus 22 ]

12: 4

Asad Lo! Thus spoke Joseph ……I saw [in a dream] eleven stars,

Pickthall When Joseph said unto his father: O my father! Lo! I saw in a dream eleven planets and the sun and the moon, I saw them prostrating themselves unto me.

Yuksel When Joseph said to his father: "My father, I have seen eleven planets and the sun and the moon, I saw them prostrating before me."*

Transliteration Iz qa_la ya_sufu li abihi ya_ abati inni ra'aitu ahada'asyara kaukabaw wasy syamsa wal qamara ra'aituhum li sa_jidin(a).

[[ Also see 12-5 - 12-111 ]]

12: 7

Asad Indeed, in Joseph and his brothers there are messages for all who search .

Pickthall Verily in Joseph and his brethren are signs (of Allah's Sovereignty) for the inquiring.

Transliteration Laqad ka_na fi yu_sufa wa ikhwatihi a_ya_tul lis sa_'ilin(a).