12. Yusuf (Joseph)

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لِّأُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِ...   

12:111. There is, in their stories, instruction for men endued with understanding.

C1796. Their stories, i.e., the stories of Prophets or of the wicked; for the two threads inter-twine, as in Joseph's story.

...مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَى وَلَـكِن تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ...

It is not a tale invented, but a confirmation of what went before it --

C1797. A story like that of Joseph is not a purely imaginary fable. The People of the Book have it in their sacred literature. It is confirmed here in its main outline, but here there is a detailed spiritual exposition that will be found nowhere in earlier literature.

The exposition covers all sides of human life. If properly understood it gives valuable lessons to guide our conduct,-an instance of Allah's grace and mercy to people who will go to Him in faith and put their affairs in His hands.

...وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١١١﴾  

a detailed exposition of all things, and a Guide and a Mercy to any such as believe.

Other versions:

12: 111

Asad Indeed, in the stories of these men there is a lesson for those who are endowed with insight. [As for this revelation ] it could not possibly be a discourse invented: nay indeed, it is confirming the truth whatever there still remains, clearly spelling out everything, and guidance and grace unto people who will believe.

Pickthall In their history verily there is a lesson for men of understanding. It is no invented story but a confirmation of the existing (Scripture) and a detailed explanation of everything, and a guidance and a mercy for folk who believe.

Yuksel [The Quran is not a Fabricated Hadith]

In their stories is a lesson for the people of intelligence. It is not a hadith that was invented, but an authentication of what is already present, a detailing of all things, and a guidance and mercy to a people who acknowledge.*

Transliteration Laqad ka_na fi qasasihim 'ibratul li'ulil alba_b(i), ma_ ka_na hadisay yuftara_ wa la_kin tasdiqal lazi baina yadaihi wa tafsila kulli syai'iw wa hudaw wa rahmatal liqaumiy yu'minu_n(a).

Yuksel’s note:-

012:111 In this verse, God the Most Wise, rejects both the "hadith" and the basic excuse for accepting it as a source of Islam. No excuse is accepted from the followers of hadith in this world, nor on the Day of Judgment. The followers of fabricated hadiths claim that the Quran is not sufficiently detailed! They thus reject God's repeated assertion that the Quran is "complete, perfect, and sufficiently detailed" (6:19,38,114), and thereby justify the creation of 60 volumes of hadith, and a library full of contradictory teachings that are supposed to complete the Quran. By reflecting on 12:111 above, one can see God's answer to those fabricators and their followers. God informs us that we do not need fabricated hadith; that the Quran as a sufficiently detailed guide, is all we need. The Quran is the only "ahsan al-hadith" (best statement) to ]]