The English Reference Qur’an

In the name of Allah, the most gracious and merciful. ALR. Those are signs of the clear book.

We revealed it as an Arabic recitation, so that you^MP might comprehend.

We relate to you^MS the best stories, as we have inspired you^MS with this recitation, since you^MS were previously ignorant.

Yusuf told his father, “Father, I saw eleven stars, the sun, and the moon bowing down to me.”

He said, “My son, do not tell your^MS vision to your^MS brothers, or they’ll plot against you^MS. Satan is a clear enemy to mankind.

Thus your^MS Lord chooses you^MS and teaches you^MS how to interpret stories, and he completes his blessings on you^MS and on the family of Yaqub, as he completed them on your^MS fathers Ibrahim and Ishaq beforehand. Your^MS Lord is all-knowing and wise.”

12B3 There were signs regarding Yusuf and his brothers to those who ask.

They said “Our father loves Yusuf and his brother more than us, though we are a large group. Our father is clearly astray.

Kill^MP Yusuf or throw^MP him on the ground and you^MP will get your father’s favor. After that, you^MP will be righteous people.”

One of them said, “Do not kill^MP Yusuf. If you^MP want to do something, throw^MP him in the bottom of a cistern, and some passers-by will take him out.”

They said, “Our father, what is wrong with you^MS that you^MS do not entrust Yusuf to us? We are his advisors.

Send him with us tomorrow to enjoy himself and play. We will protect him.”

He said, “It would sadden me for you^MP to go with him. I fear that wolves might eat him while you^MP are not paying attention to him.”

They said, “If wolves eat him though we are a large group, we are lost.”

When they went with him and agreed unanimously to put him in the bottom of a cistern, we inspired him, “You^MS will inform them of this matter of theirs, when they do not realize it.”

They came to their father in the evening, crying.

They said, “Our father, we went racing and left Yusuf with our equipment, and wolves ate him. You^MS will not believe us even if we are telling the truth.”

They put false blood on his shirt. He said, “Rather, your^MP souls have contrived a matter. Patient endurance. I seek Allah’s help against what you^MP describe.”

A caravan passed by and they sent one of them to draw water. When he let down his bucket. He said, “Good news! Here is a boy. They hid him as merchandise. Allah knows what they did.

They bought him cheaply, for a few coins. They thought little of him.

The Egyptian who bought him said to his wife, “Honor^FS his dwelling. He may benefit us or we could adopt him. Thus we made Yusuf firm in the land, so we could teach him to interpret stories. Allah was victorious over his circumstances, but most people do not know.

When he was full-grown, we gave him rulership and knowledge. Thus we reward those who do good.

The woman of the house Yusuf was in wanted to have sex with him, locked the doors, and said, “Come here!” He said, “Allah forbid. He is my lord, who has given me a fine dwelling. The wicked do not prosper.”

She was thinking about him, and he would have thought about her, if he had not seen a proof from his Lord. Thus we keep evil and promiscuity away. He was one of our sincere servants.

They^D raced for the door, and she tore his shirt from behind. They^D met her master at the door. She said, “What should be the punishment of one who wanted evil for your^MS family?” “Either prison or painful torment.”

He said, “She wanted to have sex with me.” A witness from her family said, “If his shirt is torn in front, she is honest and he is a liar.

If his shirt is torn from behind, she is a liar and he is telling the truth.”

When he saw that his shirt was torn from behind, he said, “This is one of your^FP tricks. Your^FP guile is great.”

“Yusuf, turn^MS away from this.” “Ask^FS forgiveness for your^FS sin. You^FS were at fault.”

12B4 Women from the city said, “The powerful man’s wife wanted to have sex with her young man. She fell in love with him. We think she has clearly gone astray.”

When she heard of their^FP deceit, she sent to them and prepared them^FP a banquet, and gave every one^F of them ^FP a knife. She said, “Come^MS out to them^FP.” When they saw him, they praised him and cut their hands and said, “Allah forbid. This is not a human. He is a noble angel!”

She said, “That is the one you^FP blamed me about. I wanted to have sex with him and he abstained. If he does not do what I command him, let him be imprisoned and despised.”

He said, “My Lord, I prefer prison to what they call me to. If you^MS do not foil their plot against me, I will desire them^FP and be ignorant.”

His Lord answered him and foiled their ^F plot. He hears all and knows all.

After they^MP had seen the signs, it seemed best to them^MP to imprison him for a while.

Two young men entered the prison with him. One of them said, “I saw myself pressing wine.” The other said, “I saw myself carrying bread on my head, and birds were eating from it. Tell us what it means. We think you^MS do good.”

He said, “Before your^D next meal, I will tell you^D its interpretation. Before it comes to you^D, my Lord will teach me. I left the spiritual path of people who do not believe in Allah and disbelieve in the hereafter.

I follow the spiritual path of my fathers Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Yaqub. We could not believe in other gods besides Allah. That is by Allah’s grace to us and to mankind.  Most people do not give thanks.

*** My fellow inmates^MD, are scattered lords better, or the one victorious Allah?

*** The gods you^MP worship besides him are only names that you^MP and your^MP fathers have called. Allah has not given them any authority. Allah is the only ruler. He has commanded, "Do not worship any gods beside him." That is straight religion, but most people do not know.

*** My fellow inmates^MD, “One^M of you^D will pour his lord wine, but the other will be crucified and birds will eat his head. The matter about which you^D seek a decision has been decreed.”

*** He told the one^M of them^D whom he thought would be rescued, “Remember me with your^MS lord.” But Satan made him forget to mention it to his lord, so he remained in prison several years.

The king said, “I see seven fat cows being eaten by seven skinny ones, and seven green heads of grain, and others that are withered. Nobles, explain my vision to me if you^MP can interpret a vision.”

They said, “Confused dreams! We do not know how to interpret dreams.”

The one of them^D that was rescued, having remembered after a fixed term, said, “I will tell you^MP its meaning. Send^MP me.”

“Yusuf, most truthful, what is the meaning of seven fat cows being eaten by seven skinny ones, and seven green heads of grain and other withered ones, so that I can return to the people so that they may know?^”

He said, “For seven years, you^MP will sow as usual. What grain you^MP harvest, leave^MP in its heads, except for a little, which you^MP can eat.

After that there will be seven harsh ones, which will eat up what you^MP have prepared beforehand for them, except for a little you^MP store up.

After that will come a year when people will be rescued, and press grapes.”

The king said, “Bring him to me.” When the messenger came to him, he said, “Return^MS to your^MS lord and ask^MS him: what was the intent of the women who cut their hands? My Lord knows all about their^FP plan.”

He said, “What do you^FP say, since you wanted to have sex with Yusuf?” They^FP said, “Allah forbid! We know no evil about him.” The powerful man’s wife said, “Now the truth is out in the open. I wanted to have sex with him and he was telling the truth.

This was so that he would know that I did not betray him unseen. Allah does not guide the plots of traitors.

13A1 I do not justify myself. The soul is prone to evil, except when my Lord is merciful. My Lord is forgiving and merciful."

The king said, “Bring him to me. I will take him into my service.” When he spoke to him, he said, “Today [you have] a firm, faithful position with us.”

He said, “Put me in charge of the storehouses of the land. I will be a knowledgeable keeper.”

Thus we made Yusuf firm in the land, to take possession of it wherever he willed. We give our mercy to those we will, and we do not lose the reward of those who do good.

The wages of the hereafter are better for godly believers.

Yusuf’s brothers came and entered before him, and he recognized them, though they did not know him.

When he prepared them with their equipment, he said, “Bring me a brother of yours^MP from your^MP father. Do you^MP not know that I give a full measure, and am the best host?

If you^MP do not bring him to me, you’ll^MP have no measure from me, nor shall you^MP approach me.”

They said, “We will make his father desire that. We will do it.”

He told his servants, “Put their money in their saddlebags, that they may know it when they return to their families. That way, they may return.

When they returned to their father, they said, “Our father, our measure was forbidden. Send our brother with us so we can get our measures. We will protect him.”

He said, “Shall I trust you^MP with him like I trusted you^MP with his brother previously? Allah is the best protector and the most merciful of all.”

*** When they opened their goods, they found their money had been returned to them. They said, “Father, what do we seek? Our money has been returned to us. We will provide food for our families and protect our brother and get another camel load. That is an easy measure.”

*** He said, “I will not send him with you^MP until you^MP come to me with a promise sworn by Allah, that you^MP will return him to me unless you^MP are surrounded. When they brought him their promise sworn by Allah, he said, “Allah is responsible for our saying.”

*** He said, “My son, do not enter^MP through one door. Enter through separate doors. I cannot provide anything for you^MP against Allah. Allah is the only ruler. I trust in him. Let those who trust trust in him, too.

They entered as their father had commanded them, though there was nothing they could do against Allah. It was just a need in Yaqub’s soul that was fulfilled. He knew what we taught him. Most people do not know.

When they entered before Yusuf, he received his brother. He said, “I am your^MS brother, so do not despair of what they did.

When he prepared them with their equipment, he put the drinking cup in the saddlebags of his brother, and then someone called out, “You^MP caravan of thieves!”

They said as they came to them, “What have you^MP lost?”

They said, “We lost the king’s cup, whoever brings it gets a camel’s load. I guarantee it.”

They said, “By Allah, you^MP know we did not come to cause destruction in the land. We are not thieves.”

They said, “What is the punishment if you^MP are liars?”

They said, “He in whose saddlebags it was found will be punished.” Thus we repay the wicked.

He began in their vessels before his brother’s sack, then took it out of his brother’s sack. Thus we plotted for Yusuf. He could not have taken his brother to the king’s judgment, except that Allah willed. We raise in rank those we will. The all-knowing is above every knowledgeable one.

13A2 They said, “If he stole, one of his brothers stole previously. Yusuf kept this hidden in his soul, and did not reveal it to them. He said, “You^MP are in an evil position. Allah knows what you^MP describe.”

They said, “Powerful one, his father is very old. Take one of us instead of him. We think you^MS do good.

He said, “Allah forbid that we should take anyone other than the one with whom we found our goods. We would thus be wicked.”

When they had lost hope about him, they conferred privately. The oldest said, “Do you^MP not know that your^MP father has made you^MP swear by Allah? Previously you^MP were negligent with Yusuf. I will not leave the land until my father gives me permission, or until Allah gives judgment for me. He is the best judge.”

Return to your^MP father and say^MP, “Our father, your^MS son stole, and we did not testify except what we knew. We are not keepers of the unseen.

Ask the village we were in, and the caravan we traveled with. We are telling the truth.”

He said, “Rather your^MP souls contrived a matter. Patient endurance. Allah may bring all of them to me. He is all-knowing and wise.”

He turned away from them and said, “How great is my grief over Yusuf. His eyes turned white from sadness as he grieved.

They said, “By Allah, will you^MS not cease remembering Yusuf until you^MS are sick or dead?”

He said, “I complain to Allah of my sorrow and sadness. I know something from Allah that you^MP do not.

My sons, go^MP and make^MP inquiries about Yusuf and his brother. Do not despair of Allah’s spirit. Only disbelieving people despair of Allah’s spirit.”

When they entered before him, they said, “Powerful one, we and our family have been harmed, and we have come with little money. Give us what this buys, and be charitable. Allah rewards the charitable.”

He said, “Do you^MP know what you^MP did to Yusuf and his brother, when you^MP were ignorant?”

They said, “Are you^MP Yusuf?” He said, “I really am Yusuf, and this is my brother. Allah has been gracious to us. Allah does not lose the reward of those who are godly, enduring, and charitable.”

They said, “By Allah, Allah has chosen you^MS over us. We were at fault.”

He said, “There is no blame for you^MP today. Allah will forgive you^MP. He is the most merciful of all.

Take^MP my shirt and throw^MP it on the face of my father, and he will be able to see again. Then bring your^MP whole family.”

When the caravan departed, their father said, “I sense Yusuf’s smell, though you^MP think me senile.”

They said, “By Allah, you^MS are straying the same old way.”

When the bearer of good news had come, he threw it on his face, and he could see again. He said, “Did I not tell you^MP that I knew something from Allah that you^MP did not?”

They said, “Our father, ask Allah’s forgiveness for our faults. We did wrong.”

He said, “I will ask my Lord’s forgiveness for you^MP. He is forgiving and merciful.

When they entered before Yusuf, he gave his parents refuge and said, “Enter Egypt in safety, if Allah wills.”

He raised his parents on the throne and they^MP bowed down to him. He said, “Father, this is the interpretation of my previous vision. Allah has fulfilled it. He has done me good by getting me out of prison, and has brought you^MP from the desert after Satan incited evil between me and my brothers. My Lord is kind in what he wills. He is all-knowing and wise.

13A3 My Lord, you^MS have given me a kingdom and taught me to interpret events. Creator of the heavens and the earth, you^MS are my protector in this world and the hereafter. Let me be submitted when I die, and let me be righteous.”

That is news of the unseen which we inspire to you^MS; you^MS were not with them when they unanimously decided to conspire.

Most people are not believers, however much you^MS desire it!

You^MS do not ask them for payment. It is only a reminder to mankind.

How many signs there are in the heavens and the earth which they pass by and turn away from!

Most of them do not believe in Allah except as one of many gods.

Are they safe from Allah’s torment covering them, or the hour coming suddenly upon them without their realizing it?

Say^MS, “This is my path. I along with those who follow me pray to Allah with insight. May Allah he glorified! I am not a polytheist.”

Those we sent  before you^MS were only men we inspired from among people of the villages. Did they not walk in the land and see what was the end of those before them? The hereafter is better for the godly. Do you^MP not comprehend?

Even when the messengers lost hope and thought lies were told about them, our salvation came to them. We rescue those we will. Misery from us will overtake wrongdoing people.

There was a moral in their stories for thinkers. It was not an invented saying, but a confirmation of what is in his possession, an explanation of everything, guidance, and mercy to believing people.