12:3 (Y. Ali) We do relate unto thee the most beautiful of stories, in that We reveal to thee this (portion of the) Qur'an: before this, thou too was among those who knew it not.
12:3 (Asad) In the measure that We reveal [4] this Qur'an unto thee, [O Prophet,] We explain it to thee in the best possible way, [5] seeing that ere this thou wert indeed among those who are unaware [of what revelation is]. [6]
Or: "By Our having revealed
Lit., "with the best explanation (ahsan al-igtisas)". This rendering is very close to the interpretation given by Zamakhshari: "We set forth this Qur'an unto thee in the best way in which it could be set forth." According to Razi, it may safely be assumed that the adjective "best" refers not to the contents of "that which is set forth--i.e., the particular story narrated in this surah -but rather to the manner in which the Qur'an (or this particular surah) is set forth: and herein he agrees with Zamakhshari. It should be borne in mind that the verb qassa (the infinitive nouns of which are qasas and iqtisas) signifies, primarily, "he followed step by step" or "by degrees", and, subsequently, "he related [a piece of news or a story] as though he followed its traces": hence, "he expounded [it] gradually" or "he explained [it]" (cf. Lane VII, 2526, quoting the Qamus and the Taj al-'Arus with specific reference to the above verse). If, on the other hand, the infinitive noun gasas is regarded as synonymous, in this context, with gissah ("story" or "narrative"), the above sentence might be rendered as "We narrate unto thee the best of narratives", i.e., the subsequent story of Joseph. In my opinion, however, the rendering "We explain it [i.e., the Qur'an] in the best possible way" is preferable inasmuch as it fully coincides with the two opening verses of this surah, which state, in effect, that the Qur'an is self-explanatory.
At this point in his commentary, Razi draws the reader's attention to 42:52 - "thou didst not know what revelation is, nor what faith [implies]": a passage similar in purport to the closing words of the above verse; hence my addition, between brackets, of the phrase "of what revelation is"
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The forbidden part of the love story from verses or ayat (signs, messages) 12:23-24:
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The interpolated phrase "and he would have succumbed", is, according to Zamakhshari, implied in the above sentence. In his commentary on this verse, he further points out that the moral significance of "virtue" consists in one's inner victory over a wrongful desire, and not in the absence of such a desire. Cf. the well-known saying of the Prophet, recorded, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, by Bukhari and Muslim: "God, exalted be He, says: 'If a servant of Mine [merely] desires to do a good deed, I shall count this [desire] as a good deed; and if he does it, I shall count it tenfold. And if he desires to commit a bad deed, but does not commit it, I shall count this as a good deed, seeing that he refrained from it only for My sake..."' -i.e., in consequence of a moral consideration (which, in the present instance, is described as "an evidence of God's truth")
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A rather obvious point of this story that might be worth mentioning is that chastity need be protected by all humans, men and women alike.
Another point about this part of the story that was brought to my attention was that when Zuleikha who had raised Yusuf (pbuh) since his childhood, lusted after him and chased him and locked him in a room with intentions of harassment, he answered her exclaiming " مَعَاذَ اللّهِ"="Ma'adha Allah!"="May God preserve me!" Yet, he refrained from making any judgmental, belittling comments on Zulaikha's failure at protecting her chastity or unwillingness to strive to be faithful to her husband in modesty. And even later when Zuleikha tried to put the blame of attempted sexual assault on Yusuf (pbuh), he simply exclaimed: "هِيَ رَاوَدَتْنِي عَن نَّفْسِي"="hiya rawadatnee 'an nafsee"="It was she who sought to make me yield myself unto her!"(by Asad)="It was she that sought to seduce me - from my (true) self."(by Yusuf Ali) (see 12:25-26 below) without calling her names or trying to degrade her by pointing out what could be described as her lack of integrity.
The Qur'an doesn't reveal the following part, but the legend goes on to narrate how after decades of suffering from her love for Yusuf (pbuh) who by then had become a governor himself, Zulaikha transformed by striving to be in the image of Joseph (pbuh). She donated much of her wealth to the slaves she freed in the example of Joseph and the once rich, strong, luxurious and beautiful Zuleikha became a modest woman of chastity. The love of Zuleikha for Yusuf (pbuh) is said to be a metaphor for the love of God and for striving to be in the image of God's beauty, mercy and justice; indeed Zuleikha herself is narrated to have found the love of God within her love of Yusuf (pbuh) whom she eventually marries. All love between two souls can be seen as the reflection of our love of God and God's love for Its creation on this earth. Our eventual "wedding" to God, "Sheb-i Arus" (wedding night) in the language of Rumi (the Sufi master, lover and friend of God), is our union (wisaal) with the Beloved upon our death.
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:The full story of Yusuf and Zulaikha from 12:21-35
وَقَالَ الَّذِي اشْتَرَاهُ مِن مِّصْرَ لاِمْرَأَتِهِ أَكْرِمِي مَثْوَاهُ عَسَى أَن يَنفَعَنَا أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَدًا وَكَذَلِكَ مَكَّنِّا لِيُوسُفَ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلِنُعَلِّمَهُ مِن تَأْوِيلِ الأَحَادِيثِ وَاللّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِهِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ(12:21)
The Qur'an does not mention his name or position; but a later reference to him (in verse 30 below) as al-‘aziz ("the great [or "mighty"] one") points to his having been a high official or a nobleman.
See note 10. Note 10 (Quran Ref: 12:6 )
Lit., "sayings". or "tidings" (ahadith). Most of the commentators assume that this refers specifically to Joseph's future ability to interpret dreams; but Razi points out that in this context the term hadith (of which ahadith is the plural) may be synonymous with hadith ("something that newly comes into existence", i.e., "an event" or "a happening"). This is, to my mind, much more convincing than a mere reference to dream-interpretation, the more so as the term ta'wrl is often used in the Qur'an (e.g., in 3:7, 10:39 or 18:78) in the sense of "final meaning", "inner meaning" or "real meaning" of a happening or statement or thing, as distinct from its outward, prima-facie appearance. The use of the particle min ("of") before the term ta'wil indicates that absolute knowledge of what a thing or event implies rests with God alone (cf. 3:7 - "none save God knows its final meaning"), and that even God's elect, the prophets-albeit their vision is much wider than that of ordinary men-are granted only a partial insight into the mysteries of God's creation.
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The interpolated phrase "and he would have succumbed", is, according to Zamakhshari, implied in the above sentence. In his commentary on this verse, he further points out that the moral significance of "virtue" consists in one's inner victory over a wrongful desire, and not in the absence of such a desire. Cf. the well-known saying of the Prophet, recorded, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, by Bukhari and Muslim: "God, exalted be He, says: 'If a servant of Mine [merely] desires to do a good deed, I shall count this [desire] as a good deed; and if he does it, I shall count it tenfold. And if he desires to commit a bad deed, but does not commit it, I shall count this as a good deed, seeing that he refrained from it only for My sake..."' -i.e., in consequence of a moral consideration (which, in the present instance, is described as "an evidence of God's truth")
Lit., "he was among Our sincere servants"
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