Who was Prophet Yusuf? His life and story

Full story

1. 1

   Yusuf's dream

   While Yusuf (peace be upon him) was still a child, he saw in a dream eleven stars, the sun and the moon prostrating to him (Yusuf, 4).

   His father Yaqub (peace be upon him) understood that this dream was good news of a great future and advised him not to tell it to his brothers, because he feared their envy.

2. 2

   His brothers' betrayal

   Jealous of their father's love for Yusuf, his brothers took him out into the desert and threw him into a well. They then told their father that a wolf had eaten him.

   A caravan passing by found Yusuf, took him to Egypt, and sold him as a slave. Thus began a long road of trial.

3. 3

   Trial and prison

   Yusuf (peace be upon him) grew up in the house of a nobleman of Egypt. There he faced a great trial: the lady of the house invited him to sin, but he refused, saying, "I seek refuge in Allah" (Yusuf, 23).

   Though innocent, he was thrown into prison. There too he called people to faith in Allah and correctly interpreted the dreams of two prisoners.

4. 4

   The king's dream

   The king of Egypt saw a strange dream: seven lean cows were eating seven fat cows. No one could interpret it, and Yusuf's skill at interpreting dreams was remembered.

   He was brought out of prison and interpreted the dream: seven years of abundance would come, followed by seven years of drought. Yusuf proposed a plan to prepare for these years, and the king put him in charge of the treasury.

5. 5

   Reunion and forgiveness

   During the years of drought, Yusuf's brothers came to Egypt for provisions and did not recognize him. Yusuf (peace be upon him) eventually made himself known to them and, instead of rebuking them, forgave them: "No blame will there be upon you today. May Allah forgive you" (Yusuf, 92).

   The whole family was reunited in Egypt, and the dream of his childhood came true.

Surah Yusuf (chapter 12) is the only surah in the Quran that narrates the life of a single Prophet from beginning to end in sequence. Allah calls this story "the most beautiful of stories" (ahsan al-qasas) (Yusuf, 3) and states at its close that there is a lesson for people of understanding in the stories of the Prophets (Yusuf, 111).

• Patience and trust in Allah raise a person even out of the hardest situation.
• Saying "I seek refuge in Allah" in the face of an opportunity to sin is true strength.
• Forgiveness is better than revenge.
• Allah's plan can unfold more beautifully than a person expects.

This page is based on Quran verses and authentic hadith sources.

• QuranSurah Yusuf, 3

  This verse relates Allah calling this story "the most beautiful of stories".

• QuranSurah Yusuf, 4

  This verse relates Yusuf's (peace be upon him) dream of eleven stars, the sun and the moon.

• QuranSurah Yusuf, 92

  This verse relates Yusuf forgiving his brothers.

• HadithSahih Bukhari, 3390

  This hadith relates our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) describing Yusuf (peace be upon him) as "the noble one, son of the noble one": from a lineage of honored Prophets.

• Classical sourceTDV İslam Ansiklopedisi, "Yûsuf"

  Referenced for academic information about Prophet Yusuf's lineage and his life in Egypt.

Other Prophets connected with this story.

• Prophet Ibrahim

  A caller to Tawhid, the friend of Allah (Khalilullah)

• Prophet Musa

  The Prophet who stood against Pharaoh and received the Torah (Kalimullah)

Common questions about this Prophet.

• Who was Prophet Yusuf?

  Yusuf (peace be upon him) is the son of Prophet Yaqub, a Prophet known for his knowledge of interpreting dreams, who became the honored minister of Egypt. His life is narrated in chapter 12 of the Quran.

• In which surah is the story of Prophet Yusuf found in the Quran?

  His life is narrated entirely in Surah Yusuf, chapter 12; the Quran calls it "the most beautiful of stories" (Yusuf, 3).

• Why was Prophet Yusuf imprisoned?

  Although he was innocent, he was thrown into prison because of a false accusation made against him; there too he called people to faith in Allah and interpreted dreams.

• Did Prophet Yusuf forgive his brothers?

  Yes. When they came to Egypt, Yusuf made himself known to them and, instead of rebuking them, forgave them (Yusuf, 92).