Joseph
Yûsuf
یُوسُف
Surah Yûsuf for kids content
GOOD NEWS
94When the caravan left 'from Egypt', their father said 'to those around him, 'You probably will think I have lost my mind, but I definitely sense the smell
of Yusuf.
'
95They replied, 'By Allah!
You are still in your old illusion.
'
96But when the one carrying the good news arrived, he put the shirt over Ya'qub's face, so he was suddenly able to see.
Ya'qub then said 'to his children', 'Did I not tell you that I know from Allah what you do not know?
'
97They begged, 'O our father!
Pray for our sins to be forgiven.
We have certainly done wrong.
'
98He said, 'I will soon pray to my Lord to forgive you.
²⁴ He is truly the Forgiving and Merciful.
'
وَلَمَّا فَصَلَتِ ٱلۡعِيرُ قَالَ أَبُوهُمۡ إِنِّي لَأَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَۖ لَوۡلَآ أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ94
قَالُواْ تَٱللَّهِ إِنَّكَ لَفِي ضَلَٰلِكَ ٱلۡقَدِيمِ95
فَلَمَّآ أَن جَآءَ ٱلۡبَشِيرُ أَلۡقَىٰهُ عَلَىٰ وَجۡهِهِۦ فَٱرۡتَدَّ بَصِيرٗاۖ قَالَ أَلَمۡ أَقُل لَّكُمۡ إِنِّيٓ أَعۡلَمُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ96
قَالُواْ يَٰٓأَبَانَا ٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا خَٰطِِٔينَ97
قَالَ سَوۡفَ أَسۡتَغۡفِرُ لَكُمۡ رَبِّيٓۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ98
WORDS OF WISDOM
- •
As we mentioned in Surah 38, Yaqub (A.
S.
), his wife, and 11 sons bowed to Yusuf (A.
S.
).
This was allowed back then as a sign of respect, not as an act of worship.
In the same way, the angels were ordered to bow down to Adam (A.
S.
), according to Surah 2.
This rule was changed with Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), and so now, as Muslims, we bow only to Allah.
YUSUF'S DREAM COMES TRUE
99When they came to Yusuf, he received his parents kindly' and said, 'Enter Egypt, in-sha-Allah, in peace.
'
100Then he raised his parents to the throne, and they all bowed down to Yusuf, who then said, 'O my dear father!
This is the meaning of my old dream; my Lord has made it come true.
He was truly kind to me when He got me out of jail and brought you all from the desert after Satan had set me and my brothers
against each other.
²⁵ My Lord is truly gentle in achieving His plan.
Surely He 'alone' has perfect knowledge and wisdom.
'
فَلَمَّا دَخَلُواْ عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ ءَاوَىٰٓ إِلَيۡهِ أَبَوَيۡهِ وَقَالَ ٱدۡخُلُواْ مِصۡرَ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ءَامِنِينَ99
وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيۡهِ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِ وَخَرُّواْ لَهُۥ سُجَّدٗاۖ وَقَالَ يَٰٓأَبَتِ هَٰذَا تَأۡوِيلُ رُءۡيَٰيَ مِن قَبۡلُ قَدۡ جَعَلَهَا رَبِّي حَقّٗاۖ وَقَدۡ أَحۡسَنَ بِيٓ إِذۡ أَخۡرَجَنِي مِنَ ٱلسِّجۡنِ وَجَآءَ بِكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡبَدۡوِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ أَن نَّزَغَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ بَيۡنِي وَبَيۡنَ إِخۡوَتِيٓۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي لَطِيفٞ لِّمَا يَشَآءُۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ100
WORDS OF WISDOM
- •
There are many lessons that we can learn from the story of Yusuf (A.
S.
).
Here are a few of them:
- •
• Yusuf (A.
S.
) had the best character when he was in jail and while sitting on the throne.
Good and bad times should not change who we are.
- •
• He invited people to Islam in jail based on the knowledge he had received from his father at a young age.
That knowledge stayed with him for the rest of his life.
- •
• He was always forgiving.
He forgave the former prisoner who forgot to mention him to the King, even though this caused him to stay in jail for many years.
When that person came to Yusuf (A.
S.
) in jail to get his help with the King's dream, Yusuf was willing to help.
He was also quick to forgive his brothers after all they had done to him.
- •
• He was able to save Egypt from a food crisis, even though its people didn't follow his faith and after he was thrown in jail unjustly.
- •
• He was always honest and faithful.
This is why Allah supported him.
- •
• He always prayed to Allah in good times and difficult times.
As you can see in verse 101, his story ends with thanks and prayers.
YUSUF'S PRAYER
101My Lord!
You have surely given me authority and taught me the meaning of dreams.
O' Creator of the heavens and the earth!
You are my Guardian in this world and the Next Life.
Allow me to die as a Muslim,²⁶ and join me with the faith-ful.
'
رَبِّ قَدۡ ءَاتَيۡتَنِي مِنَ ٱلۡمُلۡكِ وَعَلَّمۡتَنِي مِن تَأۡوِيلِ ٱلۡأَحَادِيثِۚ فَاطِرَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَنتَ وَلِيِّۦ فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۖ تَوَفَّنِي مُسۡلِمٗا وَأَلۡحِقۡنِي بِٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ101
REMINDERS TO PROPHET MUHAMMAD
102This is one of the stories of the un-seen which We reveal to you 'O Prophet'.
You were not there when they all²⁷ made up plans 'against Yusuf'.
103And most people will not believe, no matter how hard you try.
104even though you are not asking them for a fee for this Quran', It is only a reminder to the whole world.
105Imagine' how many signs in the heavens and the earth they pass by, but they choose to ignore them!
106And most of them do not believe in Allah without making others equal to Him.
107Do they feel safe that a punishment from Allah will not cover them, or that the Hour 'of Judgment' will not take them by sur-prise when they do
not expect it 'at all'?
108Say, 'This is my way.
I invite 'all' to Allah with sure knowledge-I and those who follow me.
Glory be to Allah, and I am not one of the idol-worshippers.
'
ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيۡكَۖ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيۡهِمۡ إِذۡ أَجۡمَعُوٓاْ أَمۡرَهُمۡ وَهُمۡ يَمۡكُرُونَ102
وَمَآ أَكۡثَرُ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَوۡ حَرَصۡتَ بِمُؤۡمِنِينَ103
وَمَا تَسَۡٔلُهُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ مِنۡ أَجۡرٍۚ إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٞ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ104
وَكَأَيِّن مِّنۡ ءَايَةٖ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ يَمُرُّونَ عَلَيۡهَا وَهُمۡ عَنۡهَا مُعۡرِضُونَ105
وَمَا يُؤۡمِنُ أَكۡثَرُهُم بِٱللَّهِ إِلَّا وَهُم مُّشۡرِكُونَ106
أَفَأَمِنُوٓاْ أَن تَأۡتِيَهُمۡ غَٰشِيَةٞ مِّنۡ عَذَابِ ٱللَّهِ أَوۡ تَأۡتِيَهُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ بَغۡتَةٗ وَهُمۡ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَ107
قُلۡ هَٰذِهِۦ سَبِيلِيٓ أَدۡعُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا۠ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِيۖ وَسُبۡحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ108
WORDS OF WISDOM
- •
We learn from the following passage that Allah's help comes when things get the most difficult and when all doors seem to be closed.
This is made very clear in many surahs, including 7, 10, 11, and 26.
The wicked always made fun of their prophets and abused their followers.
They even challenged their prophets to speed up their punishment, thinking that those prophets were bluffing and Allah had let them down.
At last, the punishment always came at the time set by Allah and the wicked paid the price.
These stories were revealed to assure the Prophet (ﷺ) that he would win in the end.
Unlike many messengers, the Prophet (ﷺ) didn't pray against his own people, hoping that they would one day become Muslim.
ALLAH'S MESSENGERS
109Even before you 'O Prophet', We sent only men inspired by Us from among the people of different societies.
Have those Makkans' not travelled throughout the land to see what was the end of those 'destroyed' before?
The 'eternal' Home of the Next Life is certainly far better for those who keep Allah in mind.
Will you not then understand?
110As usual, when the messengers almost lost hope and their people thought the messengers were left with no help, Our help came to them 'at last'.
We then saved whoever We wanted.
But Our punishment cannot be turned away from the wicked people.
111In these stories there is really a les-son for those who truly understand.
This message could not have been made up.
Rather, it is a confirmation of previous revelations, a detailed explanation of all things, a guide, and a mercy for people of faith.
وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالٗا نُّوحِيٓ إِلَيۡهِم مِّنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡقُرَىٰٓۗ أَفَلَمۡ يَسِيرُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَيَنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۗ وَلَدَارُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ خَيۡرٞ لِّلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوۡاْۚ أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ109
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ٱسۡتَيَۡٔسَ ٱلرُّسُلُ وَظَنُّوٓاْ أَنَّهُمۡ قَدۡ كُذِبُواْ جَآءَهُمۡ نَصۡرُنَا فَنُجِّيَ مَن نَّشَآءُۖ وَلَا يُرَدُّ بَأۡسُنَا عَنِ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ110
لَقَدۡ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمۡ عِبۡرَةٞ لِّأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِۗ مَا كَانَ حَدِيثٗا يُفۡتَرَىٰ وَلَٰكِن تَصۡدِيقَ ٱلَّذِي بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ وَتَفۡصِيلَ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ وَهُدٗى وَرَحۡمَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ111
Part 3 study note
This is part 3 of the children's lesson for Surah Yûsuf.
It continues from the previous section with new verses, examples, and short review points for young learners.
If this is your first time studying the lesson, start with part 1 and then return here so the story, meaning, and practice sequence stay clear.
How to study Surah Yûsuf with children
Use this children's lesson as a guided path: read the short explanation, look at the Arabic verse, listen to related recitation, and return to the full surah when
your child is ready for more detail.
Parents can review one section at a time, ask the child to repeat the main idea, and then continue with the next part or a nearby surah.
This keeps the lesson connected with Quran reading, audio, and daily practice.