إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّى رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِى سَـٰجِدِينَ 4
Translations
[Of these stories mention] when Joseph said to his father, "O my father, indeed I have seen [in a dream] eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me."
Transliteration
Idh qala Yusuf li-abih ya abati inni ra'aytu ahada ashara kawkaban wa ash-shams wa al-qamar ra'aytu-hum li sajidun
Tafsir (Explanation)
In this ayah, young Prophet Yusuf recounts his dream to his father Sayyidna Ya'qub, describing eleven stars, the sun, and the moon all prostrating to him. Classical exegetes like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir interpret this dream symbolically: the eleven stars represent his eleven brothers, the sun represents his father, and the moon represents his mother, all signifying that Yusuf would attain a position of honor and authority over them. This dream foreshadows the ultimate fulfillment of Allah's decree regarding Yusuf's elevated status.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Yusuf, a Meccan chapter that narrates the complete story of Prophet Yusuf with remarkable detail. The context here is the opening of the narrative where Yusuf, as a young boy, shares his divinely-inspired dream with his father. This dream serves as the catalyst for the subsequent trials and tribulations that would eventually lead to Yusuf's elevation in Egypt.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari records that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, 'The best stories are those of Yusuf' (Ahsan al-Qasas). Additionally, authentic hadith collections mention that true dreams are among the 46 parts of prophethood, linking Yusuf's dream to divine inspiration.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that divine dreams can carry profound meanings and serve as glimpses into Allah's divine plans for our lives. Young believers should trust in Allah's wisdom even when circumstances seem unclear, knowing that trials and apparent setbacks are often part of a greater divine purpose leading toward honor and success.