Surah Yusuf

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) concerning this saying of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: "We relate to you the best of stories" [Surah Yusuf: 3], that he said: Allah Almighty revealed the Qur'an to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) kept reciting it to the Companions for a period of time. Then the Companions said: "O Messenger of Allah! If only you would relate some stories to us?" At this, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, revealed these verses: from "Alif Lam Ra. These are the verses of the clear Book" up to His saying "We relate to you the best of stories" [Surah Yusuf: 1-3]. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) kept reciting these verses to them for some time, and they said again: "O Messenger of Allah! If only you would tell us some (instructive) talk and sayings?" So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed this verse: "Allah has sent down the best statement: a Book consistent (in its parts)" [Surah al-Zumar: 23]. The narrator said that in response to all these requests they were being commanded (to keep turning to) the Qur'an itself. The narrator Khallad transmitted this addition in it, that the Companions said: "O Messenger of Allah! If only you would remind us with some admonitions and words of advice?" So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed this verse: "Has the time not come for those who believe that their hearts should humble themselves at the remembrance of Allah?" [Surah al-Hadid: 16].
This hadith is hasan (good). Ibn Marduwayh narrated it in his Tafsir with the chain of Ahmad bin al-Hasan, Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Shirawayh and Ishaq bin Rahwayh. Also, Abu Ya'la and al-Bazzar both narrated it from al-Husayn bin Amr bin Muhammad al-Anqazi, from his father, with the same chain. Al-Bazzar also narrated it through al-Husayn bin al-Aswad and Isma'il bin Hafs from Amr bin Muhammad, and made clear that we know this narration from Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) only with this chain.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man from the Jews named Nusabi came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Muhammad! Tell me about the stars that Sayyiduna Yusuf (peace be upon him) saw prostrating to him on the horizon of the sky: what are their names? The Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not give him any answer that day. Then Jibril (peace be upon him) came and informed him (peace and blessings be upon him), so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent for Nusabi the Jew and asked: "If I tell you their names, will you become a Muslim?" Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Those stars are these: Khirban, al-Dhayyal, al-Tariq, al-Lisan, Qayis, Waththab, Amudan, al-Faylaq, al-Musabbih, al-Saruh and Dhu al-Fara'." The Jew said: By Allah! These are indeed their names. The narrator said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When Sayyiduna Yusuf (peace be upon him) saw that dream, he related it to his father, and his father said to him: This is a scattered matter that Allah Almighty will gather together later. And the sun stood for his father and the moon for his mother."
Imam al-Hakim recorded it through the route of al-Suddi with another chain.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning this saying of Allah Almighty: "Confused dreams" [Surah Yusuf: 44], that he said: "What is meant is false dreams, that is, those false, jumbled and disturbing dreams which have no reality or interpretation."
Imam Abu Ya'la transmitted this narration in his Musnad.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the interpretation of this noble saying of Allah Almighty: "and she prepared for them a muttaka'" [Surah Yusuf: 31], that he said: "What is meant by it (the word muttaka') is the citron (turunj)."
[Takhrij: Imam Musaddad bin Musarhad narrated this report in his Musnad, and Imam al-Bukhari transmitted it in Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Tafsir) as a ta'liq (without a full chain). Its chain is sahih (authentic).]

It is narrated from Sa'id bin Jubayr (may Allah have mercy on him) concerning this saying of Allah Almighty: "the king's measuring cup (suwa')" [Surah Yusuf: 72], that he said: "What is meant is the Persian measure or cup called al-makkuk al-farisi. It is the very vessel from which the non-Arabs used to drink, and its shape is such that its two ends meet each other (in a curve)."
Sunan Abi Dawud: 3638. Allamah al-Albani declared the chain of this report sahih (authentic).

It is narrated from al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) that, explaining the words occurring in the sayings of Allah Almighty, "he put the drinking cup (siqayah) in his brother's bag" [Surah Yusuf: 70] and "They said: We are missing the king's measuring cup (suwa')" [Surah Yusuf: 72], he said: "The words 'al-suwa'' and 'al-siqayah' are both names of one and the same thing; it is a vessel from which water or another drink is drunk."
This report is narrated from Imam al-Hasan al-Basri, and all the narrators of its chain are thiqat (trustworthy). It is an authoritative scholarly statement in the field of the interpretation and linguistic understanding of the Divine Word.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that Sayyiduna Yusuf (peace be upon him) was reproached by Allah because of (certain specific) sayings of his. One was his saying (which he said to the prisoner who was being released): "Mention me to your master (the king)" [Surah Yusuf: 42], "but Satan made him forget to mention (him) to his master" [Surah Yusuf: 42]. The second was his saying to his brothers: "Indeed, you are thieves" [Surah Yusuf: 70], to which the brothers said (in reply): "If he has stolen, then a brother of his has stolen before" [Surah Yusuf: 77]. The third was his saying: "That is so that he (the Aziz of Egypt) may know that I did not betray him in his absence" [Surah Yusuf: 52]. At this, Sayyiduna Jibril (peace be upon him) said to him (inquiringly): "Not even when you were inclined (towards the woman)?" At this, Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: "And I do not declare myself innocent (indeed, the soul is ever inclined to evil)" [Surah Yusuf: 53].
Imam al-Harith bin Abi Usamah narrated this narration in his Musnad. Its chain contains Khusayf bin Abd al-Rahman, a narrator who is saduq (truthful), but some hadith scholars have criticized him on account of his memory. Also, this statement is mawquf (stopping) at Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both).