Surah Yusuf Ayat 39 in Arabic Text
English Translation
Here you can read various translations of verse 39
O [my] two companions of prison, are separate lords better or Allah, the One, the Prevailing?
“O my two companions of the prison! (I ask you): are many lords differing among themselves better, or the One Allah, Supreme and Irresistible?
Fellow-prisoners! Is it better that there be diverse lords, or just Allah, the One, the Irresistible?
“O two companions of the prison! Are many different lords (gods) better or Allah, the One, the Irresistible?
O my fellow-prisoners! Are divers lords better, or Allah the One, Almighty?
O (you) two companions of the prison! Are (some) disunited lords more charitable (i.e., better) or Allah, The One, The Superb Vanquisher?
Fellow prisoners, would many diverse gods be better than God the One, the All Powerful? [No indeed!]
اے میرے قید خانے کے ساتھیو! کیا متفرق کئی ایک پروردگار بہتر ہیں؟ یا ایک اللہ زبردست طاقتور؟
Quran 12 Verse 39 Explanation
For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Yusuf ayat 39, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.
Ala-Maududi
(12:39) Fellow-prisoners! Is it better that there be diverse lords, or just Allah, the One, the Irresistible?
There is no commentary by Abul Maududi available for this verse.
Ibn-Kathir
39. “O two companions of the prison! Are many different lords (gods) better or Allah, the One, the Irresistible” 40. “You do not worship besides Him but only names which you have named (forged) – you and your fathers – for which Allah has sent down no authority. The command is for none but Allah. He has commanded that you worship none but Him; that is the straight religion, but most men know not.”) Prophet Yusuf went on calling his two prison companions to worship Allah alone, without partners, and to reject whatever is being worshipped instead of Him like the idols, which were worshipped by the people of the two men, Yusuf said,
(Are many different lords (gods) better or Allah, the One, the Irresistible) to Whose grace and infinite kingdom everything and everyone has submitted in humiliation. Prophet Yusuf explained to them next that it is because of their ignorance that they worship false deities and give them names, for these names were forged and are being transferred from one generation to the next generation. They have no proof or authority that supports this practice, hence his statement to them,
(for which Allah has sent down no authority) or proof and evidence. He then affirmed that the judgement, decision, will and kingdom are all for Allah alone, and He has commanded all of His servants to worship none but Him. He said,
(that is the straight religion,) `this, Tawhid of Allah and directing all acts of worship at Him alone in sincerity, that I am calling you to is the right, straight religion that Allah has ordained and for which He has revealed what He wills of proofs and evidences,’
(but most men know not.), and this is why most of them are idolators,
(And most of mankind will not believe even if you eagerly desire it.) ﴿12:103﴾ When Yusuf finished calling them, he started interpreting their dreams for them,
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