Yusuf ibn Yaqub ibn Ishaaq ibn Ibrahim (Arabic: يوسف ٱبن يعقوب ٱبن إسحاق ٱبن إبراهيم) (Joseph son of Jacob son of Isaac son of Abraham) is a prophet mentioned in the Quran and corresponds to Joseph a person from the Tanakh the Jewish religious scripture and the Christian Bible who was estimated to have lived in Egypt before the New Kingdom. It is one of the common names in the Middle East and among Muslim nations. Of all of Jacob's children Joseph was the one given the gift of prophecy. Although the narratives of other prophets are mentioned in various Surahs the complete narrative of Joseph is given only in one Surah Yusuf making it unique. It is said to be the most detailed narrative in the Qur'an and bears more details than the Biblical counterpart.

Yusuf is believed to have been the eleventh son of Yaqub (Arabic: يعقوب Yaqub) and according to many scholars his favorite. According to Ibn Kathir "Jacob had twelve sons who were the eponymous ancestors of the tribes of the Israelites. The noblest the most exalted the greatest of them was Joseph." The story begins with Joseph revealing a dream he had to his father which Jacob recognizes. In addition to the role of God in his life the story of Yusuf and Zulaikha (Potiphar's wife of the Old Testament) became a popular subject in Persian literature where it became considerably elaborated over the centuries.

In the Quran
Joseph in Zuleikha's party. Painting in Takieh Moaven ol molk Kermanshah Iran.

The story of Joseph in the Qurʾān is a continuous narrative. There are more than one hundred verses and in totality they encompass many years and "present an amazing variety of sciences and characters in a tightly-knit plot and offer a dramatic illustration of some of the fundamental themes of the Quran." The Quraan itself relates to the story's importance in the third verse: "and We narrate unto you aḥsanal-qaṣaṣ (Arabic: أحسن ٱلقصص "best (or most beautiful) of stories")." Most scholars believe this is referring to Joseph's story while others including Ṭabari argue it is a reference to the Qurʾān as a whole. It asserts and documents the execution of God's rulings despite the challenge of human intervention ("And Allah hath full power and control over His affairs; but most among mankind know it not").

This is what the story of Yūsuf confirms categorically for it ends with comfort and marvels which is described in the Qurʾān. Along with the story there is also some commentary from some leading scholars of Islam.
Joseph before the dream

Muhammad at-Ṭabari provides exquisite detail and commentary of this narrative in his chapter on Joseph relaying the opinions of well-known scholars. In Ṭabari's chapter the physical beauty of Joseph and his mother Rahyl is introduced in that they were said to have had "more beauty than any other human being." His father Jacob had given him to his oldest sister to be raised. Ṭabari comments that there was no greater love than what Joseph's aunt felt for him as she had raised him as her own. And she was very reluctant to give him back to Jacob and kept him until her death.

"Yusuf and Zulaikha" (the English transliteration of both names varies greatly) refers to a medieval Islamic version of the story of the prophet Yusuf and Potiphar's wife which has been for centuries in the Muslim world and is found in many languages such as Arabic Persian Bengali Turkish and Urdu. Its most famous version was written in the Persian language by Jami (1414–1492) in his Haft Awrang ("Seven Thrones"). The story had by then many elaborations including Sufi interpretation where Zulaikha's longing for Yusuf represents the soul's quest for God.

Hazrat Yusuf aur Hazrat Zulekha ka Qissa

Prophet Yousuf life (Urdu)Hazrat Yousuf AlaihSalam Ki ZindgiStory of Yousuf Alaih Salam in UrduYousuf Alaih Salam Ki Zindgi K Halat O WaqiatيُوسُفHazrat Yousuf Alaihis Salam ka WaqiaThe Great Story of Prophet Yousuf