Do Muslims believe in Joseph?
Yes. Muslims believe Joseph (Yusuf in Arabic) was a prophet of God, the son of the prophet Jacob. His story fills a whole chapter of the Quran, Surah Yusuf, which God Himself calls "the best of stories." For many new Muslims it is one of the most moving parts of the Quran.
A whole chapter about one man
Most prophets' stories in the Quran are spread across many chapters. Joseph's is different: it is told from start to finish in chapter 12. It opens with God saying, "We relate to you the best of stories" (Quran 12:3), and then follows Joseph's life step by step:
- The dream: as a boy he saw eleven stars, the sun and the moon bowing to him (Quran 12:4).
- Betrayal: his jealous brothers threw him into a well.
- Slavery and temptation: he was sold in Egypt and refused the advances of a powerful man's wife.
- Prison: he was jailed though innocent, and interpreted dreams there.
- Rise and reunion: he became a trusted minister of Egypt and was finally reunited with his family.
If you know the account in Genesis 37-50, much of it will feel familiar, though the details and emphasis differ in places.
How the Prophet ﷺ described him
When people asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ who the most honorable person was, he first said the most God-fearing. When they pressed him, he answered: "Joseph, Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Khalil" (Sahih al-Bukhari 3374). That is Joseph, son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham: four generations of prophets.
The lesson of forgiveness
The emotional peak of the story is when Joseph, now powerful, meets the brothers who once tried to get rid of him. He could have punished them. Instead he said:
Muslims see this as a model of mercy from a position of strength. Forgiveness in Islam is a virtue, but it is never forced on someone who has been seriously wronged. See Do I have to forgive someone who abused me as a Muslim?
Comfort for hard times
Joseph's father, Jacob, lost his son for years and grieved deeply, yet said, "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah" (Quran 12:86). Muslims read this as permission to feel sadness while still trusting God. See Is depression a sign of weak faith in Islam?
The chapter ends by reminding readers that "in their stories" there is "a lesson for those of understanding" (Quran 12:111). Patience, honesty and trust are rewarded, even when it takes years.
- Joseph (Yusuf) is a prophet in Islam, from a family of prophets.
- Surah Yusuf (chapter 12) tells his full story.
- Its main themes are patience, purity, forgiveness and trust in God.
- Much of the story overlaps with Genesis, with some differences.
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