Transliteration:( Nahnu naqussu 'alaika ahsanal qasasi bimaaa awhainaaa ilaika haazal quraana wa in kunta min qablihee laminal ghaafileen )
"We relate to you the best [5] of stories in that We revealed to you this Quran, though no doubt, you had no knowledge before [6]."
The story of Hazrat Yusuf (peace be upon him) is declared by the Qur’an as the best of stories, because it contains marvellous and astonishing wisdom, countless examples and lessons, and a wide range of human experiences and spiritual values. It includes the incidents of kings and their subjects, the habits and plots of women, the virtue of patience in the face of enemy oppression, and the nobility of forgiving one's enemy after gaining power over him. It shows the preservation of chastity and purity during youth, the transitory nature of worldly life, and the concept of Prophetic knowledge of the unseen. It also highlights that relics of the pious can be a means of removing afflictions and hardships, and gives insight into the historical context and period of a Prophet. In short, this story presents a complete picture of faith and righteous practice, and is filled with profound lessons and the philosophies of life.
This refers to before the revelation of the Qur’an. From this, we learn that the Holy Prophet ﷺ was never unaware or uninformed, even before the Qur’an was revealed. He has always been, and remains, fully aware of all the affairs of the world, by the will and grant of Allah Almighty.
The tafsir of Surah Yusuf verse 3 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Yusuf ayat 1 which provides the complete commentary from verse 1 through 3.
(12:3) (O Muhammad), by revealing the Qur’an to you We narrate to you in the best manner the stories of the past although before this narration you were utterly unaware of them[3].
3. This was to impress indirectly on the unbelievers of Makkah the fact that the Messenger (peace be upon him) did not know anything about the story of the settlement of the Israelites in Egypt, but was being informed of this by revelation from Allah. This introduction was necessary because, as has been stated in the preface to this Surah, the disbelievers had put an abrupt question concerning this matter in order to expose the Prophet (peace be upon him) by this test. The answer is to this effect: Tell them, O Muhammad (peace be upon him), that, though you did not know anything about the settlement of the Israelites in Egypt before this, you have now received a revelation about this from Us.
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