“My Lord! You have surely granted me authority and taught me the interpretation of dreams. ˹O˺ Originator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Guardian in this world and the Hereafter. Allow me to die as one who submits24 and join me with the righteous.”
"O my Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me some power, and taught me something of the interpretation 1781 of dreams and events,- O You Creator of the heavens 1782 and the earth! You are my Protector in this world and in the Hereafter. Take You my soul (at death) as one submitting to Your will (as a Muslim), and unite me with the righteous." 1783
1781 Then he turns to Allah in prayer, and again his modesty is predominant. He held supreme power under the king, but he calls it "some power" or authority. His reading of events and dreams had saved millions of lives in the great Eygptian famine; yet he refers to it as "something of the interpretation of dreams and events". And he takes no credit to himself. "All this;" he says, "was Thy gift, O Allah! For such things can only come from the Creator of the heavens and the earth."
1782 Power in the doing of things as well as power in intelligent forecasts and plans—both must look to Allah: otherwise the deed and the plan would be futile.
1783 Joseph's prayer may be analysed thus: (1)I am nothing; all power and knowledge are Thine; (2) such things can only come from Thee, for Thou art the Creator of all; (3) none can protect me from danger and wrong, but only Thou; (4) Thy protection I need both in this world and the next; (5) may I till death remain constant to Thee; (6) may I yield up my soul to Thee in cheerful submission to Thy will; (7) in this moment of union with my family after many partings let me think of the final union with the great spiritual family of the righteous. How marvellously apt to the occasion! (Cf. 13:23 ).
"O my Sustainer! Thou hast indeed bestowed upon me something of power, 101 and hast imparted unto me some knowledge of the inner meaning of happenings. 102 Originator of the heavens and the earth! Thou art near unto me in this world and in the life to come: let me die as one who has surrendered himself unto Thee, and make me one with the righteous!"
101 Lit., "of dominion", indicating that absolute power and absolute dominion belong to God alone.
102 See note 10 on verse 6 of this surah.
24 lit., as a Muslim.