The Story's Presentation
The story is presented in a sequence of episodes. It gives you scene after scene and the transition is inspiring, informative, and stirring to the imagination. There are also artistic loopholes which leave it to the imagination of the reader to complete the sense, as well as the depth of the picture, the like of which no human artist can bring forth.

Joseph's Childhood
The story begins with a dream and ends with its interpretation. As the sun appeared over the horizon, bathing the earth in its morning glory, Joseph , son of the Prophet Jacob , awoke from his sleep, delighted by a pleasant dream he had had. Filled with excitement, he ran to his father and related it. "0 my father! Verily, I saw (in a dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon, I saw them prostrating themselves to me." Surah 12: 4
His father's face lit up. He foresaw that Joseph would be the one through whom the prophecy of his grandfather, Prophet Abraham , would be fulfilled, in that his offspring would keep the light of Abraham's house alive and spread Allah's message to mankind.
Therefore, it was narrated that Allah's Messenger Muhammad was asked: "Who is the most honorable amongst the people?" He replied: 'The most God-fearing." The people said: "We do not want to ask you about this." He said: "The most honorable person is Joseph Allah's prophet, the son of Allah's prophet, the son of the faithful friend of Allah (Abraham)."1
However, the father was well aware of the jealousy of Joseph's brothers, so he warned him against telling his dream to his brothers: "0 my son! Relate not your vision to your brothers, lest they arrange a plot against you. Verily! Satan is to man an open enemy! Thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of dreams (and other things) and perfect His Favor on you and on the offspring of Jacob, as He perfected it on your fathers, Abraham and Isaac aforetime! Verily, your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise. " Surah 12: 5-6
Joseph heeded is father's warning. He did not tell his brothers what he had seen. It is well known that they hated him so much that it was difficult for him to feel secure telling them what was in his heart and in his dreams.

Description of Joseph
Joseph was eighteen years old, very handsome and robust, with a gentle temperament. He was respectful, kind, and considerate. His brother Benjamin was equally pleasant. Both were from one mother, Rachel. Because of their refined qualities, the father loved the two more than his other children, and would not let them out of his sight. To protect them, he kept them busy with work in the house garden.