12. Yusuf

Joseph · Meccan · 111 ayahs

سُورَةُ يُوسُفَ

Reading Tafsir al-Tustari by Sahl al-Tustari

Ayahs 101–110 of 111

۞ رَبِّ قَدْ ءَاتَيْتَنِى مِنَ ٱلْمُلْكِ وَعَلَّمْتَنِى مِن تَأْوِيلِ ٱلْأَحَادِيثِ ۚ فَاطِرَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ أَنتَ وَلِىِّۦ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْءَاخِرَةِ ۖ تَوَفَّنِى مُسْلِمًۭا وَأَلْحِقْنِى بِٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ

My Lord, You have given me [something] of sovereignty and taught me of the interpretation of dreams. Creator of the heavens and earth, You are my protector in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die a Muslim and join me with the righteous."

��Take me [in death] in a state of submission [to You], and join me to the virtuous.� Sahl said:This entails three things: asking for what is necessary, manifesting one�s poverty, and choosing what is obligatory. What is meant is: �Let me die as one who has committed his affairs over to You and handed over his concerns to You, so that I have no recourse to my lower self under any condition, and do not resort to managing things [for myself] (tadbīr) by means of any secondary cause (sabab) whatsoever.His words, Exalted is He:

Yusuf 12:101Listen in Qur'an →

102

ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ أَجْمَعُوٓا۟ أَمْرَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَمْكُرُونَ

That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal, [O Muhammad], to you. And you were not with them when they put together their plan while they conspired.

Explained together with ayah 101

Yusuf 12:102Listen in Qur'an →

103

وَمَآ أَكْثَرُ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

And most of the people, although you strive [for it], are not believers.

Explained together with ayah 101

Yusuf 12:103Listen in Qur'an →

104

وَمَا تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ ۚ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌۭ لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ

And you do not ask of them for it any payment. It is not except a reminder to the worlds.

Explained together with ayah 101

Yusuf 12:104Listen in Qur'an →

105

وَكَأَيِّن مِّنْ ءَايَةٍۢ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ يَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضُونَ

And how many a sign within the heavens and earth do they pass over while they, therefrom, are turning away.

Explained together with ayah 101

Yusuf 12:105Listen in Qur'an →

106

وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُم بِٱللَّهِ إِلَّا وَهُم مُّشْرِكُونَ

And most of them believe not in Allah except while they associate others with Him.

And most of them do not believe in God without ascribing partners [to Him].He [Sahl] said:This is referring to the association [of others with God] (shirk) by the self which incites to evil (nafs ammāra), as was [indicated] when the Prophet said, �Association [of others with God] (shirk) in my nation is more hidden than the creeping of an ant over a stone.� This is the inner meaning of the verse. However, the outer meaning of the verse refers to the fact that the polytheists among the Arabs believe in God, just as He has said, If you ask them, who created them, they will certainly say �God��[43:87] Even so they are polytheists who believe in some of the messengers but do not believe in others.His words, Exalted is He:

Yusuf 12:106Listen in Qur'an →

107

أَفَأَمِنُوٓا۟ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ غَٰشِيَةٌۭ مِّنْ عَذَابِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْ تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةًۭ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ

Then do they feel secure that there will not come to them an overwhelming [aspect] of the punishment of Allah or that the Hour will not come upon them suddenly while they do not perceive?

Explained together with ayah 106

Yusuf 12:107Listen in Qur'an →

108

قُلْ هَٰذِهِۦ سَبِيلِىٓ أَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا۠ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِى ۖ وَسُبْحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ

Say, "This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of those who associate others with Him."

I call to God being upon sure knowledge�That is, �I convey the message, but I am not in possession of guidance. The guidance is up to You.� Sahl was asked about the words of the Prophet : �The effort of a striving person cannot avail him against You.� He said:Whoever is assiduous in his quest, but finds his assiduity (jidd) is met by an impediment (manʿ) from You, will not be benefitted by striving in his quest.And he said:For sure, the inner truth [or secret, sirr] has not been revealed to people, for if it were disclosed to them then they would have perceived it. Nor have they witnessed [it], for if they had witnessedit, the whole matter would be over, and that is a grave matter. Then he [Sahl] said:The People of �There is no God but God� are many but the sincere among them are few. But God knows best.His words, Exalted is He:

Yusuf 12:108Listen in Qur'an →

109

وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًۭا نُّوحِىٓ إِلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ ۗ أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۗ وَلَدَارُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ خَيْرٌۭ لِّلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ

And We sent not before you [as messengers] except men to whom We revealed from among the people of cities. So have they not traveled through the earth and observed how was the end of those before them? And the home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear Allah; then will you not reason?

Explained together with ayah 108

Yusuf 12:109Listen in Qur'an →

110

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ٱسْتَيْـَٔسَ ٱلرُّسُلُ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ كُذِبُوا۟ جَآءَهُمْ نَصْرُنَا فَنُجِّىَ مَن نَّشَآءُ ۖ وَلَا يُرَدُّ بَأْسُنَا عَنِ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ

[They continued] until, when the messengers despaired and were certain that they had been denied, there came to them Our victory, and whoever We willed was saved. And Our punishment cannot be repelled from the people who are criminals.

Explained together with ayah 108

Yusuf 12:110Listen in Qur'an →

Commentary: Tafsir al-Tustari by Sahl al-Tustari. Qur'an text and translation via AlQuran Cloud.