سُورَةُ يُوسُفَ
Reading Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn 'Abbas by Attributed to Ibn 'Abbas
Ayahs 61–70 of 111
قَالُوا۟ سَنُرَٰوِدُ عَنْهُ أَبَاهُ وَإِنَّا لَفَٰعِلُونَ
They said, "We will attempt to dissuade his father from [keeping] him, and indeed, we will do [it]."
(They said: We will try to win him from his father) we will ask his father and try to entice his father to let him come with us: (that we will surely do) we surely guarantee that we will bring him with us.
وَقَالَ لِفِتْيَٰنِهِ ٱجْعَلُوا۟ بِضَٰعَتَهُمْ فِى رِحَالِهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَعْرِفُونَهَآ إِذَا ٱنقَلَبُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
And [Joseph] said to his servants, "Put their merchandise into their saddlebags so they might recognize it when they have gone back to their people that perhaps they will [again] return."
(He) Joseph (said unto his young men) his servants: (Place their merchandise) hide their money (in their saddlebags so that they may know it) such that they know the favour I am bestowing upon them; it is also said that this means: such that they realise it is their money and bring it back to me, (when they go back to their folk) when they go back to their father, (and so will come again) a second time.
فَلَمَّا رَجَعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَبِيهِمْ قَالُوا۟ يَٰٓأَبَانَا مُنِعَ مِنَّا ٱلْكَيْلُ فَأَرْسِلْ مَعَنَآ أَخَانَا نَكْتَلْ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَٰفِظُونَ
So when they returned to their father, they said, "O our father, [further] measure has been denied to us, so send with us our brother [that] we will be given measure. And indeed, we will be his guardians."
(So when they went back to their father) in the land of Canaan (they said: O our father! The measure is denied us) in the future if you do not send Benjamin with us, (so send with us our brother) Benjamin (that we may obtain the measure) so that he can buy a measure for himself; or: that we may buy a measure for him, according to a different reading, (surely we will guard him well) we guarantee to bring him back to you.
قَالَ هَلْ ءَامَنُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا كَمَآ أَمِنتُكُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَخِيهِ مِن قَبْلُ ۖ فَٱللَّهُ خَيْرٌ حَٰفِظًۭا ۖ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ
He said, "Should I entrust you with him except [under coercion] as I entrusted you with his brother before? But Allah is the best guardian, and He is the most merciful of the merciful."
(He said) Jacob said to them: (Can I entrust him) Benjamin (to you save as I entrusted his brother) Joseph (to you aforetime?) He said: can I really make you pledge and promise more than I did in the case of his brother Joseph (Allah is better at guarding) than you are, (and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy) and He is more Merciful towards him than his parents or brothers.
وَلَمَّا فَتَحُوا۟ مَتَٰعَهُمْ وَجَدُوا۟ بِضَٰعَتَهُمْ رُدَّتْ إِلَيْهِمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ يَٰٓأَبَانَا مَا نَبْغِى ۖ هَٰذِهِۦ بِضَٰعَتُنَا رُدَّتْ إِلَيْنَا ۖ وَنَمِيرُ أَهْلَنَا وَنَحْفَظُ أَخَانَا وَنَزْدَادُ كَيْلَ بَعِيرٍۢ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ كَيْلٌۭ يَسِيرٌۭ
And when they opened their baggage, they found their merchandise returned to them. They said, "O our father, what [more] could we desire? This is our merchandise returned to us. And we will obtain supplies for our family and protect our brother and obtain an increase of a camel's load; that is an easy measurement."
(And when they opened their belongings) their saddlebags (they discovered that their merchandise) the money which was to pay for the merchandise they bought (had been returned to them) along with the foodstuffs. (They said: O our father!) We are not lying about the kindness and generosity of the man towards us; it is also said that this means: we have not requested this from him (What (more) can we ask? Here is our merchandise) the money we gave for the price of the merchandise (returned to us) with the merchandise. This only shows his kindness towards us. Their father said to them: the man is only testing you, you must return the money to him. (We shall get provision for our folk and guard our brother) Benjamin when we go and return, (and we shall have the extra measure of a camel (load)) if he comes with us. (This is a light measure) because of which we shall be given more; it is also said that this means: this is a small thing that we are requesting from you.
قَالَ لَنْ أُرْسِلَهُۥ مَعَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ تُؤْتُونِ مَوْثِقًۭا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لَتَأْتُنَّنِى بِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن يُحَاطَ بِكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّآ ءَاتَوْهُ مَوْثِقَهُمْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌۭ
[Jacob] said, "Never will I send him with you until you give me a promise by Allah that you will bring him [back] to me, unless you should be surrounded by enemies." And when they had given their promise, he said, "Allah, over what we say, is Witness."
(He said) their father said to them: (I will not send him with you) simply because of your mere talk (till ye give me an undertaking) a pledge (in the name of Allah that you will bring him back to me, unless you are surrounded) unless an accident from heaven befalls you; it is also said that this means: unless an accident from heaven or from the earth descends upon you. (And when they gave him their undertaking) when they gave him their pledge in the name of Allah that they will bring him back (he said) Jacob said: (Allah is the Warden over what we say) Allah is a Witness over what we say; it is also said that this means: Allah is Custodian over what we say.
وَقَالَ يَٰبَنِىَّ لَا تَدْخُلُوا۟ مِنۢ بَابٍۢ وَٰحِدٍۢ وَٱدْخُلُوا۟ مِنْ أَبْوَٰبٍۢ مُّتَفَرِّقَةٍۢ ۖ وَمَآ أُغْنِى عَنكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۖ إِنِ ٱلْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَعَلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
And he said, "O my sons, do not enter from one gate but enter from different gates; and I cannot avail you against [the decree of] Allah at all. The decision is only for Allah; upon Him I have relied, and upon Him let those who would rely [indeed] rely."
(And he said) to them: (O my sons! Go not in by one gate) do not go in through the same road; (go in by different gates) go in by different roads. (I can naught avail you as against Allah) against Allah's decree concerning you. (Lo! the decision) the judgement regarding what is decreed for you (rests with Allah only. In Him do I put my trust) I delegate my matter and yours to Him, (and in Him let all the trusting put their trust) those who rely should rely on Him; it is also said that this means: the believers should put their trust in Allah. Here, Jacob feared the evil eye against his sons, because they were all seemly and handsome.
وَلَمَّا دَخَلُوا۟ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَهُمْ أَبُوهُم مَّا كَانَ يُغْنِى عَنْهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ إِلَّا حَاجَةًۭ فِى نَفْسِ يَعْقُوبَ قَضَىٰهَا ۚ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَذُو عِلْمٍۢ لِّمَا عَلَّمْنَٰهُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
And when they entered from where their father had ordered them, it did not avail them against Allah at all except [it was] a need within the soul of Jacob, which he satisfied. And indeed, he was a possessor of knowledge because of what We had taught him, but most of the people do not know.
(And when they entered) Egypt (in the manner which their father had enjoined) as their father commanded them, (it would have naught availed them as against Allah) against what Allah had decreed for them; (it was but a need of Jacob's soul) in Jacob's heart (which he thus satisfied) which he expressed; (and lo! He) i.e. Jacob (was a lord of knowledge) of remembrance (because We had taught him) of that which We taught him of legal rulings, punishments, decree and destiny; he knew that nothing happens except what Allah decrees; (but most of mankind) the people of Egypt (know not) this nor believe in it.
وَلَمَّا دَخَلُوا۟ عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ ءَاوَىٰٓ إِلَيْهِ أَخَاهُ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَنَا۠ أَخُوكَ فَلَا تَبْتَئِسْ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
And when they entered upon Joseph, he took his brother to himself; he said, "Indeed, I am your brother, so do not despair over what they used to do [to me]."
(And when they went in before Joseph, he took his brother) from both his father and mother (unto himself) he gave audience to his brother Benjamin and made his other brothers wait, (saying: Lo! I, even I, am your brother) in the position of your deceased brother, (therefore sorrow not) do not be saddened (for what they did) for the alienation, insults and vilification you face from your brothers.
فَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهَازِهِمْ جَعَلَ ٱلسِّقَايَةَ فِى رَحْلِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ أَيَّتُهَا ٱلْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَٰرِقُونَ
So when he had furnished them with their supplies, he put the [gold measuring] bowl into the bag of his brother. Then an announcer called out, "O caravan, indeed you are thieves."
(And when he provided them with their provision) when he measured for them their provision, (he put the drinking cup in his brother's saddlebag) he hid his drinking cup which he also used for measurement in the saddlebag of his brother Benjamin. He then ordered them to leave and when they left he sent a youth after them, (and then a crier cried) the youth that Joseph sent cried: (O camel riders!) O people of the caravan (You are surely thieves!)
Commentary: Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn 'Abbas by Attributed to Ibn 'Abbas. Qur'an text and translation via AlQuran Cloud.
