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12. Yusuf

Joseph · Meccan · 111 ayahs

سُورَةُ يُوسُفَ

Reading Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn 'Abbas by Attributed to Ibn 'Abbas

Ayahs 81–90 of 111

81

ٱرْجِعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَبِيكُمْ فَقُولُوا۟ يَٰٓأَبَانَآ إِنَّ ٱبْنَكَ سَرَقَ وَمَا شَهِدْنَآ إِلَّا بِمَا عَلِمْنَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِلْغَيْبِ حَٰفِظِينَ

Return to your father and say, "O our father, indeed your son has stolen, and we did not testify except to what we knew. And we were not witnesses of the unseen,

Judah then said: (Return) O my brothers (unto your father and say: O our father! Lo! thy son hath stolen) the king's golden cup; it is also said that this means: your son was taken for stealing. (We testify only to that which we know) we saw the stolen cup found in his bag; (we are not guardians of the Unseen) he said: if we knew the unseen, we would not have taken him; it is also said that this means: we could not look after him at night.

82

وَسْـَٔلِ ٱلْقَرْيَةَ ٱلَّتِى كُنَّا فِيهَا وَٱلْعِيرَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَقْبَلْنَا فِيهَا ۖ وَإِنَّا لَصَٰدِقُونَ

And ask the city in which we were and the caravan in which we came - and indeed, we are truthful,"

(Ask the township) the people of the township (where we were) it was one of the villages of Egypt, (and the caravan) and the people of the caravan (with which we travelled hither) they had travelled with a group of people from Canaan. (Lo! we speak the Truth) in that which we are saying to you. And so they told Jacob these words.

83

قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًۭا ۖ فَصَبْرٌۭ جَمِيلٌ ۖ عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَأْتِيَنِى بِهِمْ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ

[Jacob] said, "Rather, your souls have enticed you to something, so patience is most fitting. Perhaps Allah will bring them to me all together. Indeed it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise."

((And when they came unto their father and had spoken thus to him) he said) Jacob said to them: (Nay, but your minds have beguiled you into something) your minds have enticed you to do something, and so you did it. ((My course is) comely patience!) what I have to do is to be patient and show no anxiety. (It may be that Allah will bring them all) Joseph and his full brother as well as Judah (unto me. Lo! He, only He, is the Knower) of their whereabouts, (the Wise) in relation to returning them to me.

84

وَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَٰٓأَسَفَىٰ عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ وَٱبْيَضَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ مِنَ ٱلْحُزْنِ فَهُوَ كَظِيمٌۭ

And he turned away from them and said, "Oh, my sorrow over Joseph," and his eyes became white from grief, for he was [of that] a suppressor.

(And he turned away from them) he left them (and said: Alas, my grief for Joseph! And his eyes were whitened with the sorrow) with tears (that he was suppressing) he kept his sorrow and grief within himself.

85

قَالُوا۟ تَٱللَّهِ تَفْتَؤُا۟ تَذْكُرُ يُوسُفَ حَتَّىٰ تَكُونَ حَرَضًا أَوْ تَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْهَٰلِكِينَ

They said, "By Allah, you will not cease remembering Joseph until you become fatally ill or become of those who perish."

(They said) i.e. his children and his grandchildren: (By Allah, thou wilt never cease remembering Joseph till your health is ruined or you art of those who perish) through death!

86

قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَشْكُوا۟ بَثِّى وَحُزْنِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

He said, "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you do not know.

(He said) Jacob said: (I expose my distress and anguish only unto Allah, and I know from Allah that which ye know not) I know that Joseph's vision is true and that we will prostrate to him; it is also said that this means: I know of Allah's mercy and of His good work that which you do not; it is also said that this means: I know that Joseph is alive. That is because the angel of death came to him and he asked him: " did you take away the soul of Joseph from among those you took their souls away ". And the angel said he did not.

87

يَٰبَنِىَّ ٱذْهَبُوا۟ فَتَحَسَّسُوا۟ مِن يُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ وَلَا تَا۟يْـَٔسُوا۟ مِن رَّوْحِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يَا۟يْـَٔسُ مِن رَّوْحِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ

O my sons, go and find out about Joseph and his brother and despair not of relief from Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people."

For this reason, he said: (Go, O my sons, and ascertain concerning Joseph and his brother) go and enquire about Joseph and his brother Benjamin, (and despair not of the Spirit of Allah) despair not of the mercy of Allah. (Lo! None despaireth of the Spirit of Allah) of the mercy of Allah (save disbelieving folk) save the people who disbelieve in Allah and His mercy.

88

فَلَمَّا دَخَلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِ قَالُوا۟ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْعَزِيزُ مَسَّنَا وَأَهْلَنَا ٱلضُّرُّ وَجِئْنَا بِبِضَٰعَةٍۢ مُّزْجَىٰةٍۢ فَأَوْفِ لَنَا ٱلْكَيْلَ وَتَصَدَّقْ عَلَيْنَآ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَجْزِى ٱلْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ

So when they entered upon Joseph, they said, "O 'Azeez, adversity has touched us and our family, and we have come with goods poor in quality, but give us full measure and be charitable to us. Indeed, Allah rewards the charitable."

(And when they came (again) before him (Joseph)) a third time (they said: O ruler! Misfortune) hunger (hath touched us and our folk, and we bring but poor merchandise) merchandise which is not suitable for buying food, but are suitable for spending on people; it is also said that this means: merchandise that one can get in the mountains such as pine nuts and the fruit of the terebinth-tree; it is also said that this means: Arab merchandise such as dried lumps of cheese, wool, cheese and ghee, (so fill for us the measure) give us our measure as you would give if we had good money (and be charitable unto us) in regards to difference in the two prices; it is also said that this means: in regards to difference in the two measures. (Lo! Allah will requite the charitable) in the life of this world and in the Hereafter.

89

قَالَ هَلْ عَلِمْتُم مَّا فَعَلْتُم بِيُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ إِذْ أَنتُمْ جَٰهِلُونَ

He said, "Do you know what you did with Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant?"

(He said) Joseph said to them: (Know ye what ye did unto Joseph and his brother in your ignorance) when you were ignorant youth?

90

قَالُوٓا۟ أَءِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ يُوسُفُ ۖ قَالَ أَنَا۠ يُوسُفُ وَهَٰذَآ أَخِى ۖ قَدْ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْنَآ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ مَن يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

They said, "Are you indeed Joseph?" He said "I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allah has certainly favored us. Indeed, he who fears Allah and is patient, then indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good."

(They said: Is it indeed thou who art Joseph? He said: I am Joseph and this is my brother) my full brother. (Allah hath shown us favour) by bestowing patience upon us. (Lo! he who wardeth off (evil)) in times of blessing (and endureth) in times of hardship finds favour; (for verily Allah loseth not) thwarts not (the wages) the reward (of the kindly) those who ward off evil and are patient.

Commentary: Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn 'Abbas by Attributed to Ibn 'Abbas. Qur'an text and translation via AlQuran Cloud.