12. Yusuf

He said: "Do you know what you did with Yusuf and his brother, when you were ignorant? (89)They said: "Are you indeed Yusuf?" He said: "I am Yusuf , and this is my brother. Allah has indeed been gracious to us. He who has Taqwa, and is patient, then surely, Allah makes not the reward of the gooddoers to be lost. (90)They said: "By Allah! Indeed Allah has preferred you above us, and we certainly have been sinners. (91)He said: "No reproach on you this day; may Allah forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy (92)

Yusuf reveals His True Identity to His Brothers and forgives Them

Allah says, when Yusuf's brothers told him about the afflictions and hardship, and shortages in food they suffered from in the aftermath of the drought that struck them, and he remembered his father's grief for losing his two children, he felt compassion, pity and mercy for his father and brothers. He felt this way, especially since he was enjoying kingship, authority and power, so he cried and revealed his true identity to them when he asked them,

هَلْ عَلِمْتُم مَّا فَعَلْتُم بِيُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ إِذْ أَنتُمْ جَاهِلُونَ

(Do you know what you did with Yusuf and his brother, when you were ignorant?) meaning, 'when you separated between Yusuf and his brother,'

إِذْ أَنتُمْ جَاهِلُونَ

(when you were ignorant?) He said, 'What made you do this is your ignorance of the tremendous sin you were about to commit.' It appears, and Allah knows best, that Yusuf revealed his identity to his brothers only then by Allah's command, just as he hid his identity from them in the first two meetings, by Allah's command. When the affliction became harder, Allah sent His relief from that affliction, just as He said He does,

فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا - إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا

(Verily, along with every hardship is relief. Verily, along with every hardship is relief.)[94:5-6] This is when they said to Yusuf,

أَإِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ يُوسُفُ

(Are you indeed Yusuf?), in amazement, because they had been meeting him for more than two years while unaware of who he really was. Yet, he knew who they were and hid this news from them. Therefore, they asked in astonishment,

أَإِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ يُوسُفُ ۖ قَالَ أَنَا يُوسُفُ وَهَٰذَا أَخِي

(Are you indeed Yusuf? He said: "I am Yusuf, and this is my brother...") Yusuf said next,

قَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا

(Allah has indeed been gracious to us.) by gathering us together after being separated all this time,'

إِنَّهُ مَن يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ - قَالُوا تَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ آثَرَكَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا

("Verily, he who has Taqwa, and is patient, then surely, Allah makes not the reward of the gooddoers to be lost." They said: "By Allah! Indeed Allah has preferred you above us.") They affirmed Yusuf's virtue above them, being blessed with beauty, conduct, richness, kingship, authority and, above all, prophethood. They admitted their error and acknowledged that they made a mistake against him,

قَالَ لَا تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ

(He said: "No reproach on you this day.") He said to them, 'There will be no blame for you today or admonishment, and I will not remind you after today …

He said: "Do you know what you did with Yusuf and his brother, when you were ignorant? (89)They said: "Are you indeed Yusuf?" He said: "I am Yusuf , and this is my brother. Allah has indeed been gracious to us. He who has Taqwa, and is patient, then surely, Allah makes not the reward of the gooddoers to be lost. (90)They said: "By Allah! Indeed Allah has preferred you above us, and we certainly have been sinners. (91)He said: "No reproach on you this day; may Allah forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy (92)

Yusuf reveals His True Identity to His Brothers and forgives Them

Allah says, when Yusuf's brothers told him about the afflictions and hardship, and shortages in food they suffered from in the aftermath of the drought that struck them, and he remembered his father's grief for losing his two children, he felt compassion, pity and mercy for his father and brothers. He felt this way, especially since he was enjoying kingship, authority and power, so he cried and revealed his true identity to them when he asked them,

هَلْ عَلِمْتُم مَّا فَعَلْتُم بِيُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ إِذْ أَنتُمْ جَاهِلُونَ

(Do you know what you did with Yusuf and his brother, when you were ignorant?) meaning, 'when you separated between Yusuf and his brother,'

إِذْ أَنتُمْ جَاهِلُونَ

(when you were ignorant?) He said, 'What made you do this is your ignorance of the tremendous sin you were about to commit.' It appears, and Allah knows best, that Yusuf revealed his identity to his brothers only then by Allah's command, just as he hid his identity from them in the first two meetings, by Allah's command. When the affliction became harder, Allah sent His relief from that affliction, just as He said He does,

فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا - إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا

(Verily, along with every hardship is relief. Verily, along with every hardship is relief.)[94:5-6] This is when they said to Yusuf,

أَإِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ يُوسُفُ

(Are you indeed Yusuf?), in amazement, because they had been meeting him for more than two years while unaware of who he really was. Yet, he knew who they were and hid this news from them. Therefore, they asked in astonishment,

أَإِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ يُوسُفُ ۖ قَالَ أَنَا يُوسُفُ وَهَٰذَا أَخِي

(Are you indeed Yusuf? He said: "I am Yusuf, and this is my brother...") Yusuf said next,

قَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا

(Allah has indeed been gracious to us.) by gathering us together after being separated all this time,'

إِنَّهُ مَن يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ - قَالُوا تَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ آثَرَكَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا

("Verily, he who has Taqwa, and is patient, then surely, Allah makes not the reward of the gooddoers to be lost." They said: "By Allah! Indeed Allah has preferred you above us.") They affirmed Yusuf's virtue above them, being blessed with beauty, conduct, richness, kingship, authority and, above all, prophethood. They admitted their error and acknowledged that they made a mistake against him,

قَالَ لَا تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ

(He said: "No reproach on you this day.") He said to them, 'There will be no blame for you today or admonishment, and I will not remind you after today …

"Go with this shirt of mine, and cast it over the face of my father, his vision will return, and bring to me all your family. (93)And when the caravan departed, their father said: "I do indeed sense the smell of Yusuf, if only you think me not senile). (94)They said: "By Allah! Certainly, you are in your old Dalal (error). (95)

Ya'qub finds the Scent of Yusuf in his Shirt!

Yusuf said, 'Take this shirt of mine,

فَأَلْقُوهُ عَلَىٰ وَجْهِ أَبِي يَأْتِ بَصِيرًا

(and cast it over the face of my father, his vision will return),' because Ya'qub had lost his sight from excessive crying,

وَأْتُونِي بِأَهْلِكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

(and bring to me all your family.) all the children of Ya'qub.

وَلَمَّا فَصَلَتِ الْعِيرُ

(And when the caravan departed) from Egypt,

قَالَ أَبُوهُمْ

(their father said...), Ya'qub, peace be upon him, said to the children who remained with him,

إِنِّي لَأَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَ ۖ لَوْلَا أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ

(I do indeed feel the smell of Yusuf, if only you think me not senile.), except that you might think me senile because of old age.' 'Abdur-Razzaq narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said, "When the caravan departed [from Egypt], a wind started blowing and brought the scent of Yusuf's shirt to Ya'qub. He said,

إِنِّي لَأَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَ ۖ لَوْلَا أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ

(I do indeed feel the smell of Yusuf , if only you think me not senile.) He found his scent from a distance of eight days away!" Similar was also reported through Sufyan Ath-Thawri and Shu'bah and others reported it from Abu Sinan. Ya'qub said to them,

لَوْلَا أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ

(if only you think me not senile.) Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, 'Ata, Qatadah and Sa'id bin Jubayr commented, "If only you think me not a fool!" Mujahid and Al-Hasan said that it means, "If only you think me not old." Their answer to him was,

إِنَّكَ لَفِي ضَلَالِكَ الْقَدِيمِ

(Certainly, you are in your old Dalal.) meaning, 'in your old error,' according to Ibn 'Abbas. Qatadah commented, "They meant that, 'because of your love for Yusuf you will never forget him.' So they uttered a harsh word to their father that they should never have uttered to him, nor to a Prophet of Allah." Similar was said by As-Suddi and others.

"Go with this shirt of mine, and cast it over the face of my father, his vision will return, and bring to me all your family. (93)And when the caravan departed, their father said: "I do indeed sense the smell of Yusuf, if only you think me not senile). (94)They said: "By Allah! Certainly, you are in your old Dalal (error). (95)

Ya'qub finds the Scent of Yusuf in his Shirt!

Yusuf said, 'Take this shirt of mine,

فَأَلْقُوهُ عَلَىٰ وَجْهِ أَبِي يَأْتِ بَصِيرًا

(and cast it over the face of my father, his vision will return),' because Ya'qub had lost his sight from excessive crying,

وَأْتُونِي بِأَهْلِكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

(and bring to me all your family.) all the children of Ya'qub.

وَلَمَّا فَصَلَتِ الْعِيرُ

(And when the caravan departed) from Egypt,

قَالَ أَبُوهُمْ

(their father said...), Ya'qub, peace be upon him, said to the children who remained with him,

إِنِّي لَأَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَ ۖ لَوْلَا أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ

(I do indeed feel the smell of Yusuf, if only you think me not senile.), except that you might think me senile because of old age.' 'Abdur-Razzaq narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said, "When the caravan departed [from Egypt], a wind started blowing and brought the scent of Yusuf's shirt to Ya'qub. He said,

إِنِّي لَأَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَ ۖ لَوْلَا أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ

(I do indeed feel the smell of Yusuf , if only you think me not senile.) He found his scent from a distance of eight days away!" Similar was also reported through Sufyan Ath-Thawri and Shu'bah and others reported it from Abu Sinan. Ya'qub said to them,

لَوْلَا أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ

(if only you think me not senile.) Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, 'Ata, Qatadah and Sa'id bin Jubayr commented, "If only you think me not a fool!" Mujahid and Al-Hasan said that it means, "If only you think me not old." Their answer to him was,

إِنَّكَ لَفِي ضَلَالِكَ الْقَدِيمِ

(Certainly, you are in your old Dalal.) meaning, 'in your old error,' according to Ibn 'Abbas. Qatadah commented, "They meant that, 'because of your love for Yusuf you will never forget him.' So they uttered a harsh word to their father that they should never have uttered to him, nor to a Prophet of Allah." Similar was said by As-Suddi and others.

"Go with this shirt of mine, and cast it over the face of my father, his vision will return, and bring to me all your family. (93)And when the caravan departed, their father said: "I do indeed sense the smell of Yusuf, if only you think me not senile). (94)They said: "By Allah! Certainly, you are in your old Dalal (error). (95)

Ya'qub finds the Scent of Yusuf in his Shirt!

Yusuf said, 'Take this shirt of mine,

فَأَلْقُوهُ عَلَىٰ وَجْهِ أَبِي يَأْتِ بَصِيرًا

(and cast it over the face of my father, his vision will return),' because Ya'qub had lost his sight from excessive crying,

وَأْتُونِي بِأَهْلِكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

(and bring to me all your family.) all the children of Ya'qub.

وَلَمَّا فَصَلَتِ الْعِيرُ

(And when the caravan departed) from Egypt,

قَالَ أَبُوهُمْ

(their father said...), Ya'qub, peace be upon him, said to the children who remained with him,

إِنِّي لَأَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَ ۖ لَوْلَا أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ

(I do indeed feel the smell of Yusuf, if only you think me not senile.), except that you might think me senile because of old age.' 'Abdur-Razzaq narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said, "When the caravan departed [from Egypt], a wind started blowing and brought the scent of Yusuf's shirt to Ya'qub. He said,

إِنِّي لَأَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَ ۖ لَوْلَا أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ

(I do indeed feel the smell of Yusuf , if only you think me not senile.) He found his scent from a distance of eight days away!" Similar was also reported through Sufyan Ath-Thawri and Shu'bah and others reported it from Abu Sinan. Ya'qub said to them,

لَوْلَا أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ

(if only you think me not senile.) Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, 'Ata, Qatadah and Sa'id bin Jubayr commented, "If only you think me not a fool!" Mujahid and Al-Hasan said that it means, "If only you think me not old." Their answer to him was,

إِنَّكَ لَفِي ضَلَالِكَ الْقَدِيمِ

(Certainly, you are in your old Dalal.) meaning, 'in your old error,' according to Ibn 'Abbas. Qatadah commented, "They meant that, 'because of your love for Yusuf you will never forget him.' So they uttered a harsh word to their father that they should never have uttered to him, nor to a Prophet of Allah." Similar was said by As-Suddi and others.

Then, when the bearer of the good news arrived, he cast it (the shirt) over his face, and his vision returned. He said: "Did I not say to you, 'I know from Allah that which you know not?' (96)They said: "O our father! Ask forgiveness (from Allah) for our sins, indeed we have been sinners. (97)He said: "I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you, verily, He! Only He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. (98)

Yahudha brings Yusuf's Shirt and Good News

Ibn 'Abbas and Ad-Dahhak said;

الْبَشِيرُ

(good news) means information. Mujahid and As-Suddi said that the bearer of good news was Yahudha, son of Ya'qub. As-Suddi added, "He brought it (Yusuf's shirt) because it was he who brought Yusuf's shirt stained with the false blood. So he liked to erase that error with this good act, by bringing Yusuf's shirt and placing it on his father's face. His father's sight was restored to him." Ya'qub said to his children,

أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

(Did I not say to you, 'I know from Allah that which you know not'), that I know that Allah will return Yusuf to me and that,

إِنِّي لَأَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَ ۖ لَوْلَا أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ

(I do indeed feel the smell of Yusuf, if only you think me not senile.)

Yusuf's Brothers feel Sorry and Regretful

This is when Yusuf's brothers said to their father, with humbleness,

يَا أَبَانَا اسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا خَاطِئِينَ - قَالَ سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّي ۖ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

("O our father! Ask forgiveness (from Allah) for our sins, indeed we have been sinners." He said: "I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you, verily, He! Only He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.")

and He forgives those who repent to Him. 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Ibrahim At-Taymi, 'Amr bin Qays, Ibn Jurayj and several others said that Prophet Ya'qub delayed fulfilling their request until the latter part of the night.

Then, when the bearer of the good news arrived, he cast it (the shirt) over his face, and his vision returned. He said: "Did I not say to you, 'I know from Allah that which you know not?' (96)They said: "O our father! Ask forgiveness (from Allah) for our sins, indeed we have been sinners. (97)He said: "I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you, verily, He! Only He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. (98)

Yahudha brings Yusuf's Shirt and Good News

Ibn 'Abbas and Ad-Dahhak said;

الْبَشِيرُ

(good news) means information. Mujahid and As-Suddi said that the bearer of good news was Yahudha, son of Ya'qub. As-Suddi added, "He brought it (Yusuf's shirt) because it was he who brought Yusuf's shirt stained with the false blood. So he liked to erase that error with this good act, by bringing Yusuf's shirt and placing it on his father's face. His father's sight was restored to him." Ya'qub said to his children,

أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

(Did I not say to you, 'I know from Allah that which you know not'), that I know that Allah will return Yusuf to me and that,

إِنِّي لَأَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَ ۖ لَوْلَا أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ

(I do indeed feel the smell of Yusuf, if only you think me not senile.)

Yusuf's Brothers feel Sorry and Regretful

This is when Yusuf's brothers said to their father, with humbleness,

يَا أَبَانَا اسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا خَاطِئِينَ - قَالَ سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّي ۖ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

("O our father! Ask forgiveness (from Allah) for our sins, indeed we have been sinners." He said: "I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you, verily, He! Only He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.")

and He forgives those who repent to Him. 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Ibrahim At-Taymi, 'Amr bin Qays, Ibn Jurayj and several others said that Prophet Ya'qub delayed fulfilling their request until the latter part of the night.

Then, when the bearer of the good news arrived, he cast it (the shirt) over his face, and his vision returned. He said: "Did I not say to you, 'I know from Allah that which you know not?' (96)They said: "O our father! Ask forgiveness (from Allah) for our sins, indeed we have been sinners. (97)He said: "I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you, verily, He! Only He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. (98)

Yahudha brings Yusuf's Shirt and Good News

Ibn 'Abbas and Ad-Dahhak said;

الْبَشِيرُ

(good news) means information. Mujahid and As-Suddi said that the bearer of good news was Yahudha, son of Ya'qub. As-Suddi added, "He brought it (Yusuf's shirt) because it was he who brought Yusuf's shirt stained with the false blood. So he liked to erase that error with this good act, by bringing Yusuf's shirt and placing it on his father's face. His father's sight was restored to him." Ya'qub said to his children,

أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

(Did I not say to you, 'I know from Allah that which you know not'), that I know that Allah will return Yusuf to me and that,

إِنِّي لَأَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَ ۖ لَوْلَا أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ

(I do indeed feel the smell of Yusuf, if only you think me not senile.)

Yusuf's Brothers feel Sorry and Regretful

This is when Yusuf's brothers said to their father, with humbleness,

يَا أَبَانَا اسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا خَاطِئِينَ - قَالَ سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّي ۖ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

("O our father! Ask forgiveness (from Allah) for our sins, indeed we have been sinners." He said: "I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you, verily, He! Only He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.")

and He forgives those who repent to Him. 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Ibrahim At-Taymi, 'Amr bin Qays, Ibn Jurayj and several others said that Prophet Ya'qub delayed fulfilling their request until the latter part of the night.

Then, when they came in before Yusuf, he took his parents to himself and said: "Enter Egypt, if Allah wills, in security. (99)And he raised his parents to the 'Arsh and they fell down before him prostrate. And he said: "O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream aforetime! My Lord has made it come true! He was indeed good to me, when He took me out of the prison, and brought you (all here) out of the bedouin life, after Shaytan had sown enmity between me and my brothers. Certainly, my Lord is the Most Courteous and Kind unto whom He wills. Truly, He! Only He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise (100)

Yusuf welcomes His Parents - His Dream comes True

Allah states that Ya'qub went to Yusuf in Egypt. Yusuf had asked his brothers to bring all of their family, and they all departed their area and left Kana'an to Egypt. When Yusuf received news of their approach to Egypt, he went out to receive them. The king ordered the princes and notable people to go out in the receiving party with Yusuf to meet Allah's Prophet Ya'qub, peace be upon him. It is said that the king also went out with them to meet Ya'qub. Yusuf said to his family, after they entered unto him and he took them to himself,

وَقَالَ ادْخُلُوا مِصْرَ إِن شَاءَ اللَّهُ آمِنِينَ

(and said: "Enter Egypt, if Allah wills, in security.") He said to them, 'enter Egypt', meaning, 'reside in Egypt', and added, 'if Allah wills, in security', in reference to the hardship and famine that they suffered. Allah said next,

آوَىٰ إِلَيْهِ أَبَوَيْهِ

(and he took his parents to himself) As-Suddi and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that his parents were his father and maternal aunt, as his mother had died long ago. Muhammad bin Ishaq and Ibn Jarir At-Tabari said, "His father and mother were both alive." Ibn Jarir added, "There is no evidence that his mother had died before then. Rather, the apparent words of the Qur'an testify that she was alive." This opinion has the apparent and suitable meaning that this story testifies to.

Allah said next,

وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيْهِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ

(And he raised his parents to Al-'Arsh) he raised them to his bedstead where he sat, according to Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid and several others. Allah said,

وَخَرُّوا لَهُ سُجَّدًا

(and they fell down before him prostrate.) Yusuf's parents and brothers prostrated before him, and they were eleven men,

وَقَالَ يَا أَبَتِ هَٰذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُؤْيَايَ مِن قَبْلُ

(And he said: "O my father! This is the Ta'wil (interpretation) of my dream aforetime..."), in reference to the dream that he narrated to his father before,

إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا

(I saw (in a dream) eleven stars...)[12:4] In the laws of these and previous Prophets, it was allowed for the people to prostrate before the men of authority, when they met them. This practice was allowed in the law of Adam until the law of 'Isa, peace be upon them, but was later prohibited in our law. Islam made prostration exclusively for Allah Alone, the Exalted and Most Honored. The implication of this statement was collected from Qatadah and other scholars.

When Mu'adh bin Jabal visited the Sham area, he found them prostrating before their priests. When he …

Then, when they came in before Yusuf, he took his parents to himself and said: "Enter Egypt, if Allah wills, in security. (99)And he raised his parents to the 'Arsh and they fell down before him prostrate. And he said: "O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream aforetime! My Lord has made it come true! He was indeed good to me, when He took me out of the prison, and brought you (all here) out of the bedouin life, after Shaytan had sown enmity between me and my brothers. Certainly, my Lord is the Most Courteous and Kind unto whom He wills. Truly, He! Only He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise (100)

Yusuf welcomes His Parents - His Dream comes True

Allah states that Ya'qub went to Yusuf in Egypt. Yusuf had asked his brothers to bring all of their family, and they all departed their area and left Kana'an to Egypt. When Yusuf received news of their approach to Egypt, he went out to receive them. The king ordered the princes and notable people to go out in the receiving party with Yusuf to meet Allah's Prophet Ya'qub, peace be upon him. It is said that the king also went out with them to meet Ya'qub. Yusuf said to his family, after they entered unto him and he took them to himself,

وَقَالَ ادْخُلُوا مِصْرَ إِن شَاءَ اللَّهُ آمِنِينَ

(and said: "Enter Egypt, if Allah wills, in security.") He said to them, 'enter Egypt', meaning, 'reside in Egypt', and added, 'if Allah wills, in security', in reference to the hardship and famine that they suffered. Allah said next,

آوَىٰ إِلَيْهِ أَبَوَيْهِ

(and he took his parents to himself) As-Suddi and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that his parents were his father and maternal aunt, as his mother had died long ago. Muhammad bin Ishaq and Ibn Jarir At-Tabari said, "His father and mother were both alive." Ibn Jarir added, "There is no evidence that his mother had died before then. Rather, the apparent words of the Qur'an testify that she was alive." This opinion has the apparent and suitable meaning that this story testifies to.

Allah said next,

وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيْهِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ

(And he raised his parents to Al-'Arsh) he raised them to his bedstead where he sat, according to Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid and several others. Allah said,

وَخَرُّوا لَهُ سُجَّدًا

(and they fell down before him prostrate.) Yusuf's parents and brothers prostrated before him, and they were eleven men,

وَقَالَ يَا أَبَتِ هَٰذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُؤْيَايَ مِن قَبْلُ

(And he said: "O my father! This is the Ta'wil (interpretation) of my dream aforetime..."), in reference to the dream that he narrated to his father before,

إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا

(I saw (in a dream) eleven stars...)[12:4] In the laws of these and previous Prophets, it was allowed for the people to prostrate before the men of authority, when they met them. This practice was allowed in the law of Adam until the law of 'Isa, peace be upon them, but was later prohibited in our law. Islam made prostration exclusively for Allah Alone, the Exalted and Most Honored. The implication of this statement was collected from Qatadah and other scholars.

When Mu'adh bin Jabal visited the Sham area, he found them prostrating before their priests. When he …