In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
A summary of the Tafsir of al-Tabari.
Abridged by Dr. 'Aqil ibn Salim al-Shamr.
Surah Yusuf.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
"And I do not acquit myself."
“I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.” (12:53)
“I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.” (12:53)
“I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.” (12:53)
Yusuf (peace be upon him) said:
"I do not acquit my soul of error and slip, nor do I seek to purify it."
"For the soul of man is indeed prone to evil, inciting them toward what it desires,"
"unless my Lord shows mercy to whom He wills of His creation,"
"thereby saving them from following its whims."
"Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving, pardoning the sins of those who repent,"
"and Merciful to them after their repentance, sparing them from punishment for those sins."
The King said, "Bring him to me; I will appoint him exclusively for myself."
“And the king said: Bring him unto me that I may attach him to my person. And when he had talked with him he said: Lo! thou art to-day in our presence established and trusted.” (12:54)
The King said, once Yusuf’s innocence was made clear:
"Bring him to me, that I may make him one of my close confidants."
When the King spoke with Yusuf and recognized his innocence and great trustworthiness,
he said to him, "You, Yusuf, are now established with us, having authority over whatever you wish,"
"and you are trusted with whatever you are put in charge of."
“He said: Set me over the storehouses of the land. Lo! I am a skilled custodian.” (12:55)
Yusuf said to the King, "Appoint me over the storehouses of the land,"
"for I am a guardian who knows how to preserve, and I am knowledgeable regarding what you have entrusted to me."
“Thus gave We power to Joseph in the land. He was the owner of it where he pleased. We reach with Our mercy whom We will. We lose not the reward of the good.” (12:56)
“Thus gave We power to Joseph in the land. He was the owner of it where he pleased. We reach with Our mercy whom We will. We lose not the reward of the good.” (12:56)
“Thus gave We power to Joseph in the land. He was the owner of it where he pleased. We reach with Our mercy whom We will. We lose not the reward of the good.” (12:56)
“And the reward of the Hereafter is better, for those who believe and ward off (evil).” (12:57)
Thus did We establish Yusuf in the land of Egypt,
so that he might take for himself a dwelling in the land wherever he pleased.
We bestow Our mercy upon whom We will of Our creation,
and We do not let the reward of those who do good and obey their Lord go to waste.
And the reward of Allah in the Hereafter is better for those who believed in Allah and His Messenger
than what He gave Yusuf in this world.
They used to fear the punishment of Allah by disobeying His commands or violating His prohibitions.
“And Joseph's brethren came and presented themselves before him, and he knew them but they knew him not.” (12:58)
The brothers of Yusuf arrived and entered upon him, and Yusuf recognized them,
while they were unaware of him and did not recognize him.
When he had provided them with their provisions, he said, "Bring me a brother of yours from your father."
“And when he provided them with their provision he said: Bring unto me a brother of yours from your father. See ye not that I fill up the measure and I am the best of hosts?” (12:59)
“And if ye bring him not unto me, then there shall be no measure for you with me, nor shall ye draw near.” (12:60)
When Yusuf had loaded his brothers' camels with food,
and had filled every man’s camel, he said to them:
"Bring me a brother of yours from your father, so that I may load another camel for you,"
"thereby increasing your load by the weight of another camel."
"Do you not see that I give full measure and do not cheat anyone?"
"And I am the best of hosts to those who come to me in this land."
"But if you do not bring me your brother from your father,"
"then you shall have no food from me, nor shall you approach my lands."
They said, "We will attempt to persuade his father regarding him, and we will certainly do so."
The brothers of Yusuf said, "We will try to persuade his father to let him come,"
"and we will ask him to release him to us so that we may bring him to you."
"And we will surely fulfill what we have promised you, and we will strive our best."
“He said unto his young men: Place their merchandise in their saddlebags, so that they may know it when they go back to their folk, and so will come again.” (12:62)
“He said unto his young men: Place their merchandise in their saddlebags, so that they may know it when they go back to their folk, and so will come again.” (12:62)
Yusuf said to his servants:
"Place the payment for the food they gave us back into their saddlebags, without them knowing."
Yusuf did this
either because he feared they might not have enough money with their father,
as it was a year of drought, and he wanted them to return to him,
or he wanted his father and brothers to have more wealth, given their need for it,
so he returned it to them out of generosity and kindness.
“So when they went back to their father they said: O our father! The measure is denied us, so send with us our brother that we may obtain the measure, surely we will guard him well.” (12:63)
“So when they went back to their father they said: O our father! The measure is denied us, so send with us our brother that we may obtain the measure, surely we will guard him well.” (12:63)
When the brothers of Yusuf returned to their father,
they said, "The measure was withheld from us, beyond the measure already given to us,"
"and he would not measure for each of us more than a camel’s load."
"So send our brother Benjamin with us, that he may receive his own camel’s load,"
"and we will surely protect him from any harm that might befall him on his journey."
“He said: Can I entrust him to you save as I entrusted his brother to you aforetime? Allah is better at guarding, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.” (12:64)
“He said: Can I entrust him to you save as I entrusted his brother to you aforetime? Allah is better at guarding, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.” (12:64)
Their father Ya'qub (peace be upon him) said:
"Shall I entrust him to you as I once entrusted you with his brother Yusuf before?"
"But Allah is the best Guardian,"
"and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful toward His creation."
"He will have mercy on my weakness, my old age, and my loneliness in the loss of my son."
“And when they opened their belongings they discovered that their merchandise had been returned to them. They said: O our father! What (more) can we ask? Here is our merchandise returned to us. We shall get provision for our folk and guard our brother, and we shall have the extra measure of a camel (load). This (that we bring now) is a light measure.” (12:65)
“And when they opened their belongings they discovered that their merchandise had been returned to them. They said: O our father! What (more) can we ask? Here is our merchandise returned to us. We shall get provision for our folk and guard our brother, and we shall have the extra measure of a camel (load). This (that we bring now) is a light measure.” (12:65)
“And when they opened their belongings they discovered that their merchandise had been returned to them. They said: O our father! What (more) can we ask? Here is our merchandise returned to us. We shall get provision for our folk and guard our brother, and we shall have the extra measure of a camel (load). This (that we bring now) is a light measure.” (12:65)
“And when they opened their belongings they discovered that their merchandise had been returned to them. They said: O our father! What (more) can we ask? Here is our merchandise returned to us. We shall get provision for our folk and guard our brother, and we shall have the extra measure of a camel (load). This (that we bring now) is a light measure.” (12:65)
"That is a small measure."
“And when they opened their belongings they discovered that their merchandise had been returned to them. They said: O our father! What (more) can we ask? Here is our merchandise returned to us. We shall get provision for our folk and guard our brother, and we shall have the extra measure of a camel (load). This (that we bring now) is a light measure.” (12:65)
They said to their father, "What more could we desire?"
“And when they opened their belongings they discovered that their merchandise had been returned to them. They said: O our father! What (more) can we ask? Here is our merchandise returned to us. We shall get provision for our folk and guard our brother, and we shall have the extra measure of a camel (load). This (that we bring now) is a light measure.” (12:65)
Seeking to comfort him regarding what he had done for them by returning their goods,
"We will obtain food for our family and buy it for them,"
"and we will guard our brother whom you send with us,"
"and we will add the load of a camel to our own loads,"
"a measure that will be given to us as another camel’s load."
"This is an easy load to obtain."
“He said: I will not send him with you till ye give me an undertaking in the name of Allah that ye will bring him back to me, unless ye are surrounded. And when they gave him their undertaking he said: Allah is the Warden over what we say.” (12:66)
“He said: I will not send him with you till ye give me an undertaking in the name of Allah that ye will bring him back to me, unless ye are surrounded. And when they gave him their undertaking he said: Allah is the Warden over what we say.” (12:66)
“He said: I will not send him with you till ye give me an undertaking in the name of Allah that ye will bring him back to me, unless ye are surrounded. And when they gave him their undertaking he said: Allah is the Warden over what we say.” (12:66)
Ya'qub said to his sons:
"I will not send your brother with you to the King of Egypt,"
"until you give me a solemn oath by Allah, a pledge and a covenant,"
"that you will surely bring him back to me,"
"unless you are surrounded by an overwhelming force that makes it impossible for you to bring him."
When they gave him their pledges, Ya'qub said:
"Allah is Witness over what we say, and He is our Guardian in fulfilling what we have all agreed upon."
“And he said: O my sons! Go not in by one gate; go in by different gates. I can naught avail you as against Allah. Lo! the decision rests with Allah only. In Him do I put my trust, and in Him let all the trusting put their trust.” (12:67)
And they entered from separate gates.
“And he said: O my sons! Go not in by one gate; go in by different gates. I can naught avail you as against Allah. Lo! the decision rests with Allah only. In Him do I put my trust, and in Him let all the trusting put their trust.” (12:67)
"The command is for none but Allah."
“And he said: O my sons! Go not in by one gate; go in by different gates. I can naught avail you as against Allah. Lo! the decision rests with Allah only. In Him do I put my trust, and in Him let all the trusting put their trust.” (12:67)
Ya'qub said to his sons,
when they intended to depart from him to Egypt to obtain food:
"O my sons, do not enter Egypt through a single gate,"
"but enter from separate gates."
It is mentioned that he said this to them
because they were men of beauty and stature,
and he feared for them the evil eye
if they were to enter through a single gate.
And he said to them:
"And I cannot avail you against any decree of Allah that He has ordained for you."
"The decree and the command belong to none but Allah, apart from all else."
"And none can repel His decree."
"In Allah I have placed my trust, and in Him I have put my confidence."
"And let those who trust, place their trust in Allah alone."
When the sons of Ya'qub entered Egypt from separate gates,
their entering in that manner did not avail them against the decree of Allah that He had ordained for them,
nor could it avert what He had destined.
However, they fulfilled a desire in the heart of Ya'qub,
so his soul was at peace, knowing they had been warned of what might befall them,
and it was part of the decree of Allah,
so his soul was at peace, knowing they had been warned of that before,
or that they might have been harmed because of it.
And indeed, Ya'qub was a man of knowledge, because We had taught him,
but most people, other than Ya'qub,
do not know what he knows, because We have withheld it from them.
When they entered upon Yusuf, he took his brother to himself.
“And when they went in before Joseph, he took his brother unto him, saying: Lo! I, even I, am thy brother, therefore sorrow not for what they did.” (12:69)
When the sons of Ya'qub entered upon Yusuf,
he drew his brother—from the same father and mother—to himself.
He said, "Indeed, I am your brother Yusuf,"
"so do not grieve for what they used to do to you before this day."
“And when he provided them with their provision, he put the drinking-cup in his brother's saddlebag, and then a crier cried: O camel-riders! Lo! ye are surely thieves!” (12:70)
“And when he provided them with their provision, he put the drinking-cup in his brother's saddlebag, and then a crier cried: O camel-riders! Lo! ye are surely thieves!” (12:70)
When Yusuf had loaded his brothers' camels with provisions and fulfilled their needs,
he placed the vessel he used to measure the food into his brother’s saddlebag.
Then a crier called out, "O caravan, you are indeed thieves!"
“They cried, coming toward them: What is it ye have lost?” (12:71)
The sons of Ya'qub turned to the crier and said, "What is it that you have lost?"
“They said: We have lost the king's cup, and he who bringeth it shall have a camel-load, and I (said Joseph) am answerable for it.” (12:72)
They said, "The King’s drinking cup, and whoever brings it shall have a camel’s load of food, and I guarantee that I will provide it."
“They said: By Allah, well ye know we came not to do evil in the land, and are no thieves.” (12:73)
The brothers of Yusuf said, "By Allah, you know that we did not come to cause corruption in your land, and we were not thieves; we even returned the goods we found in our saddlebags."
“They said: And what shall be the penalty for it, if ye prove liars?” (12:74)
“They said: The penalty for it! He in whose bag (the cup) is found, he is the penalty for it. Thus we requite wrong-doers.” (12:75)
The attendants of Yusuf said to the brothers, "What then shall be the penalty for the theft, if you are liars?"
The brothers of Yusuf said, "Whoever is found with the stolen item in his possession, his penalty is that he shall be surrendered to the one from whom he stole, to be enslaved by him."
"That is how we punish those who commit injustice by taking the property of others through theft."
“Then he (Joseph) began the search with their bags before his brother's bag, then he produced it from his brother's bag. Thus did We contrive for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother according to the king's law unless Allah willed. We raise by grades (of mercy) whom We will, and over every lord of knowledge there is one more knowing.” (12:76)
“Then he (Joseph) began the search with their bags before his brother's bag, then he produced it from his brother's bag. Thus did We contrive for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother according to the king's law unless Allah willed. We raise by grades (of mercy) whom We will, and over every lord of knowledge there is one more knowing.” (12:76)
“Then he (Joseph) began the search with their bags before his brother's bag, then he produced it from his brother's bag. Thus did We contrive for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother according to the king's law unless Allah willed. We raise by grades (of mercy) whom We will, and over every lord of knowledge there is one more knowing.” (12:76)
So Yusuf searched their bags and saddlebags, beginning the search with his brothers' bags.
He searched them one by one before searching his brother’s bag, and finally, he searched his brother’s bag.
He extracted the cup from his brother’s bag; thus did We plan for Yusuf, so that he might keep his brother with him.
It was not for Yusuf to take his brother according to the law, judgment, and obedience of the King of Egypt,
because it was not part of that King’s law or judgment that a thief should be enslaved.
Thus, Yusuf could not have taken his brother under the law of the King of his land,
except that Allah willed it through the stratagem he employed for him.
We raise the ranks of whom We will; We raise their ranks through knowledge above others,
just as We raised the status of Yusuf and his rank above the status and ranks of his brothers.
And above every possessor of knowledge is one more knowing, until all knowledge ends with Allah.