Tafsir

Yusuf's Reign in Egypt

Allah said next, وَكَذلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ(Thus did We give full authority to Yusuf in the land), in Egypt, يَتَبَوَّأُ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ يَشَآءُ(to take possession therein, when or where he likes.) As-Suddi and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that this part of the Ayah means, "To do whatever he wants therein." Ibn Jarir at Tabari said that it means, "He used to move about freely in the land after being imprisoned, suffering from hardship and the disgrace of slavery." Allah said next, نُصِيبُ بِرَحْمَتِنَا مَن نَّشَآءُ وَلاَ نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ(We bestow of Our mercy on whom We will, and We make not to be lost the reward of the good doers.) Allah says here, We did not let the patience of Yusuf, from the harm his brothers exerted on him and being imprisoned because of the wife of the `Aziz, to be lost.

Instead, Allah the Exalted and Most Honored rewarded him with His aid and victory, وَكَذَلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ يَتَبَوَّأُ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ يَشَآءُ نُصِيبُ بِرَحْمَتِنَا مَن نَّشَآءُ وَلاَ نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ - وَلاّجْرُ الاٌّخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَكَانُواْ يَتَّقُونَ (And We make not to be lost the reward of the good doers. And verily, the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believed and had Taqwa.) Allah states that what He has prepared for His Prophet Yusuf, peace be upon him, in the Hereafter is much greater, subs- tantial and honored than the authority He gave him in this life.

Allah said about His Prophet Sulayman (Solomon), peace be upon him, هَـذَا عَطَآؤُنَا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِكْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ - وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِندَنَا لَزُلْفَى وَحُسْنَ مَـَابٍ ("This is Our gift, so spend or withhold, no account will be asked of you." And verily, for him is a near access to Us, and a good (final) return (Paradise).) 38:39-40 Yusuf, peace be upon him, was appointed minister of finance by Ar-Rayyan bin Al-Walid, king of Egypt at the time, instead of the `Aziz who bought him and the husband of she who tried to seduce him. The king of Egypt embraced Islam at the hands of Yusuf, peace be upon him, according to Mujahid.

The Objective of Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) was to Establish the Din of Allah.

Said in verse 55 was:وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ يَتَبَوَّأُ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ يَشَاءُ ۚ نُصِيبُ بِرَ‌حْمَتِنَا مَن نَّشَاءُ ۖ وَلَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ‌ الْمُحْسِنِينَAnd thus We gave Yusuf (علیہ السلام) power in the land. He could settle there wherever he wished. We extend Our mercy to whomsoever We will, and We do not waste the reward of those who are good in deeds.

For details, it can be said that, after an experimental period of one year, the king of Egypt arranged a special celebration in his court to which he invited all officials and dignitaries of the state. Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) was brought into the gathering with a crown on his head. Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) was given, not simply the charge of the state treasury, but the charge of virtually the whole state. Having done this, the king him-self retired from active involvement with the affairs of the state. (Qurtubi, Mazhari and others)Sayyidna Yusuf علیہ السلام managed the affairs of the state with such ability that no one had any reason to complain. The whole country loved him. Peace and prosperity prevailed all over. Even Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) himself faced no problems or pains in executing the many responsibilities of the government.

Tafsir authority, Mujahid, has said: Since Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) under the surface grandeur of his rule over the country, aimed at nothing but that the command of Allah Ta ala be carried out there and that the faith given by Him becomes firmly established. Therefore, he never lost sight of his basic objective, that is, inviting the king of Egypt to faith and Islam. As time passed, his efforts bore fruits by the grace of Allah and the king of Egypt too became a believing Muslim.

وكما أنعم الله على يوسف بالخلاص من السجن مكَّن له في أرض «مصر» ينزل منها أي منزل شاءه. يصيب الله برحمته من يشاء من عباده المتقين، ولا يضيع أجر مَن أحسن شيئًا مِن العمل الصالح.

يقول تعالى : ( وكذلك مكنا ليوسف في الأرض ) أي : أرض مصر ، ( يتبوأ منها حيث يشاء )قال السدي ، وعبد الرحمن بن زيد بن أسلم : يتصرف فيها كيف يشاء .وقال ابن جرير : يتخذ منها منزلا حيث يشاء بعد الضيق والحبس والإسار . ( نصيب برحمتنا من نشاء ولا نضيع أجر المحسنين ) أي : وما أضعنا صبر يوسف على أذى إخوته ، وصبره على الحبس بسبب امرأة العزيز; فلهذا أعقبه الله عز وجل السلامة والنصر والتأييد ( ولا نضيع أجر المحسنين).