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Tafsir

Scholarly commentary explaining a verse — its context, its meaning and how the scholars have understood it.

Yusuf 12:89

Word by word

قَالَ هَلْ عَلِمْتُم مَّا فَعَلْتُم بِيُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ إِذْ أَنتُمْ جَـٰهِلُونَ

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

Ibn Kathir (Abridged) English Ma'arif al-Qur'an English Tafsir Muyassar Arabic Tafsir Ibn Kathir Arabic All sources

Ibn Kathir (Abridged)

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

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 عَلِمْتُمْ مَّا فَعَلْتُم بِيُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ إِذْ أَنتُمْ جَـهِلُونَ(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 جَـهِلُونَ(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 يُسْراً - إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْراً (Verily, along with every hardship is relief. Verily, along with every hardship is relief.)94:5-6 This is when they said to Yusuf, أَءِنَّكَ لاّنتَ 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, أَءِنَّكَ لاّنتَ يُوسُفُ قَالَ أَنَاْ يُوسُفُ وَهَـذَا أَخِى(Are you indeed Yusuf He said: "I am Yusuf, and this is my brother...") Yusuf said next, قَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَآ`(Allah has indeed been gracious to us.) by gathering us together after being separated all this time,' إِنَّهُ مَن يَتَّقِ وَيِصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَقَالُواْ 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 لاَ تَثْرَيبَ 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 of your error against me.' He then multiplied his generosity by invoking Allah for them for mercy, يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَحِمِينَ(may Allah forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy!)

Ma'arif al-Qur'an

Mufti Muhammad Shafi

Commentary

Mentioned in the verses appearing above is the remaining part of the story of Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) and his brothers. It tells us that Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) asked his sons to go and search Yusuf (علیہ السلام) and his brother. So they travelled to Egypt for a third time - because they knew that Benyamin was there and they had to try to get him released first. As for Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) ، though his presence in Egypt was not known to them but, when the time comes for something to happen, human plans too start falling in place, unconsciously and without an intentional effort. This is confirmed by a Hadith which says: When Allah Ta’ ala intends to do something, He makes its causes get together automatically. Therefore, to search Yusuf (علیہ السلام) too, the very travel to Egypt was appropriate, though taken up unconsciously. Then, they needed food grains, after all. And yet another factor was that they hoped to see the ` Aziz of Misr on the pretext of their request for food grains, when they could put forward their plea for the release of Benyamin.

The first verse (88) begins with the words: فَلَمَّا دَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ قَالُوا (And when they came to him, they said...). It means: When the brothers of Yusuf (علیہ السلام) reached Egypt as ordered by their father and met the ` Aziz of Misr, they talked to him in a flattering tone. Presenting their need and helplessness, they told the ` Aziz that they and their family were suffering because of the famine, so much so that they did not have even adequate funds to purchase food grains. Compelled by circumstance, they had brought a capital which was not good enough for that purpose. Thus, their request was that, given his generosity, he should accept whatever they had and give them the full measure of grains as is usually given against things of good value. Not being their right in any way, they pleaded that the grains should be given to them as if given in charity because ` Allah rewards the charitable.'What was this ` capital of very little worth'? The Qur'an and Hadith have not clarified it. The sayings of the commentators differ.

Some say that they were bad dirhams which were not acceptable in the open market. Others say that this comprised of household articles. This expression - ` capital of very little worth' - is a translation of the meaning of the word: مُّزْجَاةٍ ('muzjatin' ) which really means something which does not move on its own, but has to be moved by someone else forcefully.

When Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) heard these submissive words from his brothers and saw their broken-down condition, he was naturally coming to a point where he would have no option but to disclose the truth as it was. And the drift of events was showing that the restriction placed by Allah Ta` ala on Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) that he would not disclose the truth of the matter about himself was not going to be there anymore for the time had come close when it would be taken back. Based on a narration of Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، it has been reported in Tafsir al-Qurtubi and Mazhari that Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) had, on this occasion, sent a letter in writing and had addressed it to the ` Aziz of Misr. The letter said:"From Ya` qub Safi Allah Ibn Ishaq Dhabih Allah Ibn Ibrahim Khalil Allah to the ` Aziz of Misr. After offering praise to Allah: Our entire family is known for hardships and trials. My grandfather, Ibrahim Khalil Allah was tested through the fire of Nimrud. Then, my father, Ishaq was put to a hard test.

Then, I was tested through a son of mine whom I held very dear - to the limit that I lost my eyesight when separated from him. After that, there was his younger brother, a source of comfort for me in my grief, whom you arrested on a charge of theft. And let me tell you that we are the progeny of prophets. Never have we committed a theft, nor has there ever been a thief among our children. And peace on you!"When Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) read this letter, he trembled and broke into tears and decided to let his secret out. To start with, he first asked his brothers if they remembered what they had done with Yusuf and his brother at a time when they were ignorant, unable to distinguish between good and bad, and quite neglectful of acting with foresight.

When his brothers heard his question, they were dumbfounded. What has the ` Aziz of Misr got to do with the story of Yusuf (علیہ السلام) ? Then, they recollected the dream seen by young Yusuf (علیہ السلام) the interpretation of which was that he would achieve some high rank and they would have to bow down before him. Could it be that this ` Aziz of Misr is none else but Yusuf (علیہ السلام) himself? Then, as they exerted and deliberated a little more, they recognized him by some signs. Still, to confirm it further, they asked him:

Tafsir Muyassar

Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Saudi Arabia

فلما سمع مقالتهم رقَّ لهم، وعرَّفهم بنفسه وقال: هل تذكرون الذي فعلتموه بيوسف وأخيه من الأذى في حال جَهْلكم بعاقبة ما تفعلون؟

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

قول تعالى مخبرا عن يوسف ، عليه السلام : أنه لما ذكر له إخوته ما أصابهم من الجهد والضيق وقلة الطعام وعموم الجدب ، وتذكر أباه وما هو فيه من الحزن لفقد ولديه ، مع ما هو فيه من الملك والتصرف والسعة ، فعند ذلك أخذته رقة ورأفة ورحمة وشفقة على أبيه وإخوته ، وبدره البكاء ، فتعرف إليهم ، يقال إنه رفع التاج عن جبهته ، وكان فيها شامة ، وقال : ( هل علمتم ما فعلتم بيوسف وأخيه إذ أنتم جاهلون ) ؟ يعني : كيف فرقوا بينه وبينه ) إذ أنتم جاهلون ) أي : إنما حملكم على هذا الجهل بمقدار هذا الذي ارتكبتموه ، كما قال بعض السلف : كل من عصى الله فهو جاهل ، وقرأ : ( ثم إن ربك للذين عملوا السوء بجهالة ) إلى قوله : ( إن ربك من بعدها لغفور رحيم ) [ النحل : 119 ] .والظاهر - والله أعلم - أن يوسف ، عليه السلام ، إنما تعرف إليهم بنفسه ، بإذن الله له في ذلك ، كما أنه إنما أخفى منهم نفسه في المرتين الأوليين بأمر الله تعالى له في ذلك ، والله أعلم ، ولكن لما ضاق الحال واشتد الأمر ، فرج الله تعالى من ذلك الضيق ، كما قال تعالى : ( فإن مع العسر يسرا إن مع العسر يسرا ) [ الشرح : 5 ، 6 ] ، فعند ذلك قالوا :

Tafsir is provided for educational reference. Paragraph breaks are added for readability — the wording of each commentary is unchanged. For religious guidance, consult a qualified scholar.