Yusuf

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

1. Alif Lām Rā’ – the placement of such letters has been discussed at the beginning of Sūrah Al-Baqarah. The verses that are revealed in this sūrah are from the verses of the Qur’ān which are clear in their meaning.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

111 verses, and was revealed after surat Hud. In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful: [12:1] Aliflam ra’: God knows bed: what He means by these [letters]. Those, verses, are the verses of the Book, the Qur’an (the genitive annexation carries the meaning of [partitive] min, ‘from’) 1 that makes plain, the one that manifests truth [distinguishing it] from what is falsehood. [12:2] We have revealed it as an Arabic Qur’an, in the language of the Arabs, so that you, O people of Mecca, might understand, comprehend its meaning. [12:3] We will relate to you the bed of narratives in…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

2. I have revealed the Qur’ān in the language of the Arabs, so that you, O Arabs, can understand its meanings.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

3. By revealing this Qur’ān to you, I narrate, O Messenger, the best of stories, in their accuracy, the soundness of their words and their eloquence. Before I revealed it, you were unaware of these stories, without any knowledge of them.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

4. I tell you, O Messenger, about the time when Joseph said to his father, Jacob, ‘O my father, I dreamt of eleven stars and I saw the sun and the moon. I saw all of them prostrating to me’. This dream was an early sign of good news for Joseph (peace be upon him).

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

in is softened, in other words [understand it as] wa-innahu ) prior to it you were of the heedless. [12:4] Mention, when Joseph said to his father, Jacob: ‘O my father (read yd abati to indicate the omit¬ ted yd' of genitive annexation [sc. of yd abi]; or read yd abata to indicate that an alif originally ayd’, has been omitted) I saw, in my sleep, eleven planets and the sun and the moon, I saw them ([repeated] for emphasis) prostrating themselves before me’ ( sajidin : this plural form is used to describe [the acft of] ‘prostration’, which is an attribute associated with rational beings).

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

5. Jacob said to his son, Joseph: O my son, do not mention your dream to your brothers because they will understand it and become jealous of you. They will then plot against you because of their envy. Satan is a clear enemy to man’.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ed to describe [the acft of] ‘prostration’, which is an attribute associated with rational beings). [12:5] He said, ‘O my son, do not relate your vision to your brothers, leSt they plot againSt you some plot, [leSt] they scheme to kill you, out of envy, knowing that the interpretation [of the dream] is that they represent the [eleven] planets, your mother, the sun and your father, the moon. Truly Satan is to man a manifest foe, [one] of evident enmity.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

6. Just as you have seen that dream, your Lord will choose you, O Joseph, and teach you the interpretation of dreams; and He will perfect His favour on you by giving you prophethood, as well as kingdom, just as He completed His blessing on your two forefathers before you, Abraham and Isaac, with the favours of this world and the Afterlife that He blessed them with. Your Lord is One Who knows His creation and Who is Wise in His planning.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

, the sun and your father, the moon. Truly Satan is to man a manifest foe, [one] of evident enmity. [12:6] Thus, in the way that you have seen, will your Lord prefer you, choose you, and teach you the in¬ terpretation of events, the interpretation of visions, andperfed His grace upon you, with prophethood, and upon the House of Jacob — [upon] his sons — as He perfeded it, with prophethood, formerly on your fathers Abraham and Isaac. Truly your Lord is Knower, of His creatures.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

7. In the story of Joseph and his brothers there are lessons and advices for those who ask about the incident.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

8. At that time, the brothers said among themselves: Joseph and his full brother are more beloved to our father than we are, whereas we are a group large in number. Why does he prefer them to us? We think that our father is mistaken in preferring them to us without any apparent reason.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

and his brethren — who were eleven — are signs, lessons, for those who inquire, about their tale. 2 [12:8] Mention, when they, that is, [when] some of Joseph’s brothers, said, to some of the others: ‘Surely Joseph ( la-Yusufu is the subjedt) and his brother, his full brother Benjamin, are dearer ( ahabbu is the predicate) to our father than we are, though we be a [hardy] band, a group. Lot our father is in plain aberration, in manifest error, for preferring those two to us.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

9. It was further said: Kill Joseph or expel him to a far-off land and your father’s attention will be all yours and he will love you completely. After killing him and expelling him, you can be righteous when you repent from your sin.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

a group. Lot our father is in plain aberration, in manifest error, for preferring those two to us. [12:9] Kill Joseph or caSt him away into some land, that is, into some distant land, so that your father might be solely concerned with you, so that he might turn [his attention] to you and not be distraded by anyone else, and that thereafter, that is, after killing Joseph or casting him away, you might be a right¬ eous folk’, by repenting.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

10. One of the brothers said: Do not kill Yousuf, rather throw him into a well and some passers by may find him and take him, this is a lesser evil if you really want to get rid of him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

that is, after killing Joseph or casting him away, you might be a right¬ eous folk’, by repenting. [12:10] One of them, namely, Judah, 3 said, ‘Do not kill Joseph, but cad him, throw him, into the bottom of a well (ghaydbat al-jubb is the darkest recess of a well; a variant reading has the plural [ghaydbdt]), so that some caravan might pick him up, if you are to do anything’, of what you desire, in the way of separating [Joseph from us]: so content yourselves with this [solution]. 1 In other words, ayat al-kitab, ‘verses of the Book’, is to be understood as ayat min al-kitab, ‘verses from…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

11. When they agreed to get rid of him, they said to their father, Jacob: O our father, why do not you trust us with Joseph? We have compassion for him and we will take care of him against anything that might harm him. We want good for him, so we will protect and look after him until he comes back to you safely. So, what stops you from sending him with us?

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

12. Let us take him with us tomorrow, so he can have a good time and play with us and we will protect him from any harm that may come to him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

with Joseph? We are indeed his well-wishers, we are indeed only looking out for his beSt interests. [12:12] Send him forth with us tomorrow, to the desert, to frolic and play (read [ fi rs't person plural] narta‘ wa-nal’ab, ‘that we might frolic and play’, or [third person plural] yarta wa-yal‘ab, ‘that he might frolic and play’), in other words, so that we might be Spirited and roam freely.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

13. Jacob said to his sons: I am saddened by your taking him because I cannot bear to be away from him. I also fear that a wolf may eat him when you are not paying attention to him, absorbed in your enjoyment and play.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

14. They said to their father: If a wolf was to eat Joseph when there are so many of us, then, in such a case, we are good for nothing and we are losers because we could not save him from the wolf.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

their land had many wolves in it), while you are heedless of him’, dis'traded [by something else]. [12:14] They said, ‘Truly if (la-in: the lam here is for oaths) the wolf were to devour him, when we are [so hardy] a band, a group, then we indeed are losers!’, incapable [of anything]. Thus, he sent him off with them.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

15. So Jacob sent Joseph with his brothers. They took him a long distance and were determined to throw him to the bottom of a well. In this condition, I sent revelation to Joseph saying, ‘You will inform them of this act of theirs at a time when they will not realise that it is you’.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

nd, a group, then we indeed are losers!’, incapable [of anything]. Thus, he sent him off with them. [12:15] So when they went off with him, and agreed, resolved, to put him into the bottom of the well (the response of lamma, ‘when, has been omitted, in other words [understand it as being] faalu dhalika, ‘they did [juSt] that’) by taking off his shirt — after having beaten him, humiliated him and desiring to kill him — and lowering him in a bucket [into the well].…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

16. The brothers of Joseph came to their father in the evening, pretending to cry in order for him to believe them.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

[are] ( wa-hum la yash’uruna is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the acftion of‘informing’). [12:16] And they came to their father in the evening, weeping. [12:17] They said, ‘O father, we went competing, shooting, and left Joseph by our things, our clothes, and the wolf ate him. But you would never believe us, even though we fpeak the truth’, before you, you would Still have accused us [of lying] in this Story, because of your adoration of Joseph, so how much more so when you think ill of us?

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

17. They said: O our father, we went off on foot racing with one another and shooting arrows and we left Joseph by our clothes and provisions to look after them. Then the wolf ate him. You are not going to believe us, even though we are absolutely truthful in what we have told you.

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

18. They confirmed their story with a trick. They brought the shirt of Joseph stained with the blood of something else, giving the impression that it was a sign of the wolf’s having eaten him. Jacob realised that they were lying, because the shirt was not torn, and he said to them: The matter is not as you have said. Instead, your souls have made an evil action that you committed seem good to you. I will exercise beautiful patience without any complaint. Allah is the One from Whom aid is requested against what you mention about the matter of Joseph.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

] in this Story, because of your adoration of Joseph, so how much more so when you think ill of us? [12:18] And they came with false blood on his shirt (‘ala qamisihi has the Status of an accusative [of the verb], because it is an adverbial qualifier, meaning fawqa [qamisihi]): they slaughtered a lamb and dabbed it [his shirt] with its blood — but they forgot to tear it [the shirt] — and they said that it was his blood.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

19. A passing caravan came by and they sent someone to draw water for them. He lowered his bucket into the well and Joseph caught hold of the rope. When the person who had lowered the bucket saw him, he happily said, ‘Good news! Here is a boy!’ The water-drawer and a few others hid him from the rest of the caravan, regarding him to be merchandise that they could trade. Allah knew what they were doing with Joseph when they treated him as an item of sale. No action of theirs was hidden from Him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

our is sought in that [predicament] which you describe’, that which you mention of Joseph’s affair. [12:19] And there came a caravan — travellers going from Midian to Egypt, who stopped near to Joseph’s well — and they sent their water-drawer, the one who goes down to the water [source] to draw from it, and he let down his bucket, into the well and Joseph clung to it and he pulled him out, and when he saw him: he said, ‘Good news!’ (a variant reading [of yd bushra] has yd bushraya: this [vocative] call is figurative, in other words [it is to be understood as] ‘Come [O good news], now is y…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

20. The water-drawer and his companions sold him in Egypt for a petty amount of a few silver coins that could be easily counted due to their small number. They sold him cheaply because they wanted to get rid of him quickly. They had realised from his condition that he was not a slave and they were afraid of his family. Allah was Merciful to him by not keeping him with them for very long.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

21. The man from Egypt who had purchased him said to his wife, ‘Be good to him and look after him well. He may benefit us by doing some of the things we need, or we may adopt him as a child’. Just as I saved Joseph from being killed, removed him from the well and made the heart of the minister soft towards him, I established him in Egypt, to teach him the interpretation of dreams. Allah is in full control of His affair, and His affair will come into effect. No one can compel Him, may He be glorified; but most people – who are actually disbelievers – do not know that.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

Egypt, where the one who had bought him sold him for 20 dinars, two pairs of sandals and two robes. [12:21] And he of Egypt who purchased him, Potifar, the Court Officer (Qitfir al- c aziz ), 6 said to his wife, Zulaikha ( Zulaykha ), ‘Give him an honourable place, [an honourable] residence with us. Maybe he will be useful to us, or we may adopt him as a son’ — for he was chaste.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

22. When Joseph reached the height of his spiritual and physical strength, I gave him understanding and knowledge. With a reward similar to what I gave him, I reward those who do good by following Me.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

e He, nothing being beyond Him, but moStpeople — and they are the disbelievers — do not know, this. [12:22] And when he reached his prime — which was at 30 or 33 years of age — We gave him [power of] judgement, wisdom, and knowledge, understanding in [matters of] religion, before his call to prophet- hood. Thus, juSt as We rewarded him, We reward those who are virtuous, to [the good] of their souls.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

23. The wife of the minister tried cunningly and by the use of a trick to get Joseph (peace be upon him) to commit an indecent act. She shut the doors to ensure that they were alone and she said to him, ‘Come towards me!’ Joseph said: I seek protection in Allah from what you are calling me toward. My master has taken good care of me in my stay here and I will never betray him. If I betray him, I will be a wrongdoer; and those who do wrong do not succeed.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

hood. Thus, juSt as We rewarded him, We reward those who are virtuous, to [the good] of their souls. [12:23] And she, in whose house he was — namely Zulaykha — attempted to seduce him, that is, she asked him to lie with her, and she closed the doors, of the house. And she said, to him: ‘Come!’ (hayta laka: the lam [of laka] is for clarification; a variant reading has hita laka or haytu laka). ‘God forbid!’, I seek refuge with God from this, he said.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

24. She had desired to commit the indecent act and the same thought would have crossed his mind had he not seen Allah’s signs that prevented him and distanced him from that. I showed him My proofs to keep him pure from evil and distance him from unlawful sexual relations and betrayal. Joseph was one of My servants whom I chose for messengership and prophethood.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

nd so I cannot betray him with regard to his family. Truly, evildoers, fornicators, never prosper’. [12:24] And she certainly desired him, she sought sexual intercourse with him, and he would have desired her [too], he would have sought the same, had it not been that he saw the proof of his Lord: Ibn ‘Abbas said, ‘Jacob was made to appear before him, and he struck his [Joseph’s] breast, whereupon his [sexual] desire withdrew [from his body] through his fingernails (the reijtonse to lawld, ‘had it not been’, has been omitted: [understood to be] la-jama’ahd, ‘he would have lain with her’).…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

25. They raced for the door: Joseph to save himself, and she to prevent him from leaving. She caught hold of his shirt to stop him from leaving and she tore it from behind. At the door they found her husband. The minister’s wife deceptively said to him: The punishment for the person who intended to commit an indecent act with your wife, O minister, can only be prison or that he be given a painful punishment.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

dience ( mukhlisin: a variant reading has mukhlasin, in other words, ‘chosen/purffied [servants]’). [12:25] And they raced to the door: Joseph making for it in order to escape, while she, in order to grab hold of him, caught hold of his garment and pulled him towards her, and she tore his shirt from behind, whereupon they encountered her master, her husband, at the door.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

26. Joseph (peace be upon him) said: It was she who tried to get me to commit an indecent act. I did not intend it from her. Allah then made a child from her family speak in the cradle and it testified saying: If Joseph’s shirt is torn from the front, then it indicates that she is truthful, because she was trying to stop him from coming on to her; and then he will be lying.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

uld be imprisoned, locked up in a jail, or [suffer] a painfid chastisement?’, by having him beaten. [12:26] He, Joseph, said, declaring himself innocent [of the charge]: ‘It was she who attempted to seduce me’. And a witness of her own folk testified, her paternal cousin — it is reported that he was Still [a child] in the cradle — and he said: ‘If his shirt has been torn from the front, then she Speaks the truth, and he 6 He was also the captain of the guard: Gen. 37:36.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

27.But if his shirt is torn from behind, then that is an indication that he is truthful, because she was trying to seduce him whilst he was running away; and she will be lying.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

28. When the minister saw that Joseph’s shirt was torn from behind, he realised that Joseph was telling the truth and he said: This accusation that you cast on him is part of your trickery, O women. Your trickery is certainly strong.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

29. He said to Joseph: O Joseph, completely ignore this and do not mention it to anyone. And you, woman, ask forgiveness for your sin, for you committed a sin by trying to seduce Joseph.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

to the end [of the verse, Q. 12:25] — is of the guile of you, O, women. Verily your guile is great. [12:29] Then he said: O, Joseph, ignore this, matter and do not mention it [to anyone], ledl it be broad¬ cast; and you, O Zulaykha, ask forgiveness for your sin: surely you have been of the erring’, the sinful; but the tale was reported and became public. [12:30] And some of the women in the city, the city of Egypt, said, ‘The Court Officer’s wife has been seducing her boy, her servant.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

30. The news spread in the city and a group of women disapprovingly said: The wife of the minister is calling her slave towards herself. His love has penetrated her heart. We think she is clearly misguided in trying to seduce him and because of her love for him despite his being her slave.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

31. When the wife of the minister heard of their disapproval of her and their gossip about her, she sent an invitation to them to come and see Joseph, so that they would excuse her. She prepared for them a place with cushions and pillows and she gave each one of the women who were invited a knife to cut food. She then said to Joseph (peace be upon him), ‘Go out to them!’ When they saw him, they were taken aback by his beauty and stunned by his handsomeness.…

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

casing). Lo! we see her to be in plain aberration’, that is, in error evident, in her love of him. [12:31] And when she heard of their machinations, their backbiting of her, she sent for them and pre¬ pared for them a repaft (muttaka ’ is food that requires cutting with a knife, since one leans upon it (ittika’): this [repaSt] was utruj, citron).…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

32. The wife of the minister said to those women when she saw what happened to them, ‘This is the slave who you blamed me for loving. I desired him and tried to entice him, but he remained pure and refused. If he does not, in the future, do what I desire, he will go to prison and will become one of those who are disgraced’.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

nkind. In the Sahih [of al-Bukharl], it is [reported] that one half of all beauty was given to him. [12:32] She, the wife of the Court Officer, said, when she saw what happened to them, ‘This is he on whose account, for the love of whom, you blamed me ( alladhi lumtunnani fihi is an explication of her excuse). Indeed I did attempt to seduce him, but he withheld himself, he refused. Yet if he does not do what I bid him, he verily shall be imprisoned, and verily shall be of those brought low’, those abased. The women said to him: ‘Obey your mistress!’.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

33. Joseph (peace be upon him) prayed to his Lord saying: O my Lord, prison, which they threaten me with, is preferable to me than the shameful act they call me towards. If You do not remove their scheme from me, I may incline to them and I will become one of the ignorant ones – if I give in to them and do what they want me to do.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

verily shall be of those brought low’, those abased. The women said to him: ‘Obey your mistress!’. [12:33] He said, ‘My Lord, prison is dearer to me than that to which they are urging me. And if You do not fend off their wiles from me, then I shall tend, I shall incline, towards them and become of the ignorant, the sinful: this is intended as a supplication, which is why God, exalted be He, then says: [12:34] So his Lord answered him, his supplication, and He fended off their wiles from him.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

34. Allah answered his prayer and removed the scheme of the minister’s wife and that of the women of the city from him. He, may He be glorified, heard the prayer of Joseph – He hears the prayer of any person who prays to Him. He knew the condition of Joseph and He knows the condition of everyone besides him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

35. Then the view of the minister and his people, after they had seen evidence of his innocence, was that they should put him in prison for an unknown period, so that the scandal was not exposed.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

36. They put him in prison and two youngsters entered the prison with him. One of these youngsters said to Joseph, ‘I saw in my dream that I was pressing grapes to make wine’. The other said: I saw that I was carrying bread on my head, from which birds were eating. Tell us, O Joseph, the interpretation of what we saw. We regard you to be from those who do good, so be good to us by interpreting our dreams.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

imprison him for a while, until such time as people ceased to talk of him. He was thus imprisoned. [12:36] And there entered the prison with him two youths, two young men [servants] of the king, one of whom was his cup-bearer, the other, his food-taster. They noticed that he interpreted dreams and so they said, ‘Let us try him’. One of them, the cup-bearer, said: ‘I dreamed that I was pressing wine’, that is, grapes. The other, the food-taSter, said: ‘I dreamed that I was carrying on my head bread whereof the birds were eating.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

37. Joseph (peace be upon him) said: No food allocated to you by the king or anyone else will come you, except that I will explain to you its essence and form before it comes to you. The interpretation I give you is what my Lord has taught me. It is not soothsaying or astrology. I have left the religion of a people who do not have faith in Allah and who denounce the Afterlife, although they acknowledge it within themselves.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

g. Tell us, inform us [of], its interpretation, for indeed we see you as being among the virtuous’. [12:37] He said, to them both, in order to inform [them] that he knew how to interpret dreams: ‘The food, with which you are provided, shall not come to you, while you are asleep, but I shall tell you the 9 The author’s gloss an yasjunuhu is intended to complete the introductory clause, since the clause that follows la-yasjununnahu, although an indicator of the purpose clause, is not, Strictly sjieaking, the result of the introductory one — la here being an intensi- fier and not a particle…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

38. Joseph said that he followed the path of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: the path of worshipping Allah alone. He said it was not right for them to associate anything with Allah, Who is alone in His Oneness. Enabling them to worship Allah alone and have the faith which he and his fathers had was from the grace of Allah upon them. It was also from the grace of Allah upon all people, since He sent the prophets to them with that message; yet most people are not thankful to Allah for His blessings, and instead ungratefully disbelieve in Him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

in God and who moreover (hum, ‘they’ [is repeated] for emphasis) are disbelievers in the Hereafter. [12:38] And I follow the creed of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. It never was, right,/or us to associate anything (min shay’in: min is extra) with God — on account of our [God-given] immunity [from error].…

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

39. Joseph then addressed the two men in the prison, asking whether worshipping many gods was better or worshipping Allah, the One, Who has no partner, the Prevailing over all else, Who none can prevail over.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

40. Joseph told them that they only worshipped names besides Allah, which have not been designated by Allah, but were what they and their ancestors had called gods – yet they had no share in divinity. Allah had sent no proof showing that giving these names was correct. The command in all creation is Allah’s alone, and does not belong to these names, which they and their ancestors had come up with. Allah, glory be to Him, has instructed that you worship Him alone, and has forbidden that you should associate others with Him.…

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

rds better, or, is, God, the One, the Almighty, better? (an interrogative meant as an affirmative). [12:40] You do not worship, apart from Him, that is, other than Him, anything but [mere] names that you have named, that you have named for idols, you and your fathers. God has not revealed any war¬ rant, any definitive argument or proof, regarding them, regarding worship of them. Judgement, decree, belongs only to God, alone. He has commanded that you worship none but Him.…

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41. Joseph told his two companions in the prison that he would interpret their dreams for them. He told them that the one who dreamed that he was pressing grapes to make wine would get out of the prison, and return to his work, and would serve the king. As for the one who dreamed that he was carrying bread on his head that the birds were eating from, he would be killed and crucified, and the birds would eat from his head. The matter they asked for an opinion on was settled and would come to pass. It was an inevitable reality.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

rs — do not know, the punishment in which they shall end up, and so they ascribe partners [to God]. [12:41] O fellow-prisoners! As for one of you, that is, the cup-bearer, he will depart after three [days] and, he shall serve his lord, his master, wine to drink, as usual; and as for the other, he will depart after three [days] and, he will be crucified so that the birds will eat from his head-, this is the interpretation of both your dreams.…

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42. Joseph asked the one he considered to be saved of the two, the wine bearer of the king, to mention his story and his situation to the king, so that he might release him from prison. Satan made the man forget to mention Joseph to the king, so he stayed in prison for several years after that.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ng which you sought opinion’, about which you enquired, whether you sjioke truthfully or were lying. [12:42] Then he said to the one whom he deemed, [whom] he was certain, would be saved of the two — and this was the cup-bearer: ‘Mention me to your lord’, your master, and say to him, ‘There is a young man in jail who has been wrongly imprisoned’.…

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43. One day the king said that he had seen a dream in which seven fat cows were being eaten by seven thin ones, and seven green ears of corn and seven dry ears of corn. He asked the notables and nobles to tell him the interpretation of his dream, if they knew how to interpret dreams.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

e remained, in prison for some years: it is said [that he remained] for seven years, or for twelve. [12:43] And the king, the king of Egypt — al-Rayyan b. al-Walid — said, ‘I saw in [a dream] seven fat kine being devoured, being swallowed up, by seven lean ones, of kine (‘ijaf is the plural of ‘ajfdj, and seven green ears of corn and others, that is seven [other] ears of corn, dry, that had wound themselves around the green ones and risen above them.…

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

44. They said that his vision was a jumble of dreams, and because of this it could not be interpreted; and that they were not knowledgeable about the interpretation of mixed-up dreams.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

45. The wine bearer – who, of the two men who had been imprisoned, had been saved – then remembered Joseph (peace be upon him) after some time and that he was able to interpret dreams, so he said that he would tell them the interpretation of the king’s vision after asking someone who knew how to interpret it. He asked to be sent by the king to Joseph so that he could interpret his dream.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

, ‘A jumble, a mixture, of dreams! And we are not knowledgeable in the inter¬ pretation of dreams’. [12:45] And he of the two who was released, that is, of the two young men, namely, the cup-bearer, re¬ membering (iddakara: the original ta [of tadhakkara] has been changed to a dal and assimilated with the dhal ), 10 after a time, [after] a period of time, the predicament of Joseph, said, ‘I will inform you of its interpretation; so send me forth’, so they sent him forth and he came to Joseph, and said:

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

46. When the man who had been saved reached Joseph, he asked Joseph, the truthful, to inform them of the interpretation of someone dreaming about seven fat cows being eaten by seven thin cows, and seven green ears of corn and seven dry ears of corn, so that he might return to the king and those with him and they might know the explanation of the king’s dream, and also know the virtue and rank of Joseph.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

u of its interpretation; so send me forth’, so they sent him forth and he came to Joseph, and said: [12:46] ‘O, Joseph, O truthful one, one given to truth, give us your opinion concerning seven fat kine that are devoured by seven lean ones, and [concerning] seven green ears of corn and [seven] others dry, that I may return to the people, that is, to the king and his courtiers, so that they might know’, its interpretation. 10 In other words, iddakara is in fad tadhakkara: the ta ‘ of the latter is replaced by a dal and its dhal is assimilated with the new dal, whereupon the dal becomes do…

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

47. Explaining this dream, Joseph said that they should plant really well for seven consecutive years. And what they harvested in each of these seven years, they should leave in the ears of corn so that it would not rot, except for a little which they needed to eat from the corn.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

the hamza (;'■ ) is added to allow pronunciation. The transformation to iddakara is thus complete. [12:47] He said, ‘You shall sow — that is, [go ahead and] sow — seven years consecutively — and this was the interpretation of the seven fat ones — but that which you reap, leave it in the ear, leSt it Sjioil, except for a little which you eat-, thresh it. [12:48] Then after that, in other words, after the seven fertile [years], there shall come seven hard, bar¬ ren and unyielding, years — the interpretation of the seven lean ones — which shall devour what you set aside for them, of grain s…

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48. Then after these seven fertile years in which they successfully grew food, seven barren years would come, when the people would eat all they had harvested in the fertile years, except for a little of what they had stored, from which they would be able to sow seeds.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

49. Then after these barren years a year would come in which the rains would fall, and the crops would grow, and the people would press those things that need pressing, such as grapes, olives and cane.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

t [all] this during these [seven hard years], all except a little which you have preserved, stored. [12:49] Hien after that, in other words, after the seven barren years, there shall come a year in which the people will be granted relief, through rain, and in which they will press [fruit], grapes, and other [seeds], because of its [that year’s] fertility.

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50. The king told his servants, when Joseph’s explanation of his dream reached him, to release Joseph from prison and bring him to him. When the king’s messenger came to Joseph, he told him to return to his master, the king, and ask him about the story of the women who cut their hands, so that his innocence would be made clear before he left the prison. Joseph said that his Lord was aware of how they had tried to seduce him, as nothing is hidden from Him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

n which they will press [fruit], grapes, and other [seeds], because of its [that year’s] fertility. [12:50] And the king, after the messenger had come to him and informed him of its [the dream’s] interpretation, said: ‘Bring him to me!’, that is, the one who interpreted it. And when the messenger came to him, that is, [to] Joseph, and summoned him in order to depart [from the prison], he said — with the intention of manifesting his innocence — ‘Return to your lord and ask him, to inquire: “What of, [what was] the case with, the women who cut their hands?” Surely my lord, my master, has k…

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51. The king, addressing the women, asked what happened when they called Joseph through trickery. Was it to commit immorality with them? The wife of the minister, confessing what she had done, said that now the truth had become clear, that she tried to seduce him, and he did not try to seduce her, and that he was truthful in claiming that he was innocent of what she had accused him of.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ile’; he [the messenger] thus returned and informed the king, who then sum¬ moned them [the women]. [12:51] He said, ‘What was your business, women, when you solicited Joseph?’, did you find on his part any inclination towards you?: ‘God preserve us!’ they said. ‘We know of no evil in him.’ The Court Of¬ ficer’s wife said, ‘Now the truth is out, [now] it has become clear; it was I who attempted to seduce him and he is indeed of the truthful’, in his saying, It was she who attempted to seduce me [Q. 12:26]. Joseph was then informed of this and he said:

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

52. The wife of the minister said that this disclosure was so that Joseph would know through her confession that it was she who had tried to seduce him and that he was truthful, and that she had not lied about him in his absence, as it had become clear to her from what had happened that Allah does not give success to those who lie and scheme.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ng, It was she who attempted to seduce me [Q. 12:26]. Joseph was then informed of this and he said: [12:52] ‘That, plea of innocence, is so that he, the Court officer, may know I did not betray him, with regard to his family, in his absence ( bi’l-ghayb is a circumstantial qualifier), and that tndy God does not guide [to success] the guile of the treacherous; he [Joseph] then humbled himself before God and said: [12:53] Yet I do not exculpate my own soul, of slipping into error; verily the soul, as such, 11 is ever incit¬ ing to evil, except that whereon, meaning the person [upon whom], m…

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53. The minister’s wife continued speaking, saying that she was not free of blame from having wanted to do something bad, and she was not trying to justify herself, because the human self commands often to evil. This is because of its inclination towards what it desires and the difficulty of holding back from it, except for those whom Allah shows mercy to, preventing their egos from commending them to evil. Allah is Forgiving and Compassionate towards those of His servants who repent to Him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

54. When Joseph’s innocence and knowledge became evident, the king asked his servants to bring Joseph to him to serve him. So they brought Joseph to him, and when Joseph spoke to him, his knowledge and high intelligence became evident so the king said to him “from this day, you are someone of rank, status and trust”.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

[upon whom], my Lord has mercy, and so protects [from sin]. Truly my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful’. [12:54] And the king said, ‘Bring him to me, that I may use him for myself’, that I may make him mine exclusively, with none to share [him with me]. The messenger came to him [to Joseph] and said, ‘Re¬ spond to the king!’, and so he got up and bid farewell to [his] fellow-prisoners and prayed for them. He then washed himself, put on some good clothes and entered upon him.…

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55. Joseph asked the king to put him in charge of taking care of the storehouses of wealth and food in the land of Egypt, because he would be a trustworthy guardian, with knowledge and insight about what he was taking care of.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

sk you to supply them [with provisions]’. He [the king] said, ‘Whom can I delegate this [task] to?’ [12:55] He, Joseph, said, ‘Place me in charge of the Storehouses of the land, the land of Egypt. I am in¬ deed a skilled custodian’, one worthy of custodianship thereof, and knowledgeable in such affairs — it is also said [that he meant]: [I am indeed] a [competent] scribe and accountant.

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

56. Just as Allah proved Joseph’s innocence and released him from prison, He also established him in Egypt, so that he could go and live in any place he wished. Allah gives from His mercy to whomever of His servants He wills in this world, and does not allow the reward of those who do good to be lost, giving it to them in full, and nothing less.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

such affairs — it is also said [that he meant]: [I am indeed] a [competent] scribe and accountant. [12:56] Thus, in the same way that We were graceful towards Him by delivering him from prison, We established Joseph in the land, the land of Egypt, that he may settle in it wherever he wished, after [having suffered] hardship and imprisonment.…

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

57. The reward of Allah, which He has prepared in the Afterlife, is certainly better than the reward of this life for those who have faith in Allah and who were mindful of Him, following what He has ordered and staying away from what He has prohibited.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

58. The brothers of Joseph came to Egypt with their merchandise, and came before Joseph. He recognised that they were his brothers; but they did not recognise that he was their brother, because of the length of time that had passed and because of how much he had changed, since he had been just a boy when they threw him in the well.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

d are God-fearing. And so the years of drought arrived and afflicfted the land of Canaan and Syria. [12:58] And Joseph’s brothers came — except for Benjamin — in order to secure provisions, when they found out that the [new] Court officer of Egypt was providing food at its [fair] price; and they entered to him, and he recognised them, to be his brothers, but they did not recognise him, not knowing who he was, because it had been a long time since they had seen him, and because they supposed that he had died.…

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

59. When he had given them the supplies and provisions they came for, and after they had informed him that they had a brother on their father’s side who they had left with their father, Joseph asked them to bring their brother on their father’s side and he would give them more supplies. He asked them if they did not see that he gave full measure, not subtracting from it at all, and that he was the best of hosts.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

with him in place of the other.’ He [Joseph] commanded that they be given lodging and treated well. [12:59] And when he had equipped them with their provision, [when] he had given them the full meas¬ ure [of food], he said, ‘Bring me a brother of yours from your father, namely, Benjamin, that I might know that you have been truthful in what you said. Do you not see that I give the full measure, that I complete it, without any fraud, and that I am the bett ofhotts?

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

60. Joseph told them that if they did not bring the brother asked for, then it would be clear that they were not telling the truth in their claim that they had a brother on their father’s side. He told them that in that case he would not give them any measure of food, and they should not approach his country.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

hat I give the full measure, that I complete it, without any fraud, and that I am the bett ofhotts? [12:60] But if you do not bring him to me, there will be no measure, that is, no provisions, for you with me; and do not come near [me]’ ( wa-la taqrabun is [either] a prohibition, or a supplement to the [syntactical] locus of fa-la kayla, in other words, ‘and you shall be denied [the measure] and will not [be allowed to] come near [me]’). [12:61] They said, ‘We will try to tempt his father away from him, that is, we will try our hardest to seek him from him. That we will surely do’.

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

61. His brothers replied to him, saying that they would ask for him from their father, and would work hard to bring him, doing what Joseph instructed them without fail.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

62. Joseph told his servants to return the merchandise of these people to them, so that they would realize on their return that they did not do trade with it, which would force them to return again with their brother, to prove their integrity to Joseph, and so that he would receive their merchandise from them.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ther away from him, that is, we will try our hardest to seek him from him. That we will surely do’. [12:62] And he said to his young men (li-fityatihi: a variant reading has li-fityanihi, ‘his servants’): ‘Place their merchandise, that [money] with which they bought the supplies, and these were a few dirhams, in their saddlebags, their [supply] sacks, so that they may recognise it when they return to their folk, and empty their sacks, and so come back’, to us, deeming it unlawful to retain these [monies].

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

63. When they returned to their father, and told him about the generosity of Joseph to them, they also told their father that any further measure would be denied to them if they did not bring their brother with them. They asked him to send him with them, because if he did so they would be given provisions. They promised their father that they would take good care of him, bringing him back safely.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

olk, and empty their sacks, and so come back’, to us, deeming it unlawful to retain these [monies]. [12:63] So when they went back to their father, they said, ‘O father, the measure will be denied us, un¬ less you send forth our brother to him [to the Court officer]; so send forth our brother with us, that we may obtain the measure (read naktal oxyaktal, ‘that he may obtain the measure [for us’]). Surely we will guard him well’.

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

64. Their father asked them if he should trust them with him as he had trusted them with his full brother, Joseph. He had trusted them with Joseph and made them promise to take care of him, and they had not done what they promised, so he did not trust their promise to take care of his brother; but he trusted in Allah, for He is the best of guardians to whom He wills, and the most Merciful of the merciful to whom He wills.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

(read naktal oxyaktal, ‘that he may obtain the measure [for us’]). Surely we will guard him well’. [12:64] He said, ‘Should I — [I will] only — trutt you with him like I trutted you with his brother, Joseph, before ? despite [the fadt] that you have done to him what you have done? Yet God is bett at guarding (hifzan: a variant reading has hafizan, ‘a guardian, as a specification, similar to when they say li’Llahi darruhu farisan, ‘By God, how excellent a horseman he is!’); 12 and He is the Mott Merciful of merciful ones’, and so I hope that He will show favour [to me] by guarding him.

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

65. When they opened the bags containing the food which they had brought, they found what they had traded for it had been returned to them. They asked their father what more could they ask for from this king after such generosity. What they had traded for their food had been returned by the king as a favour from him to them. They told their father that they would get food for their family and protect their brother from what he feared might happen to him, and they would get an extra camel load because of him accompanying them – an extra camel load being an easy matter for the king.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

he Mott Merciful of merciful ones’, and so I hope that He will show favour [to me] by guarding him. [12:65] And when they opened their belongings, they found that their merchandise had been rettored to them. They said, ‘O father, what [more] should we desire? (ma nabghr. ma is interrogative, that is to say: what greater thing than this can we ask for from the king’s generosity?’; a variant reading has ma tabghi, ‘what [more] do you desire?’, as an address to Jacob — for they had mentioned to him his [the king’s] generosity towards them). Here is our merchandise rettored to us.…

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

66. Their father told them he would not send their brother with them until they had sworn by Allah that they would bring him back, unless destruction overwhelmed them all and none of them remained, and they were unable to do anything about it or to return. When they had given their father a firm promise in Allah's name, he said that Allah was a witness over what they said, and His witnessing was sufficient for them.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

e of our brother; that will be an easy measure’, for the king [to grant us], given his munificence. [12:66] He said, ‘I will not send him with you until you give me a [solemn] pledge, a covenant, in the name of God, by your swearing an oath, that assuredly you will bring him back to me, unless you are besieged’, such that you die, or are overwhelmed and thus unable to bring him back. They agreed to this. And when they gave him their [solemn] pledge, to this effedt, he said, ‘God shall be Guardian, Witness, over what we say’, we and you. Thus he sent him with them.

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

67. Also, their father advised them not to enter Egypt from one gate all together, but to enter from different gates. This would be safer in terms of someone harming all of them if someone wished to do so. He did not say this so as to be able to stop any harm that Allah willed for them, or to bring them any benefit which Allah did not will for them, because the decree is Allah’s alone, and the command is His alone.…

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

e said, ‘God shall be Guardian, Witness, over what we say’, we and you. Thus he sent him with them. [12:67] And he said, ‘O my sons, do not enter, Egypt, by one gate, but enter by separate gates, leSt the evil eye smite you. Yet I cannot avail, protedt, you, by this that I have said, against God (min Alldhi: min is extra) anything, which He might have decreed against you; this [that I have said] is only out of affec¬ tion [for you]. Judgement belongs to God, alone. On Him I rely, in Him I truSt, and on Him let all the trusting rely’.

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

68. So they journeyed with Joseph’s full brother. When they entered through different gates, as their father had instructed them, it did not stop what Allah had decreed for them in any way. It was just Jacob’s concern for his sons which he showed, advising them, knowing that the decree is Allah’s alone. He knew what Allah had taught him in terms of faith in the divine decree and taking precautions, but most people do not know this.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

gement belongs to God, alone. On Him I rely, in Him I truSt, and on Him let all the trusting rely’. [12:68] God, exalted be He, says: And when they entered in the manner which their father had bidden them, that is, separately, it did not avail them anything (min shay’in: min is extra) against God, that is, [against] His decree; it was but a need in Jacob’s soul which he [thus] satisfied, and this [need] was his desire to fend off the evil eye [from them], out of affedtion [for them].…

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

69. When the brothers of Joseph came before him, together with his full brother, he drew his full brother close to him and said to him privately that he was his brother Joseph, and that he should not feel sad about the reckless behaviour of his other brothers, hurting and resenting the two of them, and throwing Joseph in the well.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ut moil of mankind — and they are the disbelievers — do not know, [about] Gods inspiring His eledt. [12:69] And when they entered to Joseph, he took his brother into his arms, saying [to him]: ‘Tridy it is me, your brother, therefore do not deipair, do not be grieved, at what they did’, in the way of envying us.…

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70. So when Joseph instructed his servants to load the camels of his brothers with food, he put the measuring bowl of the king, which the food was measured with for those who came to get provisions, into the bag of his full brother, without their knowledge, in order to have him stay with him. When they were to travel and return back to their family, a caller called after them, saying that they, with their camels loaded with provisions, were thieves.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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71. The brothers of Joseph, turning towards the person calling after them and his companions who were with him, asked what they were missing that made them accuse them of stealing.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ied, after they were dismissed from Joseph’s court: ‘O cameleers, caravan, you are surely thieves!’ [12:71] They said, after, coming towards them, ‘What is it that you are missing?’ [12:72] They said, ‘We are missing the king’s goblet, [his] cup. And he who brings it shall have a camel’s load, of food [supplies], and I will guarantee that’, the [camel’s] load. [12:73] They said, ‘By God,’ (ta’Lldhi is an oath, entailing astonishment) ‘You know very well that we did not come to work corruption in the land, and we are certainly not thieves’, that is, we have never Stolen [anything].

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72. The caller and his companions, who were with him, said to the brothers of Joseph that they were missing the bowl of the king which they measured with. Whoever produced the bowl of the king before the inspection would get a reward, which would be a camel load, and the speaker guaranteed this to whoever did so.

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

73. The brothers of Joseph swore by Allah that those accusing them knew they were free of blame and innocent of this, as they could see from their situation, and that they had not come to the land of Egypt to cause corruption in it, and that they had never been thieves.

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

74. The caller and his companions asked what the punishment for theft among them was, in case they should be proved to be liars in their claim that they were innocent of the theft.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

orruption in the land, and we are certainly not thieves’, that is, we have never Stolen [anything]. [12:74] They, the crier and his men, said, ‘So, what shall be his requital, that is, the thief’s, if you prove to have been liars?’, when you said, ‘we are certainly not thieves’, and [if] it is found among your belongings?

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75. Joseph’s brothers said that the payment for any thief among them was that the person in whose bag the stolen item was found would become the slave of whoever he stole from. This punishment of being made into a slave is the way they punished thieves.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

liars?’, when you said, ‘we are certainly not thieves’, and [if] it is found among your belongings? [12:75] They said, ‘His requital (qdlii jazauhu: the subjedt, the predicate of which is [the following, man wujidafi rahlihi) shall be [the requital of] him in whose saddlebag it is found, that he be en¬ slaved — this is then reiterated by His words: He, the thief, shall be the requital for it, that is, [for] the Stolen item, and nothing else: this was the cuStomary pradtice of the family of Jacob. Thus, [with such] a requital, do we requite those who do evil’, through theft.…

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76. So they returned them to Joseph to inspect their bags. He started by inspecting the bags of his half-brothers before inspecting the bag of his full brother, to cover up what he was doing. Then he inspected the bag of his full brother, and took the bowl of the king out of it. As Allah planned things for Joseph by arranging to have the bowl put into the bag of his brother, He also arranged – for the benefit of Joseph – that his brothers would be given the punishment of their country, which was the enslavement of the thief.…

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

te those who do evil’, through theft. They thus permitted Joseph to have their saddlebags searched. [12:76] And so he began with their sacks, and searched them, before his brother’s sack, leSt he be ac¬ cused [of the theft]; then he pulled it, the drinking-cup, out of his brother’s sack. God, exalted be He, says: Thus, [through such] contrivance, did We contrive for Joseph, [thus] We taught him how to devise a plot to take his brother; he, Joseph, could not have taken his brother, as a slave, on account of theft, according to the king’s law, [according] to the laws of the king of Egypt —…

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77. The brothers of Joseph said that if he had stolen it was not surprising, since a full brother of his had stolen before he had, meaning Joseph (peace be upon him). Joseph hid his hurt at what they said, thinking to himself that their envy and the bad actions they had committed were evil itself in this context, and Allah knew best the lies that came from them.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

atures, is one who knows better, better than him [and so on] until it ends with God, exalted be He. [12:77] They said, ‘If he is Stealing, a brother of his Stole before’, that is, Joseph — he had stolen a golden idol from his maternal grandfather and smashed it, le£t he worship it. But Joseph kept it secret in his soul and did not disclose it, manifest it, to them (the [suffixed] pronoun [in yubdi-ha, ‘disclose it’] refers to the word[s] in his [following] saying); he said, within himself: ‘You are a worse case, than Joseph and his brother, because of your stealing a brother of yours from…

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78. Joseph’s brothers told him that their father was old and elderly and loved their brother dearly. They asked him to take one of them instead of him, saying that they saw that he was a doer of good in his dealings with them and others, and they asked him to be generous with them by doing this.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

im. And God knows very well what you are describing’, [what] you are mentioning with regard to him. [12:78] They said, ‘O Court officer, loi he has a father, an aged man, who loves him more than we do, and who finds solace in him from [the anguish he feels for] his dead son; and it will grieve him to part with him, so take one of us, enslave him, in his place, instead of him: indeed we see that you are among the virtuous’, in [terms of] your addons.

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79. Joseph asked for protection from Allah that they should wrong someone innocent with the sin of a wrongdoer. If they took someone other than the person in whose bag they found the bowl of the king, then they would be wrongdoers, because they would be punishing someone who was innocent and letting a criminal go free.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

s place, instead of him: indeed we see that you are among the virtuous’, in [terms of] your addons. [12:79] He said, ‘Godforbid (maadha’Lldhi, [lit.] refuge is with God’, is in the accusative because it is a ver¬ bal noun, the verb having been omitted and placed in a genitive annexation with its dired objed, in other words, [understand it as] na’udhu bi’Llahi, ‘we seek refuge with God’) that we should take anyone save him with whom we found our property — he did not say ‘ [save] him who dole [our property] ’, being careful not to lie; for then truly — if we were to take anyone other than…

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80. When they despaired of Joseph responding to their request, they went away from the people to consult with each other. Their oldest brother asked them if they remembered that their father had taken a firm promise in the name of Allah from them that they would return his son to him, unless they were completely overwhelmed by what they were unable to repel, and that before that they had failed with regards to Joseph, and had not kept their promise to their father concerning him.…

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ful not to lie; for then truly — if we were to take anyone other than him — we would be evildoers’. [12:80] So when they despaired of[ moving] him, they withdrew to confer privately [ together] ( najiyyan is a verbal noun that can be used to refer to one person or more, in other words [underdand it as mean¬ ing] yundji baduhum badan, ‘one conferring with the other’).…

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81. The oldest brother told them to return to their father and tell him that his son had stolen, and the minister of Egypt had taken him as a slave as a punishment for his theft, and that they only related to him what they knew from seeing the bowl produced from his bag. They did not know that he stole things, and if they had known this they would not have made a promise to their father to return him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

od judges for me, through the deliverance of my brother; and He is the beSt, the faired, of judges. [12:81] Go back to your father and say, “O our father, your son has indeed Stolen and we testified, againd him, only regarding what we knew, from the certainty of having seen the [king’s] cup in his sad¬ dlebag; we could not have guarded againSt the Unseen, that which was hidden from us, when we gave our pledge: had we known that he would deal, we would not have taken him [with us to Egypt].

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82. In order to confirm that they were telling the truth, the brothers told their father to ask the people of the town where they had been, and to ask the people of the caravan they had come with, and that these people would tell him the same thing as they had. They said they were telling the truth in what they told him about his son’s theft.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

e gave our pledge: had we known that he would deal, we would not have taken him [with us to Egypt]. [12:82] And ask the city in which we were — namely Egypt — in other words, send forth [someone] to ask its people, and the caravan, the men of the caravan, with which we approached — and these were a group of Canaanites. Surely we Speak the truth” ’, in what we say. So they went back to him and told him as much.

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83. Their father told them that the matter was not as they said with regards to him having stolen. Rather, their souls made deception in this attractive to them, as they had been deceptive about their brother Joseph before. He said my patience is of a beautiful type, which directs complaints to Allah alone. He said that perhaps Allah would return Joseph, his full brother and their oldest brother all together. He, glory be to Him, knew Jacob’s situation and was Wise in the way He arranged everything for him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

nites. Surely we Speak the truth” ’, in what we say. So they went back to him and told him as much. [12:83] ‘Nay,’ he said, ‘but your souls have beguiled you into, have adorned [for you], something, and you did it: he accused them because of what had happened with them before concerning Joseph. Yet comely patience, will be my [course of] patience! It may be that God will bring them, Joseph and his two brothers, 14 all [back] to me. Indeed He is the Knower, of my predicament, the Wise’, in His acftions.

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84. He pulled away, turning from them, saying, ‘O my grief for Joseph!’ The blackness of his eyes had become white out of his great mourning for him, because he was filled with grief and sorrow, yet hiding his grief from the people.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

garding Joseph?’. 14 Benjamin and the one who flayed behind, either Reuben or Judah (see Q. 12:80). [12:84] And he turned away from them, no longer addressing them, and said, ‘Alas, my grief for Joseph!’ (yd asafa: the [final] alif [of asafa] has taken the place of the [possessive] yd’ of genitive annexation [s c.ya asafi], in other words [it means] yd huzni [‘O my sorrow’]).…

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85. The brothers of Joseph said to the father, swearing by Allah, that he would not stop remembering Joseph and grieving over him until he became very ill or actually died.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

he was [filled] with suppressed agony, anguished and grief-stricken, but not manifesting his grief. [12:85] They said, ‘By God, you will never cease remembering Joseph until you are consumed, on the verge of perishing, on account of your illness (it [haradan, ‘consumed’] is a verbal noun equally [appli¬ cable] to one person or more) or you are of those who perish’, [of] the dead. [12:86] He said, to them: ‘I complain of my anguish — (baththis) severe grief, which cannot be endured unless it is proclaimed [yubaththu] to others — and grief only to God, not to any other than Him, for it is…

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86. Their father said to them that he only complained to Allah of the grief and sorrow that had occurred him, and that he knew of the kindness and generosity of Allah and His response to those who were in need, and His reward for those who suffered, which they did not know.

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87. Their father told them to go and find out news about Joseph and his brother, and not to despair of relief from Allah and His release of His servants. Without doubt, only disbelieving people despair of relief from Allah and His release of His servants, because they do not know the greatness of Allah’s power and His subtle favour upon His servants.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

what you do not know, [and that is] that Joseph’s dream is true and that he is alive. Then he said: [12:87] O my sons, go and enquire about Joseph and his brother, seek news of them, and do not despair of God’s [gracious] Spirit, His mercy. Indeed none despairs of the [gracious] Spirit of God save the dis¬ believing folk’-. and so they departed to Egypt [to look] for Joseph.

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88. So they did as their father instructed, and went in search of Joseph and his brother. When they came before Joseph, they said they had experienced hardship and poverty and had brought inferior, cheap goods. They asked him to give them a sufficient measure, as he had given them before, and to be charitable to them by giving them more than this, or overlooking their poor merchandise, saying that Allah rewards those who are charitable with the best of rewards.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

] Spirit of God save the dis¬ believing folk’-. and so they departed to Egypt [to look] for Joseph. [12:88] And so when they entered to him, they said, ‘O Court officer, misfortune, hunger, has befallen us and our family; and we have come with reject merchandise, refused by any person who sees it, be¬ cause of its worthlessness — it consisted of counterfeit dirhams or something else — so fill up, complete, for us the measure and be charitable to us, by overlooking the worthlessness of our merchandise; truly God requites the charitable’.…

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89. When he heard their words he felt compassion towards them, and let them know who he was, asking them if they knew what they did to Joseph and his full brother when they were ignorant of the consequences of what they did to them.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

m and he was overtaken by compassion [for them] and removed the partition between them and himself. [12:89] Then, he said, to them, in rebuke: ‘Do you realise what you did to Joseph, in the way of beating [him] and selling [him] and otherwise, and his brother, oppressing him, after having separated him from his brother, while you were ignorant?’, of where the affair of Joseph will lead?

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90. They were amazed, and asked whether he was in fact Joseph. Joseph said to them that he was indeed Joseph, and that the person with him was his full brother. Allah had favoured them, saving them from their previous situation, raising them in rank. Whoever is Mindful, following what He instructs and staying away from what He has prohibited, and being patient with hardship, their actions are good, and Allah does not allow the reward of those who do good to be lost; rather, He keeps it in store for them.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

separated him from his brother, while you were ignorant?’, of where the affair of Joseph will lead? [12:90] T 7 i ey said — after recognising him by his noble traits — cautiously [inquiring]: ‘Is it really (read a-innaka, either pronouncing both hamzas, or by not pronouncing the second, but in both cases insert¬ ing an alif) you, Joseph?’. He said, ‘I am [indeed] Joseph, and this is my brother. God has truly shown favour. He has been gracious, to us, by bringing [us] together.…

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91. The brothers apologised to Joseph for their behaviour towards him, and they said that Allah had indeed preferred him over them through the attributes of perfection He had given to him, and that they had committed evil and disobedience in what they had done to him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

] (the overt noun [al-muhsinin, ‘the virtuous’] has replaced the [third person] pronominalisation). [12:91] They said, ‘By God, truly God has preferred you over us, with kingship and in other ways, and indeed we ( wa-in: in is softened, in other words [it is understood as] inna, ‘indeed we’) have been erring’, sinful towards you and treated you disgracefully. [12:92] He said, ‘There shall be no reproach, [no] blame, on you this day — he Specifically mentions this [day] because it was [the day] when they expecfted to be reproached, although any other day would have been more appropriate […

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

92. Joseph accepted their apology, saying that there would be no blame on them requiring a punishment, nor any criticism, from that day. He asked that Allah forgive them, and He, glory be to Him, is the most Merciful of the merciful.

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93. Joseph gave them his shirt when they informed him of what had happened to his father’s eyesight, telling them to take his shirt and to lay it over the face of his father, and that it would return his sight to him. He also told them to bring their whole family to him.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

[for them to be reproached on]. God will forgive you, and He is the Mo ft Merciful of the merciful. [12:93] He [Joseph] asked them about his father; and they told him that his eyesight had gone. And so he said: Go with this shirt of mine — and this was the shirt of Abraham, the one he wore when he was thrown into the fire; he [Joseph] had it around his neck when he was at the bottom of the well.…

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94. And when the caravan left, departing from Egypt and leaving the inhabited area, Jacob, peace be upon him, said to his people and those with him where he lived, that he could smell the scent of Joseph, although they might say he was foolish and an old senile man who doesn’t know what he says.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

s him — and lay it on my father’s face, and he will recover his sight; and bring me all your folk’. [12:94] And as the caravan set forth, leaving behind the palm fields of Egypt, their father said, to those of his sons and their children present, ‘Truly I sense the scent of Joseph — which the easT wind had brought to him, with God’s permission, across a distance of three or eight or more days’ journey; if only you did not think me doting’, [if only] you [did not] regard me as foolish, you would believe me. [12:95] They said, to him: ‘By God, you are certainly in your misguidance, your err…

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95. The people with him swore by Allah that he was still lost in his previous imaginings concerning Joseph’s importance to him and the possibility of seeing him again.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

96. So when the person bearing news came with what would delight Jacob, he lay Joseph’s shirt over his face, and he became able to see again. Then he asked his sons if he had not said to them that he knew about the kindness and grace of Allah in a way that they did not know.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

and your [enduring] hope of encountering him [again] de^Jhte the length of time [that has passed]. [12:96] Then, when (fa-lamma an: an is extra) the bearer of good tidings, Judah, came, with the shirt — he had [been the one who] brought the blood-stained shirt, and so now he wished to bring him joy, after he had [previously] brought him grief — he laid it, he caSt the shirt, on his face and he regained his sight. He said, ‘Did I not say to you, “Indeed I know from God what you do not know?” ’ [12:97] They said, ‘O our father, ask forgiveness for us of our sins; truly we have been sinful’.

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97. The sons apologised to their father Jacob (peace be upon him) for what they had done to Joseph and his brother, and they asked their father to ask Allah to forgive the sins they had committed in the past, saying that they had been sinners and wrongdoers in what they did to Joseph and his full brother.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

’ [12:97] They said, ‘O our father, ask forgiveness for us of our sins; truly we have been sinful’. [12:98] He said, ‘Assuredly I shall ask forgiveness for you of my Lord. LolHe is the Forgiving, theMer- ciful’: he [Jacob] put off this [plea of forgiveness] until [the laSt hour] before dawn, in order to be closer to [the likelihood of] it being accepted, or [he put it off] until the eve of Friday.…

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98. Their father said to them that he would ask for forgiveness for them from his Lord. Truly, He is Forgiving of the sins of those of His servants who repent to Him, and is Compassionate with them.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

‘O our father, ask forgiveness for us of our sins; truly we have been sinful’. [12:98] He said, ‘Assuredly I shall ask forgiveness for you of my Lord. LolHe is the Forgiving, theMer- ciful’: he [Jacob] put off this [plea of forgiveness] until [the laSt hour] before dawn, in order to be closer to [the likelihood of] it being accepted, or [he put it off] until the eve of Friday.…

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99. Jacob and his family left their land to travel to Joseph in Egypt. When they came before him he embraced his father and mother, and told his brothers and their family to enter Egypt safely, Allah willing, not experiencing any harm there.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

100. He sat his parents on the throne where he sat, and his parents and eleven brothers honoured him by prostrating to him, which was allowed in their sacred laws. Joseph (peace be upon him) said to his father that this honouring of him by their prostrating to him was the explanation of the dream which he had had before, and which he had told his father. His Lord had made it a reality through this happening.…

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

‘Enter into Egypt, if God will, in safety’, and they entered, and Joseph sat down on his throne. 17 [12:100] And he raised his parents, he seated them next to him, upon the throne, and they fell down, that is, his parents and brothers, prostrating before him — a prostration that was [actually] a bowing down, not placing their foreheads down [on the ground]; this was their Standard [form of] greeting at that time. Then he said, ‘O father, this is the interpretation of my vision of old. Indeed my Lord has made it true.…

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

101. Then Joseph called upon his Lord, saying that He had given him power in Egypt and had taught him the interpretation of dreams; and that He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, originating them when there was nothing like them, the Protector of all his affairs in the life of this world and the Protector of all of them in the Afterlife. Joseph asked Him to take his soul at the end of his life whilst being in a state of submission to God, and to join him with the righteous prophets from his fathers and others in the highest level of Paradise.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

and buried him there. He [Joseph] then returned to Egypt and remained [alive] for another 23 years. [12:101] When he was nearing his end, realising that he would not remain [alive] forever, he longed for the everlasting kingdom and said: My Lord, indeed You have given me [something] of sovereignty and You have taught me the interpretation of events, the ability to explain dreams. Originator, Creator, of the heavens and the earth! You are my Protestor, Guardian of my be St interests, in this world and the Hereafter.…

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

102. Allah revealed all that has been mentioned from the story of Joseph and his brothers to the Messenger (peace be upon him). He had no knowledge of it beforehand, since he was not there with the brothers of Joseph when they agreed to throw him into the bottom of a well, and when they planned their trick; but Allah revealed this all to the Messenger (peace be upon him).

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

o that both banks would be blessed [by his body] — Glory be to the One Whose Kingdom never ends. 19 [12:102] That, which is mentioned of the matter of Joseph, is of the tidings, the tales, of the Unseen, what has been hidden from you O Muhammad (s), which We reveal to you; for you were not with them, with Josephs brothers, when they agreed upon their plan, to plot again,ft him, that is, [when] they resolved upon it, and schemed, against him; in other words, you were not present among them to know their Story 15 According to the Qisas literature, Joseph went to meet them at the outskirts o…

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Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

103. Most people will not have faith, even if the Messenger should make every effort for them to believe; so he should not lose himself in grief over them.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

104. If they used their reason they would believe the Messenger (peace be upon him), because he did not ask any reward for the Qur’ān or for what he called them to. The Qur’ān is only a reminder for all people.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ple, that is, the people of Mecca, however eager you might be, that they believe, will not believe. [12:104] Nor do you ask them any wage, that you should take, for it, that is, [for] the Qur’an — it, namely, the Qur’an, is but a reminder, an admonition, to all the worlds. [12:105] And how many a sign, indicating the Oneness of God, is there in the heavens and the earth which they pass by, which they witness, but disregard!, not reflecting upon it.

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

105. The signs showing that there is only one Allah, glory be to Him, are many, spread out through the heavens and the earth. The disbelievers pass by them, turning away from thinking about them and considering them, not paying attention to them.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

106. Most people do not admit Allah as the Creator and Provider, Who brings to life and causes death, without also worshipping images and idols next to Him, or claiming that He has a son, glory be to Him!

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

avens and the earth which they pass by, which they witness, but disregard!, not reflecting upon it. [12:106] And moSt of them do not believe in God, such that they might affirm that He is the Creator and the Sus'tainer, without ascribing partners, to Him, by worshipping idols; which is why, when crying their [ritual] re,<]ionse to God, they used to say: ‘At Your service, no partner have You, save a partner that belongs to You; You possess him and all that he possesses’, meaning it [when they said it].…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

107. Do the idolaters feel safe from a punishment in this world enveloping and overwhelming them, so that they cannot repel it; or from the Hour coming to them suddenly, when they are unaware so that they might prepare for it? Is it because of this that they do not believe?

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

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Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

108. Allah tells the Messenger (peace be upon him) to say to those he calls to the truth that this is his way which he calls people to, with insight, as do those who follow him, guided by his guidance and following the Sunnah; and that he is not of those who associate partners with Allah, but worships Allah alone, glory be to Him!

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

ing of the Hour upon them suddenly, while they are unaware?, of the time of its arrival beforehand? [12:108] Say, to them: ‘This is my way — which He explains by saying: I call to, the religion of, God, being upon sure knowledge, plain proof, I and whoever follows me, [whoever] believes in me ( man ittaba’ani is a supplement to and, T, the subject, predicated by what preceded [sc. ‘being upon sure knowledge’]).…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

109. Allah only sent men, not angels, before the Messenger (peace be upon him), whom He gave revelation as He does to the Messenger, and they were from the people of the towns and not the desert. Their peoples denied them and Allah destroyed them. Do those who deny the Messenger not travel through the earth and think about what the end was of those who denied the truth before them, learning from their example? The bliss in the home of the Afterlife is better for those who are Mindful in this world.…

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

aters’ — this [sentence] is also subsumed by the [explanation of] his statement about ‘his way’. 21 [12:109] And We did not send before you [any messengers] save men inspired by revelation ( yuha ilay- him : a variant reading has nil hi ilayhim, ‘to whom We revealed’) — and not angels — from among the people of the towns, the principal towns, since they are more knowledgeable and wiser than the people of the desert, who are crude and ignorant.…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

110. Allah gave time to the enemies of these messengers He sent, not being quick to punish, but luring them gradually until when their destruction was overdue, and the messengers despaired of it and the disbelievers thought that their messengers had lied to them in their promises of a punishment for those who deny the truth and the rescue of those who have faith; then Allah’s help came to His messengers, saving the messengers and believers from the destruction which the disbelievers suffered, and Allah’s punishment cannot be turned away from the sinners when He sends it down.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

qilun, or a-fa-ld taqilun. ‘Will you not understand?’), this, O people of Mecca, and so have faith? [12:110] Until ( hatta indicates the end [result] indicated by [the previous Statement] wa-ma arsalna min qablika ilia rijdlan. And We did not send before you [any messengers] save men [above, Q. 12:109]), that is, [to whom] Our support waned until, when the messengers despaired and thought, [when] the mes¬ sengers were certain, that they were denied (read kudhdhibu, to mean [that they were denied] to such an extent that [they believed that] there would not be any [possible acceptance of] f…

Al-Mukhtasar

Tafsīr Center for Qur'anic Studies · Contemporary

111. In the stories of the messengers and their peoples, as in the story of Joseph and his brothers, are lessons to be learnt by those of sound mind. The Qur’ān, which contains such narrations, is not words which are made up and fabricated about Allah, but a confirmation of the divine scriptures revealed from Allah and a detailed explanation of everything that needs explaining through sacred laws; and guidance to all that is good, and a mercy for those who have faith in it, because it is they who benefit from what is in it.

Tafsir al-Jalalayn

al-Maḥallī & al-Suyūṭī · 864–911 AH / 1459–1505 CE

vered’). And Our wrath. Our chastisement, cannot be averted from the sinning, the idolatrous, folk. [12:111] Verily there is in their Stories, that is, the messengers’ [Stories], a lesson for people of pith, pos¬ sessors of intellect. It, this Qur’an, is not a fabricated, an invented, discourse but, it is, a confirmation of what was [revealed] before it, of scriptures, and a detailing, an elucidation, of everything, that one needs for [the proper observance of] religion, and a guidance, from error, and a mercy for a folk who