Yusuf 12:76
Joseph · Juz 13 · Page 244
فَبَدَأَ بِأَوۡعِيَتِهِمۡ قَبۡلَ وِعَآءِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَخۡرَجَهَا مِن وِعَآءِ أَخِيهِۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كِدۡنَا لِيُوسُفَۖ مَا كَانَ لِيَأۡخُذَ أَخَاهُ فِي دِينِ ٱلۡمَلِكِ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ نَرۡفَعُ دَرَجَٰتٖ مَّن نَّشَآءُۗ وَفَوۡقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلۡمٍ عَلِيمٞ ٧٦
So he began [the search] with their bags before the bag of his brother; then he extracted it from the bag of his brother. Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother within the religion [i.e., law] of the king except that Allāh willed. We raise in degrees whom We will, but over every possessor of knowledge is one [more] knowing.1
1 translator’s note
- Ending with the ultimate knowledge of Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā). ↩
Tafsir · in English
Tanwir al-Miqbas
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Commentary on 12:76
(Then he) Joseph's servant (began the search with their bags before) searching (his brother's bag) where he obviously did not find it, (then he produced it from his brother's bag) from his brother Benjamin's bag. The servant said to him: �May Allah lift your trouble as you have lifted mine�. (Thus did We contrive) We did (for Joseph) We honoured him with knowledge, wisdom, prophethood and sovereignty. (He could not have taken his brother according to the king's law unless Allah willed) and Allah willed that he does take his brother according to the king's law because, according to the latter, the penalty for theft was beating and payment of a fine; it was also said that according to the king's law, the penalty for theft was the amputation of limbs and payment of a fine; it is also said that (unless Allah willed) means: except those laws of the king which Joseph knew to be pleasing to Allah, for he applied those. (We raise by grades (of mercy)) We raise the virtues of (whom We will) as We do in the life of this world, (and over every lord of knowledge there is one more knowing) above every one who knows there someone who knows more, and so on and so forth until one stops at Allah, for there is no one who has more knowledge than Him.
Page 244
12:70
فَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهَازِهِمۡ جَعَلَ ٱلسِّقَايَةَ فِي رَحۡلِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ أَيَّتُهَا ٱلۡعِيرُ إِنَّكُمۡ لَسَٰرِقُونَ ٧٠
So when he had furnished them with their supplies, he put the [gold measuring] bowl into the bag of his brother. Then an announcer called out, "O caravan, indeed you are thieves."
12:71
قَالُواْ وَأَقۡبَلُواْ عَلَيۡهِم مَّاذَا تَفۡقِدُونَ ٧١
They said while approaching them, "What is it you are missing?"
12:72
قَالُواْ نَفۡقِدُ صُوَاعَ ٱلۡمَلِكِ وَلِمَن جَآءَ بِهِۦ حِمۡلُ بَعِيرٖ وَأَنَا۠ بِهِۦ زَعِيمٞ ٧٢
They said, "We are missing the measure of the king. And for he who produces it is [the reward of] a camel's load, and I am responsible for it."
12:73
قَالُواْ تَٱللَّهِ لَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتُم مَّا جِئۡنَا لِنُفۡسِدَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا كُنَّا سَٰرِقِينَ ٧٣
They said, "By Allāh, you have certainly known that we did not come to cause corruption in the land, and we have not been thieves."
12:74
قَالُواْ فَمَا جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥٓ إِن كُنتُمۡ كَٰذِبِينَ ٧٤
They [the accusers] said, "Then what would be its recompense1 if you should be liars?"
1 translator’s note
- The punishment for theft. ↩
12:75
قَالُواْ جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥ مَن وُجِدَ فِي رَحۡلِهِۦ فَهُوَ جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٧٥
[The brothers] said, "Its recompense is that he in whose bag it is found - he [himself] will be its recompense.1 Thus do we recompense the wrongdoers."
1 translator’s note
- According to their law, a convicted thief was made a slave of the one from whom he had stolen. ↩
12:76
فَبَدَأَ بِأَوۡعِيَتِهِمۡ قَبۡلَ وِعَآءِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَخۡرَجَهَا مِن وِعَآءِ أَخِيهِۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كِدۡنَا لِيُوسُفَۖ مَا كَانَ لِيَأۡخُذَ أَخَاهُ فِي دِينِ ٱلۡمَلِكِ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ نَرۡفَعُ دَرَجَٰتٖ مَّن نَّشَآءُۗ وَفَوۡقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلۡمٍ عَلِيمٞ ٧٦
So he began [the search] with their bags before the bag of his brother; then he extracted it from the bag of his brother. Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother within the religion [i.e., law] of the king except that Allāh willed. We raise in degrees whom We will, but over every possessor of knowledge is one [more] knowing.1
1 translator’s note
- Ending with the ultimate knowledge of Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā). ↩
12:77
۞ قَالُوٓاْ إِن يَسۡرِقۡ فَقَدۡ سَرَقَ أَخٞ لَّهُۥ مِن قَبۡلُۚ فَأَسَرَّهَا يُوسُفُ فِي نَفۡسِهِۦ وَلَمۡ يُبۡدِهَا لَهُمۡۚ قَالَ أَنتُمۡ شَرّٞ مَّكَانٗاۖ وَٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا تَصِفُونَ ٧٧
They said, "If he steals - a brother of his has stolen before." But Joseph kept it within himself and did not reveal it to them.1 He said, "You are worse in position, and Allāh is most knowing of what you describe."
1 translator’s note
- He did not answer that he himself had been stolen by them from his father. ↩
12:78
قَالُواْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡعَزِيزُ إِنَّ لَهُۥٓ أَبٗا شَيۡخٗا كَبِيرٗا فَخُذۡ أَحَدَنَا مَكَانَهُۥٓۖ إِنَّا نَرَىٰكَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ٧٨
They said, "O ʿAzeez,1 indeed he has a father [who is] an old man, so take one of us in place of him. Indeed, we see you as a doer of good."
1 translator’s note
- Addressing Joseph, who now held the title of "al-ʿAzeez." ↩