93. When they had last seen each other, Yusuf’s brothers were already grown up men while, he was but a lad - and all lads look alike. Twenty long years transformed him into a full blown personality, incredibly beautiful, in no way the shadow of the lad the brothers had dropped into the well. Moreover, the contours of his face might have completely faded from their memory (Au.).

Yusuf Ali puts it so tellingly: “.. when the ten selfish brothers, driven by famine, came from Canaan to buy corn. Joseph, though so great a man, kept the details of the famine department in his own hands, otherwise there might have been waste. But to the public he (Yusuf) was a mighty Egyptian administrator, probably in Egyptian dress, and with all the paraphernalia of his rank about him. When his brothers came, he knew them, but they did not know he was Joseph. In their thoughts was probably some menial slave in a remote household, perhaps already starved to death in these hard times.”

94. Perhaps he got them come out with the information about a brother who had not come along (Au.).

95. Although authoritative sources are missing, the details as given by the commentators fit into the verse. As worded by Thanwi, Yusuf’s brothers requested Yusuf that they deserved an extra load for a brother who could not come because his father would not let him go. He asked them the details of their brother, although he knew, and they told him that he was by another mother and very dear to the father. Yusuf told them that the rules did not allow that anyone be given an extra load for an absentia. If they were truthful about their brother, next time they should bring him along. But, if they failed, it would mean they had lied and therefore, in such an event there will be no provision for them either. In fact, they need not even come near him: “Bring me the brother of yours from the father’s side. Do you not notice that I give full measure and that I am the best of the hosts? But if you bring him not to me with you, there will be no measure for you with me, and do not come near me.”

As regards why was it that neither Yusuf went to his family, nor asked the brothers to bring their father, Qurtubi and others have answered that it is likely that Yusuf was following Allah’s instructions in this regard.

But the more likely reason could be that with the crisis in full swing, the chief administrator could not move out for a day (Au.).

96. It could have been an expensive metal-ware such as of silver. Alternatively, some other expensive merchandise, barter being the most common form of trade in the ancient times (Au.).

97. The translation follows Ibn Jarir’s understanding who says that each of the ten brothers were given one load as provision but were denied the eleventh for their brother Bin Yamin who had not come.

98. These words are from someone who had lost a most promising beloved son earlier, and was facing the prospects of losing another (Au.).

99. In Mujahid’s opinion the “ba`eer” of Yusuf’s brothers were donkeys (Ibn Jarir). Zamakhshari adds: It is said that originally “ba`eer” was coined for donkey caravans, but later, with usage it came to be used for camel caravans also. Razi and Qurtubi express the same opinion.

100. Here too, the translation follows Ibn Jarir’s understanding (Au.).

Sayyid Qutb derives a meaning that in our knowledge no other commentator has done. He said that when Ya`qub’s sons opened their baggage they discovered that their bags contained none of the grains they had gone for, rather, the bags were stuffed with the goods (of barter) that they had gone with. But we find it hard to conceive this. Firstly, will anyone travel a thousand miles and not check his baggage to ascertain that all was in order before trekking back those one thousand miles? And they were ten! Secondly, if disappointment was waiting for them instead of surprise, then, how do we explain the joyful words “what more do we want?” that they expressed when they opened the bags? (Au.).

101. Attacks by highway robbers, on trade or pilgrimage caravans treading their way through deserts, mountains and forests was order of the day as late as early twentieth century (Au.).

102. This he advised to avoid the evil eye, they being handsome men (Ibn Jarir from the earliest scholars), and, as Asad put its, “in order not to attract undue attention in the foreign land and possibly fall prey to intrigues.”

The verse also tells us by implication that if one fears envy he might conceal Allah’s blessings from the envious (Shafi`).

103. These verses show the extent to which parents need to go with their spoiled children, observing extreme patience, rather than cutting off relationship with them (Ma`arif).

104. That is, Sufyan said, he lived according to his knowledge, for, he who does not live by his knowledge, has no knowledge (Ibn Jarir).

105. That is, most people do not know that although we are required to adopt means to achieve our objectives, it is not the means that play the role in bringing the results to light, rather, the decisive factor is Allah’s own plan (based on Thanwi).