Towards Understanding the Quran
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Tafsirs: Maarif | Dawat | Ishraq | Clear
Surah Yusuf 12:80-93   Chapters ↕   Word for Word
Verses [Section]: 1-6[1], 7-20 [2], 21-29 [3], 30-35 [4], 36-42 [5], 43-49 [6], 50-57 [7], 58-68 [8], 69-79 [9], 80-93 [10], 94-104 [11], 105-111 [12]
فَلَمَّاSo whenاسْتَیْـَٔسُوْاthey despairedمِنْهُof himخَلَصُوْاthey secluded themselvesنَجِیًّا ؕ(in) private consultationقَالَSaidكَبِیْرُهُمْthe eldest among themاَلَمْDo notتَعْلَمُوْۤاyou knowاَنَّthatاَبَاكُمْyour fatherقَدْhas takenاَخَذَhas takenعَلَیْكُمْupon youمَّوْثِقًاa promiseمِّنَbyاللّٰهِAllahوَ مِنْand beforeقَبْلُand beforeمَاthatفَرَّطْتُّمْyou failedفِیْconcerningیُوْسُفَ ۚYusufفَلَنْSo neverاَبْرَحَwill I leaveالْاَرْضَthe landحَتّٰیuntilیَاْذَنَpermitsلِیْۤmeاَبِیْۤmy fatherاَوْorیَحْكُمَAllah decidesاللّٰهُAllah decidesلِیْ ۚfor meوَ هُوَand Heخَیْرُ(is) the Bestالْحٰكِمِیْنَ (of) the judges اِرْجِعُوْۤاReturnاِلٰۤیtoاَبِیْكُمْyour fatherفَقُوْلُوْاand sayیٰۤاَبَانَاۤO our father!اِنَّIndeedابْنَكَyour sonسَرَقَ ۚhas stolenوَ مَاand notشَهِدْنَاۤwe testifyاِلَّاexceptبِمَاof whatعَلِمْنَاwe knewوَ مَاAnd notكُنَّاwe wereلِلْغَیْبِof the unseenحٰفِظِیْنَ guardians وَ سْـَٔلِAnd askالْقَرْیَةَthe townالَّتِیْwhereكُنَّاwe wereفِیْهَا[in it]وَ الْعِیْرَand the caravanالَّتِیْۤwhichاَقْبَلْنَاwe returnedفِیْهَا ؕ[in it]وَ اِنَّاAnd indeed weلَصٰدِقُوْنَ surely (are) truthful قَالَHe saidبَلْNayسَوَّلَتْhave enticedلَكُمْyouاَنْفُسُكُمْyour soulsاَمْرًا ؕsomethingفَصَبْرٌso patienceجَمِیْلٌ ؕ(is) beautifulعَسَیPerhapsاللّٰهُAllahاَنْwill bring them to meیَّاْتِیَنِیْwill bring them to meبِهِمْwill bring them to meجَمِیْعًا ؕallاِنَّهٗIndeed, HeهُوَHeالْعَلِیْمُ(is) the All-Knowerالْحَكِیْمُ All-Wise وَ تَوَلّٰیAnd he turned awayعَنْهُمْfrom themوَ قَالَand saidیٰۤاَسَفٰیAlas my griefعَلٰیoverیُوْسُفَYusuf!وَ ابْیَضَّتْAnd became whiteعَیْنٰهُhis eyesمِنَfromالْحُزْنِthe griefفَهُوَand he (was)كَظِیْمٌ a suppressor قَالُوْاThey saidتَاللّٰهِBy Allahتَفْتَؤُاyou will not ceaseتَذْكُرُrememberingیُوْسُفَYusufحَتّٰیuntilتَكُوْنَyou becomeحَرَضًاfatally illاَوْorتَكُوْنَbecomeمِنَofالْهٰلِكِیْنَ those who perish قَالَHe saidاِنَّمَاۤOnlyاَشْكُوْاI complainبَثِّیْ(of) my sufferingوَ حُزْنِیْۤand my griefاِلَیtoاللّٰهِAllahوَ اَعْلَمُand I knowمِنَfromاللّٰهِAllahمَاwhatلَاnotتَعْلَمُوْنَ you know 12. Yusuf Page 246یٰبَنِیَّO my sonsاذْهَبُوْاGoفَتَحَسَّسُوْاand inquireمِنْaboutیُّوْسُفَYusufوَ اَخِیْهِand his brotherوَ لَاand notتَایْـَٔسُوْاdespairمِنْofرَّوْحِ(the) Mercy of Allahاللّٰهِ ؕ(the) Mercy of AllahاِنَّهٗIndeedلَاnoneیَایْـَٔسُdespairsمِنْofرَّوْحِ(the) Mercy of Allahاللّٰهِ(the) Mercy of Allahاِلَّاexceptالْقَوْمُthe peopleالْكٰفِرُوْنَ the disbelievers فَلَمَّاSo whenدَخَلُوْاthey enteredعَلَیْهِupon himقَالُوْاthey saidیٰۤاَیُّهَاO AzizالْعَزِیْزُO AzizمَسَّنَاHas touched usوَ اَهْلَنَاand our familyالضُّرُّthe adversityوَ جِئْنَاand we have comeبِبِضَاعَةٍwith goodsمُّزْجٰىةٍ(of) little valueفَاَوْفِbut pay (in) fullلَنَاto usالْكَیْلَthe measureوَ تَصَدَّقْand be charitableعَلَیْنَا ؕto usاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahیَجْزِیrewardsالْمُتَصَدِّقِیْنَ the charitable قَالَHe saidهَلْDoعَلِمْتُمْyou knowمَّاwhatفَعَلْتُمْyou didبِیُوْسُفَwith Yusufوَ اَخِیْهِand his brotherاِذْwhenاَنْتُمْyou wereجٰهِلُوْنَ ignorant قَالُوْۤاThey saidءَاِنَّكَAre you indeedلَاَنْتَ[surely you]یُوْسُفُ ؕYusufقَالَHe saidاَنَاI amیُوْسُفُYusufوَ هٰذَاۤand thisاَخِیْ ؗ(is) my brotherقَدْIndeedمَنَّAllah has been graciousاللّٰهُAllah has been graciousعَلَیْنَا ؕto usاِنَّهٗIndeed, heمَنْwhoیَّتَّقِfears Allahوَ یَصْبِرْand (is) patientفَاِنَّthen indeedاللّٰهَAllahلَا(does) notیُضِیْعُlet go wasteاَجْرَ(the) rewardالْمُحْسِنِیْنَ (of) the good-doers قَالُوْاThey saidتَاللّٰهِBy AllahلَقَدْcertainlyاٰثَرَكَAllah has preferred youاللّٰهُAllah has preferred youعَلَیْنَاover usوَ اِنْand indeedكُنَّاwe have beenلَخٰطِـِٕیْنَ sinners قَالَHe saidلَاNoتَثْرِیْبَblameعَلَیْكُمُupon youالْیَوْمَ ؕtodayیَغْفِرُAllah will forgiveاللّٰهُAllah will forgiveلَكُمْ ؗyouوَ هُوَand Heاَرْحَمُ(is) the Most Mercifulالرّٰحِمِیْنَ (of) those who show mercy اِذْهَبُوْاGoبِقَمِیْصِیْwith this shirt of mineهٰذَاwith this shirt of mineفَاَلْقُوْهُand cast itعَلٰیoverوَجْهِ(the) faceاَبِیْ(of) my fatherیَاْتِhe will regain sightبَصِیْرًا ۚhe will regain sightوَ اْتُوْنِیْAnd bring to meبِاَهْلِكُمْyour familyاَجْمَعِیْنَ۠all together

Translation

(12:80) Then, when they had despaired of Joseph they went to a corner and counselled together. The eldest of them said: "Do you not know that your father has taken a solemn promise from you in the name of Allah, and you failed in your duty towards Joseph? So I will not depart from this land until my father permits me, or Allah pronounces His judgement in my favour. He is the best of those who judge."

(12:81) So go back to your father and tell him: "Father! Your son has certainly been guilty of stealing. We did not see him stealing but testify according to what we know, and obviously we had no power to keep watch over that what is altogether hidden from us.

(12:82) You may inquire of the dwellers of the city where we were, and of the people of the caravan with whom we travelled. We are altogether truthful in what we say."

(12:83) The father heard the narration and said: "(All that is untrue). But your souls have made it easy for you to engage in a heinous act.64 So, I will be graciously patient even at this. Allah may well bring them all back to me. He is All-Knowing, All-Wise."

(12:84) Then he turned his back to them, and said: "O my grief for Joseph!" His eyes whitened with grief and he was choked up with sorrow trying to suppress his grief.

(12:85) The sons said: "By Allah! You will continue to remember Joseph until you will either consume yourself with grief, or will die."

(12:86) He said: "I will address my sorrow and grief only to Allah, and I know from Allah what you do not know.

(12:87) My sons! Go and try to find out about Joseph and his brother and do not despair of Allah's mercy. Verily only the unbelievers despair of Allah's mercy."

(12:88) On going to Egypt they presented themselves to Joseph and said to him: "O chief! We and our family are struck with distress and have brought only a paltry sum. So give us corn in full measure, and give it to us in charity.65 Allah rewards those who are charitable."

(12:89) When Joseph heard this (he could not hold himself and said): "Do you remember what you did to Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant?"

(12:90) They exclaimed: "Are you indeed Joseph?" He said: "Yes, I am Joseph and this is my brother. Allah has surely been gracious to us. Indeed whoever fears Allah and remains patient, Allah does not allow the reward of such people to go to waste."

(12:91) They said: "We swear by Allah! Indeed Allah has chosen you in preference to us and we were truly guilty."

(12:92) He replied: "No blame lies with you today. May Allah forgive you. He is the Most Merciful of all those that are merciful.

(12:93) Take this shirt of mine and throw it over my father's face. He will regain his sight. And bring to me all your family."

Commentary

64. Jacob said that it was not at all difficult for his sons to accuse Benjamin — whose character and conduct he knew to be excellent — of stealing a cup. Such behavior on their part did not surprise him. For in the past, they had deliberately caused their brother Joseph to be lost. Not only that, they had felt no compunction in bringing back his shirt with false blood-stains in order to reinforce their claim that Joseph had been eaten by a wolf. And now they were telling Jacob, with equal ease of conscience, that Benjamin had committed a theft. .

65. They told Joseph that whatever he would grant them would be charity.

For the trivial amount they offered as a price for the large amount of grain given to them was far from adequate.