Tafsir of Yusuf 12:22

"And when he reached his maturity" (meaning, he reached the time when the growth of his body and his strength culminated, which is the age when growth notably ceases, specifically between thirty and forty). The judge and grammarian, Muhadhdhab al-Din Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib al-Khaymi, was asked about it, and he said: "It is thirty-five years, and its completion is forty." Al-Zajjaj said: "It is from seventeen years up to around forty." It is narrated from Mujahid and Qatadah—and Ibn Jubayr narrates it from Ibn Abbas—that it is thirty-three, or thirty, or twenty-one. Al-Dahhak said: "Twenty." Ibn Qutaybah narrated that it is thirty-eight. Al-Hasan said: "Forty." It is well-known that the human body ceases to grow when it reaches this age, and when the body ceases to grow, physical strengths, traits, and character traits also stabilize. Hence, it has been said:

"If a man reaches forty and possesses neither modesty nor a veil to cover his desires, then abandon him. Do not sigh for what has passed, even if life’s causes prolong his days."

It is also said that the maximum limit of maturity is sixty-two. Abu Ubaydah and other reliable linguists, as well as some scholars of research, hold the view that "maturity" (al-ashudd) is the pinnacle of youth and strength before it begins to decline. According to Sibawayh, it is the plural of shiddah, like ni'mah (blessing) and an'um. Al-Kisa'i and al-Farra' said: "It is the plural of shadd, like sakk and ask (deaf/barren), and fils and aflus." According to what Abu Hatim mentioned, this requires it to be feminine, as every plural on the pattern of af'ul is feminine. It is claimed on behalf of Abu Ubaydah that there is no singular for it from its own root among the Arabs. Al-Farra' said: "The people of Basra claim it is a singular noun, but it is on an irregular pattern for singulars; we have rarely seen a noun on the pattern of af'ul that is not a plural."

"We gave him judgment" (meaning wisdom, which in the terminology of the Law refers to beneficial knowledge supported by action, because without it, it is not considered. Action without knowledge is foolishness) "and knowledge" (meaning the knowledge of the interpretation of dreams. It was singled out for mention because it is not included in the former, or it was singled out because it is a matter of great importance in which Joseph, peace be upon him, had a complete specialty; so it is said).

Some interpreted "wisdom" as Prophethood and "knowledge" as jurisprudence in religion. It is said: "Wisdom is restraining the soul from its desires and guarding it from what is unbecoming, while knowledge is theoretical knowledge." It is also said: "He intended by 'wisdom' the ability to judge between people, and by 'knowledge' the knowledge of the aspects of public interest, for when people would bring their disputes to the Aziz, he would order him to judge between them due to the wisdom and correctness of opinion he witnessed in him."

From Ibn Abbas, it is narrated that "judgment" is Prophethood and "knowledge" is the Divine Law (Shari'ah). Both are indefinite for the sake of glorification, meaning a judgment and a knowledge the depth of which cannot be fathomed and the magnitude of which cannot be appraised. The view that the knowledge refers to the interpretation of speech (dreams) is challenged by the fact that His saying, the Almighty: "And thus" (meaning, just like that wondrous reward) "do We reward the doers of good" (meaning, everyone who does good in his deeds, rejects it, because that cannot be a reward for his good deeds—among which is enduring griefs and hardships—unless it is specified as the knowledge of interpreting the King’s dream. For that, being at the end of the days of trial, is rightly counted as part of the reward. As for the dream of the two companions in prison, he, peace be upon him, stayed in prison for several years after interpreting it).

In linking the mentioned reward to "the doers of good" is an indication of the causality of "doing good" for it, and a notification that the Almighty only gave him what He gave him because he was a doer of good in his deeds, perfecting them in the prime of his life. Hence, al-Hasan said: "Whoever perfects his worship of Allah, the Almighty, in his youth, Allah, the Almighty, will give him wisdom in his middle age."

A problem is raised regarding the causality implied by linking the judgment to the derived noun (the doer of good) in the event that "wisdom" is intended as "knowledge supported by action"; for instance, because the perfection of an action cannot be except after the knowledge of it. If knowledge supported by action were the cause for the "doing of good" in that act, it would lead to circular reasoning.

The response is that the perfection of an action can be by another path, such as imitation (taqlid) or divine guidance, and thus it becomes a cause for knowledge of it based on rational or transmitted evidence. Or, it may refer to deeds that do not depend on revealed instruction, thus becoming the cause for knowledge of what was prescribed for him of deeds. Some researchers said: "The apparent meaning is the distinction between the two knowledges, as in the tradition: 'Whoever acts upon what he knows, Allah, the Almighty, will make easy for him what he does not know.'" Al-Dahhak interprets "the doers of good" as "those who are patient in the face of calamities."