Tafsir of Yusuf 12:56

"And thus We established Yusuf..."

(And thus), meaning: like this marvelous establishment, (We established Yusuf), meaning: We granted him a place (in the land), meaning: the land of Egypt. It is narrated that it was forty leagues by forty. In expressing the aforementioned act of placing him as "establishing him in the land," and attributing it to His Exalted pronoun, there lies an honor for him—peace be upon him—an emphasis on the perfection of his authority, and an indication that this was realized from the very beginning of the matter, not that it occurred after his request—a point that is not hidden. The lam in (li-Yusuf), according to what Abu al-Baqa claimed, may be considered redundant, meaning: "We established Yusuf," or it may not be so, in which case the object is omitted, meaning: "We established for him the affairs." You have already passed by what clarifies the truth of the matter.

(He settles therein), meaning: he descends into whatever parts or lands of it he desires (wherever he wills). This is an adverbial phrase for "settles." It is also permissible that it be the direct object, as in the saying of the Exalted: (Allah knows best where He places His message). The phrase (therein) relates to what is preceding it; it is also said to relate to an omitted element acting as a state (hal) for "wherever." This has been challenged on the grounds that "wherever" (haythu) is not complete without its genitive addition (mudaf ilayh), and placing a state before the genitive addition is not permissible. The sentence is in the position of a state for Yusuf, and the pronoun in (he wills) refers to him. It is also permissible that it refers to Allah—the Exalted—in which case it would be an instance of iltifat (shift in person). This is supported by the recitation of Ibn Kathir, al-Hasan, and—with a difference reported from them—Abu Ja’far, Shaybah, and Nafi’, as (We will) with a nun, for the pronoun in that case is definitively for Allah.

(We cause whom We will to reach with Our mercy), meaning: with Our favor and gift in this world, such as kingship, wealth, and other blessings. It is said that what is meant by mercy is prophethood, but that is not the intended meaning. (Whom We will), according to the requirements of the wisdom that calls for this will.

(And We do not cause the reward of the doers of good to be lost); rather, We fulfill their rewards in this world for their good deeds. It is said that what is meant by this is faith and steadfastness in piety, for the saying of the Exalted...