Tafsir of Yusuf 12:93

"Go with this shirt of mine" — this is the shirt that he was wearing at that time, as is the apparent meaning. It is narrated from Ibn Abbas and others that it is the shirt which Allah Almighty clothed Ibrahim (peace be upon him) with when he was cast into the fire; it was from the shirts of Paradise. Ya'qub (peace be upon him) had placed it in a silver tube when it reached him and hung it around Yusuf's neck, and it would not touch any worldly affliction except that it would heal it by the permission of Allah Almighty. This [narrative] has been weakened by the fact that the statement: "I indeed smell the scent of Yusuf" indicates that he (peace be upon him) was wearing it as an amulet, as attested to by the possessive pronoun attached to it. However, this weakening is itself weak, as is not hidden.

It has been said: It is the shirt that was rent from the back, and he sent it so that it might be known that he was innocent of indecency; but its remoteness [from the context] is not hidden. In any case, the 'ba' (in bi-qamisi) is either for accompaniment or association—meaning: go accompanied by it or clad in it—or it is for transitivity, as has been said, meaning: take this shirt of mine.

"And cast it over my father’s face; he will become seeing" (i.e., he will become sighted). This is supported by: "And he became seeing." Or [it means]: he will come to me seeing, and it is supported by: "And bring me your family all together."

From the women, offspring, and others included under the term "family"—this is what they have said. The gist of the two interpretations, as some researchers have said, is that the "coming" in the first is a metaphor for "becoming." The father’s coming to him is not mentioned, not because he is not included in the "family"—for he is too exalted to be a follower—but to avoid commanding the brothers to bring him, as that is a kind of coercion upon the one being brought, whereas it should be left to his own choice. In the second [interpretation], it is literal, and it also contains the aforementioned avoidance, while remaining certain that he will inevitably be among those who come, out of trust in his love. The benefit of the casting is his arrival in the state he desires, namely, being restored and sound of sight. It is argued that his becoming sighted is a foregone, certain conclusion, and the discussion is only regarding the casting being the cause of his becoming so in that manner; thus, this view is more plausible, even if the first is quite acceptable in terms of exegesis.

There is an indication here that his sight (peace be upon him) had departed, and Yusuf (peace be upon him) knew of that. It is possible this was through their informing him, and it is possible it was through revelation. Likewise, his knowledge of what would result from the casting may also have been through revelation, or from previous knowledge of the properties of that shirt through experience or the like, if the intended shirt is the one that was in the amulet. The first possibility is determined if something else is intended, as is the apparent meaning.

The Imam said: It is possible to say that perhaps Yusuf (peace be upon him) knew that his father’s sight had been afflicted only by much weeping and distress of heart. Thus, when his shirt is cast upon him, his breast must expand, and intense joy must enter his heart; that strengthens the spirit and removes weakness from the faculties, and consequently, his sight strengthens, and that deficiency departs from him. This amount is something that can be known by reason, for medical principles attest to its validity—though I do not hold that view.

Al-Kalbi said: Those family members were about seventy people. Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from al-Rabi' ibn Anas that they were seventy-two, consisting of his children and grandchildren. It has been said: eighty. It has been said: ninety. Ibn al-Mundhir and others narrated from Ibn Mas'ud that they were ninety-three. It has been said: ninety-six. They multiplied in Egypt and left it with Musa (peace be upon him), numbering six hundred thousand, five hundred, and seventy-something men, excluding offspring and the elderly. The offspring numbered one million two hundred thousand, as has been said.