Tafsir of Yusuf 12:98

(He said, "I will ask forgiveness for you from my Lord; indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.")

It is narrated from Ibn Abbas in a marfu' (traceable) report that he (peace be upon him) delayed the request for forgiveness for them until the pre-dawn time (sahar), because supplication at that time is answered. It is also narrated from him that he delayed it until the night of Friday (Jumu'ah). This is mentioned in a long hadith narrated by al-Tirmidhi, who graded it hasan. It has been said: He delayed them until the last part of the night. Ibn Jubayr and a group stated: Until the "white nights" (the nights of the full moon), for supplication is answered therein. Al-Sha'bi said: He delayed it until he could ask Yusuf (peace be upon him), so if he forgave them, he would then seek forgiveness for them. It is also said that he delayed it to know their state regarding the sincerity of their repentance.

Some have countered these views by arguing that the word sawfa (will) contradicts this, as it is more emphatic than the letter sin in denoting future delay, and therefore the sin would have been more appropriate for such a delay. This is refuted by what is found in al-Mughni, that the view of the Basrians and others is that they are equivalent. Some researchers said: This objection is not valid, because delay—even if less than an hour—is still a delay, and delaying it until the pre-dawn time, for instance, after that day had passed, is a place for the use of sawfa.

It is also said: He intended to persevere in asking for forgiveness for them, based on the assumption that both sin and sawfa indicate continuity in the future—a matter regarding which there is debate among grammarians. Yes, it has come in some reports that he (peace be upon him) continued for a period of time to seek forgiveness for them. Ibn Jarir narrated from Anas ibn Malik that when Allah brought together the family of Ya'qub and gladdened his eyes, his sons went off in private. Some said to others: "You know what you have done, and what the old man has suffered because of you, and what Yusuf has suffered." They said: "Yes." One said: "Then do not let their forgiveness of you deceive you; how will you fare with your Lord?" Their affair settled on them going to the old man, sitting before him with Yusuf at his side, and saying: "O our father, we have come to you for a matter we have never come to you for before, and a matter has befallen us that has never befallen us before." They moved him to pity, and the Prophets (peace be upon them) are the most merciful of creation. He asked: "What is the matter, my sons?" They said: "Do you not know what we did to you and to our brother Yusuf?" He replied: "Yes." They asked: "Have you not both forgiven us?" They said: "Yes." They said: "If you have forgiven us, then what remains for us if Allah does not forgive us?" He asked: "What do you want, my sons?" They said: "We want you to supplicate to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala), for when the revelation comes to you from Allah that He has forgiven what we have done, our eyes will be cooled and our hearts will be at peace; otherwise, there is no cooling of the eyes for us in this world ever." The old man arose and faced the Qiblah, and Yusuf (peace be upon him) stood behind him, and they stood behind them, humbled and submissive. He supplicated and Yusuf said "Amin." It was not answered for them for twenty years. When twenty years had passed, Jibril descended upon Ya'qub (peace be upon them) and said: "Allah has sent me to give you the glad tidings that He has answered your prayer regarding your sons, that He has forgiven what they did, and that He has established their covenants after you to Prophethood." It is said that this, if authentic, is evidence of their prophethood and that what they committed occurred before they were made Prophets. The truth is that it is not authentic, and the verification of this has already been sufficiently provided, so remember it.

Abu al-Shaykh narrated from Ibn 'A'ishah who said: Repentance was not accepted from the sons of Ya'qub until after twenty years. Their father was before them, but they were not forgiven until Jibril descended upon him and taught him this supplication: "O Hope of the believers, do not cut off our hope; O Succor of the believers, aid us; O Helper of the believers, help us; O Lover of those who repent, accept our repentance." He delayed it until the pre-dawn, supplicated with it, and they were forgiven.

Abu Ubayd and others narrated from Ibn Jurayj that what will come (in the verse) is related to this, and this is a case of the Quranic order of precedence and delay (taqdim and ta'khir), and the original is "I will ask forgiveness for you from my Lord, if Allah wills." You know that this is a matter that should not be given any attention, for that is the speech of Yusuf (peace be upon him) without doubt, and I do not know what the motive is for committing to such a claim; perhaps it is pure ignorance.

Know that some later scholars mentioned in discussing this verse that the correct view is that istaghfara (to ask for forgiveness) is a transitive verb taking two objects; it is said: "I asked Allah for the forgiveness of the sin." Ibn Hisham stated this explicitly. In "ask forgiveness for us," the first object was omitted and the second was mentioned, and the matter was reversed in "I will seek forgiveness." Perhaps the secret—and Allah knows best—is that the omission of the first from the first (clause) is for the purpose of generalization, meaning: "Ask for us [regarding] everyone whose rights we have wronged," so that Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) may include them, and include Yusuf, Benjamin, and others. The second was not omitted, to register upon themselves the committing of sins, for the context is one of acknowledging error and seeking compassion for what has passed, so explicit mention is appropriate. As for its inclusion in the second, it is because it is the original form, with an alert that the most important matter—to which concern should be directed and toward which the face should be purified—is the forgiveness of the Lord and the acquisition of His pleasure; for when He (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) is pleased, He causes others to be pleased, given that Yusuf and his brother had already shown signs of forgiveness and were moved by brotherly tenderness. As for the omission of the second from it (the second clause), it is for brevity, as it is known from the first, with the mention being fresh in mind. Perhaps the use of sawfa (will) here is so that their devotion to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) might increase, which is more hopeful for the attainment of the intended goal. Reflect upon this.