Yusuf (Joseph): Verses 99–100

It is narrated that Joseph (peace be upon him) sent a convoy and two hundred riding animals to his father to prepare for the journey with those accompanying him. Joseph (peace be upon him) set out, and the King, along with four thousand soldiers, the nobles, and all the people of Egypt, went out to meet Jacob (peace be upon him).

Jacob (peace be upon him) was walking, leaning on Judah. He looked at the horses and the people and said, "O Judah, is this the Pharaoh of Egypt?" Judah replied, "No, this is your son Joseph." Joseph moved to greet him first, but he was prevented. Jacob (peace be upon him) said, "Peace be upon you."

It is also said that Jacob and his children entered Egypt as seventy-two people (men and women), and they left Egypt with Moses as six hundred and fifty-seven thousand fighting men, besides the children and the elderly.

Regarding the verse: {إِلَيْهِ أَبَوَيْهِ وَقَالَ} (his parents, and he said)

There are two points of discussion concerning this:

There are two opinions:

1. His father and his mother: According to this view, it is said that his mother was still alive at that time. Another view is that she had died, but God Almighty revived her and raised her from the grave so that she might prostrate to him, confirming Joseph's vision.
2. His father and his paternal aunt: This is because his mother died during childbirth with his brother Benjamin (Benjamin in Hebrew means "son of pain"). After his mother died, his father married his aunt. God named her as one of the two parents because the stepmother is called a parent, either because she took the mother's place or because the aunt is considered a mother, just as the paternal uncle is considered a father. This is supported by the verse: {وَإِلَٰهِ آبَائِكَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ} (And the religion of your forefathers, Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac) (Al-Baqarah: 133).

It means he drew them close to himself, embraced them, and held them tight.

If it is asked: What is the meaning of their entering upon him before entering Egypt?

We reply: It is as if, when he received them, he settled them in a house or a tent nearby. They entered upon him, and he drew his parents close, and then he said to them: {ادْخُلُوا مِصْرَ} (Enter Egypt).

Regarding the verse: {دَخَلُوا عَلَى يُوسُفَ آوَى إِلَيْهِ أَبَوَيْهِ} (They entered upon Joseph, and he took his parents in)

There are several discussions here:

Al-Saddi said that this statement occurred before they entered Egypt, as he had already gone out to meet them. This is what we established.

Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with him) interpreted {ادْخُلُوا مِصْرَ} (Enter Egypt) to mean: Settle there securely. He named settling as entering because the two actions were closely linked.

There are two opinions regarding this exception:

1. It refers to security, not entry. The meaning is: "Enter Egypt securely, if God wills." This is similar to His saying: {لَتَدْخُلُنَّ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ آمِنِينَ} (You will surely enter the Sacred Mosque, if God wills, in security) (Al-Fath: 27).
2. It refers to the entry itself, based on the view that he said this to them before they actually entered Egypt.

It means safe concerning their lives, wealth, and families—not fearing anyone. Previously, they feared the kings of Egypt. It is also said: safe from famine, hardship, and poverty. Another view is: safe from Joseph harming them due to the past offense (of the brothers).

Regarding the verse: {وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيْهِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ} (And he raised his parents upon the throne)

Linguists say that al-'Arsh (the throne) means a high couch. God Almighty said: {وَلَهَا عَرْشٌ عَظِيمٌ} (And she had a great throne) (An-Naml: 23). Here, the throne refers to the seat upon which Joseph sat.

Regarding the verse: {وَخَرُّوا لَهُ سُجَّدًا} (And they fell down to him in prostration)

This presents a difficulty (Ishkal), because Jacob (peace be upon him) was Joseph's father, and the right of a father is immense. God Almighty said: {وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا} (And your Lord has decreed that you worship none except Him, and to parents, good treatment) (Al-Isra: 23). He coupled the right of parents with His own right. Furthermore, Jacob was an old man, and a young man is obligated to respect the elderly.

The Third Opinion: Jacob was one of the greatest of the Prophets, and although Joseph was a Prophet, Jacob held a higher station than him.

The Fourth Opinion: Jacob’s diligence and striving in abundant acts of worship exceeded Joseph’s diligence. Given these many factors, Joseph should have been extremely devoted to serving Jacob. How then did Joseph permit Jacob to prostrate to him? This summarizes the question.

The First Way (Ibn Abbas, narrated by Ata): What is meant by this verse is that they prostrated for him, meaning prostrating to God Almighty because of him. The essence is that this prostration was one of thanksgiving, so the one being prostrated to is God, although the prostration was because of Joseph. The evidence for this interpretation is that the verse {وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيْهِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ وَخَرُّوا لَهُ سُجَّدًا} suggests they ascended the throne and then prostrated. If they had prostrated to Joseph, they would have done so before ascending the throne, as that would be more indicative of humility.

• If they object: This interpretation does not align with His saying: {وَقَالَ يَا أَبَتِ هَٰذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُؤْيَايَ مِنْ قَبْلُ} (And he said, "O my father, this is the interpretation of my dream from before"), referring to {إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِي سَاجِدِينَ} (Indeed, I saw eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me) (Yusuf: 4).
• We reply: It is indeed consistent. The meaning of {وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِي سَاجِدِينَ} could be: they prostrated for my sake—meaning they prostrated to God seeking my welfare and striving to elevate my status. If this is possible, the question falls away. I believe this interpretation is necessary because it is not conceivable, based on Joseph's intellect, religion, or his precedence in the rights of parenthood, old age, knowledge, piety, and the perfection of prophethood, that he would accept his father prostrating to him.

The Second Way: They made Joseph the Qibla (direction of prayer) and prostrated to God out of thanks for the blessing of finding him. This interpretation is sound, as one can say, "I prayed to the Kaaba" (meaning facing it) just as one says, "I prayed toward the Kaaba." Hassan said poetry indicating that one can say someone prayed toward a Qibla. Thus, it is permissible to say someone prostrated toward a Qibla. His saying {وَخَرُّوا لَهُ سُجَّدًا} means they made him the Qibla, then prostrated to God in thanks for the blessing of finding him.

The Third Way: Humility itself is sometimes called prostration, as in the line: "You see the hollows therein prostrating to the hooves." The intent here might have been humility. However, this is problematic because God said {وَخَرُّوا لَهُ سُجَّدًا}, and khurur (falling down) implies performing the prostration in the most complete manner. It is answered that khurur can simply mean passing by, as in the verse: {لَمْ يَخِرُّوا عَلَيْهَا صُمًّا وَعُمْيَانًا} (They did not fall upon it deaf and blind), meaning they did not pass over it.

The Fourth Way: The pronoun in {وَخَرُّوا لَهُ} does not refer to the parents; otherwise, it would have been said: wa kharrū lahu sājidīn (and they prostrated to him). Rather, the pronoun refers to his brothers and all others who entered to offer congratulations. The meaning is: "He raised his parents upon the throne" as an exaggeration of honoring them, while the brothers and others fell down prostrating to him.

• If they object: This does not align with {وَقَالَ يَا أَبَتِ هَٰذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُؤْيَايَ مِنْ قَبْلُ}.
• We reply: The interpretation of a dream does not necessarily have to match the dream in form and description in every aspect. The prostration of the stars, sun, and moon symbolizes the veneration of the great people toward him. Jacob’s journey with his sons from Canaan to Egypt for his sake was the ultimate form of veneration. This is sufficient for the dream's truthfulness. No rational person requires the interpretation to be identical in form and description to the original dream.

The Fifth Way: Perhaps the act of greeting and honoring at that time was prostration. Their intention was to honor him. This is highly unlikely because the exaggeration in honoring Joseph should have been greater than that shown to Jacob. If that were the case, Joseph should have been the one prostrating to Jacob (peace be upon him).

The Sixth Way: Perhaps his brothers were prevented by pride and arrogance from prostrating to him out of humility. Jacob (peace be upon him), knowing that if they did not, it would stir up sedition and reveal old grudges, performed this prostration—despite his high status due to parenthood, old age, precedence in religion, prophethood, and knowledge—so that their witnessing it would cause the arrogance and aversion to leave their hearts. Just as a great ruler appoints a supervisor (Muhtasib) and empowers him to enforce regulations so that no one disputes his authority, so too here.

The Seventh Way: Perhaps God Almighty commanded Jacob to perform that prostration for a hidden wisdom known only to Him, just as He commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam for a wisdom known only to Him. Joseph was not pleased with this in his heart, but when he realized God had commanded it, he remained silent.

Then God Almighty recounted that when Joseph saw this situation: {قَالَ يَا أَبَتِ هَٰذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُؤْيَايَ مِنْ قَبْلُ قَدْ جَعَلَهَا رَبِّي حَقًّا} (He said, "O my father, this is the interpretation of my dream from before; indeed, my Lord has made it true").

Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with him) said that when he saw the prostration of his parents and brothers, it shocked him, and his skin trembled. He said to Jacob, "This is the interpretation of my dream from before." I say this supports the Seventh Answer: He was essentially saying, "O my father, it is not fitting for someone of your stature in knowledge, religion, and prophethood to prostrate to your son, except that this is a command you were ordered with and a duty you were tasked with." The dreams of Prophets are true, just as Abraham's dream of sacrificing his son became the reason for that sacrifice in wakefulness. Likewise, this dream Joseph saw and related to Jacob became the reason for the obligation of that prostration. This is why Ibn Abbas narrated that Joseph (peace be upon him) was shocked and his skin trembled when he saw it, yet he said nothing. I suggest that this might be part of God's intense testing of Jacob: as if it were said to him, "You constantly longed for reunion and were always grieving separation; now that you have found him, prostrate to him." Thus, the command for that prostration was part of the intense trial. God knows the truths of matters best.

There is disagreement on the duration between this event and the dream: some say eighty years, some seventy, and some forty, which is the view of the majority. This is why they say the interpretation of the dream only became true after forty years. Others say eighteen years. Al-Hasan said he was thrown into the well at seventeen, remained in servitude and prison for eighty years, then reached his father and relatives, and lived another twenty-three years, making his age one hundred and twenty years. God knows the truths of matters best.

Then He said: {وَقَدْ أَحْسَنَ بِي} (And He has been good to me). It is said: "He was good to me" and "He was good to him." Kathir said poetry indicating the use of the verb Ahsana bi (to be good to someone).

He said: "When He brought me out of prison," and He did not mention bringing him out of the well for several reasons:

1. He said to his brothers: {لَا تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ} (No blame will there be upon you today). Mentioning the incident of the well would imply blame toward them, so omitting it is consistent with generosity.
2. When he came out of the well, he did not become a king; rather, they made him a slave. But when he came out of prison, they made him a king, so this release was closer to a complete favor.
3. When he came out of the well, he fell into troubles resulting from the woman's accusation. When he came out of prison, he reached his father and brothers, and the accusation was removed, making this closer to benefit.
4. Al-Wahidi said: The favor of his release from prison is greater because his entry into prison was due to a sin he almost committed. This should be interpreted as a natural inclination or desire of the soul. While this might be pardoned for others, it could potentially lead to accountability for him, as the good deeds of the righteous are sometimes considered shortcomings for the near ones (to God).

Then He said: {وَجَاءَ بِكُمْ مِنَ الْبَدْوِ} (And He brought you from the desert/countryside). There are two issues here:

1. From the beginning (Al-Bidayah): Al-Wahidi said Al-Badw is a stretch of land where a person becomes visible from afar. Its root is from badā (to appear). The place was named after the verbal noun (Masdar). Thus, one says Badw (countryside) and Hadhar (city). Jacob and his sons were people of livestock and wilderness in the land of Canaan.
2. A specific place named Badw: Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with him) said Jacob had moved to and settled in a place called Badw, and he had a mosque there under its mountain. Ibn al-Anbari said Badw is a known place between Sha'b and Badw, two places mentioned by Ka'b. The meaning, in this case, is: "He brought you from intending/coming to the place called Badw." On this view, Jacob and his sons were settled people, as Badw here does not mean the wilderness but the intention to go to the place named Badw. This is what Al-Wahidi stated in Al-Basit.

Our colleagues used this verse as evidence that the actions of the servant are created by God Almighty. This is because he attributed his release from prison to himself: {إِذْ أَخْرَجَنِي مِنَ السِّجْنِ} (when He brought me out of prison), but he attributed their coming from the Badw to God: {وَجَاءَ بِكُمْ مِنَ الْبَدْوِ}. This explicitly indicates that the servant's action is, in essence, God's action. Interpreting this as meaning it happened only through God's enabling and facilitation is deviating from the apparent meaning.

Then He said: {مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ نَزَغَ الشَّيْطَانُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ إِخْوَتِي} (after Satan had sown discord between me and my brothers). The author of Al-Kashshaf said: Nazagha means he corrupted and misled. Its origin is from a runner spurring on an animal to make it run; one says nazagahu or nasagahu if he pricked it.

The Mu'tazilites (Al-Jubba'i, Al-Ka'bi, and Al-Qadi) used this verse as proof against predestination (Jabr). They argued that Joseph attributed the favor to God and attributed the sowing of discord to Satan. If this act were also from the Merciful (God), it should only be attributed to Him, just like the blessings.

The Reply: Attributing this act to Satan is metaphorical. According to the Mu'tazilites, Satan has no power over hidden speech, yet God informed him: {وَمَا كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ إِلَّا أَنْ دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي} (And I had no authority over you except that I invited you, and you responded to me) (Ibrahim: 22). Thus, the apparent meaning of the Qur'an requires attributing this act to Satan, even though it is not so in reality. Furthermore, if a person's commission of sin is due to Satan, and Satan's commission of sin is due to another Satan, this leads to an infinite regress, which is impossible. If Satan's action is not due to another Satan, the same logic should apply to the human being. Therefore, a person's inclination toward ignorance and corruption is not caused by Satan, nor is it caused by himself, as no one naturally inclines toward choosing ignorance and corruption that leads to worldly blame and Hereafter punishment. Since the occurrence of disbelief and corruption must have a source, and both possibilities (Satan or self) are refuted, the only remaining option is that it is from God. What confirms this is the preceding verse: {إِذْ أَخْرَجَنِي مِنَ السِّجْنِ وَجَاءَ بِكُمْ مِنَ الْبَدْوِ}, which explicitly states that everything is from God.

Then He said: {إِنَّ رَبِّي لَطِيفٌ لِمَا يَشَاءُ} (Indeed, my Lord is Subtle in whatever He wills). This means that the gathering of Joseph with his father and brothers, accompanied by affection, love, pleasant living, and peace of mind, was extremely remote from rational comprehension. However, God Almighty is Subtle; when He wills something to happen, He facilitates its means, even if its attainment seems extremely remote.

Then He said: {إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ} (Indeed, it is He who is the All-Knowing, the Wise). Meaning, His Subtlety in His actions is because He is All-Knowing of all infinite possible considerations, thus knowing the way to easily achieve what is difficult. Wise means precise in His action, sovereign in His decree, and wise in His deeds, free from futility and falsehood. God knows best.

Verse 100:

{رَبِّ قَدْ آتَيْتَنِي مِنَ الْمُلْكِ وَعَلَّمْتَنِي مِنْ تَأْوِيلِ الْأَحَادِيثِ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَنْتَ وَلِيِّي فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ تَوَفَّنِي مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ}

(My Lord, You have certainly given me [some] of sovereignty and have taught me of the interpretation of dark sayings. Creator of the heavens and the earth, You are my protector in this world and the Hereafter. Cause me to die a Muslim and join me with the righteous.)

First Point: Mentioning Release from Prison, Not the Well

He mentioned His release from prison, but not from the well, for several reasons:

1. He told his brothers: {لَا تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ} (No blame will there be upon you today). Mentioning the incident of the well would imply blame toward them, so omitting it is consistent with generosity.
2. When he came out of the well, he did not become a king; rather, they made him a slave. But when he came out of prison, they made him a king, so this release was closer to a complete favor.
3. When he came out of the well, he fell into troubles resulting from the woman's accusation. When he came out of prison, he reached his father and brothers, and the accusation was removed, making this closer to benefit.
4. Al-Wahidi said: The favor of his release from prison is greater because his entry into prison was due to a sin he almost committed. This should be interpreted as a natural inclination or desire of the soul. While this might be pardoned for others, it could potentially lead to accountability for him, as the good deeds of the righteous are sometimes considered shortcomings for the near ones (to God).

Second Point: {وَجَاءَ بِكُمْ مِنَ الْبَدْوِ} (And He brought you from the desert/countryside)

There are two issues here:

1. From the beginning (Al-Bidayah): Al-Wahidi said Al-Badw is a stretch of land where a person becomes visible from afar. Its root is from badā (to appear). The place was named after the verbal noun (Masdar). Thus, one says Badw (countryside) and Hadhar (city). Jacob and his sons were people of livestock and wilderness in the land of Canaan.
2. A specific place named Badw: Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with him) said Jacob had moved to and settled in a place called Badw, and he had a mosque there under its mountain. Ibn al-Anbari said Badw is a known place between Sha'b and Badw, two places mentioned by Ka'b. The meaning, in this case, is: "He brought you from intending/coming to the place called Badw." On this view, Jacob and his sons were settled people, as Badw here does not mean the wilderness but the intention to go to the place named Badw. This is what Al-Wahidi stated in Al-Basit.

Our colleagues used this verse as evidence that the actions of the servant are created by God Almighty. This is because he attributed his release from prison to himself: {إِذْ أَخْرَجَنِي مِنَ السِّجْنِ} (when He brought me out of prison), but he attributed their coming from the Badw to God: {وَجَاءَ بِكُمْ مِنَ الْبَدْوِ}. This explicitly indicates that the servant's action is, in essence, God's action. Interpreting this as meaning it happened only through God's enabling and facilitation is deviating from the apparent meaning.

Third Point: {مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ نَزَغَ الشَّيْطَانُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ إِخْوَتِي} (after Satan had sown discord between me and my brothers)

The author of Al-Kashshaf said: Nazagha means he corrupted and misled. Its origin is from a runner spurring on an animal to make it run; one says nazagahu or nasagahu if he pricked it.

The Mu'tazilites (Al-Jubba'i, Al-Ka'bi, and Al-Qadi) used this verse as proof against predestination (Jabr). They argued that Joseph attributed the favor to God and attributed the sowing of discord to Satan. If this act were also from the Merciful (God), it should only be attributed to Him, just like the blessings.

The Reply: Attributing this act to Satan is metaphorical. According to the Mu'tazilites, Satan has no power over hidden speech, yet God informed him: {وَمَا كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ إِلَّا أَنْ دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي} (And I had no authority over you except that I invited you, and you responded to me) (Ibrahim: 22). Thus, the apparent meaning of the Qur'an requires attributing this act to Satan, even though it is not so in reality. Furthermore, if a person's commission of sin is due to Satan, and Satan's commission of sin is due to another Satan, this leads to an infinite regress, which is impossible. If Satan's action is not due to another Satan, the same logic should apply to the human being. Therefore, a person's inclination toward ignorance and corruption is not caused by Satan, nor is it caused by himself, as no one naturally inclines toward choosing ignorance and corruption that leads to worldly blame and Hereafter punishment. Since the occurrence of disbelief and corruption must have a source, and both possibilities (Satan or self) are refuted, the only remaining option is that it is from God. What confirms this is the preceding verse: {إِذْ أَخْرَجَنِي مِنَ السِّجْنِ وَجَاءَ بِكُمْ مِنَ الْبَدْوِ}, which explicitly states that everything is from God.

Fourth Point: {إِنَّ رَبِّي لَطِيفٌ لِمَا يَشَاءُ} (Indeed, my Lord is Subtle in whatever He wills)

This means that the gathering of Joseph with his father and brothers, accompanied by affection, love, pleasant living, and peace of mind, was extremely remote from rational comprehension. However, God Almighty is Subtle; when He wills something to happen, He facilitates its means, even if its attainment seems extremely remote.

Fifth Point: {إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ} (Indeed, it is He who is the All-Knowing, the Wise)

Meaning, His Subtlety in His actions is because He is All-Knowing of all infinite possible considerations, thus knowing the way to easily achieve what is difficult. Wise means precise in His action, sovereign in His decree, and wise in His deeds, free from futility and falsehood. God knows best.