Tafsir of Yusuf 12:102

Surah Yusuf (12:102)

Translation and Exegesis (Based on Mafatih al-Ghayb):

{ذٰلِكَ مِنْ أَنبَآءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ} (That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you.)

• {ذٰلِكَ} (That) is the subject (mubtada'), referring to the preceding story of Joseph.
• {مِنْ أَنبَآءِ الْغَيْبِ} (from the news of the unseen) is the first predicate (khabar).
• {نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ} (We reveal it to you) is a second predicate, describing the nature of that news.

{وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ أَجْمَعُوا أَمْرَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَمْكُرُونَ} (And you were not with them when they conspired their plan, while they were plotting.)

• {وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ} (And you were not with them) means you were not present with Joseph's brothers.
• {إِذْ أَجْمَعُوا أَمْرَهُمْ} (when they conspired their plan) means they resolved upon their matter. (The discussion of the word ajma'ū has already been covered previously, referencing the verse: {فَأَجْمِعُوا أَمْرَكُمْ} - "So resolve upon your plan.")
• {وَهُمْ يَمْكُرُونَ} (while they were plotting) refers to their plotting against Joseph.

The Purpose of this Statement (The Miraculous Nature):

The purpose of stating this is to affirm that this news of the unseen is a miracle.

The proof that this is a miracle is that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had not studied books, nor had he taken lessons from anyone. The city he was in was not a city of scholars. His presentation of this long story, without any distortion or error, without prior study or learning, and without being present with them, must necessarily be a miracle. (This point regarding its miraculous nature has been established repeatedly in this book.)

• {وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ} (And you were not with them) is mentioned here as a form of gentle admonishment or irony directed at the disbelievers, because everyone knows that the Prophet (PBUH) was not physically present with them.

{وَمَا أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ} (And most people will not believe, even if you eagerly desire it.)

{وَمَا تَسْأَلُهُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَالَمِينَ} (And you ask them for no reward for it. It is not but a reminder to the worlds.)

{وَكَأَيِّن مِّنْ آيَةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ يَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضُونَ} (And how many a sign in the heavens and the earth do they pass over, while they turn away from them.)

{وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُم بِاللَّهِ إِلَّا وَهُم مُّشْرِكُونَ} (And most of them do not believe in Allah except while they are associating others [with Him].)

{أَفَأَمِنُوا أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ غَاشِيَةٌ مِّنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ أَوْ تَأْتِيَهُمُ السَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ} (Then do they feel secure that there will not come to them an overwhelming cover of Allah's punishment, or that the Hour will come upon them suddenly while they are unaware?)