Tafsir of Yusuf 12:109

Surah Yusuf (12:109)

[Verse 109]

Recitations:

• Hafs (from 'Asim) recited: {نُوحِي} (nūḥī - We reveal) with a Nūn (N).
• The rest recited: {يُوحَى} (yūḥā - It is revealed) with a Yā' (Y).

• Nāfi', Ibn Kathīr, and Abū 'Amr recited: {تَعْقِلُونَ} (taʿqilūn - you [plural] reason) with a Tā' (T) addressing the people.
• Hafs' narration from 'Asim also recited: {تَعْقِلُونَ} (taʿqilūn) with a Tā' (T).
• The rest recited: {يَعْقِلُونَ} (yaʿqilūn - they reason) with a Yā' (Y) in the third person.

Exegesis:

One of the arguments raised by those who denied the Prophet's (PBUH) prophethood was that if God intended to send a messenger, He would have sent an angel.

In response, God states: {And We did not send before you except men to whom We revealed, from the towns/villages.}

Since all previous messengers were like this (i.e., human men from settled areas), how could they be surprised regarding you, O Muhammad?

Furthermore, this verse indicates that God never sent a female messenger. Also, He did not send messengers from the desert dwellers (Bādiyah). The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Whoever lives in the desert becomes harsh, and whoever follows hunting becomes heedless."

Then God says: {Have they not traveled through the earth and observed the end of those who were before them?}

Regarding the phrase: {And the Home of the Hereafter is better...}

This means the state of the Hereafter, because people have two states: the state of this world and the state of the Hereafter. Similar to this is the phrase al-ṣalāt al-ūlā (the first prayer), meaning the obligatory prayer that came first. We have repeatedly mentioned the proofs demonstrating that the Hereafter is better than the first state (this world).

[Verse 110]

Translation:

{Until, when the messengers despaired and thought that they had been denied, there came to them Our victory, and whoever We willed was saved. And Our might will not be repelled from the criminal people.}