Surah Yusuf (12): Verses 56-57

And thus We established Joseph in the land...

Issue 1: The King's Response to Joseph's Request

It is mentioned that when Joseph (peace be upon him) asked the King to make him custodian of the land's treasuries, God did not narrate the King saying, "I have done so." Instead, God stated: {And thus We established Joseph in the land}.

• The Commentators' View: They suggest there is an implied statement: "The King said, 'I have done it.'" The establishment by God indicates the King agreed to Joseph's request.
• A Superior View (Al-Razi's): While the commentators' view is sound, a deeper understanding is that the King's agreement was merely an apparent cause in the visible world. The true Mover is God Almighty, who established Joseph.
  • The King had the power to accept or reject. His power was equally balanced between acceptance and refusal.
  • For acceptance to occur, this balance had to be tipped in favor of acceptance by a determining factor (murajjih) created by God.
  • Once God created this determining factor, acceptance was inevitable.
  • Therefore, Joseph's establishment in the land was solely due to God creating in the King's heart the necessary power and decisive inclination that mandates the effect. This is why God omitted mentioning the King's verbal response and focused only on the Divine establishment, as God is the true effective cause.

Issue 2: The Ceremony of Appointment (Narration)

It is narrated that the King proceeded, placed the royal seal on Joseph's finger, girded him with the royal sword, and set for him a throne inlaid with pearls and rubies.

Joseph (peace be upon him) responded:

• "As for the throne, it will strengthen your kingdom."
• "As for the seal, by it your affairs will be managed."
• "As for the crown, it is not part of my attire, nor that of my forefathers."

He then sat on the throne, and the people submitted to him. The King dismissed Potiphar (the husband of the known woman), who subsequently died. The King then married Joseph to his wife. When Joseph entered upon her, he said, "Is this not better than what you desired?" She was found to be a virgin and bore him two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Joseph established justice in Egypt, and men and women loved him. The King and many people embraced Islam at his hands.

During the years of famine, Joseph sold food to the people of Egypt:

1. The first year: for dirhams and dinars.
2. The second year: for jewelry and precious stones.
3. The third year: for livestock.
4. The fourth year: for lands and real estate.
5. The final period: for their very persons (enslaving them).

The people said, "By God, we have never seen a king greater in stature than this king, until all creation became his slaves." When Joseph heard this, he declared, "I call God to witness that I have freed all the people of Egypt and returned their possessions to them." He stipulated that he would sell no more than a camel's load to any one person seeking food, so that the provisions would not become scarce for the rest. (This is narrated by the author of Al-Kashshaf.)

Issue 3: Interpretation of Verse 56: {And thus We established Joseph in the land...}

{And thus} (Wa kadhalik): The Kaf (like/thus) is in the accusative case, related to the establishment (tamkeen). {Thus} (Dhalik): Refers to what preceded—the favor God bestowed upon him by bringing him close to the King's heart and saving him from the distress of prison. {We established Joseph in the land} (Makkannā li-Yūsufa fī al-arḍ): Meaning, We empowered him to do whatever he willed by removing obstacles. {to settle therein wherever he wills} (Yatabawwa'u minhā ḥaythu yashā'): Yatabawwa'u is in the accusative case, functioning as a ḥāl (circumstantial adverb), meaning: We established him while he was settling.

• Recitation Variant: Ibn Kathir recited nashā' (We will grant) with the Nun (We), attributing it to God. The rest recited yashā' (he wills), attributing it to Joseph.

The phrase {to settle therein wherever he wills} indicates that Joseph reached a position of sovereignty where no one could oppose him or dispute his authority; he was independent in all that he willed and desired.

God then affirmed that this establishment was from Him: {We assign Our Mercy to whom We will}.

Two Confirmations of Divine Agency:

1. First, God stated the establishment was from Him: {And thus We established Joseph in the land}.
2. Second, He confirmed it: {We assign Our Mercy to whom We will}.

Benefit 1: This indicates that everything originates from God.

• The Judge's View: Since that kingdom was only complete through actions performed by God, it is as if it was obtained from God.
• Our Response: We maintain that the kingdom itself was obtained from God, as the wording of the Qur'an indicates, and the decisive proof we mentioned strengthens this. Therefore, interpreting this wording metaphorically is impossible.

Benefit 2: This attainment came purely through Divine Will and irresistible Power.

• The Judge's View: This verse indicates that God manages the affairs of His favors according to what necessitates al-ṣalāḥ (propriety/goodness).
• Our Response: The verse indicates that matters are suspended upon Divine Will and pure Power. The constraint of al-ṣalāḥ is an element you introduced from yourself, which the text does not support.

Then God stated: {And the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believed and were righteous [pious]}.

• The loss/neglect of reward (iḍā'at al-ajr) occurs due to inability, ignorance, or stinginess. All these are impossible for God. Thus, neglecting the reward is impossible.

This verse is a testimony from God that Joseph (peace be upon him) was among the righteous/good-doers (al-muḥsinīn).

• If the saying were true that he succumbed to her temptation (the four corners of the bed), it would be impossible for him to be called one of the muḥsinīn.
• Therefore, one must either deny God's judgment concerning Joseph (which is outright disbelief) or deny the narration of the Ḥashwiyyah (which is faith and truth).

Then God stated: {And the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believed and were pious}.

Issue 4: Interpretation of {And the reward of the Hereafter is better...}

View 1: Even though Joseph reached high stations in this world, the reward God prepared for him in the Hereafter is better, superior, and more complete. The reasons for preference (absolute benefit, permanence, associated with glorification) are all present in the Hereafter's rewards and absent in worldly rewards.

View 2: The word khayr (better) can be used to indicate that one good is superior to another (e.g., "Jallab [a sweet drink] is better than water"). It can also be used simply to state that something is good, without implying comparison (e.g., "Tharid [bread and broth] is better than al-lāh"—meaning Tharid is a good thing obtained through God's bounty).

• If we take View 1, then worldly blessings must also be described as "good."
• If we take View 2, we cannot say worldly benefits are "goods" at all; rather, it implies that the reward of the Hereafter is the true good, and everything else is vanity.

Issue 5: Joseph's Status as Pious and Righteous

It is certain that this verse describes Joseph's condition. Therefore, it must be true that he was among {those who believed and were pious (al-muttaqūn)}. This is an explicit declaration from God.

• There is no prior time in Joseph's life that requires this declaration except the time when God said: {And indeed she intended to him, and he intended for her} (Yusuf 12:24). This verse serves as God's testimony that he was among the pious at that moment.
• Furthermore, {And We do not allow to be lost the reward of the good-doers} is God's testimony that he was among the muḥsinīn.
• And {Indeed, he was of Our chosen servants (al-muḫlaṣīn)} is God's testimony that he was among the sincere.
• Thus, it is established that God testified Joseph was among the pious, the good-doers, and the sincere. The ignorant Ḥashwī claims he was among the losers and sinners. Whoever rejects God's statement, despite these confirmations, is surely among the losers.

Issue 6: Refuting the Murji'ah (Theological Group)

The Judge's View: The verse {And the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believed and were pious} proves the invalidity of the Murji'ah's claim that reward in the Hereafter is attained even by those who do not avoid major sins.

Our Response: This is weak.

1. If we interpret khayr as the comparative form (better), it implies the reward for the pious is superior, but it does not necessitate that others receive no reward at all.
2. If we interpret it based on the fundamental meaning of goodness, it proves that this good (the Hereafter's reward) is attained by the pious, but it does not prove that others are deprived of receiving some good.

Surah Yusuf (12): Verses 58-60

{And Joseph's brothers came and entered upon him, and he recognized them, while they did not recognize him.}

{And when he had furnished them with their provisions, he said, "Bring me a brother of yours from your father. Do you not see that I give full measure, and I am the best of hosts?}

{But if you do not bring him to me, then you will have no measure from me with me, nor will you approach me."}

{They said, "We will try to persuade his father concerning him, and indeed, we will do it."}