Tafsir of Yusuf 12:78-79

Surah Yusuf (12:78-79)

They said: "O mighty one! Indeed, he has an old father, (78)

So take one of us in his place. Indeed, we see you as one who does good." (79)

[78] They said: "O mighty one! Indeed, he has an old father,"

Allāh (Exalted is He) clarified that after they mentioned their previous statement—"If he steals, his brother has stolen before him" (Yusuf: 77)—they preferred to agree with him and shift to the method of intercession/ransom. Although they had admitted that the ruling of Allāh (Exalted and Majestic) concerning a thief is enslavement, pardon or taking a ransom was also permissible.

So they said: "O mighty one! Indeed, he has an old father," meaning advanced in age. It is also possible that "old" refers to status and religion. They mentioned this because being the son of a man of high status necessitates pardon and forgiveness.

"So take one of us in his place,"

This has two possible interpretations:

1. It could be stated as a way of expressing disbelief/impossibility (i.e., suggesting an absurd alternative).
2. It could mean taking one of them as collateral (a pledge/hostage) until they deliver the ransom money to you.

"Indeed, we see you as one who does good."

This phrase has several interpretations:

1. Interpretation 1: We see you as one who does good if you act upon this request (i.e., accept the exchange).
2. Interpretation 2: We see you as one who does good to us, as you have honored us, given us much wealth, fulfilled our needs in the best manner, and returned the price of the food to us.
3. Interpretation 3: It is narrated that when severe famine afflicted the people, and they had nothing to buy food with, they began selling themselves to him (Joseph). This became the reason why most of the people of Egypt became his slaves. Later, he freed them all. Perhaps they said: "We see you as one who does good to the general populace by freeing them, so be good also to this individual by freeing him from this tribulation."

Then Joseph said: "May Allāh forbid! (i.e., I seek refuge in Allāh from doing so) We would then be unjust."

This means: "I seek refuge in Allāh from taking an innocent person for the crime committed by another."

Al-Zajjāj said: The word an (that) is in the accusative case (mansūb), and the meaning is: "I seek refuge in Allāh from taking someone in place of another." When the preposition min (from) is omitted, the verb becomes accusative (mansūb) based on the implied preposition.

And His statement: "Indeed, in that case, we would be wrongdoers." This means: "Indeed, if I harmed a person for a crime committed by someone else, I would have transgressed and been unjust."

If one asks: This entire incident, from beginning to end, is a fabrication and a lie. How could Joseph (peace be upon him), in his capacity as a Messenger, engage in such fabrication, promotion, and harming people without cause, especially since he knows that if he detains his brother under this pretext, his father's grief and sorrow will intensify? How is such extreme fabrication fitting for an infallible Prophet?

The Answer: Perhaps Allāh commanded him to do this to intensify the trial for Jacob (Ya'qūb), and He forbade him from pardoning or accepting a substitute, just as Allāh commanded the companion of Moses to kill someone who, had he lived, would have become tyrannical and disbelieving.

[79] So when they despaired of him, they withdrew in private consultation.

Their chief said: "Do you not know that your father has already taken a solemn pledge from you to Allāh concerning Joseph? So I will never leave this land until my father permits me or Allāh judges for me, and He is the best of judges."