Tafsir of Yusuf 12:83

Surah Yusuf (12:83)

{بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا ۖ فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ}

Translation & Exegesis:

Know that when Jacob (peace be upon him) heard this speech from his sons, he did not believe them regarding what they mentioned, just as in the incident of Joseph. He said: {Nay, but your souls have made easy for you a matter. So, patience is beautiful.}

He mentioned this exact statement in this incident, but in the incident of Joseph (peace be upon him), he said: {And Allah is the one whose help is sought concerning what you describe} (Yusuf: 18). Here, however, he said: {Perhaps Allah will bring them to me all together.}

There are several issues concerning this:

Some scholars stated that the meaning of {Nay, but your souls have made easy for you a matter} here is not merely lying and deceit, as in the incident of Joseph. Instead, here it means:

1. Your souls made it seem permissible to you to take Benjamin away from me and send him to Egypt, seeking benefit, which ultimately resulted in harm and affliction.
2. You insisted vehemently on sending him with you, unaware that God's decree came contrary to your estimation.

Another view is that the meaning is: Your souls made it seem plausible to you that he was stolen, when in fact he was not stolen.

It is narrated that when Reuben resolved to stay in Egypt, the King ordered him to go with his brothers. Reuben replied, "If you let me go, I will let out a cry that will cause every pregnant woman in Egypt to miscarry." Joseph said, "Let him stay."

When the people returned to Jacob (peace be upon him) and informed him of the incident, he wept and said: "O my sons, every time you leave me, some of you are lost. You went once and Joseph was lost. The second time, Simeon was lost. And this third time, Reuben and Benjamin are lost."

Then he wept and said: {Perhaps Allah will bring them to me all together.}

He ruled this way for several reasons:

1. First: Because his sorrow, affliction, and trial had been prolonged, he knew that Allah would soon grant him relief and a way out. Thus, he said this out of good expectation regarding Allah's Mercy.
2. Second: Perhaps Allah had informed him after the trial of Joseph that he was alive, or signs of that had appeared to him.

He said {Perhaps Allah will bring them to me all together} because when they first went with Joseph, they were twelve; Joseph was lost, and eleven remained. When he sent them to Egypt, they returned with nine, as Joseph detained Benjamin, and the elder brother (Reuben) remained behind, saying: {I will not leave this land until my father permits me or Allah decides for me} (Yusuf: 80). Since three were absent (Joseph, Simeon, and now Benjamin/Reuben), it was appropriate for him to say, {Perhaps Allah will bring them to me all together.}

Then He said: {Indeed, He is the All-Knowing, the Wise.}

This means: He is the Knower of the realities of matters, and the Wise in them in a manner conforming to grace, benevolence, mercy, and suitability.

{وَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا أَسَفَىٰ عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ وَابْيَضَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْحُزْنِ فَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ * قَالُوا تَاللَّهِ تَفْتَأُ تَذْكُرُ يُوسُفَ حَتَّىٰ تَكُونَ حَرَضًا أَوْ تَكُونَ مِنَ الْهَالِكِينَ * قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَشْكُو بَثِّي وَحُزْنِي إِلَى اللَّهِ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ * يَا بَنِيَّ اذْهَبُوا فَتَحَسَّسُوا مِن يُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ وَلَا تَيْأَسُوا مِن رَّوْحِ اللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُ لَا يَيْأَسُ مِن رَّوْحِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْكَافِرُونَ}

Translation:

{And he turned away from them and said, "Oh, my sorrow for Joseph!" And his eyes became white from grief, and he was suppressing (his pain).

They said, "By Allah, you will not cease mentioning Joseph until you become ill or become one of the doomed ones."

He said, "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you do not know."

"O my sons, go and search for Joseph and his brother and despair not of relief from Allah. Indeed, none despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people."}