Surah Yusuf (12): Verses 91–93

Translation and Exegesis

When Joseph (peace be upon him) informed his brothers that Allah had favored him, and they acknowledged that whoever avoids sins and patiently endures the harm inflicted by people, Allah will not let him go to waste, they believed him and confessed his virtue and superiority:

Al-Asma'i said: The phrase ātharak (preferred you) means Allah has made you superior. A person is said to yuthir (prefer) another if he favors him with virtue and connection. The meaning here is: "Allah has preferred you over us in knowledge, forbearance, intellect, virtue, beauty, and kingship."

Some scholars used this verse as evidence that Joseph's brothers were not prophets. They argue that all positions inferior to the station of prophethood are insignificant compared to it. If they had shared the station of prophethood with him, they would not have said, {By Allah, Allah has preferred you over us}. This interpretation resolves the objection raised by those who suggest they meant Joseph was superior only in worldly matters like kingship, while they shared prophethood. We have already established that worldly matters are negligible compared to the station of prophethood.

Regarding their statement: {And indeed, we have been sinners (khāṭi'īn)}, it is said that a khāṭi' is one who commits a transgression intentionally. A distinction is made between khāṭi' (intentional sinner) and mukhaṭṭi' (one who errs unintentionally). Because of this distinction, one who strives in legal rulings but fails to reach the correct judgment is called mukhaṭṭi' (mistaken), not khāṭi' (sinner).

The majority of commentators agree that what they were apologizing for was their initial act of throwing him into the well, selling him, and separating him from his home and father.

Abu Ali al-Jubba'i argued that they were not apologizing for those actions because those acts occurred before puberty, thus not constituting a sin for which one must apologize. Rather, they were apologizing for their subsequent error: not revealing to their father that Joseph was alive so he would know the wolf had not eaten him. This view is weak for several reasons:

1. First Reason: We have already established that it is unlikely they committed those acts during childhood. It is improbable that Ya'qub (Jacob) would send a group of non-pubescent boys without an adult to guide them toward what is right and restrain them from what is wrong.
2. Second Reason: Even if we accept Al-Jubba'i's premise, at most, apologizing for those acts might not be obligatory. However, it can still be considered commendable to apologize for them. The evidence for this is that when a sinner repents, his punishment is lifted, yet he might still repent and apologize again. This shows that a person may repent even when repentance is not strictly obligatory.

When they confessed his virtue over them and admitted their sinfulness, Joseph said:

This contains two points of discussion:

Tathrīb means reproach or blame. This is derived from the Prophet's saying: "If a woman in your community commits adultery, carry out the prescribed punishment upon her, but do not yutharribuha (reproach her)," meaning, do not shame her for the adultery.

Thus, {No tathrīb upon you} means no reproach or fault-finding. The root of tathrīb comes from tharb, which is the fat covering the stomach. Its meaning implies removing the tharb, just as tajlīd (skinning) means removing the skin.

'Ata al-Khurāsānī said: Seeking favors from the young is easier than from the old. Do you not see Joseph's statement to his brothers, {No tathrīb upon you}, and Ya'qub's statement, {I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you} (Yusuf: 98)?

What is the word to which {Today} is attached? There are two opinions:

1. First Opinion: It is attached to {No tathrīb}. Meaning, "There will be no reproach upon you today." Today is the very occasion where reproach would be expected, so what about the rest of the days? Another possibility within this view is that he decreed that there is absolutely no reproach today, because the phrase {No tathrīb} is a negation of the essence (māhiyyah). Negating the essence implies the negation of all its instances. Therefore, the meaning is: "Today, I have decreed this general ruling that encompasses all times and circumstances." After clarifying that he removed the blame of this world, he asked Allah to remove the punishment of the Hereafter, saying: {May Allah forgive you}, which is a supplication.
2. Second Opinion: {Today} is attached to {May Allah forgive you}. It is as if, after negating reproach generally, he gave them the good news that Allah forgave their sins on this day. This is because when they were humbled, ashamed, confessed, and repented, Allah accepted their repentance and forgave their sins. Therefore, he said: {Today Allah will forgive you}.

It is narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) held the two doorposts of the Ka'bah on the Day of the Conquest (of Mecca) and asked the Quraysh, "What do you think I will do to you?" They replied, "We expect good, for you are a noble brother and the son of a noble brother. You have the power." He said, "I say what my brother Joseph said: 'No tathrīb upon you today.'"

It is also narrated that when Abu Sufyan came to submit, Al-'Abbas told him to recite {No tathrīb upon you today} to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). He did so, and the Prophet (PBUH) said, "May Allah forgive you and whoever taught you this."

It is narrated that when Joseph's brothers recognized him, they sent word to him: "You host us at your table morning and evening, and we are ashamed before you because of the harm we inflicted upon you." Joseph (PBUH) replied: "The people of Egypt, even though I rule over them, still look at me with their initial perception, saying: 'Glory be to the One who elevated a slave sold for twenty dirhams to this status!' Now, I have been honored by your coming, and I have gained stature in their eyes because you came and people learned that you are my brothers and that I am from the descendants of Abraham (peace be upon him)."

Then Joseph (PBUH) said:

The commentators said: When Joseph identified himself to them, he asked about his father, and they replied that his eyes had gone blind. So, he gave them his shirt.

The precise scholars stated that Joseph knew that casting this shirt upon his father's face would restore his sight only through divine revelation from Allah. Reason alone could not indicate this.

Alternatively, it can be argued that Joseph (PBUH) knew that his father had not become completely blind, but rather his sight had weakened due to excessive weeping and distress of the heart. When his shirt was cast upon him, his chest would certainly be relieved, and intense joy would enter his heart. This joy strengthens the spirit and removes the weakness from the vital force, causing his sight to strengthen and the defect to disappear. This much can be known through intuition, as medical principles support this notion.

His statement {he will come back seeing} means he will become sighted. This is supported by the verse {Then he returned seeing} (Yusuf: 96). It is also said that it means "he will come to me while he is seeing," and he mentioned it separately to honor him.

He then said regarding the rest of the family:

Al-Kalbī said: His family numbered about seventy people. Masruq narrated that Joseph's family entered Egypt, numbering ninety-three people, men and women. It is narrated that Judah carried the shirt, saying, "I caused him grief by bringing the shirt stained with blood to him, so I will bring him joy by bringing this, just as I caused him grief." It is also said that he carried it while barefoot and bareheaded from Egypt to Canaan, a journey of eighty faraskh (leagues).

Continuation of the Narrative (Verses 94–98)

When the caravan departed, their father said: {Indeed, I sense the scent of Joseph, if only you do not think me a dodderer (tufannidūn)}.

They replied: {By Allah, you are surely in your old delusion (ḍalālika al-qadīm)}.

But when the bearer of good tidings arrived and cast it upon his face, he returned seeing. He said: {Did I not tell you that I know from Allah what you do not know?}

They said: {O our father, ask forgiveness for our sins; indeed, we were sinners (khāṭi'īn)}.

He said: {I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you; indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.}