Tafsir of Yusuf 12:94-98

Surah Yusuf (12:94-98)

94. And when the caravan departed, Jacob said, "Indeed, I sense the scent of Joseph, if only you do not think me a dotard."

• "When the caravan departed" (ولما فصلت العير): The word fasala (فصل) means to depart or leave. If it is intransitive (لازم), its source noun is fusūl (فصول); if transitive (متعدي), the source noun is fasl (فصل). Here, it means the caravan left Egypt heading towards Canaan.
• When the caravan left, Jacob (عليه السلام) said to those present among his family and relatives: "Indeed, I sense the scent of Joseph, if only you do not think me a dotard (لولا أن تفندون)."
• He did not say this to his sons because they were absent, as evidenced by his earlier command: "Go and search for news of Joseph and his brother" (Yusuf: 87).
• The distance is debated: some say an eight-day journey, others ten days, and some eighty farsakhs (leagues).
• How the scent reached him: Mujahid said a wind blew, flapping Joseph's shirt, causing the fragrance of Paradise to emanate into the world and reach Jacob. Since only the scent from that shirt carried the fragrance of Paradise, he knew it was Joseph's scent.
• Al-Wahidi narrated via Anas ibn Malik, from the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم), that the shirt Joseph was sent with (Yusuf: 93) was given to Abraham (عليه السلام) by Gabriel (عليه السلام) when Nimrod threw him into the fire. Gabriel brought a shirt and a cushion from Paradise, dressed Abraham, and sat with him. Abraham gave the shirt to Isaac, Isaac to Jacob, and Jacob to Joseph, who kept it in a silver tube around his neck. When he was thrown into the well, the shirt remained on him. This explains his command: "Take this shirt of mine..."
• The Scholarly View: God Almighty conveyed the scent to him as a miracle (معجزة), as the scent reaching him from such a distance contradicts normal custom. It must be a miracle, likely to confirm his truthfulness when his sons had accused him of delusion regarding Joseph.
• The scholars of meaning state that God conveyed the scent at the end of the period of trial, when the time for relief and joy arrived, despite the great distance. This shows that what is difficult during times of affliction becomes easy during times of blessing.
• "I sense the scent" (لاجد ريح): I smell it, expressed as wujūd (finding) because it is perceived by the sense of smell.
• "If only you do not think me a dotard" (لولا أن تفندون): Abu Bakr Ibn al-Anbari said: Afanda means one becomes grieved and his mind changes; fannada means one is ignorant. Al-Asma'i said: If a man speaks excessively due to senility, he is mufannad. The author of Al-Kashshāf notes that one says shaykh mufannad (an old man who is senile) but not ʿajūz mufannadah (an old woman), because she might not have possessed sound judgment in her youth to become senile in old age. Thus, the meaning is: "Unless you attribute this to my senility."

95. And when the bearer of good tidings arrived, he cast it over his face, and he immediately regained his sight.

• When Jacob said this, those present said: "By Allah, you are surely in your old delusion."
• Interpretations of "Old Delusion" (ضلالك القديم):
  1. Muqatil: It means worldly misery (شقاء), i.e., you are in your old misery, suffering the grief over Joseph. He cites: "Indeed, we would then be in clear error and madness" (Al-Qamar: 24), meaning in our worldly misery.
  2. Qatadah: It means your old love for Joseph, which you do not forget or neglect, similar to their previous statement: "Indeed, our father is in a clear error" (Yusuf: 8). Qatadah noted that they spoke harshly, which was not permissible toward a Prophet of God.
  3. Al-Hasan: They said this because they believed Joseph was dead. Jacob, in his intense preoccupation with remembering Joseph, was perceived as having lost his right judgment.
• "When the bearer of good tidings arrived" (فلما أن جاء البشير):
  • View 1: The particle an (أن) has no grammatical position and is sometimes mentioned (as here) and sometimes omitted (e.g., "When the terror departed from Abraham" - Hud: 74). Both forms exist in Arabic poetry.
  • View 2 (Basrans): It is connected with mā (implied) in the position of the verb it modifies, meaning: "When it became apparent that the bearer of good tidings was coming," implying the verb ẓahara (appeared).
• The Bearer: The majority of commentators say the bearer was Judah (Yahūdhā). He said: "I took the blood-stained shirt and told them a wolf ate Joseph, so today I bring the shirt to bring him joy, just as I brought him sorrow."
• "He cast it over his face" (ألقاه على وجهه): Either the bearer cast the shirt on Jacob's face, or Jacob cast it upon his own face.
• "And he immediately regained his sight" (فارتد بصيرا): He returned to being sighted. Irtidād (returning) means reverting to a previous state. God made him sighted.
• Regarding his sight: Some say he was completely blind and God restored his sight. Others say his sight had weakened due to excessive weeping and grief. When the shirt was placed on his face and he was given the news of Joseph's life, his joy intensified, his chest opened up, and his sorrow vanished, strengthening his sight and removing the defect.

96. So when the bearer of good tidings came, he cast it upon his face, and he immediately regained his sight. He said, "Did I not tell you that I know from Allah that which you do not know?"

• At this point, he said: "Did I not tell you that I know from Allah that which you do not know?"
• This refers to his knowledge of Joseph's life through the dream, connecting to his previous statement: "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you do not know" (Yusuf: 86).
• It is narrated that he asked the bearer: "How is Joseph?" He replied: "He is the King of Egypt." Jacob asked: "What use is the kingship to me? Upon what religion did you leave him?" He replied: "Upon the religion of Islam." Jacob said: "Now the blessing is complete."

97. They said, "O our father, ask forgiveness for our sins; indeed, we were sinners."

98. He said, "I will ask forgiveness for you from my Lord. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful."

• Jacob's sons then came apologizing: "O our father, ask forgiveness for our sins; indeed, we were sinners."
• He replied: "I will ask forgiveness for you from my Lord. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
• The apparent meaning is that he did not ask forgiveness for them immediately but promised to do so later. There are several views on the reason for this delay:
  1. Ibn Abbas and the majority: He intended to ask forgiveness for them at the time of Sahar (pre-dawn), as this time is most conducive to the acceptance of supplication.
  2. Another narration from Ibn Abbas: He postponed the forgiveness until Friday night, as this time is also most conducive to acceptance.
  3. He wanted to ascertain if their repentance was genuine and accompanied by complete sincerity.
  4. He asked for forgiveness immediately, and the phrase "I will ask forgiveness for you" (سأستغفر لكم) means he would continue this practice in the future. It is narrated that he used to supplicate for them every Friday night for over twenty years.
• It is narrated that he stood for prayer at a certain time, finished, raised his hands to the sky, and said: "O Allah, forgive me for my impatience regarding Joseph and my lack of patience, and forgive my sons for what they did concerning Joseph (عليه السلام)." God revealed to him: "I have forgiven you and all of them."
• It is also narrated that Jacob’s sons, overwhelmed by fear and weeping, said: "What good is it to us if You do not forgive us?" So, the old man faced the Qibla while standing, praying, and Joseph stood behind him saying Āmīn. They stood behind them, humbled and submissive, for twenty years until their patience wore thin, and they thought ruin was upon them. Then Gabriel descended and said: "Allah has answered your prayer concerning your children, and He has secured their covenant after you concerning prophethood." (The issue of their prophethood is well-known.)

[Verse 99-100]

99. So when they entered upon Joseph, he took his parents to himself [to reside with him], and he said, "Enter Egypt, if Allah wills, in safety."

100. And he raised his parents upon the throne, and they fell down to him in prostration. And he said, "O my father, this is the explanation of my dream of before. My Lord has made it a reality. And He has been good to me when He took me out of prison and brought you from the desert after Satan had caused discord between me and my brothers. Indeed, my Lord is Subtle to what He wills. Indeed, it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise."

• When they entered upon Joseph, he sheltered his parents with him and said: "Enter Egypt, if Allah wills, in safety."
• He raised his parents upon the throne (العرش), and they fell down to him in prostration (سجدا).
• He said: "O my father, this is the explanation of my dream of before. My Lord has made it a reality."
• "And He has been good to me when He took me out of prison and brought you from the desert after Satan had caused discord between me and my brothers." This acknowledges God's kindness in two ways: freeing him from prison and bringing his family from the desert (Canaan) after Satan had instigated enmity between him and his brothers.
• "Indeed, my Lord is Subtle to what He wills. Indeed, it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise." This concludes the narrative, affirming God's perfect wisdom in managing affairs, even those that appear difficult or harmful.