Joseph — Verse 7

There are Lessons to draw from the Story of Yusuf Allah says that there are Ayat, lessons and wisdom to learn from the story of Yusuf and his brothers, for those who ask about their story and seek its knowledge. Surely, their story is unique and is worthy of being narrated. إِذْ قَالُواْ لَيُوسُفُ وَأَخُوهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَى أَبِينَا مِنَّا (When they said: "Truly, Yusuf and his brother are dearer to our father than we...") They swore, according to their false thoughts, that Yusuf and his brother Binyamin (Benjamin), Yusuf's full brother, أَحَبُّ إِلَى أَبِينَا مِنَّا وَنَحْنُ عُصْبَةٌ (dearer to our father than we, while we are `Usbah.) meaning, a group. Therefore, they thought, how can he love these two more than the group, إِنَّ أَبَانَا لَفِى ضَلَلٍ مُّبِينٍ (Really, our father is in a plain error.) because he preferred them and loved them more than us. اقْتُلُواْ يُوسُفَ أَوِ اطْرَحُوهُ أَرْضًا يَخْلُ لَكُمْ وَجْهُ أَبِيكُمْ (Kill Yusuf or cast him out to some (other) land, so that the favor of your father may be given to you alone,) They said, `Remove Yusuf, who competes with you for your father's love, from in front of your father's face so that his favor is yours alone. Either kill Yusuf or banish him to a distant land so that you are rid of his trouble and you alone enjoy the love of your father. ' وَتَكُونُواْ مِن بَعْدِهِ قَوْمًا صَـلِحِينَ (and after that you will be righteous folk.), thus intending repentance before committing the sin, قَالَ قَآئِلٌ مِّنْهُمْ (One from among them said...) Qatadah and Muhammad bin Ishaq said that he was the oldest among them and his name was Rubil (Reuben). As-Suddi said that his name was Yahudha (Judah). Mujahid said that it was Sham`un (Simeon) who said, لاَ تَقْتُلُواْ يُوسُفَ (Kill not Yusuf,), do not let your enmity and hatred towards him reach this level, of murder. However, their plot to kill Yusuf would not have succeeded, because Allah the Exalted willed that Yusuf fulfill a mission that must be fulfilled and complete; he would receive Allah's revelation and become His Prophet. Allah willed Yusuf to be a powerful man in Egypt and govern it. Consequently, Allah did not allow them to persist in their intent against Yusuf, through Rubil's words and his advice to them that if they must do something, they should throw him down to the bottom of a well, يَلْتَقِطْهُ بَعْضُ السَّيَّارَةِ (he will be picked up by some caravan) of travelers passing by. This way, he said, you will rid yourselves of this bother without having to kill him, إِن كُنتُمْ فَـعِلِينَ (if you must do something,) meaning, if you still insist on getting rid of him. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar said, "They agreed to a particularly vicious crime that involved cutting the relation of the womb, undutiful treatment of parents, and harshness towards the young, helpless and sinless. It was also harsh towards the old and weak who have the rights of being respected, honored and appreciated, as well as, being honored with Allah and having parental rights on their offspring. They sought to separate the beloved father, who had reached old age and his bones became weak, yet had a high status with Allah, from his beloved young son, in spite of his weakness, tender age and his need of his father's compassion and kindness. May Allah forgive them, and indeed, He is the Most Merciful among those who have mercy, for they intended to carry out a "grave error." Ibn Abi Hatim collected this state- ment, from the route of Salamah bin Al-Fadl from Muhammad bin Ishaq.

Verily in the tale of Joseph and his brethren — who were eleven — are signs lessons for those who inquire about their tale.

Verily in Joseph and his brethren are signs for those who inquire, that is, glorious signs for those who inquire about their story and come to know it, [signs] which will prove to them, first, that pure [divine] election is a matter exclusive to God's wish, exalted be He, and is not connected to the effort made by a striving person or the will of a seeker, so that they might come to know the levels of pre-eternal preparedness; and, second, that the one for whom God wills good none can avert [that good] and the one whom He protects none can cause him misfortune or seek [to inflict on] him evil, so that their certainty and their trust might be strengthened and that they might witness the self-disclosures of His acts and His attributes; and, third, that Satan's plotting and his misguidance are something from which no one, not even prophets, are safe, so that they might be on their guard from him. But much more than all that is that these [signs] will apprise them by way of understanding - which is the transferral to the mental - of their states at the beginning, at the end and in-between the two and of the modality of their wayfaring to God in order to incite their yearning and their will, to sharpen their insight and to strengthen their resolve. That is because the similitude of Joseph is that of the heart which is prepared, of extreme beauty, dearly beloved to his father, Jacob the intellect, envied by his brothers from another mother (ʿallāt), namely, the five external senses and the five internal ones as well as [that of] anger (ghaḍab) and lust (shahwa), [all being] the children of the soul, except for the memory, which is not envious of him and does not seek to harm him, leaving eleven [in total], matching their number. As for their envy of him and their seeking to harm him, this is [to be understood as being] through that these [senses] are by their nature drawn to their pleasures and appetites, and impede the use of the intellect, the reflective faculty, for the actualisation of the perfections of the heart such as forms of knowledge and [noble] character traits, and are averse to that. They only want it [the intellect] to use them to actualise corporeal pleasures and the appetites of those animal faculties. But there is no doubt that reflection (fikr) looks more to the heart [than to the senses] and it is more intensely and more abundantly inclined to the actualisation of felicities of the heart such as forms of knowledge and virtues [than to those of the senses]. That is the significance of their saying:

Verily in Joseph and his brethren are signs for those who inquire, that is, glorious signs for those who inquire about their story and come to know it, [signs] which will prove to them, first, that pure [divine] election is a matter exclusive to God's wish, exalted be He, and is not connected to the effort made by a striving person or the will of a seeker, so that they might come to know the levels of pre-eternal preparedness; and, second, that the one for whom God wills good none can avert [that good] and the one whom He protects none can cause him misfortune or seek [to inflict on] him evil, so that their certainty and their trust might be strengthened and that they might witness the self-disclosures of His acts and His attributes; and, third, that Satan's plotting and his misguidance are something from which no one, not even prophets, are safe, so that they might be on their guard from him. But much more than all that is that these [signs] will apprise them by way of understanding - which is the transferral to the mental - of their states at the beginning, at the end and in-between the two and of the modality of their wayfaring to God in order to incite their yearning and their will, to sharpen their insight and to strengthen their resolve. That is because the similitude of Joseph is that of the heart which is prepared, of extreme beauty, dearly beloved to his father, Jacob the intellect, envied by his brothers from another mother (ʿallāt), namely, the five external senses and the five internal ones as well as [that of] anger (ghaḍab) and lust (shahwa), [all being] the children of the soul, except for the memory, which is not envious of him and does not seek to harm him, leaving eleven [in total], matching their number. As for their envy of him and their seeking to harm him, this is [to be understood as being] through that these [senses] are by their nature drawn to their pleasures and appetites, and impede the use of the intellect, the reflective faculty, for the actualisation of the perfections of the heart such as forms of knowledge and [noble] character traits, and are averse to that. They only want it [the intellect] to use them to actualise corporeal pleasures and the appetites of those animal faculties. But there is no doubt that reflection (fikr) looks more to the heart [than to the senses] and it is more intensely and more abundantly inclined to the actualisation of felicities of the heart such as forms of knowledge and virtues [than to those of the senses]. That is the significance of their saying:

لقد كان في قصة يوسف وإخوته عبر وأدلة تدل على قدرة الله وحكمته لمن يسأل عن أخبارهم، ويرغب في معرفتها.

يقول تعالى لقد كان في قصة يوسف وخبره مع إخوته آيات أي عبرة ومواعظ للسائلين عن ذلك المستخبرين عنه فإنه خبر عجيب يستحق أن يخر عنه " إذ قالوا ليوسف وأخوه أحب إلى أبينا منا" أي حلفوا فيما يظنون والله ليوسف وأخوه يعنون بنيامين وكان شقيقه لأمه "أحب إلى أبينا منا ونحن عصبة " أي جماعة فكيف أحب ذينك الاثنين أكثر من الجماعة " إن أبانا لفي ضلال مبين " يعنون في تقديمها علينا ومحبته إياهما أكثر منا. واعلم أنه لم يقم دليل على نبوة أخوه يوسف وظاهر هذا السياق يدل على خلاف ذلك ومن الناس من يزعم أنه أوحي إليهم بعد ذلك وفي هذا نظر ويحتاج مدعي ذلك إلى دليل ولم يذكروا سوى قوله تعالى " قولوا آمنا بالله وما أنزل إلينا وما أنزل إلى إبراهيم وإسماعيل وإسحاق ويعقوب والأسباط " وهذا فيه احتمال لأن بطون بني إسرائيل يقال لهم الأسباط كما يقال للعرب قبائل وللعجم شعوب يذكر تعالى أنه أوحى إلى الأنبياء من أسباط بني إسرائيل فذكرهم إجمالا لأنهم كثيرون ولكن كل سبط من نسل رجل من اخوة يوسف ولم يقم دليل علي أعيان هؤلاء أنهم أوحى إليهم والله أعلم.

ثم حكى - سبحانه - بعد ذلك حالة إخوة يوسف وهم يتآمرون عليه ، وحالتهم وهم يجادلون أباهم فى شأنه . وحالتهم وهم ينفذون مؤامراتهم المنكرة وحالتهم بعد أن نفذوهاوعادوا إلى أبيهم ليلا يتباكون فقال - تعالى - :( لَّقَدْ كَانَ فِي يُوسُفَ وَإِخْوَتِهِ آيَاتٌ . . . ) .قوله - سبحانه - ( لَّقَدْ كَانَ فِي يُوسُفَ وَإِخْوَتِهِ آيَاتٌ لِّلسَّائِلِينَ ) شروع فى حكاية قصة يوسف مع إخوته ، بعد أن بين - سبحانه - صفة القرآن الكريم ، وبعد أن أخبر عما رآه يوسف فى منامه ، وما قاله أبوه له .وإخوة يوسف هم : رأو بين ، وشمعون ، ولاوى ، ويهوذا ، ويساكر ، وزبولون ، ودان ، ونفتالى ، وجاد ، وأشير ، وبينامين .والآيات : جمع آية والمراد بها هنا العبر والعظات والدلائل الدالة على قدرة الله - تعالى - ووجوب إخلاص العبادة له .والمعنى : لقد كان فى قصة يوسف مع إخوته عبر وعظات وعظيمة ، ودلائل تدل على قدرة الله القاهرة ، وحكمته الباهرة ، وعلى ما للصبر وحسن الطوية من عواقب الخير والنصر ، وعلى ما للحسد والبغى من شرور وخذلان .وقوله : " للسائلين " أى : لمن يتوقع منهم السؤال ، بقصد الانتفاع بما ساقه القرآن الكريم من مواعظ وأحكام .أى : لقد كان فيما حدث بين يوسف وإخوته ، آيات عظيمة ، لكل من سأل عن قصتهم ، وفتح قلبه للانتفاع بما فيها من حكم وأحكام ، تشهد بصدق النبى - صلى الله عليه وسلم - فيما يبلغه عن ربه .وهذا الافتتاح لتلك القصة ، كفيل بتحريك الانتباه لما سيلقى بعد ذلك منها ، ومن تفصيل لأحداثها ، وبيان لما جرى فيها .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي يُوسُفَ وَإِخْوَتِهِ آيَاتٌ لِلسَّائِلِينَ (7)قال أبو جعفر : يقول تعالى ذكره: (لقد كان في يوسف وإخوته) الأحد عشر ، (آيات) يعني عبر وذكر (11) ، (للسائلين) يعني السائلين عن أخبارهم وقصصهم . وإنما أراد جل ثناؤه بذلك نبيه محمدًا صلى الله عليه وسلم.* * *وذلك أنه يقال: إن الله تبارك وتعالى إنما أنـزل هذه السورة على نبيه، يعلمه فيها ما لقي يوسف من أَدانيه وإخوته من الحسد ، (12) مع تكرمة الله إيَّاه ، تسليةً له بذلك مما يلقى من أدانيه وأقاربه من مشركي قريش . (13) كذلك كان ابن إسحاق يقول:18794- حدثنا ابن حميد ، قال: حدثنا سلمة ، عن ابن إسحاق ، قال: إنما قصّ الله تبارك وتعالى على محمد خبر يوسف، وبَغْي إخوته عليه وحسدهم إياه، حين ذكر رؤياه، لما رأى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من بغي قومه وحسده حين أكرمه الله عز وجل بنبوته، ليأتسي به. (14)* * *واختلفت القراء في قراءة قوله: (آيات للسائلين). فقرأته عامة قراء الأمصار "آياتٌ" على الجماع .* * *وروي عن مجاهد وابن كثير أنهما قرآ ذلك على التوحيد .* * *والذي هو أولى القراءتين بالصواب، قراءةُ من قرأ ذلك على الجماع ، لإجماع الحجة من القراء عليه.* * *----------------------الهوامش:(11) انظر تفسير" الآية" فيما سلف من فهارس اللغة ( أيي ) .(12) في المطبوعة :" من إخوته وأذايته من الحسد" ، وفي المخطوطة :" من أدانيه وإخوته من الحسد" ، ووضع فوق" أدانيه"" كذا" ، كأنه شك في صحتها ، وهي صواب لا شك فيه ، يعني أقرب الناس إليه . وانظر ما سيلي ، والتعليق عليه .(13) في المطبوعة :" من أذايته وأقاربه" ، والصواب ما أثبت ، وإنما حمله عليه ما ورط فيه نفسه قبل أسطر . انظر التعليق السالف .(14) في المطبوعة :" ليتأسى به" ، وأثبت ما في المخطوطة ، وهو صواب .

يقول الله تعالى : ( لقد كان في يوسف وإخوته ) أي : في خبره وخبر إخوته . وأسماؤهم : روبيل وهو أكبرهم وشمعون ولاوي ويهوذا وزبالون وقيل : زبلون وآشر وأمهم ليا بنت ليان وهي ابنة خال يعقوب عليه السلام ، وولد له من سريتين له ، اسم إحداهما زلفة والأخرى يلهمة أربعة أولاد : دان ونفتالي وقيل : نفتولي وجاد وأشير . ثم توفيت ليا فتزوج يعقوب عليه السلام أختها راحيل فولدت له يوسف وبنيامين . [ وقيل : وابن يامين ] ، فكان بنو يعقوب عليه السلام اثني عشر رجلا .( آيات ) قرأ ابن كثير " آية " على التوحيد ، أي : عظة وعبرة ، وقيل : عجب .وقرأ الآخرون : ( آيات ) على الجمع .( للسائلين ) وذلك أن اليهود سألوا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن قصة يوسف عليه السلام .وقيل : سألوه عن سبب انتقال ولد يعقوب من كنعان إلى مصر . فذكر لهم قصة يوسف فوجدوها موافقة لما في التوراة [ فتعجبوا منها ] . فهذا معنى قوله : ( آيات للسائلين ) [ أي : دلالة على نبوة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم . وقيل : آيات للسائلين ولمن لم يسأل ، كقوله : ( سواء للسائلين ) ( فصلت - 10 ) ] .وقيل : معناه عبرة للمعتبرين ، فإنها تشتمل على حسد إخوة يوسف وما آل إليه أمرهم في الحسد ، وتشتمل على رؤياه ، وما حقق الله منها ، وتشتمل على صبر يوسف عليه السلام عن قضاء الشهوة ، وعلى الرق ، وفي السجن ، وما آل إليه أمره من الملك ، وتشتمل على حزن يعقوب وصبره وما آل إليه أمره من الوصول إلى المراد وغير ذلك من الآيات .

جملة ابتدائية ، وهي مبدأ القصص المقصود ، إذ كان ما قبله كالمقدمة له المنبئة بنباهة شأن صاحب القصة ، فليس هو من الحوادث التي لحقت يوسف عليه السّلام ولهذا كان أسلوب هذه الجملة كأسلوب القصص ، وهو قوله : { إذ قالوا ليوسف وأخوه أحب إلى أبينا منّا } [ سورة يوسف : 8 ] نظير قوله تعالى : { إنْ يوحَى إليّ إلاّ أنّما أنا نذيرٌ مبينٌ إذ قال ربك للملائكة إنّي خالقٌ بشراً من طينٍ } [ سورة ص : 70 ، 71 ] إلى آخر القصة .والظرفية المستفاد من في } ظرفية مجازية بتشبيه مقارنة الدليل للمدلول بمقارنة المظروف للظرف ، أي لقد كان شأن يوسف عليه السّلام وإخوته مقارناً لدلائل عظيمة من العبر والمواعظ ، والتعريف بعظيم صنع الله تعالى وتقديره .والآيات : الدلائل على ما تتطلب معرفته من الأمور الخفية .والآيات حقيقة في آيات الطريق ، وهي علامات يجعلونها في المفاوز تكون بادية لا تغمرها الرمال لتكون مرشدة للسائرين ، ثم أطلقت على حجج الصدق ، وأدلة المعلومات الدقيقة . وجمع الآيات هنا مراعى فيه تعدّدها وتعدّد أنواعها ، ففي قصة يوسف عليه السّلام دلائل على ما للصّبر وحسن الطويّة من عواقب الخير والنصر ، أو على ما للحسد والإضرار بالنّاس من الخيبة والاندحار والهبوط .وفيها من الدلائل على صدق النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ، وأنّ القرآن وحي من الله ، إذ جاء في هذه السورة ما لا يعلمه إلاّ أحْبار أهل الكتاب دون قراءة ولا كتاب وذلك من المعجزات .وفي بلاغة نظمها وفصاحتها من الإعجاز ما هو دليل على أنّ هذا الكلام من صنع الله ألقاه إلى رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم معجزة له على قومه أهل الفصاحة والبلاغة .والسائلون : مراد منهم مَن يُتوقع منه السؤال عن المواعظ والحكم كقوله تعالى : { في أربعة أياممٍ سواءً للسائلين } [ سورة فصلت : 10 ]. ومثل هذا يستعمل في كلام العرب للتشويق ، والحثّ على تطلب الخبر والقصة . قال طرفة: ... سائلوا عنّا الذي يعرفنابقوانا يوم تحلاق اللمم ... وقال السموءل أو عبد الملك الحارثي: ... سَلي إن جهلت الناسَ عنّا وعنهمفليس سواءً عالمٌ وجهول ... وقال عامر بن الطفيل: ... طُلّقتتِ إن لم تَسْألي أيُّ فارسحَليلك إذ لاَقَى صُداءً وخَثعما ... وقال أنيف بن زبان النبهاني: ... فلمّا التقينا بين السّيف بيننالسائلة عنا حَفي سؤالها ... وأكثر استعمال ذلك في كلامهم يكون توجيهه إلى ضمير الأنثى ، لأنّ النساء يُعنين بالسؤال عن الأخبار التي يتحدث الناس بها ، ولمّا جاء القرآن وكانت أخباره التي يشوق إلى معرفتها أخبارَ علم وحكمة صُرف ذلك الاستعمال عن التوجيه إلى ضمير النسوة ، ووجّه إلى ضمير المذكّر كما في قوله : { سَأل سائلٌ بعذاببٍ واقعٍ } [ سورة المعارج : 1 ] وقوله : { عَمّ يتساءلون } [ سورة النبأ : 1 ].وقيل المراد ب ( السائلين ) اليهود إذ سأل فريق منهم النبي عن ذلك . وهذا لا يستقيم لأنّ السورة مكيّة ولم يكن لليهود مخالطة للمسلمين بمكة .

يقول تعالى: { لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي يُوسُفَ وَإِخْوَتِهِ آيَاتٌ ْ} أي: عبر وأدلة على كثير من المطالب الحسنة، { لِلسَّائِلِينَ ْ} أي: لكل من سأل عنها بلسان الحال أو بلسان المقال، فإن السائلين هم الذين ينتفعون بالآيات والعبر، وأما المعرضون فلا ينتفعون بالآيات، ولا في القصص والبينات.

قوله تعالى : لقد كان في يوسف وإخوته آيات للسائلين يعني ، من سأل عن حديثهم . وقرأ أهل مكة " آية " على التوحيد ; واختار أبو عبيد " آيات " على الجمع ; قال : لأنها خير كثير . قال النحاس : و " آية " هنا قراءة حسنة ، أي لقد كان للذين سألوا عن خبر يوسف آية فيما خبروا به ، لأنهم سألوا النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - وهو بمكة فقالوا : أخبرنا عن رجل من الأنبياء كان بالشام أخرج ابنه إلى مصر ، فبكى عليه حتى عمي ؟ ولم يكن بمكة أحد من أهل الكتاب ، ولا من يعرف خبر الأنبياء ; وإنما وجه اليهود إليهم من المدينة يسألونه عن هذا - فأنزل الله - عز وجل - سورة [ يوسف ] جملة واحدة ; فيها كل ما في التوراة من خبر وزيادة ، فكان ذلك آية للنبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - بمنزلة إحياء عيسى ابن مريم - عليه السلام - الميت . آيات موعظة ; وقيل : عبرة . وروي أنها [ ص: 116 ] في بعض المصاحف " عبرة " . وقيل : بصيرة . وقيل : عجب ; تقول فلان آية في العلم والحسن أي عجب . قال الثعلبي في تفسيره : لما بلغت الرؤيا إخوة يوسف حسدوه ; وقال ابن زيد : كانوا أنبياء ، وقالوا : ما يرضى أن يسجد له إخوته حتى يسجد له أبواه ! فبغوه بالعداوة ، وقد تقدم رد هذا القول . قال الله تعالى : لقد كان في يوسف وإخوته وأسماؤهم : روبيل وهو أكبرهم ، وشمعون ولاوي ويهوذا وزيالون ويشجر ، وأمهم ليا بنت ليان ، وهي بنت خال يعقوب ، وولد له من سريتين أربعة نفر ; دان ونفتالي وجاد وآشر ، ثم توفيت ليا فتزوج يعقوب أختها راحيل ، فولدت له يوسف وبنيامين ، فكان بنو يعقوب اثني عشر رجلا . قال السهيلي : وأم يعقوب اسمها رفقا ، وراحيل ماتت في نفاس بنيامين ، وليان بن ناهر بن آزر هو خال يعقوب . وقيل : في اسم الأمتين ليا وتلتا ، كانت إحداهما لراحيل ، والأخرى لأختها ليا ، وكانتا قد وهبتاهما ليعقوب ، وكان يعقوب قد جمع بينهما ، ولم يحل لأحد بعده ; لقول الله تعالى : وأن تجمعوا بين الأختين إلا ما قد سلف . وقد تقدم الرد على ما قاله ابن زيد ، والحمد لله .

In the course of the last days of the Prophet Muhammad in Makkah, when Abu Talib and Khadijah had passed away, the people of Makkah intensified their opposition to him. In that period, some Makkans asked him about Joseph, whose name they had heard from some Jews during their travels. They asked him this question just to ridicule him, but God Almighty turned the thrust of this question against the interrogators themselves. By means of this story they were indirectly informed that they were treading in the footsteps of Joseph’s stepbrothers, while by the Grace of God, the prophet’s future would be like that of Joseph in Egypt. Jacob could see that among his children Joseph was the ablest and most pious. In him he could see the personality of a future prophet. For this reason, he was very much attached to Joseph. But his other ten sons looked at the matter from the worldly point of view. They thought that the most important in the eyes of their father should have been their collective group, because only that was capable of helping and supporting the family. In ancient tribal times the number (particularly male) of family members was of the utmost importance in defending and supporting the family. This one-sided view of theirs assumed such proportions that they thought that if they removed Joseph from the scene, they would have their father’s undivided attention. When they sat together to devise plans against Joseph, one of his brothers proposed that instead of killing Joseph, he should be pushed into some dry well. This was a special plan of God Almighty. It is the way of God, when a group is bent upon oppressing someone unjustly, that He makes them adopt such a moderate course as may open up new possibilities for their victim.

Commentary In the first of the fourteen verses cited above (7), a notice of warning has been served to the effect that the story of Yusuf, peace be on him, should not be taken as a common story - because, in it, there are great signs of the perfect power of Allah Ta’ ala, and His instructions, both for those who have asked and for those who would seek guidance through it. The statement made here could be explained by saying that the signs referred to here are for the Jews who had put the Holy Prophet ﷺ to test by asking him to relate this story to them. When, according to a narration, the Holy Prophet ﷺ was in Makkah al-Mu` azzamah, the news about him reached Madinah. The Jews living there sent a group of their men to Makkah to make investigations and test his claim to prophethood. Therefore, the question they asked of him was put in a somewhat vague manner, that is, ` if you are a true prophet of Allah, tell us about the prophet one of whose sons was taken from Syria to Egypt, an event which had caused his father to become blind due to constant weeping during his absence. The Jews had chosen to ask about this event because it was not widely known, nor did anyone in Makkah was aware of it. That was a time when there was no member of the people of Book living in Makkah, one from whom some part of this story as appearing in the Torah and Injil could be ascertained. So, it was following this very question that the entire Surah Yusuf was revealed, a Surah which relates the whole story of Sayyidna Ya` qub and Yusuf (علیہما السلام) - and does it in such details as do not appear even in Torah and Injil. Therefore, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ described it, it was an open miracle shown at his blessed hands. Alternately, this verse could also mean that this event in itself - aside from the question asked by the Jews - was full of great signs of the perfect power of Allah Ta’ ala and that, in it, there were major elements of Divine guidance, and instructions and injunctions. One could imagine the destiny of a child who was thrown in a pit when the power of Allah took over, carried him from one stage to the other guarding him all along, from his childhood to his youth. Then, Allah Ta’ ala has blessed him with a divine colour as He would do with His special servants for he stood steadfast as His servant against trials which would make obedience difficult. It is all the more difficult when one is young and challenged by opportunities. But, here is he, armed with the fear of Allah. He holds his ground, controls his self from desiring the undesirable and walks out clean from the stranglehold of temptation. Then, the story tells us how Allah rewards a person who takes to righteousness and fear of Allah as his conscious and determined way of life, how He makes him rise higher than his adversaries in power and recognition, and how they stand subdued before him finally. These are lessons and truths, all pointing to the great signs of the Divine power which can be realized by anyone who would care to look and find out. (Qurtubi Mazhari) This verse mentions the brothers of Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) . The reference is to the twelve sons of Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) ، including Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) . Every son from among them had their children. Their families prospered. Since the title by which Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) was known was Isra'il, therefore, all these twelve families were identified as Bani Isra'il (the children of Isra'il). Out of these twelve sons, the eldest ten were from the first blessed wife of Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) ، Sayyidah Layya, daughter of Layyan. After her death, Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) married her sister, Rahil (See editorial note on page 156. ) (Rachel). She became the mother of his two sons, Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) and Benyamin (Benjamin). Therefore, Benyamin was the only real brother of Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) . The rest of the ten were his half-brothers from the father's side. Ralil, the mother of Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) ، had died during his childhood at the time of the birth of Benyamin. (Qurtubi)

(Verily in Joseph) in the narrative of Joseph (and his brethren are signs (of Allah's Sovereignty)) lessons (for the inquiring) about his story. This verse was revealed about a Jewish rabbi.