Joseph — Verse 81

Allah's Prophet Ya`qub receives the Grievous News Allah's Prophet Ya`qub repeated to his children the same words he said to them when they brought false blood on Yusuf' shirt, بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ (Nay, but your own selves have beguiled you into something. So patience is most fitting (for me).) Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "When they went back to Ya`qub and told him what happened, he did not believe them and thought that this was a repetition of what they did to Yusuf. So he said, بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ (Nay, but your own selves have beguiled you into something. So patience is most fitting (for me).) Some said that since this new development came after what they did before to Yusuf, they were given the same judgement to this later incident that was given to them when they did what they did to Yusuf. Therefore, Ya`qub's statement here is befitting, بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ (Nay, but your own selves have beguiled you into something. So patience is most fitting (for me).) He then begged Allah to bring back his three sons: Yusuf, Binyamin and Rubil to him." Rubil had remained in Egypt awaiting Allah's decision about his case, either his father's permission ordering him to go back home, or to secure the release of his brother in confidence. This is why Ya`qub said, عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَأْتِيَنِى بِهِمْ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَلِيمُ (May be Allah will bring them (back) all to me. Truly, He! Only He is All-Knowing,), in my distress, الْحَكِيمُ (the All-Wise), in His decisions and the decree and preordainment He appoints. Allah said next, وَتَوَلَّى عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يأَسَفَا عَلَى يُوسُفَ (And he turned away from them and said: "Alas, my grief for Yusuf!") He turned away from his children and remembered his old grief for Yusuf, يأَسَفَا عَلَى يُوسُفَ (Alas, my grief for Yusuf!) The new grief, losing Binyamin and Rubil, renewed his old sadness that he kept to himself. `Abdur-Razzaq narrated that Ath-Thawri said that Sufyan Al-`Usfuri said that Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "Only this nation the following of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ were given Al-Istirja'. Have you not heard the statement of Ya`qub, peace be upon him, يأَسَفَا عَلَى يُوسُفَ وَابْيَضَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْحُزْنِ فَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ ("Alas, my grief for Yusuf !" And he lost his sight because of the sorrow that he was suppressing. )" Ya`qub suppressed his sorrow and did not complain to a created being, according to Qatadah and other scholars. Ad-Dahhak also commented, "Ya`qub was aggrieved, sorrowful and sad." Ya`qub's children felt pity for him and said, while feeling sorrow and compassion, تَالله تَفْتَأُ تَذْكُرُ يُوسُفَ (By Allah! You will never cease remembering Yusuf), `you will keep remembering Yusuf, حَتَّى تَكُونَ حَرَضاً (until you become weak with old age,), until your strength leaves you,' أَوْ تَكُونَ مِنَ الْهَـلِكِينَ (or until you be of the dead.) They said, `if you continue like this, we fear for you that you might die of grief,' قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَشْكُو بَثِّى وَحُزْنِى إِلَى اللَّهِ (He said: "I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah.") When they said these words to him, Ya`qub said, إِنَّمَآ أَشْكُو بَثِّى وَحُزْنِى `(I only complain of my grief and sorrow) for the afflictions that struck me, إِلَى اللَّهِ (to Allah, ) alone, وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ (and I know from Allah that which you know not.) I anticipate from Allah each and every type of goodness.' Ibn `Abbas commented on the meaning of, وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ (and I know from Allah that which you know not.) "The vision that Yusuf saw is truthful and Allah will certainly make it come true."

Go back to your father and say “O our father your son has indeed stolen and we testified against him only regarding what we knew from the certainty of having seen the king’s cup in his saddlebag; we could not have guarded against the Unseen that which was hidden from us when we gave our pledge had we known that he would steal we would not have taken him with us to Egypt.

Return to your father and say, " O our father! Surely thy son has stolen. " When Jacob became distracted and distraught in separation from Joseph, helpless in his pain with- out remedy, he wanted to make the remembrance of that dear one a balm for his wound and to be passionate with someone linked to Joseph. He made Benjamin his reminder and sympathizer, for he had drunk water from the same drinking place as Joseph and had been nurtured on the same lap. The heart of the passionate man always inclines toward someone who has a link or some sort of similarity with the object of passion. Do you not see that Majnūn of Banī ʿāmir went out to the desert hunting for a gazelle? He saw that its eyes and neck were like those of Laylā. He was passing his hands over its neck, kissing its eyes, and saying, " Your eyes are her eyes, your neck is her neck! " When Jacob fastened his heart to Benjamin and when a part of him came to rest in him, the venomous sickle was once again drawn from the sheath of time and Benjamin was separated from his father. Then the name of thief was thrown on him, and this added trial to his trial-salt was sprinkled on his wound and the burn was once again burned. Just as fire wants to kindle burnt rags, so also the pain of separation wants to settle down with a burnt heart. Whenever pain steps forth from this heart of mine another pain takes its place in the breast. I become the companion of every pain for fire flares up when it reaches the burnt. Whenever Jacob saw Benjamin, he was consoled by him, for " He who is prevented from gazing is consoled by a trace. " 4 Then, when he was held back from Benjamin, the burning reached the utmost limit and he moaned at the pain in his heart. With the tongue of longing he said,

Return to your father and say, " O our father! Surely thy son has stolen. " When Jacob became distracted and distraught in separation from Joseph, helpless in his pain with- out remedy, he wanted to make the remembrance of that dear one a balm for his wound and to be passionate with someone linked to Joseph. He made Benjamin his reminder and sympathizer, for he had drunk water from the same drinking place as Joseph and had been nurtured on the same lap. The heart of the passionate man always inclines toward someone who has a link or some sort of similarity with the object of passion. Do you not see that Majnūn of Banī ʿāmir went out to the desert hunting for a gazelle? He saw that its eyes and neck were like those of Laylā. He was passing his hands over its neck, kissing its eyes, and saying, " Your eyes are her eyes, your neck is her neck! " When Jacob fastened his heart to Benjamin and when a part of him came to rest in him, the venomous sickle was once again drawn from the sheath of time and Benjamin was separated from his father. Then the name of thief was thrown on him, and this added trial to his trial-salt was sprinkled on his wound and the burn was once again burned. Just as fire wants to kindle burnt rags, so also the pain of separation wants to settle down with a burnt heart. Whenever pain steps forth from this heart of mine another pain takes its place in the breast. I become the companion of every pain for fire flares up when it reaches the burnt. Whenever Jacob saw Benjamin, he was consoled by him, for " He who is prevented from gazing is consoled by a trace. " 4 Then, when he was held back from Benjamin, the burning reached the utmost limit and he moaned at the pain in his heart. With the tongue of longing he said,

Return to your father and say, " O our father! Surely thy son has stolen. " When Jacob became distracted and distraught in separation from Joseph, helpless in his pain with- out remedy, he wanted to make the remembrance of that dear one a balm for his wound and to be passionate with someone linked to Joseph. He made Benjamin his reminder and sympathizer, for he had drunk water from the same drinking place as Joseph and had been nurtured on the same lap. The heart of the passionate man always inclines toward someone who has a link or some sort of similarity with the object of passion. Do you not see that Majnūn of Banī ʿāmir went out to the desert hunting for a gazelle? He saw that its eyes and neck were like those of Laylā. He was passing his hands over its neck, kissing its eyes, and saying, " Your eyes are her eyes, your neck is her neck! " When Jacob fastened his heart to Benjamin and when a part of him came to rest in him, the venomous sickle was once again drawn from the sheath of time and Benjamin was separated from his father. Then the name of thief was thrown on him, and this added trial to his trial-salt was sprinkled on his wound and the burn was once again burned. Just as fire wants to kindle burnt rags, so also the pain of separation wants to settle down with a burnt heart. Whenever pain steps forth from this heart of mine another pain takes its place in the breast. I become the companion of every pain for fire flares up when it reaches the burnt. Whenever Jacob saw Benjamin, he was consoled by him, for " He who is prevented from gazing is consoled by a trace. " 4 Then, when he was held back from Benjamin, the burning reached the utmost limit and he moaned at the pain in his heart. With the tongue of longing he said,

Return to your father and say, " O our father! Surely thy son has stolen. " When Jacob became distracted and distraught in separation from Joseph, helpless in his pain with- out remedy, he wanted to make the remembrance of that dear one a balm for his wound and to be passionate with someone linked to Joseph. He made Benjamin his reminder and sympathizer, for he had drunk water from the same drinking place as Joseph and had been nurtured on the same lap. The heart of the passionate man always inclines toward someone who has a link or some sort of similarity with the object of passion. Do you not see that Majnūn of Banī ʿāmir went out to the desert hunting for a gazelle? He saw that its eyes and neck were like those of Laylā. He was passing his hands over its neck, kissing its eyes, and saying, " Your eyes are her eyes, your neck is her neck! " When Jacob fastened his heart to Benjamin and when a part of him came to rest in him, the venomous sickle was once again drawn from the sheath of time and Benjamin was separated from his father. Then the name of thief was thrown on him, and this added trial to his trial-salt was sprinkled on his wound and the burn was once again burned. Just as fire wants to kindle burnt rags, so also the pain of separation wants to settle down with a burnt heart. Whenever pain steps forth from this heart of mine another pain takes its place in the breast. I become the companion of every pain for fire flares up when it reaches the burnt. Whenever Jacob saw Benjamin, he was consoled by him, for " He who is prevented from gazing is consoled by a trace. " 4 Then, when he was held back from Benjamin, the burning reached the utmost limit and he moaned at the pain in his heart. With the tongue of longing he said,

Return to your father and say, " O our father! Surely thy son has stolen. "When Jacob became distracted and distraught in separation from Joseph, helpless in his pain with- out remedy, he wanted to make the remembrance of that dear one a balm for his wound and to be passionate with someone linked to Joseph. He made Benjamin his reminder and sympathizer, for he had drunk water from the same drinking place as Joseph and had been nurtured on the same lap. The heart of the passionate man always inclines toward someone who has a link or some sort of similarity with the object of passion. Do you not see that Majnūn of Banī ʿāmir went out to the desert hunting for a gazelle? He saw that its eyes and neck were like those of Laylā. He was passing his hands over its neck, kissing its eyes, and saying, " Your eyes are her eyes, your neck is her neck! "When Jacob fastened his heart to Benjamin and when a part of him came to rest in him, the venomous sickle was once again drawn from the sheath of time and Benjamin was separated from his father. Then the name of thief was thrown on him, and this added trial to his trial-salt was sprinkled on his wound and the burn was once again burned. Just as fire wants to kindle burnt rags, so also the pain of separation wants to settle down with a burnt heart.Whenever pain steps forth from this heart of mine another pain takes its place in the breast.I become the companion of every painfor fire flares up when it reaches the burnt.Whenever Jacob saw Benjamin, he was consoled by him, for " He who is prevented from gazing is consoled by a trace. " 4 Then, when he was held back from Benjamin, the burning reached theutmost limit and he moaned at the pain in his heart. With the tongue of longing he said,

ارجعوا أنتم إلى أبيكم، وأخبروه بما جرى، وقولوا له: إن ابنك "بنيامين" قد سرق، وما شهدنا بذلك إلا بعد أن تَيَقَّنَّا، فقد رأينا المكيال في رحله، وما كان عندنا علم الغيب أنه سيسرق حين عاهدناك على ردِّه.

ثم أمرهم أن يخبروا أباهم بصورة ما وقع حتى يكون عذرا لهم عنده ويتنصلوا إليه ويبرؤا مما وقع بقولهم ما علمنا أن ابنك يسرق وقال عبد الرحمن بن زيد بن اسلم: ما علمنا في الغيب أنه سرق له شيئا إنما سألنا ما جزاء السارق.

ثم واصل كبيرهم حديثه معهم فقال : ( ارجعوا ) يا إخوتى ( إلى أَبِيكُمْ ) يعقوب ( فَقُولُواْ ) له برفق وتلطف .( ياأبانا إِنَّ ابنك ) بنيامين ( سرق ) صواع الملك ، ووجد الصواع فى رحله وقولا له أيضاً : إننا ( وَمَا شَهِدْنَآ إِلاَّ بِمَا عَلِمْنَا ) أى : وما شهدنا على أخينا بهذه الشهادة إلا على حسب علمنا ويقيننا بأنه سرق .( وَمَا كُنَّا لِلْغَيْبِ حَافِظِينَ ) أى : وما كنا نعلم الغيب بأنه سيسرق صواع الملك ، عندما أعطيناك عهودنا ومواثيقنا بأن نأتيك به معنا إلا أن يحاط بنا .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : ارْجِعُوا إِلَى أَبِيكُمْ فَقُولُوا يَا أَبَانَا إِنَّ ابْنَكَ سَرَقَ وَمَا شَهِدْنَا إِلا بِمَا عَلِمْنَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِلْغَيْبِ حَافِظِينَ (81)قال أبو جعفر : يقول تعالى ذكره، مخبرًا عن قيل روبيل لإخوته، حين أخذ يوسف أخاه بالصواع الذي استخرج من وعائه: ارجعوا، إخوتي، إلى أبيكم يعقوب فقولوا له يا أبانا إن ابنك بنيامين سرق) .* * *والقرأة على قراءة هذا الحرف بفتح السين والراء والتخفيف: (إن ابنك سرق) .* * *ورُوي عن ابن عباس: " إنَّ ابْنَكَ سُرِّقَ" بضم السين وتشديد الراء ، على وجه ما لم يسمَّ فاعله، بمعنى: أنه سَرَق ، (وما شهدنا إلا بما علمنا) .* * *واختلف أهل التأويل في تأويل ذلك.فقال بعضهم: معناه: وما قلنا إنه سرق إلا بظاهر علمنا بأن ذلك كذلك ، لأن صواع الملك أصيب في وعائه دون أوعية غيره.*ذكر من قال ذلك:19632 - حدثنا ابن حميد قال، حدثنا سلمة ، عن ابن إسحاق: (ارجعوا إلى أبيكم) فإني ما كنت راجعًا حتى يأتيني أمرُه ، (فقولوا يا أبانا إن ابنك سرق وما شهدنا إلا بما علمنا ) ، أي: قد وجدت السرقة في رحله ، ونحن ننظر لا علم لنا بالغيب ، (وما كنا للغيب حافظين).* * *وقال آخرون: بل معنى ذلك: وما شهدنا عند يوسف بأن السارق يؤخذ بسرقته إلا بما علمنا .*ذكر من قال ذلك:19633 - حدثني يونس قال، أخبرنا ابن وهب قال، قال ابن زيد: قال لهم يعقوب عليه السلام: ما يدري هذا الرجل أن السارق يؤخذ بسرقته إلا بقولكم! فقالوا: (ما شهدنا إلا بما علمنا) ، لم نشهد أن السارق يؤخذ بسرقته إلا وذلك الذي علمنا. قال: وكان الحكم عند الأنبياء، يعقوب وبنيه أن يؤخذ السارق بسرقته عبدًا فيسترقّ.* * *وقوله: (وما كنا للغيب حافظين ) ، يقول: وما كنا نرى أن ابنك يسرق ويصير أمرنا إلى هذا ، وإنما قلنا وَنَحْفَظُ أَخَانَا مما لنا إلى حفظه منه السبيل .* * *وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.*ذكر من قال ذلك:19634 - حدثنا الحسين بن الحريث أبو عمار المروزي. قال، حدثنا الفضل بن موسى ، عن الحسين بن واقد ، عن يزيد ، عن عكرمة: (وما كنا للغيب حافظين). قال: ما كنا نعلم أن ابنك يسرق. (11)19635 - حدثنا الحسن بن محمد قال، حدثنا شبابة قال، حدثنا ورقاء ، عن ابن أبي نجيح ، عن مجاهد ، قوله: (وما كنا للغيب حافظين) ، لم نشعر أنه سيسرق.19636- حدثنا محمد بن عمرو قال، حدثنا أبو عاصم قال، حدثنا عيسى ، عن ابن أبي نجيح ، عن مجاهد: (وما كنا للغيب حافظين) قال: لم نشعر أنه سيسرق.19637- حدثني المثنى قال، حدثنا أبو حذيفة قال، حدثنا شبل ، عن ابن أبي نجيح ، عن مجاهد: (وما كنا للغيب حافظين) قال: لم نشعر أنه سيسرق.19638- حدثنا القاسم قال، حدثنا الحسين قال، حدثني حجاج ، عن ابن جريج ، عن مجاهد ، وأبو سفيان ، عن معمر ، عن قتادة: (وما كنا للغيب حافظين) قال: ما كنا نظن ولا نشعر أنه سيسرق.19639- حدثنا بشر قال، حدثنا يزيد قال، حدثنا سعيد ، عن قتادة: (وما كنا للغيب حافظين) قال: ما كنا نرى أنه سيسرق.19640- حدثنا محمد بن عبد الأعلى. قال حدثنا محمد بن ثور ، عن معمر ، عن قتادة: (وما كنا للغيب حافظين) ، قال: ما كنا نظن أن ابنك يسرق.* * *قال أبو جعفر : وأولى التأويلين بالصواب عندنا في قوله: (وما شهدنا إلا بما علمنا) قولُ من قال: وما شهدنا بأن ابنك سرق إلا بما علمنا من رؤيتنا للصواع في وعائه ، لأنه عَقيِب قوله: (إن ابنك سرق) ؛ فهو بأن يكون خبرًا عن شهادتهم بذلك، أولى من أن يكون خبرًا عما هو منفصل.* * *وذكر أن " الغيب "، في لغة حمير، هو الليل بعينه . (12)* * *----------------------الهوامش:(2) ديوانه قصيدة : 7 ، بيت : 7 ، ومجاز القرآن لأبي عبيدة 1 : 315 من أبيات يقولها لابنته بسرة ، يذكر طول عمره ، فيقول لها :وَلَقَـدْ سَـئِمْتُ مـن الحَيَـاةِ وطُولِهَـاوسُـؤَالِ هـذَا النَّـاسِ : كَـيْف لَبِيدُ ?وَغَنِيـتُ سَـبْتًا قَبْـلَ مَجْـرَى دَاحِسٍلَــوْ كَــانَ للنِّفْسِ اللَّجُـوجِ خُـلُودُوَشَـــــــهِدْتُ.................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ." مجرى داحس" ، هو الخبر المشهور عن داحس والغبراء وإجرائهما ، وكانت بسببه الحرب بين عبس وذبيان أربعين سنة ، وقوله :" سبتًا" ، أي : دهرًا .و" الأفاقة" اسم موضع ، حيث كان اليوم المشهور بين لبيد ، والربيع بن زياد العبسي . و" أرداف الملوك" ، من" الردف" ، وهو الذي يكون مع الملك ، وينوب عنه إذا قام من مجلسه .(3) هو الصلتان العبدي .(4) شرح الحماسة 3 : 112 ، والشعر والشعراء : 479 ، والخزانة 1 : 308 ، وغيرها ، وهو من وصيته المشهورة التي أوصى بها ولده التي يقول فيها :أَشَــابَ الصّغــيرَ وَأَفْنَـى الكَبـيرَكَـــرُّ الغَــدَاةِ وَمَــرُّ العَشِــيثم يقول له بعد البيت الشاهد :وَسِــرُّكَ مَــا كَـانَ عِنْـدَ امْـريٍوَسِــرُّ الثَّلاَثَــةِ غَــيْرُ الخَــفِيو" الحب" ( بكسر الخاء ) ، المكر ، و" الخب" ( بفتحها ) ، المكار .(5) في المطبوعة والمخطوطة :" في العلم" ، ولم أجد ما أستوثق به من أن يكون الخبر في معنى الترجمة ، أعني مكان" في العلم" ،" في السن" .(6) انظر تفسير" الموثق" فيما سلف ص : 163 ، تعليق : 1 ، والمراجع هناك .(7) زدت نص الآية ، وإن لم يكن ثابتًا في المخطوطة أو المطبوعة .(8) في المطبوعة :" التي تكون صلة" ، ، وفي المخطوطة :" التي صلة" ، ورجحت ما أثبت، و" الصلة" ، الزيادة ، انظر ما سلف من فهارس المصطلحات .(9) في المطبوعة" تفريطكم في يوسف" ، والصواب ما أثبت ، لأن" ما" زائدة هنا .(10) انظر تفسير" الحكم" فيما سلف من فهارس اللغة ( حكم ) .(11) الأثر : 19634 -" الحسين بن الحريث" ،" أبو عمار المروزي" ، شيخ الطبري ، مضى برقم 11771 ." الفضل بن موسى السيتاني" ، مضى أيضًا برقم : 11771 ." الحسين بن واقد المروزي" ، مضى أيضًا برقم : 4810 ، 6311 ، 11771 ، وكان في المخطوطة والمطبوعة هنا أيضًا" الحسن بن واقد" ، وهو خطأ بين ، كما أشرت إليه قبل .(12) هذا معنى عزيز في تفسير" الغيب" ، لم أجده في شيء من كتب اللغة التي بين أيدينا .

( ارجعوا إلى أبيكم ) يقول الأخ المحتبس بمصر لإخوته ارجعوا إلى أبيكم ( فقولوا يا أبانا إن ابنك ) بنيامين ( سرق ) قرأ ابن عباس ، والضحاك " سرق " بضم السين وكسر الراء وتشديدها ، يعني : نسب إلى السرقة ، كما يقال : خونته أي نسبته إلى الخيانة .( وما شهدنا إلا بما علمنا ) يعني : ما قلنا هذا إلا بما علمنا فإنا رأينا إخراج الصاع من متاعه . وقيل : معناه : وما شهدنا ، أي : ما كانت منا شهادة في عمرنا على شيء إلا بما علمنا ، وليست هذه شهادة منا إنما هو خبر عن صنيع ابنك بزعمهم .وقيل : قال لهم يعقوب عليه السلام : ما يدري هذا الرجل أن السارق يؤخذ بسرقته إلا بقولكم ، فقالوا : ما شهدنا عند يوسف بأن السارق يسترق إلا بما علمنا ، وكان الحكم ذلك عند الأنبياء ; يعقوب وبنيه .( وما كنا للغيب حافظين ) قال مجاهد ، وقتادة : ما كنا نعلم أن ابنك سيسرق ويصير أمرنا إلى هذا ولو علمنا ذلك ما ذهبنا إليه ، وإنما قلنا : ونحفظ أخانا مما لنا إلى حفظه منه سبيل . وعن ابن عباس : ما كنا لليله ونهاره ومجيئه وذهابه حافظين . وقال عكرمة : وما كنا للغيب حافظين فلعلها دست بالليل في رحله .

ثم لقنّهم كبيرهم ما يقولون لأبيهم . ومعنى وما كنا للغيب حافظين } احتراس من تحقق كونه سرق ، وهو إما لقصد التلطف مع أبيهم في نسبة ابنه إلى السرقة وإما لأنهم علموا من أمانة أخيهم ما خالجهم به الشك في وقوع السرقة منه .والغيب : الأحوال الغائبة عن المرء . والحفظ : بمعنى العلم .

ثم وصَّاهم بما يقولون لأبيهم، فقال: { ارْجِعُوا إِلَى أَبِيكُمْ فَقُولُوا يَا أَبَانَا إِنَّ ابْنَكَ سَرَقَ } أي: وأخذ بسرقته، ولم يحصل لنا أن نأتيك به، مع ما بذلنا من الجهد في ذلك. والحال أنا ما شهدنا بشيء لم نعلمه، وإنما شهدنا بما علمنا، لأننا رأينا الصواع استخرج من رحله، { وَمَا كُنَّا لِلْغَيْبِ حَافِظِينَ } أي: لو كنا نعلم الغيب لما حرصنا وبذلنا المجهود في ذهابه معنا، ولما أعطيناك عهودنا ومواثيقنا، فلم نظن أن الأمر سيبلغ ما بلغ.

ارْجِعُوا إِلَى أَبِيكُمْقاله الذي قال : " فلن أبرح الأرض " .فَقُولُوا يَا أَبَانَا إِنَّ ابْنَكَوقرأ ابن عباس والضحاك وأبو رزين " إن ابنك سرق " النحاس : وحدثني محمد بن أحمد بن عمر قال حدثنا ابن شاذان قال حدثنا أحمد بن أبي سريج البغدادي قال : سمعت , الكسائي يقرأ : " يا أبانا إن ابنك سرق " بضم السين وتشديد الراء مكسورة ; على ما لم يسم فاعله ; أي نسب , إلى السرقة ورمي بها ; مثل خونته وفسقته وفجرته إذا نسبته إلى هذه الخلال .وقال الزجاج : " سرق " يحتمل معنيين : أحدهما : علم منه السرق , والآخر : اتهم بالسرق .قال الجوهري : والسرق والسرقة بكسر الراء فيهما هو اسم الشيء المسروق , والمصدر يسرق سرقا بالفتح .سَرَقَ وَمَا شَهِدْنَا إِلَّا بِمَافيه أربع مسائل : الأولى : قوله تعالى : " وما شهدنا إلا بما علمنا " يريدون ما شهدنا قط إلا بما علمنا , وأما الآن فقد شهدنا بالظاهر وما نعلم الغيب ; كأنهم وقعت لهم تهمة من قول بنيامين : دس هذا في رحلي من دس بضاعتكم في رحالكم ; قال معناه ابن إسحاق .وقيل المعنى : ما شهدنا عند يوسف بأن السارق يسترق إلا بما علمنا من دينك ; قاله ابن زيد .الثانية : تضمنت هذه الآية جواز الشهادة بأي وجه حصل العلم بها ; فإن الشهادة مرتبطة بالعلم عقلا وشرعا , فلا تسمع إلا ممن علم , ولا تقبل إلا منهم , وهذا هو الأصل في الشهادات ; ولهذا قال أصحابنا : شهادة الأعمى جائزة , وشهادة المستمع جائزة , وشهادة الأخرس إذا فهمت إشارته جائزة ; وكذلك الشهادة على الخط - إذا تيقن أنه خطه أو خط فلان - صحيحة فكل من حصل له العلم بشيء جاز أن يشهد به وإن لم يشهده المشهود عليه ; قال الله تعالى : " إلا من شهد بالحق وهم يعلمون " [ الزخرف : 86 ] وقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : ( ألا أخبركم بخير الشهداء خير الشهداء الذي يأتي بشهادته قبل أن يسألها ) وقد مضى في " البقرة " .الثالثة : اختلف قول مالك في شهادة المرور ; وهو أن يقول : مررت بفلان فسمعته يقول كذا فإن استوعب القول شهد في أحد قوليه , وفي القول الآخر لا يشهد حتى يشهداه .والصحيح أداء الشهادة عند الاستيعاب ; وبه قال جماعة العلماء , وهو الحق ; لأنه قد حصل المطلوب وتعين عليه أداء العلم ; فكان خير الشهداء إذا أعلم المشهود له , وشر الشهداء إذا كتمها والله أعلم ,الرابعة : إذا ادعى رجل شهادة لا يحتملها عمره ردت ; لأنه ادعى باطلا فأكذبه العيان ظاهرا .عَلِمْنَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِلْغَيْبِأي لم نعلم وقت أخذناه منك أنه يسرق فلا نأخذه .وقال مجاهد وقتادة : ما كنا نعلم أن ابنك يسترق ويصير أمرنا إلى هذا , وإنما قلنا : نحفظ أخانا فيما نطيق .وقال ابن عباس : يعنون أنه سرق ليلا وهم نيام , والغيب هو الليل بلغة حمير ; وعنه : ما كنا نعلم ما يصنع في ليله ونهاره وذهابه وإيابه .وقيل : ما دام بمرأى منا لم يجر خلل , فلما غاب عنا خفيت عنا حالاته .وقيل معناه : قد أخذت السرقة من رحله , ونحن أخرجناها وننظر إليها , ولا علم لنا بالغيب , فلعلهم سرقوه ولم يسرق .

Among Joseph’s stepbrothers there was perhaps one brother who was different from the others. He was the same brother who had advised in the initial stage that Joseph should not be killed but pushed into a dry well, so that any caravan passing by could take him with it. That brother faced the same situation in Egypt and he separated himself from the others. His sense of honour prevented him from facing his father before whom he had already been proven guilty of losing a brother. He did not want him to think him guilty of losing yet another brother.

Then, in verse 81, it was said: ارْ‌جِعُوا إِلَىٰ أَبِيكُمْ , that is, the oldest brother said: I am going to stay here. You all go back to your father and tell him that his son has committed a theft, and that whatever we are saying is what we have seen with our own eyes, and that the stolen property was recovered from his baggage before us. As for the last sentence of verse 81: وَمَا كُنَّا لِلْغَيْبِ حَافِظِينَ (and we could not guard against the unseen), it means that ` the pledge we had given to you to bring back Benyamin definitely was given in terms of outwardly visible circumstances. We did not know what we did not see and control - thus how could we know that he would steal and be arrested for it leaving us helpless in this matter.' The sentence could also mean that ` we did our best to keep Benyamin protected seeing that he does nothing which would put him in trouble. But, this effort of ours could be within the limits of our outwardly visible circumstances. That this thing would happen to him, in absence of our vigilance and knowledge, was something we did not know about.' Since the brothers of Yusuf (علیہ السلام) had deceived their father earlier, and knew that their father would never be satisfied with their statement mentioned above, and he would never believe in what they would tell him, therefore, for additional emphasis, they said: `(and if you do not believe us), you can check with the people of the town in which we have been (that is, the city in Egypt). And you can also check with the caravan which has come from Egypt to Canaan with us. And we are true in what we are saying.' At this point, the question - why would Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) bear by such a heartless treatment with his father - reappears in Tafsir Mazhari. This question has also been taken up earlier in our comments on this Surah where it has been said that it was surprising that Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) did not tell his father about himself, then detained his brother too, then his brothers made repeated visits to Egypt and he never told them about himself nor sent some message to his father. Tafsir Mazhari answers all these doubts by saying: اِنَّہُ عَمِلَ ذٰلِکَ بِامرِ اللہِ تَعَالٰی لِیَزِیدَ فِی بِلآءِ یَعقُوبَ That is, Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) did that with the command of Allah Ta` ala so that (the cycle of) the test and trial of Sayyidna Ya` qub (علیہ السلام) reaches its completion. Rules and Principles 1. The statement: وَمَا شَهِدْنَا إِلَّا بِمَا عَلِمْنَا (and we do not testify except what we know) appearing in verse 82 proves that human transactions and contracts are based on apparently known circumstances. They do not cover things which no one knows. The pledge to protect Benyamin which the brothers of Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) had given to their father was relat-ed to things which were in their control. As for the incident that he was accused of theft and arrested for it, it was a different matter which does not affect the pledge as such. 2. Deduced from the same verse, there is another ruling which appears in Tafsir al-Qurtubi. It says: This sentence proves that testimony depends on knowledge. No matter how this knowledge is acquired, testimony can be given in accordance with it. Therefore, the way an event can be testified by having seen it with one's own eyes, similarly, it can be testified by having heard it from someone reliable and worthy of trust - subject to the condition that he does not conceal the truth of the matter, instead, states plainly that he has not seen it personally but has heard it from such and such reliable person. It is on the basis of this principle that Maliki jurists have ruled the testimony of a blind person as permissible. 3. The present verses also prove that should a person be true, right and proper, but the situation is such that others may suspect him to be otherwise, then, he must remove that shadow of doubt so that those who see him do not fall into the sin of (unwarranted) suspicion - as in this event relating to Benyamin, there came up an occasion of accusation and doubt because of a past event in the life of Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) . Therefore, in order to make things clear, the testimony of the people of the city, and the caravan, was presented in support. The Holy Prophets ﷺ has, by his personal conduct, affirmed it positively. On his way back from his Masjid, when he was going through an alley with Ummul-Mu'minin, Sayyidah Safiyyah ؓ he noticed two persons appearing at the head of the alley. They were still at some distance, but the Holy Prophet told them that he was with Safiyyah hint Huyayy. They said: Ya Rasul Allah, can anyone have any suspicion about you? Then, he said: Yes, the shaitan keeps seeping through the human body, may be it drops a doubt in somebody's heart. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) [ Qurtubi ]

Judah then said: (Return) O my brothers (unto your father and say: O our father! Lo! thy son hath stolen) the king's golden cup; it is also said that this means: your son was taken for stealing. (We testify only to that which we know) we saw the stolen cup found in his bag; (we are not guardians of the Unseen) he said: if we knew the unseen, we would not have taken him; it is also said that this means: we could not look after him at night.