Joseph — Verse 82

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."

And ask the city in which we were — namely Egypt — in other words send forth someone to ask its people and the caravan the men of the caravan with which we approached — and these were a group of Canaanites. Surely we speak the truth” ’ in what we say. So they went back to him and told him as much.

and the caravan with which we approached, from among the animal faculties. So ask them that they might inform you of your son's thievery.

and the caravan with which we approached, from among the animal faculties. So ask them that they might inform you of your son's thievery.

واسأل -يا أبانا- أهل "مصر"، ومَن كان معنا في القافلة التي كنا فيها، وإننا صادقون فيما أخبرناك به.

" واسأل القرية التي كنا فيها " قيل المراد مصر قاله قتادة وقيل غيرها " والعير التي أقبلنا فيها " أي التي رافقناها عن صدقنا وأما فتنا وحفظنا وحراستنا " وإنا لصادقون " فيما أخبرناك به من أنه سرق وأخذوه بسرقته.

وقولوا كذلك على سبيل زيادة التأكيد ، إن كنت فى شك من قولنا هذا فاسأل ( القرية التي كُنَّا فِيهَا ) والمراد بالقرية أهلها .أى : فأرسل من تريد إرساله إلى أهل القرية التى حصلت فيها حادثة السرقة فإنهم سيذكرون لك تفاصيلها .قالوا : ومرادهم بالقرية مدينة مصر التى حدث فيها ما حدث ، وعبروا عنها بالقرية لأنهم يقصدون مكانا معيناً منها ، وهو الذى حصل فيه التفتيش لرحالهم ، والمراجعة بينهم وبين عزيز مصر ومعاونيه .وقوله : ( والعير التي أَقْبَلْنَا فِيهَا ) معطوف على ما قبله .أى : اسأل أهل القرية التى كنا فيها ، واسأل ( العير ) أى : قوافل التجارة التى كنا فيها عند ذهابنا وإيابنا فإن أصحاب هذه القوافل يعلمون ما حدث من ابنك " بنيامين " .وقوله ( وَإِنَّا لَصَادِقُونَ ) أى : وإنا لصادقون فى كل ما أخبرناك به . فكن واثقاً من صدقنا .وقد ختم كبيرهم كلامه بهذه الجملة ، زيادة فى تأكيد صدقهم ، لأن ماضيهم معه يبعث على الريبة والشك ، فهم الذين قالوا له قبل ذلك فى شأن يوسف : ( أَرْسِلْهُ مَعَنَا غَداً يَرْتَعْ وَيَلْعَبْ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ ) ثم ألقوا به الجب ، ( وجآءوا أَبَاهُمْ عِشَآءً يَبْكُونَ ) وإلى هنا تكون السورة الكريمة قد صورت بأسلوب حافل بالإِثارة والمحاورة ، والأخذ والرد ، والترغيب والترهيب . . ما دار بين يوسف وإخوته عندما قدموا إليه للمرة الثانية ومعهم شقيقة " بنيامين " .فماذا كان بعد ذلك؟ لقد كان بعد ذلك أن عاد الإِخوة إلى أبيهم وتركوا بمصر كبيرهم وأخاهم بنيامين ، ويطوى القرآن الحكيم - على عادته فى هذه السورة الكريمة - أثر ذلك على قلب أبيهم المفجوع ، إلا أنه يسوق لنا رده عليهم ، الذى يدل على كمال إيمانه ، وسعة آماله فى رحمة الله - تعالى - فيقول :( قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْراً فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ . . . )

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : وَاسْأَلِ الْقَرْيَةَ الَّتِي كُنَّا فِيهَا وَالْعِيرَ الَّتِي أَقْبَلْنَا فِيهَا وَإِنَّا لَصَادِقُونَ (82)قال أبو جعفر : يقول: وإن كنتَ مُتَّهمًا لنا، لا تصدقنا على ما نقول من أن ابنك سرق: ( فاسأل القرية التي كنا فيها )، وهي مصر، يقول: سل من فيها من أهلها ، (والعير التي أقبلنا فيها) ، وهي القافلة التي كنا فيها ، (13) التي أقبلنا منها معها ، عن خبر ابنك وحقيقة ما أخبرناك عنه من سَرَقِهِ ، (14) فإنك تَخْبُرمصداق ذلك ، (وإنّا لصادقون) فيما أخبرناك من خبره .* * *وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.*ذكر من قال ذلك:19641 - حدثنا بشر قال، حدثنا يزيد قال، حدثنا سعيد ، عن قتادة ، قوله: (واسأل القرية التي كنا فيها)، وهي مصر.19642 - حدثنا القاسم قال، حدثنا الحسين قال، حدثني حجاج ، عن ابن جريج قال، قال ابن عباس: (واسأل القرية التي كنا فيها) قال: يعنون مصر.19643 - حدثنا ابن حميد قال، حدثنا سلمة ، عن ابن إسحاق قال: قد عرف رُوبيل في رَجْع قوله لإخوته، أنهم أهلُ تُهمةٍ عند أبيهم ، لما كانوا صنعوا في يوسف . وقولهم له: (اسأل القرية التي كنا فيها والعير التي أقبلنا فيها) ، فقد علموا ما علمنا وشهدوا ما شهدنا، إن كنت لا تصدقنا ، (وإنا لصادقون).* * *----------------------الهوامش:(13) انظر تفسير :" العير" فيما سلف ص : 173 ، 174 .(14) سرق الشيء يسرقه سرقًا ( بفتحتين ) ، وسرقًا ( بفتح السين وكسر الراء ) ، وسرقة .

( واسأل القرية التي كنا فيها ) أي : أهل القرية وهي مصر . قال ابن عباس : هي قرية من قرى مصر كانوا ارتحلوا منها إلى مصر . ( والعير التي أقبلنا فيها ) أي : القافلة التي كنا فيها . وكان صحبهم قوم من كنعان من جيران يعقوب . قال ابن إسحاق : عرف الأخ المحتبس بمصر أن إخوته أهل تهمة عند أبيهم لما كانوا صنعوا في أمر يوسف فأمرهم أن يقولوا هذا لأبيهم .( وإنا لصادقون ) فإن قيل : كيف استجاز يوسف أن يعمل مثل هذا بأبيه ولم يخبره بمكانه ، وحبس أخاه مع علمه بشدة وجد أبيه عليه ، وفيه معنى العقوق ، وقطيعة الرحم ، وقلة الشفقة ؟ . قيل : قد أكثر الناس فيه ، والصحيح أنه عمل ذلك بأمر الله سبحانه وتعالى ، أمره بذلك ، ليزيد في بلاء يعقوب فيضاعف له الأجر ، ويلحقه في الدرجة بآبائه الماضين . وقيل : إنه لم يظهر نفسه لإخوته; لأنه لم يأمن أن يدبروا في أمره تدبيرا فيكتموه عن أبيه . والأول أصح .

وسؤال القرية مجاز عن سؤال أهلها . والمراد بها مدينة مصر . والمدينة والقرية مترادفتان . وقد خصت المدينة في العرف بالقرية الكبيرة .والمراد بالعير التي كانوا فيها رفاقهم في عيرهم القادمين إلى مصر من أرض كنعان ، فأما سؤال العير فسهل وأما سؤال القرية فيكون بالإرسال أو المراسلة أو الذهاب بنفسه إن أراد الاستثبات .

{ وَاسْأَلِ } إن شككت في قولنا { الْقَرْيَةَ الَّتِي كُنَّا فِيهَا وَالْعِيرَ الَّتِي أَقْبَلْنَا فِيهَا } فقد اطلعوا على ما أخبرناك به { وَإِنَّا لَصَادِقُونَ } لم نكذب ولم نغير ولم نبدل، بل هذا الواقع.

قوله تعالى : واسأل القرية التي كنا فيها والعير التي أقبلنا فيها وإنا لصادقون فيه مسألتان :الأولى : قوله تعالى : واسأل القرية التي كنا فيها والعير حققوا بها شهادتهم عنده ، ورفعوا التهمة عن أنفسهم لئلا يتهمهم . فقولهم : واسأل القرية أي أهلها ; فحذف ; ويريدون بالقرية مصر . وقيل : قرية من قراها نزلوا بها وامتاروا منها . وقيل المعنى واسأل القرية وإن كانت جمادا ، فأنت نبي الله ، وهو ينطق الجماد لك ; وعلى هذا فلا حاجة إلى إضمار ; قال سيبويه : ولا يجوز كلم هندا وأنت تريد غلام هند ; لأن هذا يشكل . والقول في العير كالقول في القرية سواء . وإنا لصادقون في قولنا .الثانية : في هذه الآية من الفقه أن كل من كان على حق ، وعلم أنه قد يظن به أنه على خلاف ما هو عليه أو يتوهم أن يرفع التهمة وكل ريبة عن نفسه ، ويصرح بالحق الذي هو عليه ، [ ص: 215 ] حتى لا يبقى لأحد متكلم ; وقد فعل هذا نبينا محمد - صلى الله عليه وسلم - بقوله للرجلين اللذين مرا وهو قد خرج مع صفية يقلبها من المسجد : على رسلكما إنما هي صفية بنت حيي فقالا : سبحان الله وكبر عليهما فقال النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - : إن الشيطان يبلغ من الإنسان مبلغ الدم وإني خشيت أن يقذف في قلوبكما شيئا رواه البخاري ومسلم .

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 ]

(Ask the township) the people of the township (where we were) it was one of the villages of Egypt, (and the caravan) and the people of the caravan (with which we travelled hither) they had travelled with a group of people from Canaan. (Lo! we speak the Truth) in that which we are saying to you. And so they told Jacob these words.