Appearance
Verses 58–62
This section of verses recounted the part from the story of Joseph when his brothers come to Egypt during the years of famine to purchase food for Jacob’s household. This was a prelude to Joseph retaining his maternal brother—the envied one referred to in God’s words recounted by the brothers, ‘Surely Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than us, though we are a hardy group’ (). This would subsequently lead to him revealing his real identity to them and relocating Jacob’s household from their pastoral lands to Egypt.
Joseph initially concealed his identity because he intended to bring his brother from the same mother to join him in Egypt at his side. He wanted to observe his paternal brothers when revealing himself, to see how God would manifest His will due to their earlier jealousy and ill-treatment of him, and then bring all of them back together as a family. The subsequent five verses relate the entry of Joseph’s brothers into Egypt, his proposition to them to bring their half-brother if they return to purchase food, their hesitance, and eventual acceptance.
وَجَاءَ إِخْوَةُ يُوسُفَ فَدَخَلُواْ عَلَيْهِ فَعَرَفَهُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُ مُنكِرُونَ ٥٨
(12:58) The brothers of Joseph came and entered his presence. He recognized them, but they did not recognize him.
This verse omits much detail: Only the essentials are presented here because the main focus is not on the specifics of the events, but rather on Joseph’s reunion with his maternal brother, the blessings and divine favor they both shared, and the eventual recognition of Joseph by the others. This is but a chosen excerpt of his story and the events following his rise to power in Egypt.
The brothers that visited him, excluding his maternal brother, formed a group. Jacob had become deeply attached to the latter, keeping him away from the brothers after the incident with Joseph many years before, evidence of which will be apparent in the upcoming verses.
Between this visit to their brother Joseph and his appointment over the land’s granaries and ascension to power in Egypt after his prison release, more than seven years had elapsed. They only came to him during the years of famine that were affecting the whole region, after the seven plentiful years had passed. They hadn’t seen him since they sold him to the caravan, after retrieving him from the well when he was still a young boy. Years had passed while he was in the house of Potiphar, followed by several years in prison. He had been in charge of the granaries for over seven years and was now appearing in front of them in the attire of an Egyptian official. They never suspected him to be a Hebrew man, not of Egyptian descent. All this prevented them from recognizing him as their long lost brother. However, through his own sagacity or possibly through prophetic insight, he knew them as soon as he saw them. God stated, The brothers of Joseph came and entered his presence. He recognized them, but they did not recognize him.
وَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهَازِهِمْ قَالَ ائْتُونِي بِأَخٍ لَّكُم مِّنْ أَبِيكُمْ أَلاَ تَرَوْنَ أَنِّي أُوفِي الْكَيْلَ وَأَنَاْ خَيْرُ الْمُنزِلِينَ ٥٩
(12:59) When he had furnished them with their provision (jahhaza-hum bi-jihāza-hum), he said, ‘Bring me a brother that you have through your father. Do you not see that I give the full measure and that I am the best of hosts?
In his Mufradāt, al-Rāghib writes: ‘Jihāz (‘provision’) refers to supplies and the like, while tajhīz (from whence jahhaza is derived) means to carry or send such supplies.’ Hence, the meaning is: ‘Once he had provided them with the supplies and food that he sold to them, he instructed them to bring their brother from their father, saying, “Bring me…”’
Regarding his saying, ‘Do you not see that I give the full measure …?’ this means: ‘Do I do you not see that I do not give short measure, nor do I wrong you, relying on my power and might to do as I please.’
And that I am the best of hosts means: ‘I am the most generous host and provide the best lodging.’
Together, this is an encouragement for them to return to him and to bring their brother from their father. Just as his statement in the following verse, ‘But if you do not bring him to me, then there will be no rations for you with me, and do not come near me,’ is a threat to them so that they do not disobey his command. Similarly, their response in the subsequent verse, ‘We will solicit him from his father. We will surely do’ is their acceptance of this and an attempt to reassure Joseph.
It is clear that Joseph’s command upon their departure, ‘Bring me a brother that you have through your father …’ with the emphasis, inducement, and threats, isn’t something he would introduce without some prelude or setting which would blind them to the fact that he was Joseph or give them any suspicious thoughts about his intentions. This is evident. Commentators have introduced numerous dialogues and interactions into the story, for which there is no foundation in God’s account of the story in the Qurʾan, nor any evidence that supports such interpretations given the context.
God’s narration does not contain any such details. All that can be inferred from it is that he inquired about their affairs, and they, being ten brothers, informed him that they had another brother who stayed with their father, from whom their father could not bear to be separated for travel or any other reason. This made the governor (Joseph) wish for them to bring that brother to him so he could see him.
فَإِن لَّمْ تَأْتُونِي بِهِ فَلاَ كَيْلَ لَكُمْ عِندِي وَلاَ تَقْرَبُونِ ٦٠
(12:60) ‘But if you do not bring him to me, then there will be no rations (kayl) for you with me, and do not come near me.’
The term kayl (‘rations’) here refers to the measured amount, which is provisions. ‘And do not come near me’ means they shall not approach him, nor will they be allowed to enter his land or present themselves to purchase food. The meaning of this verse is evident: he is warning them of consequences if they do not obey his command, as previously mentioned.
قَالُواْ سَنُرَاوِدُ عَنْهُ أَبَاهُ وَإِنَّا لَفَاعِلُونَ ٦١
(12:61) They said, ‘We will solicit him from his father (sa-nurāwid ʿan-hu abā-hu). We will surely do.’
As mentioned previously, the verb murāwada (from whence nurāwid is derived) means to persistently return to a matter and to use earnest supplications in pursuit of it. Their statement to Joseph, ‘We shall try to persuade his father,’ indicates they relayed to him the story of how their father deeply loves this brother and is not willing to be separated from him, whether for a journey or any absence. Their use of the term ‘his father’ instead of ‘our father’ reinforces this sentiment.
Their statement, ‘We will surely do,’ means they committed to bringing this brother or to persuading their father to let him travel with them to meet Joseph. The meaning of this verse is clear. In it, they are essentially reassuring Joseph and providing him with guarantees, as mentioned previously.
وَقَالَ لِفِتْيَانِهِ اجْعَلُواْ بِضَاعَتَهُمْ فِي رِحَالِهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَعْرِفُونَهَا إِذَا انقَلَبُواْ إِلَى أَهْلِهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ ٦٢
(12:62) He said to his servants (fityāni-hi), ‘Put their capital (biḍāʿata-hu) in their saddlebags (riḥāli-him). Maybe they will recognize it when they return (inqalabū) to their folks, and maybe they will come back.’
The term fityān refers to young boys or attendants. Al-Rāghib al-Iṣfahānī says: ‘Biḍāʿa (‘capital’) is a considerable portion of wealth acquired for trading. God says: “This is our money (biḍāʿatu-nā), restored to us!” (), and “a meager sum (bi-biḍāʿa muzjāt)” (). The original term for this is derived from a word meaning a piece or a chunk, often of meat… the related term bidʿ refers to a sum less than ten, and according to some, more than three or five.’ There are several definitions and uses for the biḍāʿa, but in this context, it signifies the commodities they had brought to trade for food in Egypt. Riḥāl (‘saddlebags’) are containers or baggage for carrying goods. Inqalabū (lit. ‘overturning’ but translated here as ‘return’) refers to the act of returning home.
Therefore, the meaning of this verse is: ‘Joseph instructed his attendants to place their commodities, which they had brought as payment for the food they purchased, back into their saddlebags. Perhaps, when they return to their families and open these containers, they will recognize their goods and possibly decide to return to him. This act might win over their hearts, enticing them to come back, anticipating more acts of kindness and generosity.”