Verses 83–92

Chapter 12: Yūsuf (Joseph) · Printed edition: Volume 22, pp. 30–45

These verses recount Jacob’s dialogue with his sons after they returned from Egypt a second time, in which they informed him about their brother, Joseph (who they believed to be the governor of Egypt), and Jacob’s instruction to them to return to Egypt for a third time, hoping they might find Joseph and his brother Benjamin. This continues until Joseph reveals his true identity to them.

قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَأْتِيَنِي بِهِمْ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ ٨٣

(12:83) He said, ‘Rather your souls have made a matter seem decorous to you. Yet patience is graceful. Maybe Allah will bring them all to me. Indeed He is the All-knowing, the All-wise.’

In this context, a lot of details are omitted, as indicated by the verses, ‘Go back to your father, and say, ‘‘Father! Your son has indeed committed theft, and we testified only to what we knew, and we could not have forestalled the unseen. Ask the town we were in, and the caravan with which we came. We indeed speak the truth”’ (). The implication is that when they returned to their father and relayed what their eldest brother had instructed them to say, their father responded, ‘Rather your souls have made a matter seem decorous to you …’

This phrase, ‘Rather your souls have made a matter seem decorous to you …’ relates Jacob’s response to his sons when they told him the news of what had happened. Jacob did not utter these words to deny their account or accuse them of lying—far be it from him to reject a narrative accompanied by clear signs of truth and with witnesses that could be verified. Nor did he intend to accuse his sons of ill intentions with his statement, ‘Rather your souls have made a matter seem decorous to you …’ Instead, with divinely inspired insight, he perceived that this incident was linked to, and an offshoot of, a degree of self-deception on their part. This incident is rooted in the larger saga of Joseph, which was itself a result of their prior self-deception.

From this, it becomes clear that Jacob was not merely attributing the absence of Joseph’s brother to their actions. He also referenced the absence of the eldest brother who remained in Egypt and did not return to him. This is evidenced by his statement, ‘Maybe Allah will bring them all to me,’ in which he inclusively refers to Joseph, his brother, and the eldest of the siblings, neither singling out Joseph’s brother nor grouping together only Joseph and his brother. The apparent meaning from this context is that his hope in the return of all three sons is built on his graceful patience and forbearance in the face of their prior deeds.

So, the most likely meaning of the verse is that this incident is one of those situations which you have brought upon yourselves, just as I mentioned regarding the incident with Joseph. Therefore, I must practice graceful forbearance in the face of your actions, in the hope that God might reunite me with all three of my sons.

From here, it becomes evident that the claim of some commentators that the verse means, ‘Indeed, what I believe is that the matter is not as you describe it, but rather your own souls have contrived a matter,’ is incorrect.

‘Maybe Allah will bring them all to me. Indeed He is the All-knowing, the All-wise’—This is an expression of hope for their collective return, implying, as he sees it, that Joseph is still alive and has not passed away. This statement is not merely a supplication; if it were just a prayer, he would not have ended it with ‘Indeed He is the All-knowing, the All-wise.’ Instead, he would have concluded it with phrases like ‘He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing,’ or ‘He is the Compassionate, the Merciful,’ or another similar phrase, as is customary in the supplications found throughout the chapters of the Qurʾan.

In fact, it is an expression of hope that results from Jacob’s patience. He is saying that the previous incident with Joseph and this current event, in which two more of my sons are taken, are due to some impulse of yours. Hence, I will be patient and hope that God will bring back all my sons and bestow His favor upon the family of Jacob, as He promised me. Indeed, He is All-Knowing of the circumstances of selection and perfection of His favor, and Wise in His actions, orchestrating affairs according to profound wisdom. Thus, is not fitting for a person to be perturbed during trials and hardships by impulsiveness or despair, nor to lose hope in His mercy and compassion.

The two divine names, ‘All-knowing’ (ʿalīm) and ‘All-wise’ (ḥakīm), are the same attributes that Jacob mentioned to Joseph the first time he narrated his dream, saying, ‘Your Lord is indeed all-knowing, all-wise’ (). Later, Joseph reminded Jacob of these attributes when he lifted his parents onto the throne and they prostrated before him, stating, ‘Father! This is the fulfillment of my dream of long ago … Indeed He is the All-knowing, the All-wise’ ().

وَتَوَلَّى عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا أَسَفَى عَلَى يُوسُفَ وَابْيَضَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْحُزْنِ فَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ ٨٤

(12:84) And he turned away from them and said, ‘Alas for Joseph (yā asfā ʿalā Yūsuf)!’ His eyes had turned white with grief, and he choked with suppressed agony (wa huwa kaẓīm).

Al-Rāghib has said: ‘asaf (“alas”) means both sadness and anger. And it can also be used for each of these emotions individually. In essence, it denotes the blood of the heart boiling with the desire for revenge. When this feeling is directed at someone beneath you, it manifests as anger. When it is directed at someone above, it manifests as sadness. Furthermore, regarding the divine statement, So when they roused Our wrath (āsafnā), We took vengeance on them and drowned them all (). meaning they angered Us, Abū ʿAbd Allah al-Riḍā (sic) said, “God does not feel sorrow as we do, but He has allies who feel sorrow and pleasure. So, He equated their pleasure with His pleasure and their anger with His anger. He has said, ‘Whoever dishonors an ally of Mine has indeed challenged Me to battle.’”’

Al-Rāghib has also stated: ‘Kaẓm (from whence kaẓīm is derived) is the release of breath. It is said, “akhadha bi kaẓimi” (“he held his breath”). While kaẓūm refers to suppressing one’s breath and can denote silence. An example is when they say, “He hardly breathes” (lā yatanaffas) if described as exceedingly silent. When someone “restrains”, it implies he holds back his breath. God has said, who called out as he choked with grief (wa huwa kaẓūm) () and, the Godwary … who … suppress their anger (al-kāẓimīn al-ghayẓ) (). From this root also, one says kaẓm of a camel when it ceases to grunt and kaẓm of a water skin when it is tightly closed to prevent its contents from escaping.’

His eyes had turned white with grief—to say that a person’s eyes turned white means that their pupils have turned white, denoting blindness and loss of sight. It can also mean to be partially sighted, but the verse, Take this shirt of mine, and cast it upon my father’s face; he will regain his sight () shows that, in this case at least, it denotes a total loss of sight.

The meaning of the verse is that Jacob turned his back on his sons after addressing them by saying, ‘Rather your souls have made a matter seem decorous to you…’ (in the previous verse). Then he exclaimed, ‘Alas for Joseph!’ Then his eyes turned white and he lost his sight out of his grief and sorrow for Joseph. However, he suppressed his anger and swallowed his sorrow, not confronting his sons about anything.

قَالُواْ تَاللَّه تَفْتَأُ تَذْكُرُ يُوسُفَ حَتَّى تَكُونَ حَرَضًا أَوْ تَكُونَ مِنَ الْهَالِكِينَ ٨٥

(12:85) They said, ‘By Allah! You will go on remembering Joseph until you wreck your health (ḥattā takūna ḥaraḍan) or perish (aw takūna min al-hāikīn).’

The terms ḥaraḍ and ḥāriḍ refer to being on the brink of death. Some have said they means being in a state where one is neither dead and thus able to forget the source of his misery nor alive and thus able to hope for an improvement in one’s fortunes. However, the first interpretation is more appropriate because ḥaraḍ is juxtasposed with hālikīn (‘those who perish’). Note that while hālikīn is plural, ḥaraḍ is not: This is because ḥaraḍ is a verbal noun and, therefore, does not become plural or dual.

Therefore, the meaning of the verse is, ‘By God, you have persistently recalled Joseph and continuously mentioned him for years. You won’t stop until you’re on the brink of death or you perish!’ The apparent sense of their words is that they said this out of sympathy for his condition and compassion toward him. However, it is possible they said this out of frustration with his constant crying and weariness from his prolonged mourning of Joseph. Particularly, because he denounced them regarding the matter of Joseph. His obvious crying and sorrow indicate he was accusing them, supported by his statement, ‘I complain of my anguish and grief only to Allah …,’ in the preceding verse.

قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَشْكُو بَثِّي وَحُزْنِي إِلَى اللَّهِ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ ٨٦

(12:86) He said, ‘I complain of my anguish (baththī) and grief only to Allah. I know from Allah what you do not know.’

In Majmaʿ al-bayān, al-Ṭabrisī writes: ‘Bathth refers to a deep distress that one cannot keep to oneself and thus vents or spreads it. Anything that is spread can be expressed with the verb baththa. For example, God says, a and scatters therein (baththa fī-hā) every kind of animal.’ Therefore, the use of the verbal noun bathth here is in the sense of the passive participle of the verb or mabthūth, meaning ‘that which is spread.’ The construction of his saying, ‘I complain… only…,’ conveys a meaning of exclusivity and implies a limitation of the heart. In other words: ‘I do not complain about my suffering and grief to you, my sons and family. If I did, it would have ceased in the shortest time, as is the norm for people when they express their distress and sorrow during calamities. I only complain of my suffering and grief to God, the Exalted. For He is never weary or bored by the pleas of His servants. Those in need continuously beseech Him. I know things about God that you do not. Hence, I do not despair of His solace nor lose hope in His mercy.’

When Jacob says: ‘I know from Allah what you do not know,’ this contains a general indication of the extent of his knowledge of God, which can only be understood in light of the context, as we have highlighted.

يَا بَنِيَّ اذْهَبُواْ فَتَحَسَّسُواْ مِن يُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ وَلاَ تَيْأَسُواْ مِن رَّوْحِ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لاَ يَيْأَسُ مِن رَّوْحِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ الْقَوْمُ الْكَافِرُونَ ٨٧

(12:87) ‘Go, my sons, and look for (taḥassasū min) Joseph and his brother, and do not despair of Allah’s mercy. Indeed no one despairs of Allah’s mercy except the faithless lot.’

In Majmaʿ al-bayān, al-Ṭabrisī writes: ‘The verb taḥassas means to seek something out with one’s senses, and it is similar in meaning to the verb tajassus (‘to spy’). This is reflected in the tradition: ‘Do not seek and do not spy!’ (lā taḥassasū wa lā tajassasū). Others have said that the two are essentially synonymous with one another, and they only frequently appear side-by-side by virtue of the fact of their divergent spellings, as exemplified by the verse of poetry: ‘Whenever he draws close it retreats and withdraws’ (mattā adna min-hu yanʾā ʿan-hu wa yabʿud).

Others still have argued that tajassus means to search for people’s faults, whereas with taḥassus means to eavesdrop on their conversations. When Ibn ʿAbbās was asked about the difference between the two terms, he said: ‘They are not far apart: searching (taḥassus) is for good and spying (tajassus) is for evil.’

… and do not despair of Allah’s mercy (rawḥ Allāh)—the word rawḥ means breath or a pleasant breath. It is used figuratively to denote the state opposite to fatigue, which is relaxation or comfort. This is because severe hardships where hopes are cut off and paths to salvation are blocked can feel suffocating and oppressive to a person. Conversely, emerging into the vastness and openness of relief and attaining well-being feels like one can breathe again. Thus, the rawḥ attributed to God signifies relief after hardship by God’s permission and will. Believers in God must believe that God does as He wills, and none can overturn His decree or judgment. One should never despair of the Spirit of God or lose hope in His mercy, as this would be tantamount to denying His omnipotence and disbelieving in His all-encompassing mercy. This sentiment is echoed in the present verse where Jacob says: ‘Indeed no one despairs of Allah’s mercy except the faithless lot, and the verse in which Abraham states: ‘Who despairs of his Lord’s mercy except those who are astray?’ (). Despairing of the mercy of God is considered one of the most grievous sins a person can commit, according to the traditions.

Therefore, the meaning of the verse is that Jacob bids his sons, ‘Go, my sons, and look for Joseph and his brother who had been taken to Egypt in the hope of finding them. and do not despair of Allah’s mercy’—meaning the relief that God provides after hardships—’Indeed no one despairs of Allah’s mercy except the faithless lot —this refers to those who do not believe that God has the power to alleviate all sorrows and to provide relief from all hardships.

فَلَمَّا دَخَلُواْ عَلَيْهِ قَالُواْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْعَزِيزُ مَسَّنَا وَأَهْلَنَا الضُّرُّ وَجِئْنَا بِبِضَاعَةٍ مُّزْجَاةٍ فَأَوْفِ لَنَا الْكَيْلَ وَتَصَدَّقْ عَلَيْنَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَجْزِي الْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ ٨٨

(12:88) Then, when they entered into his presence, they said, ‘O mighty one! Distress has befallen our family, and us, and we have brought a meager capital (biḍāʿa muzjāt). Yet grant us the full measure, and be charitable to us! Indeed Allah rewards the charitable.’

The phrase biḍāʿa muzjāt (‘a meager capital’) refers to a small amount of goods to trade. The context of the verse suggests that the meaning is that Jacob’s sons journeyed to Egypt and, upon meeting Joseph (of whose identity they were still unaware), conveyed the aforementioned words to him.

From the narrative flow, it becomes evident that they had two pressing matters to present before the ‘mighty’ official, who was really Joseph. However, given the evident circumstances, it seemed unlikely that their appeals would receive a favorable response.

Their first request they made was for the sale of food, despite them not having adequate funds to cover the cost of the provisions they needed. This was further complicated by their prior record, which included allegations of deceit and theft. Their reputation was diminished in the eyes of the government official, making it improbable that he would extend to them the same generosity they experienced during their previous visit.

The second matter was the release of their brother, who had been detained on charges of theft. They had already felt despondent about this, especially after their persistent appeals for his release were denied, and the official refused to even contemplate detaining another one of their number in his stead.

Therefore, when they appeared before Joseph, they spoke in a tone of utmost humility and submission. They amplified the gentleness of their words, appealing to his sense of compassion and empathy. They started by recounting the adversities that had befallen them and the dire circumstances they faced. Then, they mentioned the meager merchandise they had scraped together to trade for food and requested a fair measure in return. As for their detained brother, they did not directly ask for his release but instead appealed for charity. It is noteworthy that charity is often associated with money or provisions, while their brother, in essence, was considered the ‘property’ of the government official. They further incentivized this course of action by stating, ‘Indeed, God rewards the charitable,’ suggesting an implicit prayer or supplication.

To unpack the verse, ‘O mighty one! Distress has befallen our family, and us’—this conveys the engulfing hardship and dire state they found themselves in. By saying, ‘and we have brought a meager sum,’ they acknowledge their limited means, which are undoubtedly insufficient to procure the sustenance they need and seek. Their plea, Yet grant us the full measure, and be charitable to us’ appears to encompass both their immediate need for provisions and their brother’s release. By concluding with the phrase, ‘Indeed Allah rewards the charitable,’ they effectively began their plea with a direct address, ‘O mighty one!’ and concluded it with an implicit supplication. Their pleading of their difficult circumstances, acknowledging their insufficient trading capital, and their request for charity, all encapsulated an act of seeking mercy from someone whose past experiences with them might not make him inclined to grant it. Here they were, Joseph’s brothers; a group standing humbly before the powerful official of Egypt (who, was it will be recalled, none other than Joseph himself).

At that moment, the divine decree was realized that God would elevate Joseph and his brother and humble the rest of Jacob’s sons in front of him due to their wrongdoing. Thus, Joseph didn’t delay in addressing them, asking, ‘Have you realized what you did to Joseph and his brother, when you were senseless?’ (). He then revealed his true identity to them. While Joseph could have informed his father and brothers of his whereabouts in Egypt during this prolonged period, God willed that he confront his brothers from a position of power, while they were humbled and vulnerable, especially while the other brother they envied was with Joseph, who occupied a place of honor and dignity.

قَالَ هَلْ عَلِمْتُم مَّا فَعَلْتُم بِيُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ إِذْ أَنتُمْ جَاهِلُونَ ٨٩

(12:89) He said, ‘Have you realized what you did to Joseph and his brother, when you were senseless?’

It is rhetorical mode of speech to address wrongdoers with questions like ‘Did you know?,’ ‘Do you realize?,’ and so on—even though the person is well aware of what they did—to remind them of the repercussions of their actions. Yet, Joseph added to his question by saying, ‘when you were ignorant,’ offering them an implicit excuse for their behavior.

His statement, ‘‘Have you realized what you did to Joseph and his brother…?’ is merely a reminder of their actions without reprimanding or holding them accountable for them, so that they will recognize God’s extraordinary kindness to Joseph and his brother. This is a testament to Joseph’s extraordinary magnanimity—truly a remarkable degree of nobility.

قَالُواْ أَإِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ يُوسُفُ قَالَ أَنَاْ يُوسُفُ وَهَذَا أَخِي قَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا إِنَّهُ مَنَّ يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ٩٠

(12:90) They said, ‘Are you really Joseph?!’ He said, ‘I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Certainly Allah has shown us favor. Indeed if one is Godwary and patient Allah does not waste the reward of the virtuous.’

God’s words: ‘They said, “Are you indeed Joseph?” He replied, “I am Joseph, and this is my brother. God has shown us favor...” confirms the earlier rhetorical question, indicating that irrefutable evidence established its veracity. The purpose of the inquiry was purely for acknowledgment.

The evidence before them pointed to the governor being none other than their brother who they had cast into the well and sold into slavery, Joseph. That is why they asked him, ‘Are you really Joseph?’ (a inna-ka la-anta Yūsuf), accentuating their question with various elements of emphasis, such as inna, the lām on la-anta, and the use of a detached pronoun (anta, ‘you’). He responded, ‘I am Joseph, and this is my brother.’Eeven though they had not asked about his brother and were hardly unaware of his identity, Joseph mentioned his brother to indicate God’s favor upon them both. They were both envied, hence he stated, ‘Certainly Allah has shown us favor.’

Then, he attributed this divine favor to a number of apparent reasons, saying, ‘Indeed if one is Godwary and patient Allah does not waste the reward of the virtuous.’ Through this, he called them to righteousness and illustrated that it is achieved through piety and patience.

قَالُواْ تَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ آثَرَكَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا وَإِن كُنَّا لَخَاطِئِينَ ٩١

(12:91) They said, ‘By Allah, Allah has certainly preferred you over us (la-qad āthara-ka Allāhu ʿalay-nā), and we have indeed been erring (in kunnā la-khātiʾīn).’

The verb īthār (from whence āthara derives) means to choose and give priority to something.

Khaṭaʾ (‘error’) is the opposite of ‘being right’ (ṣawāb). The adjectives khātiʾ and mukhtiʾ both denote someone who is in error. The verse is clear and contains the brother’s admission of their own wrongdoing and their acknowledgment of God’s preference for Joseph over them.

قَالَ لاَ تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ ٩٢

(12:92) He said, ‘There shall be no reproach (tathrīb) on you today. May Allah forgive you, and He is the most merciful of the merciful.’

Tathrīb (‘reproach’) means to blame and reprimand someone excessively and count out their sins. The specification of ‘no reproach’ to ‘today’ indicates the special status of forgiveness and his overlooking any desire to take revenge on them for their previous treatment of him in the present context. This context is that Joseph is the mighty governor of Egypt, endowed with prophecy, knowledge, and accompanied by his brother, while they stand humbled, admitting their error and recognizing that God has preferred him over them. This is utterly contrary to their initial sentiment: ‘Surely Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than us, though we are a hardy group. Our father is indeed in manifest error’ ().

Then, Joseph prayed and sought forgiveness for his brothers, saying, ‘May Allah forgive you, and He is the most merciful of the merciful.’ This is his prayer and plea for forgiveness for all of his brothers who wronged him collectively, even though those present that day were only some of them, not all, as can be inferred from the subsequent verse, They said, ‘By God, you persist in your inveterate error’ (). This will be discussed further below.

Examining Narrations

1. In Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, it is narrated from Abū Baṣīr that he heard Abū Jaʿfar relate: ‘Jacob deeply mourned the loss of his son Joseph. His grief was so profound that his eyes turned white from sorrow. Jacob found himself in a dire situation, his circumstances changed drastically. He would get grain supplies from Egypt for his family twice a year: during winter and summer. He dispatched a few of his sons with a modest amount of goods to Egypt, and they were accompanied by a caravan.

Upon their arrival in Egypt, and after Joseph had been appointed in a significant position by the ruler of Egypt, Joseph recognized his brothers. However, they failed to recognize him due to the majesty of his royal position and the authority he now wielded. He told them to present their goods ahead of the rest of the caravan. He instructed his servants, ‘Quickly measure out their grain in full. Once you have finished, place their goods back in their bags, and do not let them know that you have done this.’ His servants did as they were instructed. Later, Joseph inquired, ‘I have heard you have other brothers from the same father; where are they?’

They said, ‘The older one among them was eaten by a wolf, whereas the younger one, we left him with his father who is deeply grieved and compassionate toward him.’ He said, ‘I would prefer that you bring him to me when you return, so that I may see him—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’ They said, ‘We will solicit him from his father. We will surely do.’

Upon returning to their father and opening their bags, they discovered their goods had been returned. They exclaimed to their father, ‘What more could we ask for? Our goods have been returned to us. So, send our brother with us next time, and we assure you, we will watch over him.’ Jacob responded, Should I trust you with him just as I trusted you with his brother before?’

After six months, when they needed more supplies, Jacob sent them again with modest goods. This time, he also sent Benjamin. He secured a promise from them in God’s name: ‘you will surely bring him back to me, unless you are made to perish’ (). They left with the caravan, and upon arriving in Egypt, Joseph inquired if Benjamin was with them. They affirmed, and Joseph wanted to meet Benjamin privately in the palace. Once alone, he embraced Benjamin and wept, saying: ‘I am your brother Joseph; do not be distressed by my actions or the position I hold. Keep this a secret, do not grieve, and do not fear.’

Later, Joseph instructed his servants to return their goods in their bags but to place the king’s goblet in Benjamin’s bag. As they set off with the caravan, Joseph pursued them with his servants, who called out among them: ‘O caravan! You are indeed thieves!’

They said, as they turned toward them, ‘What are you missing?’

They said, ‘We miss the king’s goblet.’ ‘Whoever brings it shall have a camel load, I will guarantee that.’ They said, ‘By Allah! You certainly know that we did not come to make trouble in this country, and we are not thieves.’

They said, ‘What shall be its requital if you are lying?’

They said, ‘The requital for it shall be that he in whose saddlebag it is found shall give himself over as its requital.

Then he began with their sacks, before his brother’s sack. Then he took it out from his brother’s sack … They said, ‘If he has stolen, a brother of his had stolen before.’

Joseph told them to leave his land. So, they said, ‘O emir! Indeed he has a father, a very old man and he has taken a promise from God for us to return this brother of ours to him, so take one of us in his place. Indeed we would see that you are a virtuous man if you did that.’

Joseph responded, God forbid that we should take anyone except him with whom we found our wares ‘

Their eldest brother declared ‘So I will never leave this land until my father permits me, or Allah passes a judgment for me.’

Joseph’s brothers continued their journey until they reached Jacob. He asked them, ‘So where is Benjamin?’ They replied, ‘Benjamin has been accused of stealing the king’s measuring cup. The king has taken him as a prisoner. So, ask the people of the town and the caravan, and they will inform you of this.’ Jacob became extremely distressed, and his grief was so heavy upon him that his back became bent.

2. In the same source, Abū Ḥamza al-Thumālī reports that Imām al-Bāqir said: ‘I heard him mention: the king’s goblet (sawāʿ al-malik) is the cup that he drinks from.’

Author’s comment: In some narrations, it is mentioned that it was a golden cup that Joseph used as a measure.

3. In another account in the same source, Abū Baṣīr reported from Imām al-Bāqir—and in one manuscript from Imām al-Ṣādiq—saying: ‘When I was with him, he was asked about Ṣālim bin Ḥafsa, who narrated that you spoke in seventy different ways, and one of them is an exit.’ He replied, ‘What does Sālim want from me? Does he expect me to bring angels? By God, even the prophets did not bring them. Indeed, Abraham said, “Indeed, I am sick,” but by God, he was not sick, but he did not lie. And Abraham did say, “Rather it was this biggest of them who did it!” Yet, it was not the biggest idol who smashed the others, but Abraham did not lie. And Joseph did say, “O caravan! You are indeed thieves!”, but By God, they did not steal, and he did not lie.’
4. In the same source, ‘a man from our companions’ reported from Imām al-Ṣādiq: ‘I asked him about God’s statement about Joseph: “O caravan! You are indeed thieves!” He said, “They stole Joseph from his father. Do you not see when they approached him and were asked, ‘What are you missing?’ They replied, ‘We are missing the king’s goblet.’ They did not say, ‘You have stolen the king’s goblet.’ What they meant was, ‘You have stolen Joseph from his father.’”’
5. In al-Kāfī, al-Kulaynī narrates from al-Ḥasan al-Ṣayqal: ‘I asked Abū ʿAbd Allāh about what was narrated from Abū Jaʿfar regarding Joseph’s statement, “O caravan! You are indeed thieves!” He said, “By God, they did not steal, and he did not lie. And Abraham had said, ‘Rather it was this biggest of them who did it! Ask them, if they can speak’ but, by God, the biggest did not do it, and he did not lie.”

Abū ʿAbd Allāh asked, “What is your perspective on this, al-Ṣayqal?”

I said, “We only accept it without question.”

He said, “God loves two things and despises two others. He loves walking between two rows and he loves lying for the sake of reform. However, He despises roaming the streets and lying without the intention of reform. Abraham only said, “it was the biggest of them who did it,” intending reform and to show that they do not do anything. Similarly, Joseph said it intending reform.’

Author’s comment: His statement that he intended reform, does not contradict the earlier narration that he meant they stole Joseph from his father. That the apparent meaning the speech (that they had stolen the goblet) does not match the reality is different from the speaker intending a true meaning in itself (that they had stolen Joseph), but which is not understood by others in the context of the conversation. The evidence for this is his statement, ‘he intended reform and to show that they do not do anything,’ where both meanings are combined. The phrase is consistent with one of them, the latter, and not the other. Understand this and refer back to what we have previously explained about the verses concerning Abraham as well.

Concerning the meanings of the last three traditions, there are other reports narrated in al-Kāfī, al-Maʿānī, and the comentaries of al-ʿAyyāshī and al-Qummī.

6. In Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, it is narrated from Ismāʿīl b. Humām, from Imām al-Riḍā, about the verse, ‘If he has stolen, a brother of his had stolen before.’ Thereupon Joseph kept the matter to himself and he did not disclose it to them (). He said: Isaac the prophet had a belt passed down among the prophets and the elders. It was with Joseph’s maternal aunt. Joseph was with her, and she loved him. His father sent for him to be sent back. She pleaded to keep him for a night to have his scent, and she would return him in the morning. Upon dawn, she took the belt, tied it around him, dressed him in a shirt and sent him. She claimed the belt was stolen, and it was found on him. In that time, if someone stole, they were given to the owner of the stolen item. Thus, she kept him.’
7. In Al-Durr al-manthūr, Ibn Mardawayh relates from Ibn ʿAbbās from the Prophet about the verse: ‘If he has stolen, a brother of his had stolen before.’ He said: ‘Joseph stole an idol made of gold and silver that belonged to his mother’s father. He broke it and threw it on the path, and his brothers were blamed for this.’

Author’s comment: The earlier narration is the more credible of the two. It has been narrated through different chains from the Imāms of the Prophet’s Household. Supporting it are reports from more than one source from the Prophet’s Household and other chains, which state that the jailer said to Joseph, ‘I love you,’ to which he replied, ‘Do not love me. My aunt loved me and accused me of theft. My father loved me, and my brothers became envious, throwing me into a well. The wife of Potiphar loved me, and I was thrown into prison.’

8. In al-Kāfī, al-Kulaynī narrates via his chain from Ibn Abī ʿUmayr from his sources, from Imām al-Ṣādiq, concerning the verse, ‘Indeed we see that you are a virtuous man’ (). He said: Joseph used to have an open assembly, lend to those in need, and giving assistance the weak.
9. In Tafsīr al-Burhān, it is narrated via a chain going back to al-Ḥusayn bin Saʿīd, in the book al-Tamḥīṣ from Jābir. He said: ‘I asked Abū Jaʿfar: “What is graceful patience?” He replied: “It is patience without complaining to any of the people. Indeed, Abraham sent Jacob to a pious monk, for some purpose. When the monk saw him, he thought him to be Abraham, so he rushed to him, hugged him, and said, ‘Welcome, O friend of the Merciful.’ Jacob replied, ‘I am not the friend of the Merciful, but Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham.’ The monk asked, ‘What has aged you to this state?’ Jacob replied: ‘Worry, sorrow, and illness.’

It is said that Jacob hadn’t passed the doorstep before God revealed to him: ‘O Jacob, you have complained to My servants!’ He fell prostrate at the door threshold, saying, ‘Lord, I will not repeat this!’ God then revealed to him that He had forgiven him, instructing him not to revert to such behavior. Henceforth, Jacob never lamented any of the calamities of the world, except for the day when he said: ‘I complain of my anguish and grief only to Allah. I know from Allah what you do not know’ ().

10. In Al-Durr al-manthūr, ʿAbd al-Razzāq and Ibn Jarīr report from Muslim b, Yasār, via an incomplete chain to the Prophet the tradition: ‘Whoever laments has not shown patience,’ then he recited the verse, ‘I complain of my anguish and grief only to Allah.’

Author’s comment: This tradition was also narrated by Ibn ʿAdī and al-Bayhaqī in Shuʿub al-Īmān from Ibn ʿUmar, who narrated it from the Prophet.

11. In al-Kāfī, al-Kulaynī narrates via his chain from Ḥannān bin Sudayr, from Abū Jaʿfar: ‘Tell me about Jacob’s statement to his sons: “Go, my sons, and look for Joseph and his brother.” Did he know that Joseph was alive, even though they had been separated for twenty years? He replied, “Yes.” I asked: “How did he know that?” He replied: “Jacob had prayed at dawn, requesting the Angel of Death to appear. In response, the angel Tarbāl came down and appeared to him, asking: “What is it you want O Jacob?” He said: “Tell me about the spirits you take: Do you take them all at the same time or one by one?” He said: “I take them one spirit after another.” He said: “Have you seen the spirit of Joseph?” He said: “No.” It was then that Jacob realized Joseph was still alive, prompting him to tell his sons: “Go, my sons, and look for Joseph and his brother.”

Author’s comment: This tradition was also narrated in al-Maʿānī by Shaykh al-Ṣadūq, via his chain from Ḥannān b. Sudayr, from his father, from the Imām. In this narration, Jacob asked the Angel of Death whether souls are taken en masse or separately. The angel replied that his aides collect souls separately, but they are presented to him collectively. Jacob, invoking the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, asked if Joseph’s soul was among them. The angel said that it was not, confirming to Jacob that Joseph was alive.

12. In Al-Durr al-manthūr, al-Suyūṭī cites Isḥāq b. Rāhawayh’s Tafsīr, Ibn Abī Dunyā’s Kitāb al-Faraj baʿd al-Shidda, Ibn Abī Ḥātim, al-Ṭabarānī, Abū Shaykh, al-Ḥākim al-Nīshābūrī, Ibn Mardawayh, and al-Bayhaqī in Shuʿub al-Īmān, all of whom narrate from Anas, from the Prophet that the Angel Gabriel came to Jacob and said: ‘O Jacob, God conveys His greetings and says: “Rejoice and let your heart be glad. By My might, if they had died, I would have shown them to you. So prepare a meal for the needy, for my most beloved servants are the prophets and the poor. Do you know why I took your sight, bent your back, and why Joseph’s brothers did what they did to him? It was because you slaughtered a sheep and a fasting poor man came, but you did not feed him from it.’

Therefore, whenever Jacob wanted to have lunch, he would instruct a herald to announce: ‘Whoever among the needy wants lunch, come and dine with Jacob!’ And when he was fasting, he would instruct a herald to announce: ‘Whoever among the needy is fasting, come and break your fast with Jacob!’

13. In Majmaʿ al-bayān, regarding the verse: Yet Allah is the best of protectors (), it was narrated that God Almighty said: ‘By My might, I will surely return them to you once you have relied on Me.’