Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 18

(Ayah 18) ➊ {وَ جَآءُوْ عَلٰى قَمِيْصِهٖ بِدَمٍ كَذِبٍ …: } This was another trick to prove themselves truthful: they brought Yusuf’s shirt stained with such blood that was {’’ كَذِبٍ ‘‘ }, which means false, or it means {’’مَكْذُوْبٌ‘‘}, like {’’خَلْقٌ‘‘} meaning {’’مَخْلُوْقٌ‘‘}, that is, falsely made, or it is a verbal noun for emphasis, meaning that blood was entirely false, it was by no means Yusuf’s, but rather they slaughtered a sheep, goat, or some hunted animal from the wild and stained the shirt with its blood. The father understood the whole reality, because their fabricated story itself was revealing the truth, and he said: {’’ بَلْ ‘‘} (Rather), meaning whatever you are saying is all false, the wolf did not eat Yusuf at all, but the real truth is that your hearts have made something attractive for you which you have done. Now, since that could have been several things, he did not specify any, and it could have been throwing Yusuf somewhere, taking him somewhere and selling him, hiding him somewhere, etc. When death is certain, patience comes, but when there is no news at all about where the son is at this time, in what condition he is, then this is a very great trial and a constantly burning ember in the heart. On the other hand, according to the dream, the completion of blessings upon Yusuf was yet to happen and the teaching of {’’ تَاْوِيْلَ الْاَحَادِيْثِ ‘‘} was also remaining. So how could he accept that a wolf had eaten him?

➋ The scholars have written that in this surah, the shirt of Yusuf is mentioned three times, and each time it has a unique effect. First, there was this blood-stained shirt, as a result of which Yaqub lost his eyesight; second, Yusuf was declared innocent of the accusation of assault by looking at his shirt; and third, the scent of Yusuf’s shirt and the return of Yaqub’s eyesight upon placing it on him. Subhan Allah! In this are the perfect signs of Allah’s power.

➌ The author of the tafsir {’’التحرير والتنوير‘‘}, Ibn Ashur, writes: “There is no doubt that they left no stone unturned in fabricating the blood-stained shirt and presenting it in such a torn state as would befit someone eaten by a wolf. Especially since they were much more intelligent than to overlook such a simple thing, as they were ten young men. So, some commentators have written that Yaqub said to his sons: ‘I have never seen a wolf like today’s, more forbearing than this one, who ate my son but did not tear his shirt’—this is a witticism of storytellers.” If the matter of the shirt remaining intact had come from the Qur’an, hadith, or any Sahih source, in my opinion, Ibn Ashur (may Allah have mercy on him) would not have so clearly called it the work of storytellers. This does not mean that such a thing is impossible—it is entirely possible, and a crime certainly leaves its marks—but the matter should be proven. Here, there was no shortage of other evidence of their lying that we should accept the shirt remaining intact without any Sahih source of information.

➍ { فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيْلٌ:} verbal sentence {’’ أَصْبِرُ صَبْرًا جَمِيْلاً ‘‘} (that is, now I will adopt beautiful patience) instead of a nominal sentence was stated: {’’فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيْلٌ ‘‘} because it implies continuity. As if the subject or predicate is omitted, meaning {’’ فَأَمْرِيْ صَبْرٌ جَمِيْلٌ‘‘} or {’’ فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيْلٌ اَمْرِيْ‘‘}, that is, now my task is beautiful patience. The beauty of anything is that it is better and more beautiful than other things like it. Thus, patience is also of two kinds: one is beautiful patience, which has beauty, and the other is non-beautiful, which lacks beauty. The first is that in which there is no wailing or lamentation, but patience is observed over Allah’s decree. The second is that which comes after all this, and which everyone eventually has to do. Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) passed by a woman who was crying over her child. (In Abd al-Samad’s narration, she was crying at a grave.) He said to her: [ اِتَّقِي اللّٰهَ وَاصْبِرِيْ، فَقَالَتْ وَمَا تُبَالِيْ بِمُصِيْبَتِيْ ؟ فَلَمَّا ذَهَبَ، قِيْلَ لَهَا إِنَّهُ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَخَذَهَا مِثْلُ الْمَوْتِ، فَأَتَتْ بَابَهُ، فَلَمْ تَجِدْ عَلٰی بَابِهِ بَوَّابِيْنَ فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ! لَمْ أَعْرِفْكَ، فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا الصَّبْرُ عِنْدَ أَوَّلِ صَدْمَةٍ ] [ مسلم، الجنائز، باب الصبر علٰی المصیبۃ عند الصدمۃ الأولی : 926/15 ] “Fear Allah and be patient.” She said: “What concern do you have for my calamity?” When he left, she was told that it was the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and her state became like death. She came to his door and saw no guards at his door. She said: “O Messenger of Allah! I did not recognize you.” He said: “True patience is only at the first blow.”

➎ {وَ اللّٰهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلٰى مَا تَصِفُوْنَ :} Here, due to the definite article on {’’ الْمُسْتَعَانُ ‘‘} in the predicate, the meaning of exclusivity is produced, that is, only Allah is, or Allah alone is the One from whom help is sought, and the method of seeking help from Allah is also taught by Him Himself, which Yaqub acted upon, as He said: «{ وَ اسْتَعِيْنُوْا بِالصَّبْرِ وَ الصَّلٰوةِ }» [ البقرۃ : ۴۵ ] “And seek help through patience and prayer.”

➏ Our brothers who say that such-and-such a saint has sight on the Preserved Tablet and such-and-such a person’s heart’s mirror gives him news of the whole world, let them reflect that at a distance of a few miles, the Prophet of Allah, Yaqub, could not know the news of Yusuf in the well. Nor did Yusuf’s brothers have any apprehension in their hearts that nothing is hidden from our father, how will our plot succeed? So how did their saints reach the Preserved Tablet? Here is a question: Why did Yaqub not try to search for Yusuf at that time? The answer is that the reason was that the search also had to be done by those same brothers; he himself was weak due to old age. Thus, when he found the time appropriate, he ordered those same brothers to go and search for Yusuf and his brother, as He said: «{ فَتَحَسَّسُوْا مِنْ يُّوْسُفَ وَ اَخِيْهِ }» [ یوسف : ۸۷ ] “Go and search for Yusuf and his brother.”

18. 1. It is said that they slaughtered a goat kid and soaked Yusuf’s (علیہ السلام) shirt in its blood, forgetting that if a wolf had eaten Yusuf (علیہ السلام), the shirt would also have been torn; the shirt was completely intact. Seeing this, and in addition, by estimating from Yusuf’s (علیہ السلام) dream and the insight of prophethood, Yaqub (علیہ السلام) said that this incident did not happen in the way you are describing, rather you have fabricated this matter in your hearts. Yaqub (علیہ السلام) was unaware of the details, so except for patience, there was no other option, and besides Allah’s help, there was no other support.

18. 1. When the hypocrites accused Aisha (رضی اللہ عنہا), she also replied to the Prophet ﷺ’s explanation and guidance by saying: واللہ لا اجدلی ولالکم مثلا الا ابا یوسف (فصبر جمیل واللہ المستعان علی ماتصفون) By Allah, I find for myself and for you all no example except that which befell Yusuf’s (علیہ السلام) father Yaqub (علیہ السلام), and he chose the path of patience by saying فصبر جمیل, meaning for me too, there is no option except patience.

18. And they brought his shirt stained with false blood. Jacob said, "(It is not so); rather, your souls have made up a story for you. [15] So patience is most fitting [16], and I seek Allah's help regarding what you describe."

[15]
Inexperienced Criminals:

Sayyiduna Yaqubؑ was already suspicious of them. When he saw the shirt, he became absolutely certain that all of this was trickery and deceit. Because the shirt was not torn or ripped anywhere. These novice criminals did not even think that if they wanted to stain the shirt with blood, they should have first torn it in a disorderly manner so that it would appear as if it had been mauled by a wild animal. Upon seeing this shirt, Sayyiduna Yaqubؑ said, "That wolf must have been very clever, who first calmly took off Yusuf's shirt, then after devouring him, smeared some blood on it." The reality of the matter is known only to Allah. But it appears that you have either harmed Yusuf or made him disappear, and your wailing and showing me the blood-stained shirt are just fabrications to cover up your crime.

[16] "Sabr Jameel" is such patience that when a calamity befalls a person, he endures it with a cool heart, does not panic, nor does he complain to anyone else. That is, after hearing this tale from his sons, Sayyiduna Yaqubؑ did not reproach them nor said anything harsh to them, lest they commit some other wrong act. If he said anything, it was only this: "My complaint is only to Allah, and I seek help only from Him."