Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He said: "I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you, verily He! Only He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالَqālaHe said
سَوْفَsawfaSoon
أَسْتَغْفِرُastaghfiruI will ask forgiveness
لَكُمْlakumfor you
رَبِّىٓ ۖrabbī(from) my Lord
إِنَّهُۥinnahuIndeed, He
هُوَhuwaHe
ٱلْغَفُورُl-ghafūru(is) the Oft-Forgiving
ٱلرَّحِيمُl-raḥīmuthe Most Merciful
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah98){قَالَسَوْفَاَسْتَغْفِرُلَكُمْرَبِّيْ…:} Unlike Yusuf (peace be upon him), who immediately sought forgiveness for them, Yaqub (peace be upon him) only promised that he would seek forgiveness for you, which he certainly must have fulfilled. The scholars have mentioned several reasons for this: one is that the right of a brother over a brother is not as great as that of a father over a son, so the father was more displeased. Secondly, although Yusuf (peace be upon him) faced immense trials, the grief and sorrow affected the father more. Thirdly, the father wanted to ascertain whether Yusuf had forgiven them or not, because only after the oppressed forgives can forgiveness be sought for the oppressor. Some commentators have narrated from some Tabi‘in and Companions that Yaqub (peace be upon him) had promised to pray for them the previous night, because that is a time of acceptance, but they did not mention this from the Qur’an or the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and for an event thousands of years ago, there is no reliable source except these two. The commentators Ibn Jarir and Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on them) have narrated a report from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that Yaqub (peace be upon him) promised to seek forgiveness for them on the night of Jumu‘ah, but its chain has three flaws: one, Ibn Jurayj narrates it with the wording {’’عَنْ ‘‘}, while he is a mudallis; second, Walid bin Muslim Qurashi sometimes mistakenly narrates marfu‘ hadith and practices tadlis taswiyah; third, there is criticism regarding the memory of Sulayman bin ‘Abd al-Rahman. The hadith about forgetting the Qur’an is also narrated with this same chain. (Sami bin Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Rahman, verifier and annotator of Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
98. 1. Instead of immediately praying for forgiveness, he promised to pray, the purpose being that in the last part of the night, which is a special time for Allah's chosen servants to worship Allah, he would pray to Allah for their forgiveness. Secondly, the wrongdoing of the brothers was against Yusuf (علیہ السلام), so it was necessary to consult him; that is why he delayed and did not immediately pray for forgiveness.
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
The tafsir of this ayah is included with the following verse(s).
