سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ
Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 76
فَبَدَأَ بِأَوْعِيَتِهِمْ قَبْلَ وِعَآءِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَخْرَجَهَا مِن وِعَآءِ أَخِيهِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كِدْنَا لِيُوسُفَ ۖ مَا كَانَ لِيَأْخُذَ أَخَاهُ فِى دِينِ ٱلْمَلِكِ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَـٰتٍ مَّن نَّشَآءُ ۗ وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِى عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴿76﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
So he [Yûsuf (Joseph)] began (the search) in their bags before the bag of his brother. Then he brought it out of his brother’s bag. Thus did We plan for Yûsuf (Joseph). He could not take his brother by the law of the king (as a slave), except that Allâh willed it. (So Allâh made the brothers to bind themselves with their way of "punishment, i.e. enslaving of a thief.") We raise to degrees whom We will, but over all those endowed with knowledge is the All-Knowing (Allâh).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَبَدَأَ
fabada-a
So he began
بِأَوْعِيَتِهِمْ
bi-awʿiyatihim
with their bags
قَبْلَ
qabla
before
وِعَآءِ
wiʿāi
(the) bag
أَخِيهِ
akhīhi
(of) his brother
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
ٱسْتَخْرَجَهَا
is'takhrajahā
he brought it out
مِن
min
from
وِعَآءِ
wiʿāi
(the) bag
أَخِيهِ ۚ
akhīhi
(of) his brother
كَذَٰلِكَ
kadhālika
Thus
كِدْنَا
kid'nā
(did) We plan
لِيُوسُفَ ۖ
liyūsufa
for Yusuf
مَا
mā
He could not
كَانَ
kāna
He could not
لِيَأْخُذَ
liyakhudha
take
أَخَاهُ
akhāhu
his brother
فِى
fī
by
دِينِ
dīni
the law
ٱلْمَلِكِ
l-maliki
(of) the king
إِلَّآ
illā
except
أَن
an
that
يَشَآءَ
yashāa
Allah willed
ٱللَّهُ ۚ
l-lahu
Allah willed
نَرْفَعُ
narfaʿu
We raise
دَرَجَـٰتٍۢ
darajātin
(in) degrees
مَّن
man
whom
نَّشَآءُ ۗ
nashāu
We will
وَفَوْقَ
wafawqa
but over
كُلِّ
kulli
every
ذِى
dhī
possessor
عِلْمٍ
ʿil'min
(of) knowledge
عَلِيمٌۭ
ʿalīmun
(is) the All-Knower
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.
76. 1. First, the brothers’ belongings were searched. Finally, Binyamin’s belongings were checked so that they would not suspect that this was a premeditated plan.
76. 2. That is, We made Yusuf (علیہ السلام) understand this strategy through revelation. From this, it is understood that adopting such a method for a legitimate purpose, whose outward appearance seems like a stratagem, is permissible provided that the method does not contradict any Shar‘i text (Fath al-Qadeer).
76. 3. That is, according to the law and custom prevalent in Egypt, it was not possible to detain Binyamin in this way, so he asked the people of the caravan, “Tell me, what is the punishment for this crime?”
76. 4. Just as Yusuf (علیہ السلام) was granted a high rank through His favors and kindness.
76. 5. That is, above every scholar, there is always another scholar, so no person of knowledge should fall into the delusion that he is the greatest scholar of his time. And some say that it means that above every person of knowledge is the All-Knowing, that is, Allah Ta‘ala.
76. 2. That is, We made Yusuf (علیہ السلام) understand this strategy through revelation. From this, it is understood that adopting such a method for a legitimate purpose, whose outward appearance seems like a stratagem, is permissible provided that the method does not contradict any Shar‘i text (Fath al-Qadeer).
76. 3. That is, according to the law and custom prevalent in Egypt, it was not possible to detain Binyamin in this way, so he asked the people of the caravan, “Tell me, what is the punishment for this crime?”
76. 4. Just as Yusuf (علیہ السلام) was granted a high rank through His favors and kindness.
76. 5. That is, above every scholar, there is always another scholar, so no person of knowledge should fall into the delusion that he is the greatest scholar of his time. And some say that it means that above every person of knowledge is the All-Knowing, that is, Allah Ta‘ala.
