سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ
Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 56
وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَتَبَوَّأُ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ يَشَآءُ ۚ نُصِيبُ بِرَحْمَتِنَا مَن نَّشَآءُ ۖ وَلَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿56﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Thus did We give full authority to Yûsuf (Joseph) in the land, to take possession therein, when or where he likes. We bestow of Our Mercy on whom We will, and We make not to be lost the reward of Al-Muhsinûn (the good doers - See V.2:112).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَكَذَٰلِكَ
wakadhālika
And thus
مَكَّنَّا
makkannā
We established
لِيُوسُفَ
liyūsufa
[to] Yusuf
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the land
يَتَبَوَّأُ
yatabawwa-u
to settle
مِنْهَا
min'hā
therein
حَيْثُ
ḥaythu
where ever
يَشَآءُ ۚ
yashāu
he willed
نُصِيبُ
nuṣību
We bestow
بِرَحْمَتِنَا
biraḥmatinā
Our Mercy
مَن
man
(on) whom
نَّشَآءُ ۖ
nashāu
We will
وَلَا
walā
And not
نُضِيعُ
nuḍīʿu
We let go waste
أَجْرَ
ajra
(the) reward
ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
l-muḥ'sinīna
(of) the good-doers
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.
(Ayah 57,56) ➊ « وَ كَذٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوْسُفَ فِي الْاَرْضِ:» From this verse also it is evident that Yusuf (peace be upon him) had all kinds of authority in the kingdom of Egypt and he was not a minister or servant of a disbelieving king. It is possible that the king himself handed over the reins of government to him. Such closeness between a polytheist king and a prophet is not possible at all; if the king is assumed to be a disbeliever, then it is not possible that the greatest enemy of Allah among humans (the disbelieving king) could maintain such heartfelt love with Allah’s greatest friend (the prophet) of that time. Allah Himself has decided: «{ اِنَّ الْكٰفِرِيْنَ كَانُوْا لَكُمْ عَدُوًّا مُّبِيْنًا }» [ النساء : ۱۰۱ ] “Indeed, the disbelievers are always your open enemies.” Just look at Surah Al-Kafiroon and also at the last verse of Surah Al-Mujadila. In Surah Al-Mumtahina, verse (4), the forefather of Yusuf (peace be upon him), Ibrahim (peace be upon him), has clearly stated the eternal enmity and hatred between Muslims and disbelievers. If you want to see the scene of enmity and love between a disbelieving king and a prophet, then look at Musa (peace be upon him) and Pharaoh, even though Musa (peace be upon him) was raised in that house as a son. Let alone the king, even the disbelieving chiefs of the nation could not tolerate the prophets and Muslims for a moment, nor can they. Except for such Muslims who help them in every evil deed, or at least remain silent. Only a person who does not know that Yusuf (peace be upon him) preferred years of imprisonment over yielding to the demands of the women of Egypt, and refused to leave the prison without investigation even when the king called him, can expect such a thing from the Prophet of Allah, Yusuf (peace be upon him).
➋ To understand the authority and power that Yusuf (peace be upon him) obtained in Egypt from the word { يَتَبَوَّاُ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ يَشَآءُ … :} { ’’ يَتَبَوَّاُ ‘‘}, consider this verse in which it is mentioned what the people of Paradise will say after entering Paradise: «{ وَ قَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِيْ صَدَقَنَا وَعْدَهٗ وَ اَوْرَثَنَا الْاَرْضَ نَتَبَوَّاُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ نَشَآءُ }» [ الزمر : ۷۴ ] “And they will say: All praise is due to Allah, who has fulfilled His promise to us and made us inherit the land so that we may settle wherever we wish in Paradise.” Even if it is not authority like that of Paradise, this gives an idea of the breadth of this word. In some narrations, it is mentioned that Yusuf (peace be upon him) married the wife of the Aziz of Egypt, but according to the hadith scholars, these narrations are not reliable.
➌ { وَ لَا نُضِيْعُ اَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِيْنَ (56) وَ لَاَجْرُ الْاٰخِرَةِ … :} That is, in both this world and the Hereafter, they receive the reward of their good deeds. Regarding this verse, Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “This is the answer to their questions, that the children of Ibrahim thus came from Syria to Egypt, and it is explained that the brothers threw Yusuf (peace be upon him) far from home so that he would be humiliated, but Allah gave him greater honor and more authority over the land, and the same happened with our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).” (Muwadhih)
➋ To understand the authority and power that Yusuf (peace be upon him) obtained in Egypt from the word { يَتَبَوَّاُ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ يَشَآءُ … :} { ’’ يَتَبَوَّاُ ‘‘}, consider this verse in which it is mentioned what the people of Paradise will say after entering Paradise: «{ وَ قَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِيْ صَدَقَنَا وَعْدَهٗ وَ اَوْرَثَنَا الْاَرْضَ نَتَبَوَّاُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ نَشَآءُ }» [ الزمر : ۷۴ ] “And they will say: All praise is due to Allah, who has fulfilled His promise to us and made us inherit the land so that we may settle wherever we wish in Paradise.” Even if it is not authority like that of Paradise, this gives an idea of the breadth of this word. In some narrations, it is mentioned that Yusuf (peace be upon him) married the wife of the Aziz of Egypt, but according to the hadith scholars, these narrations are not reliable.
➌ { وَ لَا نُضِيْعُ اَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِيْنَ (56) وَ لَاَجْرُ الْاٰخِرَةِ … :} That is, in both this world and the Hereafter, they receive the reward of their good deeds. Regarding this verse, Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “This is the answer to their questions, that the children of Ibrahim thus came from Syria to Egypt, and it is explained that the brothers threw Yusuf (peace be upon him) far from home so that he would be humiliated, but Allah gave him greater honor and more authority over the land, and the same happened with our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).” (Muwadhih)
