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 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.
(Ayah76) ➊ {فَبَدَاَ بِاَوْعِيَتِهِمْ …:} That is, the one announcing the loss of the measure (according to Allah’s plan) began, by coincidence, searching the other brothers’ bags first, and finally searched the bag of this (Yusuf’s) brother, and in it the measure was found, which the searcher took out. Allah Almighty says that We devised this plan for Yusuf; according to the law of the king of Egypt, he could not have kept his brother in any way, except that Allah willed. According to the law practiced by the brothers themselves, which they themselves stated, they had no choice but to leave their brother with Yusuf (peace be upon him).
➋ { نَرْفَعُ دَرَجٰتٍ مَّنْ نَّشَآءُ :} That is, We raise in rank whom We will by granting knowledge, just as We raised the rank of Yusuf (peace be upon him) above his other brothers.
➌ { وَ فَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِيْ عِلْمٍ عَلِيْمٌ :} That is, above every possessor of knowledge is one more knowing. Therefore, no one should fall into the pride that there is no greater scholar than me; even the spontaneous words from the mouth of Musa (peace be upon him) were not liked by Allah Almighty, and He said, “Why not? Our servant Khidr has more knowledge than you.” In short, above every scholar is a greater scholar, until above all who know is that Pure Being who knows fully every present and hidden thing, and from whom nothing is concealed.
➋ { نَرْفَعُ دَرَجٰتٍ مَّنْ نَّشَآءُ :} That is, We raise in rank whom We will by granting knowledge, just as We raised the rank of Yusuf (peace be upon him) above his other brothers.
➌ { وَ فَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِيْ عِلْمٍ عَلِيْمٌ :} That is, above every possessor of knowledge is one more knowing. Therefore, no one should fall into the pride that there is no greater scholar than me; even the spontaneous words from the mouth of Musa (peace be upon him) were not liked by Allah Almighty, and He said, “Why not? Our servant Khidr has more knowledge than you.” In short, above every scholar is a greater scholar, until above all who know is that Pure Being who knows fully every present and hidden thing, and from whom nothing is concealed.
