سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ
Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 94
وَلَمَّا فَصَلَتِ ٱلْعِيرُ قَالَ أَبُوهُمْ إِنِّى لَأَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَ ۖ لَوْلَآ أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ ﴿94﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And when the caravan departed, their father said: "I do indeed feel the smell of Yûsuf (Joseph), if only you think me not a dotard (a person who has weakness of mind because of old age)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَمَّا
walammā
And when
فَصَلَتِ
faṣalati
departed
ٱلْعِيرُ
l-ʿīru
the caravan
قَالَ
qāla
their father said
أَبُوهُمْ
abūhum
their father said
إِنِّى
innī
Indeed, I
لَأَجِدُ
la-ajidu
[I] find
رِيحَ
rīḥa
(the) smell
يُوسُفَ ۖ
yūsufa
(of) Yusuf
لَوْلَآ
lawlā
if not
أَن
an
that
تُفَنِّدُونِ
tufannidūni
you think me weakened in mind
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.
(Ayah94) ➊ {وَ لَمَّا فَصَلَتِ الْعِيْرُ …:} From this, one can estimate the knowledge granted by Allah Almighty to the Prophets, and also the reality of how much knowledge they themselves possess. It was this very shirt, it came by this very route, yet the beloved son lying a few miles away in the well could not be known, nor was his scent perceived; and when Allah Almighty informed, the scent of Yusuf (peace be upon him) began to be sensed as soon as the caravan departed. This incident is one clear proof among countless evidences that the Prophets are not all-knowing of the unseen; yes, whatever is conveyed to them through revelation, they come to know, and this is the difference between an ordinary person and a Prophet: the Prophet receives divine revelation, while others are deprived of this blessing. Sheikh Saadi has beautifully composed this point in "Gulistan":
One asked the father who had lost his son,
"O noble, wise elder!
From Egypt you sensed the scent of his shirt,
Why did you not see him in the well of Canaan?"
He replied, "Our (the Prophets') states are like a flash of lightning in the world,
At one moment manifest, and the next moment hidden.
Sometimes we sit on the highest throne,
Sometimes we do not see what is on the back of our own foot."
That is, someone asked the one who lost his son, "O noble lineage, wise elder! You sensed the scent of his shirt from Egypt, why did you not see him in the well of Canaan?" He said, "Our (the Prophets') states are like a flashing lightning, at one moment they appear, and the next moment they are hidden. Sometimes we are seated at the highest and most exalted place, sometimes we do not see what is on the back of our own foot." In the first hemistich of the last verse, there is an allusion to the Mi'raj of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and in the second, to the incident when Jibril (peace be upon him) came during prayer to inform that impurity was on the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) shoe, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) removed his shoes during the prayer itself.
➋ { لَوْ لَاۤ اَنْ تُفَنِّدُوْنِ:} That is, if it were not that you would say that due to old age and love for Yusuf, my mind has become disturbed.
One asked the father who had lost his son,
"O noble, wise elder!
From Egypt you sensed the scent of his shirt,
Why did you not see him in the well of Canaan?"
He replied, "Our (the Prophets') states are like a flash of lightning in the world,
At one moment manifest, and the next moment hidden.
Sometimes we sit on the highest throne,
Sometimes we do not see what is on the back of our own foot."
That is, someone asked the one who lost his son, "O noble lineage, wise elder! You sensed the scent of his shirt from Egypt, why did you not see him in the well of Canaan?" He said, "Our (the Prophets') states are like a flashing lightning, at one moment they appear, and the next moment they are hidden. Sometimes we are seated at the highest and most exalted place, sometimes we do not see what is on the back of our own foot." In the first hemistich of the last verse, there is an allusion to the Mi'raj of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and in the second, to the incident when Jibril (peace be upon him) came during prayer to inform that impurity was on the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) shoe, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) removed his shoes during the prayer itself.
➋ { لَوْ لَاۤ اَنْ تُفَنِّدُوْنِ:} That is, if it were not that you would say that due to old age and love for Yusuf, my mind has become disturbed.
