سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ
Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 21
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِى ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ مِن مِّصْرَ لِٱمْرَأَتِهِۦٓ أَكْرِمِى مَثْوَىٰهُ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَنفَعَنَآ أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُۥ وَلَدًا ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلِنُعَلِّمَهُۥ مِن تَأْوِيلِ ٱلْأَحَادِيثِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَمْرِهِۦ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿21﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And he (the man) from Egypt who bought him, said to his wife: "Make his stay comfortable, may be he will profit us or we shall adopt him as a son." Thus did We establish Yûsuf (Joseph) in the land, that We might teach him the interpretation of events. And Allâh has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَقَالَ
waqāla
And said
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
the one who
ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ
ish'tarāhu
bought him
مِن
min
of
مِّصْرَ
miṣ'ra
Egypt
لِٱمْرَأَتِهِۦٓ
li-im'ra-atihi
to his wife
أَكْرِمِى
akrimī
Make comfortable
مَثْوَىٰهُ
mathwāhu
his stay
عَسَىٰٓ
ʿasā
Perhaps
أَن
an
that
يَنفَعَنَآ
yanfaʿanā
(he) will benefit us
أَوْ
aw
or
نَتَّخِذَهُۥ
nattakhidhahu
we will take him
وَلَدًۭا ۚ
waladan
(as) a son
وَكَذَٰلِكَ
wakadhālika
And thus
مَكَّنَّا
makkannā
We established
لِيُوسُفَ
liyūsufa
Yusuf
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the land
وَلِنُعَلِّمَهُۥ
walinuʿallimahu
that We might teach him
مِن
min
(the) interpretation of
تَأْوِيلِ
tawīli
(the) interpretation of
ٱلْأَحَادِيثِ ۚ
l-aḥādīthi
the events
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
غَالِبٌ
ghālibun
(is) Predominant
عَلَىٰٓ
ʿalā
over
أَمْرِهِۦ
amrihi
His affairs
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
but
أَكْثَرَ
akthara
most
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
(of) the people
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَعْلَمُونَ
yaʿlamūna
know
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.
21. And the one from Egypt who bought him [19] said to his wife, "Take good care of him. Perhaps he may benefit us, or we may adopt him as a son." Thus We established Joseph in the land, so that We might teach him the interpretation of events [20]. And Allah is dominant over His affair, but most people do not know.
[19] The person in Egypt who bought this boy was appointed to a high government position and was childless. By observing the boy’s appearance and manners, he immediately realized that this boy could not be a slave. Rather, he was a member of a noble family whom the events of time had brought to this place. Therefore, he entrusted the entire management and affairs of his household to Sayyiduna Yusuf ؑ and emphatically told his wife not to consider him a slave, but to regard him as a member of the family and to keep him with honor and dignity. He will prove to be very beneficial for us, and who knows, perhaps we may even adopt him as our own son.
[20]
By "Ta'wil al-Ahadith" is Meant the Secrets of Statecraft and Principles of Governance:
The honorable position attained by Sayyiduna Yusuf ؑ in the house of the Aziz of Egypt was the first step towards that future in which Allah was to grant him the rule over the entire land of Egypt. His previous life had been spent entirely in a Bedouin environment, and in that previous life, due to the virtues of Bedouin life and being from the family of Sayyiduna Ibrahim ؑ, there was certainly the element of worshiping Allah alone and piety. However, the task that Allah wanted to accomplish through him in the most civilized and developed country of that time, Egypt, and the familiarity, experience, and insight required for that task, became available to him by living in the house of the Aziz of Egypt as the one in charge. In this verse, "ta'wil al-ahadith" refers to these very secrets of statecraft, and for this purpose, the way Allah turned the course of events is something that most people could not even imagine.
[19] The person in Egypt who bought this boy was appointed to a high government position and was childless. By observing the boy’s appearance and manners, he immediately realized that this boy could not be a slave. Rather, he was a member of a noble family whom the events of time had brought to this place. Therefore, he entrusted the entire management and affairs of his household to Sayyiduna Yusuf ؑ and emphatically told his wife not to consider him a slave, but to regard him as a member of the family and to keep him with honor and dignity. He will prove to be very beneficial for us, and who knows, perhaps we may even adopt him as our own son.
[20]
By "Ta'wil al-Ahadith" is Meant the Secrets of Statecraft and Principles of Governance:
The honorable position attained by Sayyiduna Yusuf ؑ in the house of the Aziz of Egypt was the first step towards that future in which Allah was to grant him the rule over the entire land of Egypt. His previous life had been spent entirely in a Bedouin environment, and in that previous life, due to the virtues of Bedouin life and being from the family of Sayyiduna Ibrahim ؑ, there was certainly the element of worshiping Allah alone and piety. However, the task that Allah wanted to accomplish through him in the most civilized and developed country of that time, Egypt, and the familiarity, experience, and insight required for that task, became available to him by living in the house of the Aziz of Egypt as the one in charge. In this verse, "ta'wil al-ahadith" refers to these very secrets of statecraft, and for this purpose, the way Allah turned the course of events is something that most people could not even imagine.
