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Surah 12. Yusuf

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12:46
يُوسُفُ أَيُّهَا ٱلصِّدِّيقُ أَفْتِنَا فِى سَبْعِ بَقَرَٰتٍ سِمَانٍ يَأْكُلُهُنَّ سَبْعٌ عِجَافٌ وَسَبْعِ سُنۢبُلَـٰتٍ خُضْرٍ وَأُخَرَ يَابِسَـٰتٍ لَّعَلِّىٓ أَرْجِعُ إِلَى ٱلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ Yoosufu ayyuh a a l ss iddeequ aftin a fee sabAAi baqar a tin sim a nin yakuluhunna sabAAun AAij a fun wasabAAi sunbul a tin khu d rin waokhara y a bis a tin laAAallee arjiAAu il a a l nn a si laAAallahum yaAAlamoon a
[And he went to see Joseph in the prison and said to him:] "Joseph, O thou truthful one! Enlighten us about [the meaning of a dream in which] seven fat cows were being devoured by seven emaciated ones, and seven green ears [of wheat appeared] next to [seven] others that were withered - so that I may return [with thy explanation] unto the people [of the court, and] that they may come to know [what manner of man thou art]!"
  - Mohammad Asad
He came to Yusuf in the prison and said: "O Yusuf the truthful one! Tell us the meaning of the dream of seven fat cows which are eaten up by seven lean ones and of seven green ears of corn and seven others dried up: so that I may return to the people and let them know the meaning of this dream."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
'He said,' 'Joseph, O man of truth! Interpret for us 'the dream of' seven fat cows eaten up by seven skinny ones; and seven green ears of grain and 'seven' others dry, so that I may return to the people and let them know.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
(And when he came to Joseph in the prison, he exclaimed) : Joseph! O thou truthful one! Expound for us the seven fat kine which seven lean were eating and the seven green ears of corn and other (seven) dry, that I may return unto the people, so that they may know.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"O Joseph!" (he said) "O man of truth! expound to us (the dream) of seven fat kine whom seven lean ones devour and of seven green ears of corn and (seven) others withered: that I may return to the people and that they may understand." 1703
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The speech must have been longer, to explain the circumstances. We are just given the points. From Joseph he conceals nothing. He knows that Joseph knows more than himself. He tells Joseph that if he got the meaning, he would go and tell the Council. It would be impertinent for the cup-bearer to hold out to Joseph, the Prophet of Allah, the bribe of the hope of his release. Notice how blandly he avoids referring to his own lapse in having forgotten Joseph so long, and how the magnanimous Joseph has not a word of reproach, but gets straight on with the interpretation.

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12:47
قَالَ تَزْرَعُونَ سَبْعَ سِنِينَ دَأَبًا فَمَا حَصَدتُّمْ فَذَرُوهُ فِى سُنۢبُلِهِۦٓ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ Q a la tazraAAoona sabAAa sineena daaban fam a h a s adtum fa th aroohu fee sunbulihi ill a qaleelan mimm a takuloon a
[Joseph] replied: "You shall sow for seven years as usual; but let all [the grain] that you harvest remain [untouched] in its ear, excepting only a little, whereof you may eat:
  - Mohammad Asad
He replied: "You will cultivate for seven consecutive years. During this time you should leave the corn you reap in the ear, except what may be sufficient for your food.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Joseph replied, 'You will plant 'grain' for seven consecutive years, leaving in the ear whatever you will harvest, except for the little you will eat.
  - Mustafa Khattab
He said: Ye shall sow seven years as usual, but that which ye reap, leave it in the ear, all save a little which ye eat.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
(Joseph) said: "For seven years shall ye diligently sow as is your wont: and the harvests that ye reap ye shall leave them in the ear except a little of which ye shall eat. 1704
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Joseph not only shows what will happen, but, unasked, suggests the measures to be taken for dealing with the calamity when it comes. There will be seven years of abundant harvest. With diligent cultivation they should get bumper crops. Of them they should take a little for their sustenance and store the rest in the ear, the better to preserve it from the pests that attack corn-heaps when they have passed through the threshing floor.

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12:48
ثُمَّ يَأْتِى مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ سَبْعٌ شِدَادٌ يَأْكُلْنَ مَا قَدَّمْتُمْ لَهُنَّ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّمَّا تُحْصِنُونَ Thumma yatee min baAAdi tha lika sabAAun shid a dun yakulna m a qaddamtum lahunna ill a qaleelan mimm a tu hs inoon a
for, after that [period of seven good years] there will come seven hard [years] which will devour all that you shall have laid up for them, excepting only a little of that which you shall have kept in store.
  - Mohammad Asad
Then, after that period, there will come upon you seven hard years which will eat away all that you had stored except a little which you may have specifically set aside.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then after that will come seven years of great hardship which will consume whatever you have saved, except the little you will store 'for seed'.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Then after that will come seven hard years which will devour all that ye have prepared for them, save a little of that which ye have stored.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"Then will come after that (period) seven dreadful (years) which will devour what ye shall have laid by in advance for them (all) except a little which ye shall have (specially) guarded. 1705
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

There will follow seven years of dreadful famine, which will devour all the stores which they will have laid by in the good years. They must be careful, even during the famine, not to consume all the grain; they must by special arrangement save a little for seed, lest they should be helpless even when the Nile brought down abundant waters from the rains at its sources.

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12:49
ثُمَّ يَأْتِى مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ عَامٌ فِيهِ يُغَاثُ ٱلنَّاسُ وَفِيهِ يَعْصِرُونَ Thumma yatee min baAAdi tha lika AA a mun feehi yugh a thu a l nn a su wafeehi yaAA s iroon a
And after that there will come a year in which the people will be delivered from all distress,48 and in which they will press [oil and wine as before]."
  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "will be granted rain" - depending on whether one connects the verbal form yughath with either of the infinitive nouns ghayth ("rain") or ghawth ("deliverance from distress"). Although the crops of Egypt depend entirely on the annual Nile floods, the water-level of the river is, in its turn, contingent upon the quantity of rainfall at its upper reaches.

After that period will come a year of abundant rain, in which the people will squeeze the juice."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then after that will come a year in which people will receive abundant rain and they will press 'oil and wine'.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
Then, after that, will come a year when the people will have plenteous crops and when they will press (wine and oil).
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"Then will come after that (period) a year in which the people will have abundant water and in which they will press (wine and oil)." 1706
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This is a symbol of a very abundant year, following the seven years of drought. The Nile must have brought abundant fertilising waters and silt from its upper reaches, and there was probably some rain also in Lower Egypt. The vine and the olive trees, which must have suffered in the drought, now revived, and yielded their juice and their off, among the annuals, also, the oil seeds such as , sesamum, and the castor oil plant, must have been grown, as there was irrigated land and to spare from the abundant grain crops. And the people's spirits revived, to enjoy the finer products of the earth, when their absolute necessities had been more than met in their grain crops.

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12:50
وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱئْتُونِى بِهِۦ ۖ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُ ٱلرَّسُولُ قَالَ ٱرْجِعْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَسْـَٔلْهُ مَا بَالُ ٱلنِّسْوَةِ ٱلَّـٰتِى قَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى بِكَيْدِهِنَّ عَلِيمٌ Waq a la almaliku itoonee bihi falamm a j a ahu a l rrasoolu q a la irjiAA il a rabbika fa i salhu m a b a lu a l nniswati all a tee qa tt aAAna aydiyahunna inna rabbee bikaydihinna AAaleem un
And [as soon as Joseph's interpretation was conveyed to him,] the King said: "Bring him before me!" But when the [King's] messenger came unto him, [Joseph] said: "Go back to thy lord and ask him [first to find out the truth] about those women who cut their hands - for, behold, [until now it is] my Sustainer [alone who] has full knowledge of their guile!"
  - Mohammad Asad
The king said: "Bring this man to me." When the messenger came to Yusuf, he said: "Go back to your lord and ask him about the case of those women who cut their hands. Indeed my Rabb has full knowledge of their snare."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The King 'then' said, 'Bring him to me.' When the messenger came to him, Joseph said, 'Go back to your master and ask him about the case of the women who cut their hands. Surely my Lord has 'full' knowledge of their cunning.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And the King said: Bring him unto me. And when the messenger came unto him, he (Joseph) said: Return unto thy lord and ask him what was the case of the women who cut their hands. Lo! my lord knoweth thee guile.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
So the king said: "Bring ye him unto me." But when the messenger came to him (Joseph) said: "Go thou back to thy lord and ask him `What is the state of mind of the ladies who cut their hands?' for my Lord is certainly well aware of their snare." 1707 1708 1709
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The cup-bearer must have reported Joseph's interpretation to the king, and the king naturally wanted to see Joseph himself. He sent a messenger to fetch him.

The king's messenger must have expected that a prisoner would be only too overjoyed at the summons of the king. But Joseph, sure of himself, wanted some assurance that he would be safe from the sort of nagging and persecution to which he had been subjected by the ladies. We saw in verse 33 above that he preferred prison to their solicitations. He must therefore know what was in the mind of the women now.

If the king ("thy Lord") did not know of all the snares which had been laid for Joseph by the ladies. Allah ("my Lord") knew all their secret motives and plots.

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12:51
قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُنَّ إِذْ رَٰوَدتُّنَّ يُوسُفَ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ قُلْنَ حَـٰشَ لِلَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِن سُوٓءٍ ۚ قَالَتِ ٱمْرَأَتُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْـَٔـٰنَ حَصْحَصَ ٱلْحَقُّ أَنَا۠ رَٰوَدتُّهُۥ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ Q a la m a kha t bukunna i th r a wadtunna yoosufa AAan nafsihi qulna ha sha lill a hi m a AAalimn a AAalayhi min sooin q a lati imraatu alAAazeezi al a na h a sh a s a al h aqqu an a r a wadtuhu AAan nafsihi wainnahu lamina a l ssa diqeen a
[Thereupon the King sent for those women; and when they came,] he asked: "What was it that you hoped to achieve when you sought to make Joseph yield himself unto you?"49 The women answered: "God save us! We did not perceive the least evil [intention] on his part!" [And] the wife of Joseph's former master50 exclaimed: "Now has the truth come to light! It was I who sought to make him yield himself unto me - whereas he, behold, was indeed speaking the truth!"
  - Mohammad Asad

Evidently, the King wanted to find out whether they had previously been encouraged by Joseph, or whether he was truly innocent. The noun khatb denotes "something that one has in view" or "desires" or "seeks to obtain"; and so the expression ma khatbukunna (lit., "what was it that you [really] had in view") may be suitably rendered as above.

Lit., "the wife of the great one (al-'aziz)".

The king questioned those women, saying: "What do you say about the incident when you attempted to seduce Yusuf?" They replied: "God forbid! We know of no evil on his part." The `Aziz's wife said: "Now that the truth has come to light, it was I who attempted to seduce him. In fact he is absolutely truthful."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The King asked 'the women', 'What did you get when you tried to seduce Joseph?' They replied, 'Allah forbid! We know nothing indecent about him.' Then the Chief Minister's wife admitted, 'Now the truth has come to light. It was I who tried to seduce him, and he is surely truthful.
  - Mustafa Khattab
He (the king) (then sent for those women and) said: What happened when ye asked an evil act of Joseph? They answered : Allah Blameless! We know no evil of him. Said the wife of the ruler: Now the truth is out. I asked of him an evil act, and he is surely of the truthful.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
(The king) said (to the ladies): "What was your affair when ye did seek to seduce Joseph from his (true) self?" The ladies said: "Allah preserve us! no evil know we against him!" Said the `Aziz's wife: "Now is the truth manifest (to all): it was I who sought to seduce him from his (true) self: he is indeed of those who are (ever) true (and virtuous). 1710 1711
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Joseph's message was conveyed by the messenger to the king, who sent for the ladies concerned. Among them came the wife of the 'Aziz. "What was this affair?" said the king: "Tell me the whole truth".

The wife of the 'Aziz stood by, while the other ladies answered. Their answer acknowledged the truth of Joseph's innocence and high principles. When they had done, she began. She did not mince matters. She acknowledged her own guilt, freely and frankly.

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12:52
ذَٰلِكَ لِيَعْلَمَ أَنِّى لَمْ أَخُنْهُ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى كَيْدَ ٱلْخَآئِنِينَ Tha lika liyaAAlama annee lam akhunhu bi a lghaybi waanna All a ha l a yahdee kayda alkh a ineen a
[When Joseph learned what had happened, he said:51 "I asked for] this, so that [my former master] might know that I did not betray him behind his back,52 and that God does not bless with His guidance the artful schemes of those who betray their trust.
  - Mohammad Asad

Some of the commentators (e.g., Ibn Kathir and, among the moderns, Rashid Rida' in Manar XII, 323 f.) regard this and the next verse as a continuation of the woman's confession; but the great majority of the classical authorities, including Tabari, Baghawi and Zamakhshari attribute the speech that follows unequivocally - and, in my opinion, most convincingly - to Joseph: hence my interpolation at the beginning of this verse.

Lit., "in [his] absence" or "in secret" (bi'l-ghayb).

Yusuf said, "By this inquiry I meant to let him (Al-Aziz) know that I did not betray him in his absence, and that Allah does not let the snare of the treacherous succeed."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
From this, Joseph should know that I did not speak dishonestly about him in his absence, for Allah certainly does not guide the scheming of the dishonest.
  - Mustafa Khattab
(Then Joseph said: I asked for) this, that he (my lord) may know that I betrayed him not in secret, and that surely Allah guideth not the snare of the betrayers.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"This (say I) in order that he may know that I have never been false to him in his absence and that Allah will never guide the snare of the false ones. 1712
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

I construe verses 52 and 53 to be a continuation of the speech of the 'Aziz's wife and have translated accordingly. There is both good reason and authority (e.g., Ibn Kathir) for this. But the majority of Commentators construe verses 52-53 to be spoken by Joseph, in which case they would mean that Joseph was referring to his fidelity to the 'Aziz, that he had never taken advantage of his absence to play false with his wife, although he (Joseph) was human and liable to err. In my view the 'Aziz's wife while fully reprobating her own guilty conduct, claims that she has at least been constant, and that she hopes for mercy, forgiveness, and the capacity to understand at last what true love is. Whatever false charge she made, she made it in a moment of passion and to his face, (never in cold blood, or behind his back). Guide the snare of the false ones, i.e. allow such snare to attain its goal. A) Ammara: prone, impelling, headstrong, passionate. See n. 5810 to lxxv. 2.

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12:53
وَمَآ أُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِىٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلنَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌۢ بِٱلسُّوٓءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّىٓ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ Wam a obarrio nafsee inna a l nnafsa laamm a ratun bi al ssooi ill a m a ra h ima rabbee inna rabbee ghafoorun ra h eem un
And yet, I am not trying to absolve myself: for, verily, man's inner self does incite [him] to evil,53 and saved are only they upon whom my Sustainer bestows His grace.54 Behold, my Sustainer is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace!"
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "is indeed wont to command [the doing of] evil" - i.e., is filled with impulses which often conflict with what the mind regards as a moral good. This is obviously a reference to the statement in verse {24} above - "she desired him, and he desired her; [and he would have succumbed,] had he not seen [in this temptation] an evidence of his Sustainer's truth" - as well as to Joseph's prayer in verse {33}, "unless Thou turn away their guile from me, I might yet yield to their allure". (See also note [23] above.) Joseph's stress on the weakness inherent in human nature is a sublime expression of humility on the part of one who himself had overcome that very weakness: for, as the sequence shows, he attributes his moral victory not to himself but solely to the grace and mercy of God.

Lit., "except those upon whom...", etc. According to most of the commentators, the pronoun ma (lit., "that which") is here synonymous with man ("he who" or "those who").

"Not that I am free from sin - man's soul is prone to evil, except the one to whom my Rabb has shown mercy, certainly my Rabb is Forgiving, Merciful".
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And I do not seek to free myself from blame, for indeed the soul is ever inclined to evil, except those shown mercy by my Lord. Surely my Lord is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. My Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"Nor do I absolve my own self (of blame): the (human soul) is certainly prone to evil unless my Lord do bestow His Mercy: but surely certainly my Lord is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful." 1713
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See n. 1712. I construe this verse to be a continuation of the speech of the wife of the 'Aziz. It is more appropriate to her than to Joseph.

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12:54
وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱئْتُونِى بِهِۦٓ أَسْتَخْلِصْهُ لِنَفْسِى ۖ فَلَمَّا كَلَّمَهُۥ قَالَ إِنَّكَ ٱلْيَوْمَ لَدَيْنَا مَكِينٌ أَمِينٌ Waq a la almaliku itoonee bihi astakhli s hu linafsee falamm a kallamahu q a la innaka alyawma ladayn a makeenun ameen un
And the King said: "Bring him unto me, so that I may attach him to my own person." And when he had spoken with him, [the King] said: "Behold, [from] this day thou shalt be of high standing with us, invested with all trust!"
  - Mohammad Asad
The king said: "Bring him to me; I will take him for my special service." When Yusuf had a talk with the King, he said: "From now on, you have an honorable place with us, and you will enjoy our full confidence."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The King said, 'Bring him to me. I will employ him exclusively in my service.' And when Joseph spoke to him, the King said, 'Today you are highly esteemed and fully trusted by us.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And the king said: Bring him unto me that I may attach him to my person. And when he had talked with him he said: Lo! thou art today our presence established and trusted.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
So the king said: "Bring him unto me; I will take him specially to serve about my own person." Therefore when he had spoken to him he said: "Be assured this day thou art before our own Presence with rank firmly established and fidelity fully proved!" 1714 1715
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Joseph had not yet appeared before the king. The king's order in the same terms in verse 50 above had led to a message from Joseph and the subsequent public proceedings with the ladies. Now that Joseph's innocence, wisdom, truth, and trustworthiness had been Proved, and confirmed by the splendid tribute of the courtier's wife, and Joseph's own manly bearing before the king, the king was much impressed, and took him specially to serve about his own person as his trusty and confidential Wazir. If, as is probable, the 'Aziz had by this time died (for he is never mentioned again) Joseph succeeded to his office, and he is addressed as 'Aziz in verse 78 below. But Joseph got more than his rank and powers, as specially selected to carry out a great emergency policy to meet the very difficult times of depression that were foretold. He was given plenary powers and the fullest confidence that a king could give to his most trusted and best-proved Wazir or Prime Minister, with special access to his Person, like a Grand Chamberlain.

Who was this Pharaoh, and what approximate date could we assign to him? He was probably a king of the Hyksos Dynasty, somewhere between the 19th and the 17th century B.C.

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12:55
قَالَ ٱجْعَلْنِى عَلَىٰ خَزَآئِنِ ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ إِنِّى حَفِيظٌ عَلِيمٌ Q a la ijAAalnee AAal a khaz a ini alar d i innee h afee th un AAaleem un
[Joseph] replied: "Place in my charge the store-houses of the land; behold, I shall be a good and knowing keeper."55
  - Mohammad Asad

By making this request, Joseph wanted to assure an efficient build-up of grain reserves during the coming years of plenty, knowing well that they would be followed by seven years of scarcity. It is obvious from the sequence that his request was granted, and that he was able to fulfil the task which he had set himself.

Yusuf said: "Place me over all the resources of the land. Certainly I know how to manage; I have the necessary knowledge."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Joseph proposed, 'Put me in charge of the store-houses of the land, for I am truly reliable and adept.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
He said: Set me over the storehouses of the land. Lo! I am a skilled custodian.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
(Joseph) said: "Set me over the storehouses of the land: I will indeed guard them as one that knows (their importance)." 1716
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Joseph had been given plenary authority by the king. He could have enjoyed his dignity, drawn his emoluments, put the hard and perhaps unpopular work on the shoulders of others, and kept to himself the glitter and the kudos. But that was not his way, nor can it indeed be the way of any one who wants to do real service. He undertook the hardest and most unpopular task himself. Such a task was that of organising reserves in times of plenty, against the lean years to come. He deliberately asked to be put in charge of the granaries and store-houses, and the drudgery of establishing them and guarding them, for the simple reason that he understood that need better than any one else, and was prepared to take upon himself rather than throw on to another the obloquy of restricting supplies in times of plenty.

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12:56
وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَتَبَوَّأُ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ يَشَآءُ ۚ نُصِيبُ بِرَحْمَتِنَا مَن نَّشَآءُ ۖ وَلَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ Waka tha lika makann a liyoosufa fee alar d i yatabawwao minh a h aythu yash a o nu s eebu bira h matin a man nash a o wal a nu d eeAAu ajra almu h sineen a
And thus We established Joseph securely in the land [of Egypt]: he had full mastery over it [doing] whatever he willed. [Thus do] We cause Our grace to alight upon whomever We will; and We do not fail to requite the doers of good.56
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., sometimes in this world as well, but invariably in the hereafter, as the sequence shows.

Thus We established Yusuf in the land to live therein in any way he wished. We bestow Our mercy on whom We please and We do not let the reward of good people go to waste.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
This is how We established Joseph in the land to settle wherever he pleased. We shower Our mercy on whoever We will, and We never discount the reward of the good-doers.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Thus gave We power to Joseph in the land. He was the owner of it where he pleased. We reach with our mercy whom We will. We lose not the reward of the good.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Thus did We give established power to Joseph in the land to take possession therein as when or where he pleased. We bestow of Our mercy on whom We please and We suffer not to be lost the reward of those who do good. 1717
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

What a wonderful example of the working of divine Providence! The boy whom his jealous brothers got rid of by selling him into slavery for a miserable price becomes the most trusted dignitary in a foreign land, chief minister in one of the greatest empires of the world of that day. And this not for himself only, but for his family, and for that noble example of righteousness and strenuous service, which he was to set for all time. According to tradition, Joseph's age was barely 30 at that time! As when, or where he pleased: haithu refers to manner, time, or place. He had almost absolute powers, but as his fidelity was fully proved (xii. 53) these powers were for service rather than for self.

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12:57
وَلَأَجْرُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَكَانُوا۟ يَتَّقُونَ Walaajru al a khirati khayrun lilla th eena a manoo wak a noo yattaqoon a
But in the eyes of those who have attained to faith and have always been conscious of Us, a reward in the life to come is a far greater good [than any reward in this world].57
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "for those who have attained to faith...", etc.

Yet the reward in the hereafter will be even better for those who believe and are righteous.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And the reward of the Hereafter is far better for those who are faithful and are mindful 'of Allah'.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And the reward of the Hereafter is better, for those who believe and ward off (evil).
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
But verily the reward of the Hereafter is the best for those who believe and are constant in righteousness. 1718
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

To the righteous, whatever rewards (if any) that come in this world are welcome for the opportunities of service which they open out. But the true and best reward is in the Hereafter.

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12:58
وَجَآءَ إِخْوَةُ يُوسُفَ فَدَخَلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِ فَعَرَفَهُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُۥ مُنكِرُونَ Waj a a ikhwatu yoosufa fadakhaloo AAalayhi faAAarafahum wahum lahu munkiroon a
AND [after some years,] Joseph's brothers came [to Egypt]58 and presented themselves before him: and he knew them [at once], whereas they did not recognize him.
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., to buy wheat from the stores which Joseph had accumulated during the seven years of plenty: for all the countries in the vicinity of Egypt were by now affected by the famine which he had predicted, and Egypt alone had a surplus, the distribution of which he supervised personally (cf. Genesis xii, 54-57).

Several years later when the famine started and there was no food available outside of Egypt, Yusuf's brothers came to Egypt for food and entered his office. He recognized them but they did not recognize him.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And Joseph's brothers came and entered his presence. He recognized them but they were unaware of who he really was.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And Joseph's brethren came and presented themselves before him, and he knew them but they knew him not.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then came Joseph's brethren: they entered his presence and he knew them but they knew him not. 1719
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Years pass; the times of prosperity go by: famine holds the land in its grip; and it extends to neighbouring countries. Joseph's preparations are complete. His reserves are ample to meet the calamity. Not only does Egypt bless him, but neighbouring countries send to Egypt to purchase corn. All are received with hospitality, and corn is sold to them according to judicious measure. Now there has been one sorrow gnawing at Joseph's heart. His poor father Jacob! How he must have wept, as indeed he did, at the loss of his beloved Joseph! And Joseph's little brother Benjamin, born of the same mother as himself; would the other ten brothers, not by the same mother, have any affection for him, or would they treat him, as they treated Joseph? How would the whole family be in these hard times? A sort of answer came when the ten selfish brothers, driven by famine, came from Canaan to buy corn. Joseph, though so great a man, kept the details of the famine department in his own hands, otherwise there might have been waste. But to the public he was a mighty Egyptian administrator, probably in Egyptian dress, and with all the paraphernalia of his rank about him. When his brothers came, he knew them, but they did not know he was Joseph. In their thoughts was probably some menial slave in a remote household, perhaps already starved to death in these hard times!

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12:59
وَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهَازِهِمْ قَالَ ٱئْتُونِى بِأَخٍ لَّكُم مِّنْ أَبِيكُمْ ۚ أَلَا تَرَوْنَ أَنِّىٓ أُوفِى ٱلْكَيْلَ وَأَنَا۠ خَيْرُ ٱلْمُنزِلِينَ Walamm a jahhazahum bijah a zihim q a la itoonee biakhin lakum min abeekum al a tarawna annee oofee alkayla waan a khayru almunzileen a
And when he had provided them with their provisions, he said: "[When you come here next,] bring unto me that brother of yours from your father's side.59 Do you not see that I have given [you] full measure and have been the best of hosts?
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "a brother of yours from your father" - i.e., their half-brother Benjamin, who was Joseph's full brother (their mother having been Rachel, Jacob's favourite wife), whereas the other ten had different mothers. Benjamin, the youngest of Jacob's children, had not accompanied his brothers on their first journey to Egypt, but they had presumably mentioned him in the course of their conversation with Joseph.

When he had given them their due provisions and they were about to leave, he said: "Bring your half brother to me next time. Do you not see that I give full measure and provide the best hospitality?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
When he had provided them with their supplies, he demanded, 'Bring me your brother on your father's side.1 Do you not see that I give full measure and I am the best of hosts?
  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., Benjamin. When Joseph hosted his half-brothers, they told him the number of people in their household for future supplies.

And when he provided them with their provision he said: Bring unto me a brother of yours from your father. See ye not that I fill up the measure and I am the best of hosts?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And when he had furnished them forth with provisions (suitable) for them he said: "Bring unto me a brother ye have of the same father as yourselves (but a different mother): see ye not that I pay out full measure and that I do provide the best hospitality? 1720
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Joseph treated his brothers liberally. Perhaps he condescended to enter into conversation with these strangers, and enquired about their family. The ten brothers had come. Had they left a father behind them? What sort of a person was he? Very aged? Well, of course he could not come. Had they any other brothers? Doubtless the ten brothers said nothing about their lost Joseph, or told some lie about him. But perhaps their host's kindly insistence brought Benjamin into the conversation. How old was he? Why had they not brought him? Would they bring him next time? Indeed they must, or they would get no more corn, and he-the great Egyptian Wazir-would not even see them.

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12:60
فَإِن لَّمْ تَأْتُونِى بِهِۦ فَلَا كَيْلَ لَكُمْ عِندِى وَلَا تَقْرَبُونِ Fain lam tatoonee bihi fal a kayla lakum AAindee wal a taqraboon i
But if you do not bring him unto me, you shall never again receive a single measure [of grain] from me, nor shall you [be allowed to] come near me!"
  - Mohammad Asad
But if you do not bring him, you shall have no grain, nor shall you even come near me again."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
But if you do not bring him to me 'next time', I will have no grain for you, nor will you ever come close to me again.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And if ye bring him not unto me, then there shall be no measure for you with me, nor shall ye draw near.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"Now if ye bring him not to me ye shall have no measure (of corn) from me nor shall be ye (even) come near me."
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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