Tafsir of Surah Joseph: Truthfulness Reveals Facts

They came weeping to their father in the evening. 

They said, ‘O our father! Indeed, we went racing with each other and left Joseph with our belongings. Then a wolf ate him! You would not believe us, even if we were truthful.’ [Surah Joseph Ayah: 16-17] 

The brothers of Joseph told their father, Jacob, that they went to race with each other, and left him with their belongings. Then a wolf ate him when they were absent.

They said that their father would never believe them even if they were truthful in their statement because of his great love for Joseph.

It was also said that you would not believe us even if we were truthful because you did not see a sign indicating our truthfulness.

(…even if we were truthful.), this sentence reveals that they were lying. 

If they were truthful, they would not say that, as truthfulness testifies to its reality.  

Introduction to Tafsir of Surah Yusuf

Tafsir of Surah Joseph: Quran Translation & Commentary 

Truthfulness Leads to Paradise

The Prophetﷺ said, 

“Adhere to truthfulness, for truthfulness guides to piety, and piety leads to Paradise. A man will keep on speaking the truth, and does his best to seek the truth, until he will be designated with Allah as very truthful ‘siddiyk’. 

Beware of lying. Indeed, lying guides to immorality, and immorality leads to hellfire. A man will keep on lying until he will be designated with Allah as a liar.”

[Sahîh Muslim] 

Allah Sees Us

 Nãfa’ narrated: 

I went out with Abdul-Allah bin Umar to some parts of al-Madinah. There were some of his companions with him. When they sat to eat, a shepherd passed by them. 

Abdul-Allah called him and invited him to eat with them.

The shepherd said, “I am fasting.” 
Abdul-Allah replied, “You are fasting in such a hot day, and such a mountain pass, looking after these sheep.”

The shepherd said, “I am making the best of my free time.”

 Ibn Umar was amazed. Then he said, “Will you sell us one of these sheep so that we would slaughter it, and give you some of its meat what you would eat when breaking your fast as well as we will give your its cost.”

The shepherd said, “It is not mine. It belongs to my master. What shall I tell him?”

 Ibn Umar said, “Tell him that a wolf ate it.”

The shepherd left him, raising his hand to the heaven. And he said, “Will Allah not see me?”

Ibn Umar kept repeating, “Will Allah not see me?” 
After that, when ibn Umar returned to al-Madinah, he sent to the master of the shepherd, bought the shepherd, emancipated him, and gave him the sheep.

Indeed, whoever leaves something for the sake of Allah; Allah will give him instead of it something, which is better.

[Sifat as-Safwa]

Definition of Love

Love is something we cannot define. 

We feel it. 

We live it. 

But we will keep trying to define it without success.

For the Sake of Allah

When he left them and what they worship besides Allah, We gave him Isaac and Jacob. Each of them, We made a prophet.  And We gave them of Our mercy, and We made for them a sublime, lasting praise. [Surah Maryam: 49-50]

Messenger Muhammad said, “If you leave something for the sake of Allah, Allah will give you instead of it something which is better.” [Musnad Imam Ahmed] 

The Truth

The truth is noble. 

It is desired by the pure souls. Seeking the truth, accepting, and following it is a proof of faith and good intention.

 Abû Muhammad, bin Hazam said,

“I have found that the best bounty of Allah on a man is that He makes justice his innate disposition, and He makes him love and choose the truth.”

[Al-Akhlãq wa-as-Siyr fi Mudãwãt an-Nufûs]

Optimism

Can we buy optimism from a supermarket?

Can we sleep pessimistic, and suddenly wake up optimistic in the morning?

Can we give those whom we love the gift of being optimistic?

Can we be optimistic though there are endless crises in this world making the heart bleeds?

Optimism is a choice.

 It is not acquired by dreaming, or purchasing.

Optimism is a decision we take to embrace this life with all its ups and downs.

What is your choice?

Allah is Omnipotent

Allah has perfect ability.
He does what He wants, and nothing can hinders His ability. 
His ability overcomes all causes, and if He wants, He will disable all causes and give without them.
 In the story of granting John to Zachariah, Allah created John from very old parents contrary to the usual known fact that very old human beings cannot give birth to children.

Being Distinguished

(Peace be upon him, the day he was born, the day he dies, and the day he is raised alive.15) [Quran Surah Maryam:15]

Sheikh Muhammad Metwalli al-Sha'rawi commented,

These three situations are considered remarkable points in man’s life. 
Allah distinguished John with safety on the day of his birth since it was in unusual manner, i.e. his mother was barren. Nevertheless, no one spoke ill about his birth, and no one objected to his mother giving birth to him though she was barren. What happened to her was a miracle from Allah who gave good news of it to Zachariah so that it would act as a portent of this marvelous event. 
Allah also distinguished him with safety on the day of his death because he would be martyred, and martyrdom is not like ordinary death. Martyrdom would give him life connected with the ever-lasting life.
 Finally, Allah will distinguish him with safety on the Day of Judgment when he will be resurrected alive.

[Tafsir Sheikh Muhammad Metwalli al-Sha'rawi commented]



     

Quiescent Remembrance

Damura bin Habîb narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said,

“Make remembrance of Allah quiescently.”

He was asked, “How is quiescent remembrance?”

He said, “Making it secretly.”

 [Azuhd wa-ar-Raqã] 

Interpretation of the Quran by the Statements of the Companions of Messenger Muhammad

It is indisputable that the companions of Messenger Muhammad has a great rank in Islam. They possess this rank for many reasons; among which are the following: 

1) They met and accompanied Messenger Muhammad, and were present when the Quran was revealed. Thus, they knew the circumstances, the situations, and historical causes of revelations that accompanied it.

 2) They mastered the Arabic language, the language of the Quran. 

3) Their integrity and deep understanding are incontestable. 

The companions used to refer to different sources when interpreting the Quran, such as the Quran, the Sunnah of Messenger Muhammad, the Arabic language, the people of the Scripture; i.e. the Jews and Christians, and their understanding and reasoning. 

An example of interpretation of the Quran by the companions, Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, interpreted Allah’s statement (And when the souls are paired.) [Q 81: 7] as follows: ‘They are two men doing the same deed, and then they will enter Paradise or Hell because of it (Tafsir of at-Tabari). 

Mixing with People

Al-Fudayl bin Iyãd said, 
“Whoever mixes with people will not be safe and secure from one of these two things. Either, he will participate with them if they engage in falsehood, or he will be silent if he sees or hears wrongdoing committed by his companions, and he will not advise them. Thus, he will commit a sin and shares it with them.”

[Al-‘Auzla wa-al-Infirãd]

The Most Important Step

Acquiring knowledge is the first step, but this step is worthless if it is not followed by the most important step, that is to say, applying what has been learnt and changing it to  reality. 

Application

Usãma reported that he heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, 
“A man will be brought on the Day of Judgment and thrown into Hellfire.
 Thus, his intestines will come out, and he will go around like a donkey goes around a millstone. 
The people of Hellfire will gather around him, and say, 
‘O so-and-so! What is wrong with you? Did you not use to order us to do good deeds and forbid us to do bad deeds?’ 
He will reply, ‘Yes, I used to order you to do good deeds, but I did not do them, and I used to forbid you to do bad deeds, yet I used to do them myself.’” 

[Sahîh al-Bukhãrî]

     

How You Spend Your Life

The Prophet ﷺ said that people would be asked about the knowledge they acquired and what they did with it. 
He said, “The feet of the slave of Allah will not leave the position of reckoning except after being asked about how he spent his life, what he did with his knowledge, from where he earned his wealth and how he spent it, and how he used his body.”

[Sunan at-Tirmidhy] 

Knowledge & Sustenance & Deeds

The Prophet ﷺ used to invoke Allah every day in the morning to grant him beneficial knowledge.
 He used to say, “O Allah! I ask You to grant me beneficial knowledge, lawful sustenance, and accepted deeds.”

[Sunan ibn Mãjah] 

Cry If You Feel You Need to Cry

Sometimes, crying gives us energy to continue pursuing our goals.
 It gives us energy.
 It helps us empty all negative feelings we suffer because of the hardship we are going through. 
So, cry if you feel you need to cry.

Generosity

Salmãn narrated that Messenger Muhammad said, “Indeed, your Lord, Exalted is He, is generous and shy. If His slave raises his hands, supplicating Him, He becomes shy to turn them back empty.” [Abu Dawood]