Synopsis

• The brothers returned to Egypt in desperation.
• Although they brought goods for trade that were poor in quality, they pleaded with Yusuf to be generous with them.
• When Yusuf revealed his identity to them, they were shocked, but humbly responded by acknowledging their faults.
• Yusuf prayed for their forgiveness and then instructed his brothers to return to their father and place his shirt over Yaqub’s face to restore his vision.
• Yusuf’s brothers sought forgiveness from their father.
• Yusuf’s family, including his parents, brothers, and their wives and children returned to Egypt.
• In the fulfillment of his dream, Yusuf’s parents and his brothers prostrated to him.

Verses 88–90: Yusuf Reveals His Identity

88: When they entered Yusuf’s presence, they pleaded, “O Chief Minister! We and our family have been touched with hardship, and we have brought only a few worthless coins, but ˹please˺ give us our supplies in full and be charitable to us. Indeed, Allah rewards the charitable.”

89: He asked, “Do you remember what you did to Yusuf and his brother in your ignorance?”

90: They replied ˹in shock˺, “Are you really Yusuf?” He said, “I am Yusuf, and here is my brother ˹Binyamin! Allah has truly been gracious to us. Surely whoever is mindful ˹of Allah˺ and patient, then certainly Allah never discounts the reward of the good-doers.”

Verses 91–93: Brothers’ Apology Accepted

91: They admitted, “By Allah! Allah has truly preferred you over us, and we have surely been sinful.”

92: Yusuf said, “There is no blame on you today. May Allah forgive you! He is the Most Merciful of the merciful!

93: Go with this shirt of mine and cast it over my father’s face, and he will regain his sight. Then come back to me with your whole family.”

Verses 94–98: Yaqub Regains His Sight

94: When the caravan departed ˹from Egypt˺, their father said ˹to those around him˺, “You may think I am senile, but I certainly sense the smell of Yusuf.”

95: They replied, “By Allah! You are definitely still in your old delusion.”

96: But when the bearer of the good news arrived, he cast the shirt over Yaqub’s face, so he regained his sight. Yaqub then said ˹to his children˺, “Did I not tell you that I truly know from Allah what you do not know?”

97: They begged, “O our father! Pray for the forgiveness of our sins. We have certainly been sinful.”

98: He said, “I will pray to my Lord for your forgiveness. He ˹alone˺ is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Verses 99–100: Yusuf’s Dream Comes True

99: When they entered Yusuf’s presence, he received his parents ˹graciously˺ and said, “Enter Egypt, Allah willing, in security.”

100: Then he raised his parents to the throne, and they all fell down in prostration to Yusuf, who then said, “O my dear father! This is the interpretation of my old dream. My Lord has made it come true. He was truly kind to me when He freed me from prison, and brought you all from the desert after Satan had ignited rivalry between me and my siblings. Indeed my Lord is subtle in fulfilling what He wills. Surely He ˹alone˺ is the All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

Verse 101: Yusuf’s Prayer

101:  “My Lord! You have surely granted me authority and taught me the interpretation of dreams. ˹O˺ Originator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Guardian in this world and the Hereafter. Allow me to die as one who submits and join me with the righteous.”

Reflections

Prostration

The act of prostration from Yusuf’s family was out of respect and was permissible during their time. In the law of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), prostration was deemed an act of worship and therefore it is now impermissible to prostrate to anyone but Allah.

Allah humbles those who sin

Consider the state of Yusuf’s brothers at the beginning of the surah, they called themselves a strong clan and boldly plotted to kill Yusuf. By the end, they nervously called Yusuf “mighty governor” and extended their hands like beggars. Their circumstances illustrate the effects of sin and disobedience. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “And whoever is kept back by his actions, his lineage will not bring him up to speed (Nawawi 40:36)."

Ibn al-Jawzi said, “Whoever deeply considers the humiliation of Yusuf’s brothers will realize the negative impact of evildoing.” Its pleasure is fleeting, its consequences are long-lasting and inescapable—in this world before the next.

Do not prolong rebuke

Magnanimous souls do not prolong rebuke, and their desire to excuse people is evident in their choice of words. In verses 89-92, Yusuf extended grace, buried contempt, and prioritized the remorse and reform of his brothers by:

• Making no direct mention of their envy, scheming, or tossing him into the well. Instead he referred to their actions in vague terms by calling them a mere act of “ignorance.”
• Offered forgiveness by saying, “There will be no condemnation of you today. Allah will forgive you. He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.”
• Referred to his own good deeds of patience in the third person by saying “Surely whoever is mindful ˹of Allah˺ and patient, then certainly Allah never discounts the reward of the good-doers.”

Additionally, after the brothers prostrated to Yusuf, he said that the devil “ignited rivalry between me and my siblings.” This choice of words suggests that Yusuf was choosing to reframe his memories by speaking lightly of his brothers’ faults, despite the residual anger and hurt that he must have felt.

Yusuf was deliberate with his words and generous with his forgiveness. This teaches us an important lesson — how you speak about people and your most painful experiences with them can either heal you or sink you deeper into the pits of bitterness.

Should we always forgive?

In Islam, when we are wronged, we have the option to:

• Seek justice through equitable retribution and within the bounds of Islamic law
• Forgive

While seeking justice is not reprehensible, Allah tells us that forgiveness is better, as stated in the verse, “...but whoever pardons and [thereby] makes reconciliation—then his reward is [due] from Allah” (42:40).

Ibn Taymiyyah commented on this matter, saying that the spirit of the Quran is that forgiveness is preferable if it leads to rectification and reform, as in the case of Yusuf’s brothers. However, if forgoing our rights emboldens wrongdoers and tyrants, then seeking justice may be preferable. However, even when a legal penalty is imposed, there must be no room for gloating, excessiveness, or an appetite for vengeance.

Reflect: Just like Yusuf, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also chose grace at the height of his power, when he forgave twenty years of enmity and war crimes after the Conquest of Makkah. How can you emulate the examples of Yusuf and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) when it comes to practicing forgiveness?

Be fearful over yourself

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told us that actions are judged by whatever they are sealed upon (Bukhari 6439).

Yusuf’s brothers repented, their family forgave them, and Allah absolved them. The purpose of their story is not to demonize them, or any other believer, but to learn from their mistakes and humbly move on.

The scholars teach us an important and terrifying lesson about the nature of sin - Allah may have already forgiven someone for their mistakes but if you engage in mocking and ridicule, you may be afflicted with the same tests. Therefore, first and foremost, focus on yourself.

Action Item: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to frequently seek forgiveness by reciting this prayer (Bukhari 6307)

أستغفر الله، وأتوب إليه

Transliteration: Astaghfirullah wa atubu ilaih

Translation: I beg forgiveness from Allah and I turn to Him in repentance.

Tip: To incorporate this prayer into your daily life, try to pair it with an existing activity, such as walking to school or running errands.

Yusuf’s shirt

Yusuf’s shirt has played a recurring role throughout this story. In the first instance, his shirt was used as evidence for his false death, breaking his father’s heart. In the second instance, it was used by the family of the Chief Minister to point to Yusuf’s innocence. In this third occurrence, the shirt represents a new day:

A day to forget those other shirts and the trauma they represented, a day to bury the excruciating years that followed. It is a new shirt, one that only royalty possesses (akin to a king’s signatory ring), and one that signifies to Yaqub that the time has come to finally discover what the King of Kings reserved for his son from above the mighty throne.

Tests

Yusuf was given four major tests, each progressively harder than the one that preceded it:

• His first test was to be patient when he was thrown into the well.
• His second test was to enter prison willingly to save himself from immorality.
• His third test was to forgive his brothers, although he was not required to do so.
• His fourth test was to remember Allah in prosperity.

Few people realize that one of the most challenging trials a believer can face is the invisible test of success.

Ask yourself this: when the world (dunya) swells around you, when its gates fling open, ushering in a string of comforts, how does your heart react? Does it become heedless? Deluded? Or, like Yusuf’s, does it resign to its Maker in a state of humility, ascribing all success to Him?