🕋 تفسير سورة يوسف
(Yusuf) • المصدر: EN-TAFSIR-AL-TUSTARI
۞ رَبِّ قَدْ آتَيْتَنِي مِنَ الْمُلْكِ وَعَلَّمْتَنِي مِنْ تَأْوِيلِ الْأَحَادِيثِ ۚ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَنْتَ وَلِيِّي فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ تَوَفَّنِي مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ
📘 ��Take me [in death] in a state of submission [to You], and join me to the virtuous.� Sahl said:This entails three things: asking for what is necessary, manifesting one�s poverty, and choosing what is obligatory. What is meant is: �Let me die as one who has committed his affairs over to You and handed over his concerns to You, so that I have no recourse to my lower self under any condition, and do not resort to managing things [for myself] (tadbīr) by means of any secondary cause (sabab) whatsoever.His words, Exalted is He:
وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلَّا وَهُمْ مُشْرِكُونَ
📘 And most of them do not believe in God without ascribing partners [to Him].He [Sahl] said:This is referring to the association [of others with God] (shirk) by the self which incites to evil (nafs ammāra), as was [indicated] when the Prophet said, �Association [of others with God] (shirk) in my nation is more hidden than the creeping of an ant over a stone.� This is the inner meaning of the verse. However, the outer meaning of the verse refers to the fact that the polytheists among the Arabs believe in God, just as He has said, If you ask them, who created them, they will certainly say �God��[43:87] Even so they are polytheists who believe in some of the messengers but do not believe in others.His words, Exalted is He:
قُلْ هَٰذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ ۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي ۖ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
📘 I call to God being upon sure knowledge�That is, �I convey the message, but I am not in possession of guidance. The guidance is up to You.� Sahl was asked about the words of the Prophet : �The effort of a striving person cannot avail him against You.� He said:Whoever is assiduous in his quest, but finds his assiduity (jidd) is met by an impediment (manʿ) from You, will not be benefitted by striving in his quest.And he said:For sure, the inner truth [or secret, sirr] has not been revealed to people, for if it were disclosed to them then they would have perceived it. Nor have they witnessed [it], for if they had witnessedit, the whole matter would be over, and that is a grave matter. Then he [Sahl] said:The People of �There is no God but God� are many but the sincere among them are few. But God knows best.His words, Exalted is He:
وَجَاءُوا عَلَىٰ قَمِيصِهِ بِدَمٍ كَذِبٍ ۚ قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنْفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا ۖ فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ ۖ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ
📘 Yet, comely patience! He said:Patience with contentment (riḍā).He was asked, �What is the sign of this?� He replied, �It is not to regret what has happened.� Then he was asked, �How can one attain comeliness of patience (tajammul bi�l-ṣabr)? He said:By knowing that God, Exalted is He, is with you, and by the comfort of the [concomitant sense of] well-being (bi-rāḥat al-ʿāfiya). Patience may be compared to a bowl which has patience at the top and honey underneath. Then he said:I am amazed at the one who is not patient. How can he not show patience whatever the situationmight be (li�l-ḥāl), when the Lord of Might says: Surely God is with the patient [8:46]?His words, Exalted is He:
وَقَالَ الَّذِي اشْتَرَاهُ مِنْ مِصْرَ لِامْرَأَتِهِ أَكْرِمِي مَثْوَاهُ عَسَىٰ أَنْ يَنْفَعَنَا أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَدًا ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلِنُعَلِّمَهُ مِنْ تَأْوِيلِ الْأَحَادِيثِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَىٰ أَمْرِهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
📘 �Give him an honourable place. Maybe he will be useful to us� That is, �Perhaps he will be an intercessor for us in the Hereafter.�His words, Exalted is He:
وَلَقَدْ هَمَّتْ بِهِ ۖ وَهَمَّ بِهَا لَوْلَا أَنْ رَأَىٰ بُرْهَانَ رَبِّهِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ السُّوءَ وَالْفَحْشَاءَ ۚ إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُخْلَصِينَ
📘 And she certainly desired him, and he would have desired her [too], had it not been that he saw the proof of his Lord.That is, with his natural self (nafs ṭabīʿiyya), he desired and inclined towards her, but with his divinely supported and protected self (nafs al-tawfīq wa�l-ʿiṣma), he desired to escape from her and oppose her. This means that his Lord protected him, and if it had not been for the protection of his Lord, he would have desired her, inclining towards that to which his lower self called [him]. He was protected by witnessing the proof (burhān) of his Lord, Mighty and Majestic is He, this being that the angel Gabriel came in the form of Jacob biting on his finger, upon which Joseph headed for the door while seeking forgiveness. His words, Exalted is He:
وَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ السِّجْنَ فَتَيَانِ ۖ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا إِنِّي أَرَانِي أَعْصِرُ خَمْرًا ۖ وَقَالَ الْآخَرُ إِنِّي أَرَانِي أَحْمِلُ فَوْقَ رَأْسِي خُبْزًا تَأْكُلُ الطَّيْرُ مِنْهُ ۖ نَبِّئْنَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِ ۖ إِنَّا نَرَاكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
📘 And there entered the prison with him two [chivalrous] youths (fatayān)�He [Sahl] said:God, Exalted is He, said [chivalrous] youths because neither of them was excessive in his claim. Rather they gave what was theirs over to their companion and for this He called them fatayān.His words, Exalted is He:
وَقَالَ لِلَّذِي ظَنَّ أَنَّهُ نَاجٍ مِنْهُمَا اذْكُرْنِي عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ فَأَنْسَاهُ الشَّيْطَانُ ذِكْرَ رَبِّهِ فَلَبِثَ فِي السِّجْنِ بِضْعَ سِنِينَ
📘 ��Mention me to your lord�� He [Sahl] said:It has been related that the angel Gabriel visited Joseph in prison and said to him, �O pure one, son of the pure one, verily God, Exalted is He, has honoured me through you and through your forefathers, and He says to you, �Joseph, did you not feel shame before Me for having sought intercession from someone other than Me? By My Might, I am going to make you remain in prison for several years more.�� He [Joseph] asked Gabriel, �Is He pleased with me?� He replied, �Yes.� So he said, �Then I do not mind.�ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib , used to say: �I and my self are nothing but a shepherd and his flock, each time he gathers them in on one side, they disperse from the other.�His words, Exalted is He:
ذَٰلِكَ لِيَعْلَمَ أَنِّي لَمْ أَخُنْهُ بِالْغَيْبِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي كَيْدَ الْخَائِنِينَ
📘 That is so that he may know that I did not betray him behind his back... He [Sahl] said:[That is], �I did not breach my contract, nor did I disclose a secret [of his] that was concealed.�His words, Exalted is He:
۞ وَمَا أُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِي ۚ إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّي ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
📘 �Yet I do not exculpate my own soul; verily the soul is ever inciting to evil�� He [Sahl] said:Truly, the [evil-]inciting self (nafs ammāra) is lust (shahwa), which is the role played by man�s [basic] nature (ṭabʿ); ��unless my Lord shows mercy�, is the role played by the [divine] protection (ʿiṣma). The self at peace (nafs muṭmaʾinna) is the self of gnosis (nafs al-maʿrifa). God, Exalted is He, created the self and made ignorance its nature (ṭabʿ) and made desire (hawā) the closest thing to it. He also made desire the door by which man�s ruin enters.Sahl was asked about the meaning of [a person�s] nature (ṭabʿ) and how one might necessarily acquire protection from it. He said:Human nature (ṭabʿ) comprises four natural dispositions (ṭabāʾiʿ): the first is the animal disposition(ṭabʿ al-bahāʾim), that of the stomach and genitals; the second is the satanic disposition (ṭabʿ al-shayāṭīn), that of play (laʿb) and diversion (lahw); the third is the sorcerous disposition (ṭabʿ al-saḥara), that of delusion (makr) and deception (khidāʿ); and the fourth is the devilishnature (ṭabʿ al-abālisa), that of refusal (ibāʾ) and arrogance (istikbār). [Divine] protection (ʿiṣma) against the animal disposition is through faith (īmān). Safety (salāma) from the satanic disposition is through glorification (tasbīḥ) and sanctification [of God] (taqdīs), which is the natural disposition of angels. Safety from the sorcerous disposition is through truthfulness (ṣidq), sincere counsel (naṣīḥa), equity (inṣāf) and graciousness (tafaḍḍul). Safety from the devilish nature is through taking refuge (iltijāʾ) in God, Exalted is He, by humbly imploring him (taḍarruʿ) and crying out to Him (ṣarākh). The nature of the intellect (ʿaql) is to have knowledge but the nature of the lower self (nafs) is ignorance. The natural disposition of [human] nature is [to make] pretentious claims (daʿwā).His words, Exalted is He:
وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَجْتَبِيكَ رَبُّكَ وَيُعَلِّمُكَ مِنْ تَأْوِيلِ الْأَحَادِيثِ وَيُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ يَعْقُوبَ كَمَا أَتَمَّهَا عَلَىٰ أَبَوَيْكَ مِنْ قَبْلُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
📘 �And perfect His grace upon you�This means, �By affirming the truth of the dream you had concerning yourself.� His words, Exalted is He:
وَقَالَ يَا بَنِيَّ لَا تَدْخُلُوا مِنْ بَابٍ وَاحِدٍ وَادْخُلُوا مِنْ أَبْوَابٍ مُتَفَرِّقَةٍ ۖ وَمَا أُغْنِي عَنْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ ۖ إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَعَلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
📘 �On him I rely... He [Sahl] was asked, �What is the reality of complete trust [in God] (tawakkul)? He replied, �It is to be at ease (istirsāl) with whatever God, Exalted is He, wants.� Then he was asked, �What are the requisites of complete trust?� He said, �The first is knowledge and its reality is acting [on it].� Then he said:Truly the person who has complete trust [in God] (mutawakkil), when he attains it in reality (ʿalā�l-ḥaqīqa), does not eat any food in the knowledge that there is someone who has more of a right to it than himself. His words, Exalted is He:
فَلَمَّا اسْتَيْأَسُوا مِنْهُ خَلَصُوا نَجِيًّا ۖ قَالَ كَبِيرُهُمْ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ أَبَاكُمْ قَدْ أَخَذَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَوْثِقًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَمِنْ قَبْلُ مَا فَرَّطْتُمْ فِي يُوسُفَ ۖ فَلَنْ أَبْرَحَ الْأَرْضَ حَتَّىٰ يَأْذَنَ لِي أَبِي أَوْ يَحْكُمَ اللَّهُ لِي ۖ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْحَاكِمِينَ
📘 �The most senior of them said�That is, in intellect, not age.His words, Exalted is He:
قَالُوا تَاللَّهِ تَفْتَأُ تَذْكُرُ يُوسُفَ حَتَّىٰ تَكُونَ حَرَضًا أَوْ تَكُونَ مِنَ الْهَالِكِينَ
📘 �until you are consumed It was related from ʿAlī that he said, �The word ḥaraḍ means affliction due to pain in the heart.�Ibn ʿAbbās y said, �Ḥaraḍ is [severe sickness] close to death. Sahl said:It means being impaired (fāsid) in body and in deed because of grief. His grief was only on account of Joseph�s religion and not for the sake of [Joseph] himself, for he knew that if he died upon his religion he would be united with him in the Hereafter that is everlasting, but if he changed his religion they would never be united ever again. It was related from Sufyān that he said, �Verily when the one bringing good tidings [of Joseph] came to Jacob , he asked him, �What was his religion when you left him?� He replied, �It was the religion of submission to God (islām).� So Jacob said, �Now the blessing is complete.��His words, Exalted is He:
قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَشْكُو بَثِّي وَحُزْنِي إِلَى اللَّهِ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
📘 �I complain of my anguish and grief only to God�That is, �My anxiety (hamm) and sorrow (ḥuzn)�.Sahl said:Jacob�s grief was not over Joseph, but it [his grief] was an expression of the deep emotion (wajd) he felt in his heart after being separated from Joseph. For he asked himself, �How great would be the feelings I would experience if I were to be separated from God, Mighty and Majestic is He, when separation from a creature had caused me to act in such a way?� So he complained of his distraction and anguish to God, Exalted is He, and to no one else.His words, Exalted is He:
يَا بَنِيَّ اذْهَبُوا فَتَحَسَّسُوا مِنْ يُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ وَلَا تَيْأَسُوا مِنْ رَوْحِ اللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُ لَا يَيْأَسُ مِنْ رَوْحِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْكَافِرُونَ
📘 �And do not despair of God�s [gracious] spirit�The best and highest form of service (khidma) is waiting for relief (intiẓār al-faraj) from God, Exalted is He, as it has been related from Ibn ʿUmar y that the Prophet said: �Waiting for relief with patience is worship (ʿibāda).� The relief for which one waits is of two kinds: one is close (qarīb) and the other distant (baʿīd). That which is close is in the secret that is between the servant and his Lord. That which is distant relates to [that which is between] people, and whoever looks to [relief that is] far away is veiled from what is close at hand. His words, Exalted is He:
فَلَمَّا دَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ قَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَا الْعَزِيزُ مَسَّنَا وَأَهْلَنَا الضُّرُّ وَجِئْنَا بِبِضَاعَةٍ مُزْجَاةٍ فَأَوْفِ لَنَا الْكَيْلَ وَتَصَدَّقْ عَلَيْنَا ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَجْزِي الْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ
📘 �They said, �O mighty Governor, misfortune has befallen us and our family.�� That is, �O great king�, and its inner meaning is: �O you, the one who has conquered himself, just as God, Exalted is He, has said, And overpowered me with his words [38:23], meaning, he conquered me through them. His words, Exalted is He:
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