Yusuf 12:54 · Joseph · Arabic, translation, recitation

Other English translations

Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+

"The king said, ‘Bring him to me: I will have him serve me personally,’ and then, once he had spoken with him, ‘From now on you will have our trust and favour.’"

Pickthall (classic)+

"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 to-day in our presence established and trusted."

Yusuf Ali (classic)+

"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!"

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Ibn Kathir

Abridged English, public domain

Yusuf's Rank with the King of Egypt

Allah states that when he became aware of Yusuf's innocence and his innocense of what he was accused of, the king said,

ائْتُونِى بِهِ أَسْتَخْلِصْهُ لِنَفْسِى

(Bring him to me that I may attach him to my person.), `that I may make him among my close aids and associates,'

فَلَمَّا كَلَّمَهُ

(Then, when he spoke to him), when the king spoke to Yusuf and further recognized his virtues, great ability, brilliance, good conduct and perfect mannerism, he said to him,

إِنَّكَ الْيَوْمَ لَدَيْنَا مِكِينٌ أَمِينٌ

(Verily, this day, you are with us high in rank and fully trusted.) The king said to Yusuf, `You have assumed an exalted status with us and are indeed fully trusted.' Yusuf, peace be upon him said,

اجْعَلْنِى عَلَى خَزَآئِنِ الاٌّرْضِ إِنِّى حَفِيظٌ عَلِيمٌ

(Set me over the storehouses of the land; I will indeed guard them with full knowledge.) Yusuf praised himself, for this is allowed when one's abilities are unknown and there is a need to do so. He said that he is,

حَفِيظٌ

(Hafiz), an honest guard,

عَلِيمٌ

(`Alim), having knowledge and wisdom about the job he is to be entrusted with. Prophet Yusuf asked the king to appoint him as minister of finance for the land, responsible for the harvest storehouses, in which they would collect produce for the years of drought which he told them will come. He wanted to be the guard, so that he could dispense the harvest in the wisest, best and most beneficial way. The king accepted Yusuf's offer, for he was eager to draw Yusuf close to him and to honor him. So Allah said,

Tafsir Saʿdi

English translation, public domain

Не думайте, что я оправдываю себя. Я действительно страстно желала его, пыталась соблазнить его и даже замыслила хитрость. Но что делать, если душа повелевает человеку совершать мерзости и прочие прегрешения? Воистину, душа - это корабль сатаны и дверь, через которую он входит к человеку. И спастись от греховных повелений своей души удается только людям, над которыми смилостивился Господь. Их души обретают уверенность и покой, повинуются тем, кто призывает на прямой путь, и отказываются повиноваться тем, кто призывает к погибели. Но это является не заслугой человеческой души, а милостью и добродетелью Аллаха по отношению к Своему рабу. Воистину, Аллах прощает и милует того, кто осмеливается совершать грехи и ослушаться, если он приносит покаяние и возвращается на прямой путь. Божья милость к такому человеку проявляется в том, что Аллах принимает его покаяние и помогает ему совершать праведные деяния. Согласно наиболее достоверному мнению, эти слова принадлежали не Йусуфу, а жене визиря. Это совершенно очевидно из контекста коранического откровения, потому что во время обсуждаемого нами разговора Йусуф еще находился в темнице.

In the next verse (54) which begins with the words: وَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ ائْتُونِي بِهِ (Bring him to me ...), it has been said, when the king of Egypt investigated about the event, as requested by Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) ، Zulaikha and all other women concerned with it confessed to the truth. The king, then, ordered that Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) be brought to him so that he can appoint him as his personal adviser. According to the royal order, Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) was brought with full honours from the prison to the royal court. When he got an idea of his full potential by talking to him, the king said: ` Today you are with us firmly accommodated and trusted.'

Imam al-Baghawi reports: When the emissary of the king arrived again at the prison to convey the invitation of the king to Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) ، he prayed for all inmates of the prison, took a ritual bath and donned a new dress. When he arrived at the royal court, the du a' he made was:

حَسبِی رَبَّی مِن دُنیَایَ و حَسبِی رَبِّی مِن خَلقِہِ عَزّ جَارُہ وجَلَّ ثَنَأٰیٌہ ۔ وَلَا اِلٰہَ غَیرُہ

For me sufficient is my Lord against my world and, for me, sufficient is my Lord against the whole creation. Mighty is he who comes under His protection; and most sublime is His praise; and there is no deity worthy of worship other than Him.

When he reached inside the court, he turned to Allah again, prayed again in the same spirit and greeted the court in Arabic saying: اَلسلامُ عَلَیکُم وَ رَحمَۃ اللہِ (Peace on you and the mercy of Allah). For the king, the prayer he made was in Hebrew. The king, though he knew many languages, was not aware of Arabic and Hebrew. It was Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) who told him that the Salam was in Arabic and the Du a', in Hebrew.

It also appears in a narration that the king talked to Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) in many different languages and Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) replied to him in the language spoken by him, adding Arabic and Hebrew as two additional languages which the king did not know. This episode greatly increased respect for Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) in the heart of the king.

After that, the king wished to hear him give the interpretation of his dream directly before him. In response, Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) first described before him particular details of his dream which he himself had not told anyone about, and then told him the interpretation as he had wished.

The king was astonished. Though, it was not so much about the interpretation given. What made him really wonder was how could he find out all those details. After that, the king sought his counsel on what should he do next. The advice given by Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) was: During the first seven years of expected heavy rains, you should have arrangements made so that cultivation and crops yield their highest. This could be done by giving incentives to people to make sure that their maximum land areas come under cultivation and crops turn out plentiful and let them keep storing one fifth of their total produce with them. Thus, the people of Egypt would have stored with them enough for the seven years of famine and you would not have to worry on their account. Keep whatever supply of grains comes to the government through fixed taxes or state lands stored for those coming from outside the country - because, this famine will be wide-spread. People living in adjoining countries would need your help. At that time, you may come to the help of many a deprived people around you by giving it to them. Even if you were to put an ordinary price on it, you can be sure of collecting in the government treasury the amount of wealth that had never been there. The king was immensely pleased with this advice, but did wonder how would such a stupendous plan be managed, and who would do that.