Tafsir of Surah Yusuf - Verse 111

A Lesson for Men Who have Understanding

Allah states here that the stories of the Messengers and their nations and how we saved the believers and destroyed the disbelievers are,

عِبْرَةٌ لاوْلِى الأَلْبَـبِ

(a lesson for men of understanding), who have sound minds,

مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَى

(It is not a forged statement.) Allah says here that this Qur'an could not have been forged; it truly came from Allah,

وَلَـكِن تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ

(but a confirmation of that which was before it) in reference to the previously revealed Divine Books, by which this Qur'an testifies to the true parts that remain in them and denies and refutes the forged parts that were added, changed and falsified by people. The Qur'an accepts or abrogates whatever Allah wills of these Books,

وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ

(and a detailed explanation of everything) Meaning the allowed, the prohibited, the preferred and the disliked matters. The Qur'an deals with the acts of worship, the obligatory and recommended matters, forbids the unlawful and discourages from the disliked. The Qur'an contains major facts regarding the existence and about matters of the future in general terms or in detail. The Qur'an tells us about the Lord, the Exalted and Most Honored, and about His Names and Attributes and teaches us that Allah is glorified from being similar in any way to the creation. Hence, the Qur'an is,

هُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ

(a guide and a mercy for the people who believe.) with which their hearts are directed from misguidance to guidance and from deviation to conformance, and with which they seek the mercy of the Lord of all creation in this life and on the Day of Return. We ask Allah the Most Great to make us among this group in the life of the present world and in the Hereafter, on the Day when those who are successful will have faces that radiate with light, while those whose faces are dark will end up with the losing deal. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Yusuf; and all the thanks and praises are due to Allah, and all our trust and reliance are on Him Alone.

In the opening statement of the last verse of the Surah, it was said:

لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَ‌ةٌ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ

Surely, in the narratives of these, there is lesson for the people of understanding - 111.

This statement may be pointing to the stories of all prophets (علیہم السلام) in the Qur'an and also to the particular story of Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) which has been narrated in this Surah - because, through this later event, it has become absolutely clear that the obedient servants of Allah are supported and helped in so many ways when they are taken out from a deep well and made to sit on a high throne and are rescued from the threat of disgrace all the way to the zenith of the finest in grace and honour, not to mention the practitioners of ill-will and deception who ultimately end up in sheer shame.

Said next is:

مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَ‌ىٰ وَلَـٰكِن تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ

It is not an invented story, rather, a confirmation of what has been before it ...,

that is, of the books revealed before it - because, this story of Sayyidna Yusuf (Joseph) (علیہ السلام) has been mentioned in the Torah and the Injil as well. And Hadrat Wahb ibn Munabbih says: There is no Scripture which does not have the story of Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) in it. (Mazhari)

And in the last sentence of the verse, it is said: وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَ‌حْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ , that is, this Qur’ an is ` an elaboration of everything' (which means that the Qur’ an has details of everything which human beings need in religion - in fields like ` Ibadat (worship of Allah), dealings, morals, social living, government, politics and many others, including injunctions and instructions about all individual and collective concerns of human life - they are all there).

Then, it was said that this Qur'an is ` guidance and mercy for a people who believe.' The restriction of those who have 'Iman or Faith has been placed here because its benefit can be enjoyed by only those who believe. It goes without saying that, though the Qur'an is nothing but mercy and guidance for disbelievers as well, but it is due to their own misconduct and disobedience that this mercy and guidance has become heavy and unwholesome for them.

Shaykh Abu al-Mansur has said: The purpose behind the whole Surah Yusuf and the story of Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) narrated therein is to comfort the Holy Prophet ﷺ `. All this is to tell him that his sufferings at the hands of his people have been the lot of past prophets too. But, in the end, Allah Ta` ala enabled his prophets to overcome - and in his case too, this is what was going to happen.

The stories of previous prophets and their communities are the stories of all mankind, as far as moral lessons are concerned. If a man exercises his wisdom he will be able to derive lessons for the present period from past incidents. He will amend his way of life on seeing the fate of others. The Quran is not a book concocted by a man. It is a Book revealed by God. It is exactly in accordance with the predictions that were made in the previous scriptures. It contains all the necessary guidance required by man. If man follows this guidance, he shall certainly be blessed by God both in this world and in the Hereafter.