وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَجْتَبِيكَ رَبُّكَ وَيُعَلِّمُكَ مِن تَأْوِيلِ ٱلْأَحَادِيثِ وَيُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰٓ ءَالِ يَعْقُوبَ كَمَآ أَتَمَّهَا عَلَىٰٓ أَبَوَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ 6
Translations
And thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of narratives [i.e., events or dreams] and complete His favor upon you and upon the family of Jacob, as He completed it upon your fathers before, Abraham and Isaac. Indeed, your Lord is Knowing and Wise."
Transliteration
Wa-kadhalika yajtabika rabbuka wa-yu'allimuka min ta'wil al-ahadith wa-yutimm ni'matahu 'alayka wa-'ala ali ya'qub kama atmamaha 'ala abawyka min qabl ibrahima wa-ishaq. Inna rabbaka 'alimun hakim.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses Yusuf, informing him that just as He chose his ancestors Ibrahim and Ishaq, He has likewise chosen Yusuf and will grant him knowledge of dream interpretation (ta'wil al-ahadith) and complete His blessings upon him and the family of Ya'qub. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this verse establishes Yusuf's elevated status and divine favor, preparing him for his prophetic mission through the gift of understanding and interpreting dreams and hidden matters. The verse also highlights the continuity of divine guidance through the prophetic lineage and Allah's perfection of His grace upon the righteous.
Revelation Context
This verse occurs within the opening section of Surah Yusuf where Ya'qub addresses his son Yusuf after the latter relates his dream. The context is part of the narrative concerning Ya'qub's recognition of Yusuf's exceptional status and his role in the divine plan. The surah is Meccan, revealed during the Prophet Muhammad's early preaching period, and uses the story of Yusuf as a means of spiritual consolation and moral instruction.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have said regarding dream interpretation: 'The best of you are those who have the best dreams, and the best dreams are those of the prophets.' (Related in various hadith collections). Additionally, Sahih Bukhari reports that 'Aisha said the Prophet emphasized that true dreams are from Allah and false dreams are from Shaytan, connecting to the theme of divine guidance in understanding spiritual knowledge.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah's favors are bestowed upon those He chooses, and these blessings come with corresponding responsibilities and divine guidance for a greater purpose. For modern believers, it inspires trust in Allah's plan for our lives and encourages seeking knowledge and spiritual development as means through which Allah perfects His blessings upon us and our families.
Related Ayahs
وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلِكُ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰ سَبْعَ بَقَرَٰتٍ سِمَانٍ يَأْكُلُهُنَّ سَبْعٌ عِجَافٌ وَسَبْعَ سُنۢبُلَـٰتٍ خُضْرٍ وَأُخَرَ يَابِسَـٰتٍ ۖ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلَأُ أَفْتُونِى فِى رُءْيَـٰىَ إِن كُنتُمْ لِلرُّءْيَا تَعْبُرُونَ
And [subsequently] the king said, "Indeed, I have seen [in a dream] seven fat cows being eaten by seven [that were] lean, and seven green spikes [of grain] and others [that were] dry. O eminent ones, explain to me my vision, if you should interpret visions."
قَالَ هَلْ عَلِمْتُم مَّا فَعَلْتُم بِيُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ إِذْ أَنتُمْ جَـٰهِلُونَ
He said, "Do you know what you did with Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant?"
ثُمَّ بَدَا لَهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا رَأَوُا۟ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَيَسْجُنُنَّهُۥ حَتَّىٰ حِينٍ
Then it appeared to them after they had seen the signs that he [i.e., al-ʿAzeez] should surely imprison him for a time.
قَالَ لَا يَأْتِيكُمَا طَعَامٌ تُرْزَقَانِهِۦٓ إِلَّا نَبَّأْتُكُمَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِۦ قَبْلَ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمَا ۚ ذَٰلِكُمَا مِمَّا عَلَّمَنِى رَبِّىٓ ۚ إِنِّى تَرَكْتُ مِلَّةَ قَوْمٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَهُم بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ هُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ
He said, "You will not receive food that is provided to you except that I will inform you of its interpretation before it comes to you. That is from what my Lord has taught me. Indeed, I have left the religion of a people who do not believe in Allāh, and they, in the Hereafter, are disbelievers.