قَالَ هَلْ عَلِمْتُم مَّا فَعَلْتُم بِيُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ إِذْ أَنتُمْ جَـٰهِلُونَ 89
Translations
He said, "Do you know what you did with Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant?"
Transliteration
Qala hal 'alimtum ma fa'altum bi Yusuf wa akhihi idh antum jahilun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Yusuf (Joseph) confronts his brothers after revealing his identity, asking whether they comprehend the gravity of what they did to him and his brother Benjamin when they were ignorant (of the consequences and of his eventual rise to power). This moment represents both a divine reminder of their past transgression and an implicit lesson about repentance, as Yusuf's tone, according to classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, is one of mild rebuke mixed with mercy rather than harsh condemnation. The Arabic word 'jahilun' (ignorant) carries the dual meaning of both their youthful heedlessness and their spiritual blindness to divine wisdom at that time.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs in the climactic scene of Surah Yusuf where Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers after years of separation. The surah, revealed in Mecca during a period of intense persecution of Muslims, uses Joseph's story as a parallel to Prophet Muhammad's own trials, demonstrating that patience and trust in Allah ultimately lead to vindication and honor. The context shows Joseph's brothers arriving in Egypt during famine, unaware they are speaking to the brother they had betrayed decades earlier.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, Surah Yusuf itself is referenced in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim as 'Ahsan al-Qasas' (the best of stories). Additionally, hadiths on forgiveness and reconciliation, such as those in Tirmidhi regarding family reconciliation, resonate with the themes of this passage where Joseph demonstrates mercy toward his brothers' past wrongs.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that confronting past wrongs need not be done with vengeance but with wisdom and compassion, allowing others to reflect on their actions and seek repentance. It reminds believers that what appears as tragedy or injustice in the moment may be part of Allah's greater plan, and that patience and integrity ultimately lead to honor and the opportunity to show mercy to those who harmed us.