قَالَ لَا تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ ۖ يَغْفِرُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ 92
Translations
He said, "No blame will there be upon you today. May Allāh forgive you; and He is the most merciful of the merciful.
Transliteration
Qala la tathreeba alaikumu al-yawma yaghfiru Allahu lakum wa huwa arhamu al-rahimeen
Tafsir (Explanation)
Yusuf (peace be upon him) addresses his brothers with these words of complete forgiveness and clemency after they have revealed their identities and confessed their sin of throwing him into the well decades earlier. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that by saying 'no blame upon you today' (la tathreeba), Yusuf exemplifies the highest character, choosing to overlook their grave transgression and invoking Allah's mercy upon them, demonstrating that true nobility lies in forgiving those who have wronged us.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs at the climactic moment of Surah Yusuf when Yusuf reveals his identity to his brothers in Egypt after years of separation. The context is Yusuf's response to his brothers' fearful confession and request for forgiveness, making this a powerful testament to his moral character and faith. The surah itself emphasizes divine providence and the triumph of patience and virtue.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The strong person is not the one who can wrestle, but the strong person is the one who can control himself when angry' (Sahih Bukhari 6114), which resonates with Yusuf's display of self-control and forgiveness. Additionally, 'Whoever conceals the faults of others, Allah will conceal his faults on the Day of Judgment' (Sunan Ibn Majah 229) reflects the principle embodied in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true strength lies in forgiving those who have deeply wronged us, and that invoking God's mercy upon our wrongdoers purifies both them and us spiritually. For modern Muslims, it serves as a powerful reminder that holding grudges diminishes the soul, while extending forgiveness—especially to family—reflects the attributes of Allah and brings about healing and unity.
Related Ayahs
قَالُوٓا۟ أَءِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ يُوسُفُ ۖ قَالَ أَنَا۠ يُوسُفُ وَهَـٰذَآ أَخِى ۖ قَدْ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْنَآ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ مَن يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
They said, "Are you indeed Joseph?" He said, "I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allāh has certainly favored us. Indeed, he who fears Allāh and is patient, then indeed, Allāh does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good."
وَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهَازِهِمْ قَالَ ٱئْتُونِى بِأَخٍ لَّكُم مِّنْ أَبِيكُمْ ۚ أَلَا تَرَوْنَ أَنِّىٓ أُوفِى ٱلْكَيْلَ وَأَنَا۠ خَيْرُ ٱلْمُنزِلِينَ
And when he had furnished them with their supplies, he said, "Bring me a brother of yours from your father. Do you not see that I give full measure and that I am the best of accommodators?
وَٱتَّبَعْتُ مِلَّةَ ءَابَآءِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ ۚ مَا كَانَ لَنَآ أَن نُّشْرِكَ بِٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ
And I have followed the religion of my fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And it was not for us to associate anything with Allāh. That is from the favor of Allāh upon us and upon the people, but most of the people are not grateful.
قَالُوا۟ جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥ مَن وُجِدَ فِى رَحْلِهِۦ فَهُوَ جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
[The brothers] said, "Its recompense is that he in whose bag it is found - he [himself] will be its recompense. Thus do we recompense the wrongdoers."