Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

They find Their Money returned to Their Bags Allah says, when Yusuf's brothers opened their bags, they found their merchandise inside them, for Yusuf had ordered his servants to return it to their bags. When they found their merchandise in their bags, قَالُواْ يأَبَانَا مَا نَبْغِى (They said: "O our father! What (more) can we desire..."), what more can we ask for, هَـذِهِ بِضَـعَتُنَا رُدَّتْ إِلَيْنَا (This, our money has been returned to us;) Qatadah commented (that they said), "What more can we ask for, our merchandise was returned to us and the `Aziz has given us the sufficient load we wanted" They said next, وَنَمِيرُ أَهْلَنَا (so we shall get (more) food for our family,), `if you send our brother with us the next time we go to buy food for our family,' وَنَحْفَظُ أَخَانَا وَنَزْدَادُ كَيْلَ بَعِيرٍ (and we shall guard our brother and add one more measure of a camel's load.) since Yusuf, peace be upon him, gave each man a camel's load of corn. ذلِكَ كَيْلٌ يَسِيرٌ (This quantity is easy (for the king to give).) They said these words to make their case more appealing, saying that taking their brother with them is worth this gain, قَالَ لَنْ أُرْسِلَهُ مَعَكُمْ حَتَّى تُؤْتُونِ مَوْثِقًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ (He Ya`qub (Jacob) said: "I will not send him with you until you swear a solemn oath to me in Allah's Name..."), until you swear by Allah with the strongest oath, لَتَأْتُنَّنِى بِهِ إِلاَّ أَن يُحَاطَ بِكُمْ (that you will bring him back to me unless you are yourselves surrounded (by enemies)), unless you were all overwhelmed and were unable to rescue him, فَلَمَّآ ءَاتَوْهُ مَوْثِقَهُمْ (And when they had sworn their solemn oath), he affirmed it further, saying, اللَّهُ عَلَى مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌ (Allah is the Witness to what we have said.) Ibn Ishaq commented, "Ya`qub did that because he had no choice but to send them to bring necessary food supplies for their survival. So he sent Binyamin with them."

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Ya`qub orders His Children to enter Egypt from Different Gates Allah says that Ya`qub, peace be upon him, ordered his children, when he sent Binyamin with them to Egypt, to enter from different gates rather than all of them entering from one gate. Ibn `Abbas, Muhammad bin Ka`b, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak Qatadah, As-Suddi and several others said that he feared the evil eye for them, because they were handsome and looked beautiful and graceful. He feared that people might direct the evil eye at them, because the evil eye truly harms, by Allah's decree, and brings down the mighty warrior-rider from his horse. He next said, l وَمَآ أُغْنِى عَنكُمْ مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ (and I cannot avail you against Allah at all.) this precaution will not resist Allah's decision and appointed decree. Verily, whatever Allah wills, cannot be resisted or stopped, إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلاَّ للَّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَعَلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَوَلَمَّا دَخَلُواْ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَهُمْ أَبُوهُم مَّا كَانَ يُغْنِى عَنْهُمْ مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ إِلاَّ حَاجَةً فِى نَفْسِ يَعْقُوبَ قَضَاهَا ("Verily, the decision rests only with Allah. In Him, I put my trust and let all those that trust, put their trust in Him." And when they entered according to their father's advice, it did not avail them in the least against (the will of) Allah; it was but a need of Ya`qub's inner self which he discharged. ), as a precaution against the evil eye, وَإِنَّهُ لَذُو عِلْمٍ لِّمَا عَلَّمْنَاهُ (And verily, he was endowed with knowledge because We had taught him,) he had knowledge that he implemented, according to Qatadah and Ath-Thawri. Ibn Jarir said that this part of the Ayah means, he has knowledge that We taught him, وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (but most men know not.)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Ya`qub orders His Children to enter Egypt from Different Gates Allah says that Ya`qub, peace be upon him, ordered his children, when he sent Binyamin with them to Egypt, to enter from different gates rather than all of them entering from one gate. Ibn `Abbas, Muhammad bin Ka`b, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak Qatadah, As-Suddi and several others said that he feared the evil eye for them, because they were handsome and looked beautiful and graceful. He feared that people might direct the evil eye at them, because the evil eye truly harms, by Allah's decree, and brings down the mighty warrior-rider from his horse. He next said, l وَمَآ أُغْنِى عَنكُمْ مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ (and I cannot avail you against Allah at all.) this precaution will not resist Allah's decision and appointed decree. Verily, whatever Allah wills, cannot be resisted or stopped, إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلاَّ للَّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَعَلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَوَلَمَّا دَخَلُواْ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَهُمْ أَبُوهُم مَّا كَانَ يُغْنِى عَنْهُمْ مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ إِلاَّ حَاجَةً فِى نَفْسِ يَعْقُوبَ قَضَاهَا ("Verily, the decision rests only with Allah. In Him, I put my trust and let all those that trust, put their trust in Him." And when they entered according to their father's advice, it did not avail them in the least against (the will of) Allah; it was but a need of Ya`qub's inner self which he discharged. ), as a precaution against the evil eye, وَإِنَّهُ لَذُو عِلْمٍ لِّمَا عَلَّمْنَاهُ (And verily, he was endowed with knowledge because We had taught him,) he had knowledge that he implemented, according to Qatadah and Ath-Thawri. Ibn Jarir said that this part of the Ayah means, he has knowledge that We taught him, وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (but most men know not.)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Yusuf comforts Binyamin Allah states that when Yusuf's brothers went in before him along with his full brother Binyamin, he invited them to a place of honor as privileged guests. He granted them gifts and generous hospitality and kindness. He met his brother in confidence and told him the story of what happened to him and that he was in fact his brother. He said to him, لاتَبْتَئِسْ `(grieve not) nor feel sad for what they did to me.' He ordered Binyamin to hide the news from them and to refrain from telling them that the `Aziz is his brother Yusuf. He plotted with him to keep him in Egypt enjoying honor and great hospitality.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Yusuf had His Golden Bowl placed in Binyamin's Bag; a Plot to keep Him in Egypt After Yusuf supplied them with their provisions, he ordered some of his servants to place his silver bowl (in Binyamin's bag), according to the majority of scholars. Some scholars said that the king's bowl was made from gold. Ibn Zayd added that the king used it to drink from, and later, measured food grains with it since food became scarce in that time, according to Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd. Shu`bah said that Abu Bishr narrated that Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Ibn `Abbas said that the king's bowl was made from silver and he used it to drink with. Yusuf had the bowl placed in Binyamin's bag while they were unaware, and then had someone herald, أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَارِقُونَ (O you (in) the caravan! Surely, you are thieves!) They looked at the man who was heralding this statement and asked him, مَّاذَا تَفْقِدُونَقَالُواْ نَفْقِدُ صُوَاعَ الْمَلِكِ ("What is it that you have lost" They said: "We have lost the bowl of the king..."), which he used to measure food grains, وَلِمَن جَآءَ بِهِ حِمْلُ بَعِيرٍ (and for him who produces it is a camel load), as a reward, وَأَنَاْ بِهِ زَعِيمٌ (and I will be bound by it.), as assurance of delivery of the reward.