مَلِكِ

Important Words:

صواع (measuring cup) is derived from صاع. They say, صاع الشیء i.e. he folded or doubled the thing; he twisted it or bent it. صاع الحب means, he measured the corn with the measure known as صاع. صاع القوم means, he incited the people against one another. صاع is a well-known measure for measuring corn, etc. صواع means, a certain measure for measuring corn; a cup of the kind called جام from which one drinks (Aqrab & Lane).

Commentary:

The incident mentioned in this and the contiguous verses has given rise to much controversy. It is absurd to say, as some commentators of the Quran have done, that Joseph first intentionally put the drinking cup into his brother’s sack, and then accused him of theft—an action much below his dignity, inasmuch as it represents him as guilty not only of lying but also of great injustice to his brother. The whole story has originated with the Bible from which some commentators seem to have unthinkingly borrowed it. See Genesis 44:2-15.

The Quran makes the whole matter quite clear. What Joseph is mentioned as having put into his brother’s sack was a سقایة (a drinking cup), while the vessel which was declared by the royal proclaimer to be missing was صواع (a measuring cup). Unlike the سقایة the صواع has here been called صواع الملك i.e. the measuring cup of the King because it was Government property. Joseph had himself put a سقایة (a drinking cup) into his brother’s sack without the latter’s knowledge, that it might be of use to him on the journey. But the صواع الملك i.e. the royal measuring cup which seemed to have been in Joseph’s hand when he was saying farewell to his brother happened to be placed in Benjamin’s sack by mistake, nobody knowing how it found its way there. In search for this precious thing the luggage of the whole caravan was searched, that of Benjamin last of all. But it happened to be found in his luggage along with the سقایة (drinking cup) which Joseph had himself put there. Joseph at once understood how the mistake had occurred, but, thinking that all this was God’s own plan for detaining Benjamin, he judiciously kept silent until the caravan was gone. This is how Benjamin remained behind with Joseph.

6:84.

Commentary:

The words, Thus did We plan for Joseph, make it clear beyond any shadow of doubt that the whole thing was planned by God Himself, Joseph having no hand in it. Quite inadvertently Joseph happened to place the King’s measuring cup in Benjamin’s luggage and his brothers happened themselves to make the suggestion which enabled Joseph to detain Benjamin.

Incidentally, the verse also shows that even a Prophet living under an alien government should abide by its laws and give it his full cooperation. Joseph desired to keep his brother with him, but the law of the land forbade him to do so. A Providential combination of circumstances, however, enabled him to satisfy his heart’s desire. The mistaken view held by some Muslims that a foreign Government is not entitled to their loyalty and cooperation finds no support in Islam. It tends adversely to affect their morals, and their whole attitude towards their rulers is calculated to become based on insincerity, even hypocrisy.

The words, then he began the search with their sacks before the sack of his brother, do not mean that Joseph made the search personally. The pronoun "he" refers to the man who announced the loss of the measuring cup and who naturally himself came forward to make the search. The reason why he searched Benjamin’s luggage last lies in the fact that, owing to Joseph’s kindly attitude towards him, the proclaimer naturally desired to show the greatest possible deference to Benjamin.

See 61:2.

Commentary:

The verse speaks of four Divine attributes which specially concern the fourfold mission of the Holy Prophet, mentioned in the next verse.

59:24; 62:2.