یٰۤاَبَتِ

12:101.

Important Words:

یوسف (Joseph) was the eleventh son of the Prophet Jacob, otherwise known as Israel, and the elder of the two sons of Rachel. The meaning given to the name is "shall add" i.e. "The Lord shall add to me another son" (Gen. 30:24). A somewhat detailed account of his life is given in the present Surah. It should, however, be added that Joseph possesses the unique characteristic among all Prophets of God that not only was he himself a Prophet of God but his father, Jacob, his grandfather, Isaac, and his great-grandfather, Abraham, were all God’s chosen Messengers. The Holy Prophetreferred to this characteristic of Joseph in one of his well-known sayings when, on being asked by some of his Companions as to who was the noblest of men, he is reported to have replied, "Truly the noblest of men is the Prophet Joseph who was the son, grandson and great-grandson of a Prophet of God" (Bukhari, Kitab Bad’ul-Khalq). It may also be noted here that, though Joseph was buried in Egypt, his remains were later removed by Moses to Palestine when the Israelites were commanded by God to leave Egypt (Enc. Bib.).

کوکبا (stars) is derived from کوکب (kaukaba) which means, it (iron) glistened; was lustrous, or bright. کوکب (kaukabun) of which the plural is کواکب means, a star; an asterism; a constellation; the source or spring of a well; the lustre or brightness of iron, etc.; a sword; a whiteness in the eye; a tract which differs in colour from the land in which it lies; a youth nearly of the age of puberty; also a youth who has attained the period of adolescence and whose face has become beautiful; the chief or lord, or prince and horseman, or cavalier of a people; an armed man; a mountain; a troop of horses; the greater or chief part of a thing; the flower or flowers of a garden, etc. (Lane).

Commentary:

With this verse begins the story of Joseph, and in this very verse two important differences in the accounts of the Bible and the Quran and in the manner of their narration have been brought to light. Firstly, the Biblical account begins with a description of the pedigree of Joseph, while the Quran leaves this unimportant detail to be filled up by historians and begins the actual narration with the dream of Joseph, which constitutes its pivot. The whole life of Joseph revolves round this dream. Thus the Quran has opened the narrative with a much better and more appropriate beginning than the Bible. Secondly, while describing the dream of Joseph, the Bible mentions the sun and the moon first and the eleven stars afterwards, as making obeisance to Joseph (Gen. 37:9), but the Quran reverses the order; and actual facts of history support the order followed by the Quran, for it was the brethren of Joseph (the eleven stars) who met him first and made obeisance to him and his parents came afterwards. The vision as given in the Quran was literally fulfilled in actual life.

The word ساجدین (making obeisance) in the verse does not mean that the brothers and parents of Joseph actually fell prostrate before him. The root-meaning of this word being "obedience" and "submission" (for which see 2:35), the expression signified only that they would become obedient to the authority of Joseph and so it actually came to pass, for the parents and brothers of Joseph came to reside in the land where Joseph held sway as a Minister of State. Thus it was that they became ساجد or obedient to him. The names of the eleven brothers of Joseph, as given in the Bible, are:Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

The incident of the vision related by Joseph to his father furnishes two points of resemblance between him and the Holy Prophet. Just as Joseph’s vision, which was his first revelation, foretold his future greatness; so the first revelation of the Holy Prophet in the Cave of Hira predicted that he was to become the most honoured man of the human race. In 96:2-5, containing the first revelation which the Holy Prophet received, he was told that God would make him the most honoured among mankind and through him would teach men things which they did not know before, and that he would be the most honoured man not only among his contemporaries but also among those who had gone before him as well as those who would come after him. In this way, he would not only be the chief among his own brethren or followers, but also among his spiritual forefathers, the Prophets of yore. This is why the Holy Prophet is reported to have said لوکان موسی و عیسی حیین لما وسعھما الااتباعی i.e. even if Moses and Jesus had been living, they could not have helped tendering their allegiance to me (Kathir. vol. 2, p. 246). He also said انا سید ولد آدم i.e. I am the chief of all the children of Adam (Tirmidhi, ch. on Manaqib).

The second point of resemblance between the Holy Prophet and Joseph mentioned in this verse is that, whereas Joseph related his vision to his father, the Holy Prophet, at the instance of his wife, Khadijah, related his first revelation to Waraqah bin Naufal, who was one of the elders of the family (Bukhari).

Commentary:

As the word رفع (raised) also means, "to present one to a person of high rank" (3:56), the verse is capable of two interpretations: Firstly, that Joseph presented his parents to the King, for in this case العرش (the throne) would signify the King. According to the Bible, Joseph presented his father and some of his brethren to Pharaoh (Gen. 47:2, 7). Secondly, it may mean that Joseph made his parents sit on his own throne, for in ancient times the deputies of kings also used to have their own thrones. Hence it is possible that Joseph made his parents and his brethren sit on his throne with Pharaoh’s permission.

The words خروا له سجدا do not mean that Joseph’s brothers and his parents fell prostrate before him. They only mean that they fell prostrate before God for Joseph i.e. they thanked God for raising Joseph to such an eminent position. Thus, Joseph was the cause and not the object of their prostration. See also 2:35.

The verse also throws some light on the sublime morals of God’s noble Prophets. Joseph’s brothers had left their home in search of food, but he speaks of their coming to him as a special favour of God to himself.

Again, while mentioning God’s favours he refers only to his being taken out of prison and makes no mention of being rescued from the well, lest his brothers might feel ashamed.

The word لطیف (Benignant) when applied to God, means, He Who takes care of His creatures through love or benevolence or Who benefits others with His love and kindness; He Who knows hidden things. See also 6:104.

6:76; 21:53; 26:71; 37:86-87.

Important Words:

اب (father) which originally was ابوmeans, a father; a grandfather; an ancestor; a paternal uncle. ابوالمرأة means, the woman’s husband. ابت in reality is ابی (my father). According to Arabic usage ی has been converted into ت (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The point whether Abraham’s اب (ab) whose name at another place in the Quran (6:75) has been given as Azar was his father, uncle or grandfather, is much in dispute. In 2:134 Ishmael who was Jacob’s uncle has been spoken of as his اب (ab). Whether Azar was Abraham’s father or uncle does not possess much significance. From a study of all relevant historical facts, however, we are inclined to the view that Azar was Abraham’s father, though according to some Talmudic traditions Abraham’s father had died while he was young and he was left an orphan.

In Genesis (11: 26) Abraham’s father’s name has been given as Terah while Luke (3: 34) gives it as Thara. The Talmud agrees with Luke and says that his name was Thara. It also gives his name as Zarah. Eusebius, the father of ecclesiastical history, however, gives Athar as the name of the great Patriarch’s father (Sale). This shows that even among the Jews there existed no unanimity of views as to the name of Abraham’s father. The fact that Eusebius followed neither Genesis (11: 26) nor (Luke 3: 34) indicates that he had very strong reasons to differ from these two well-known sources. The two names, Athar of Eusebius and Azar of the Quran closely resemble each other. The Quranic version is therefore much more reliable and akin to reality than that of the Bible. See also 6:75.

The attributes "All-Hearing" and "All-Seeing" are among the most important Divine attributes. It is our conviction that God sees us when we are in trouble and hears our prayers when we pray to Him which is really at the root of our belief in God. If once we cease to believe in these two attributes, we cease to believe in God. But these two attributes are here further complemented by a third—the attribute غنیwhich means, One Who has no need of others and is Self-Sufficient but Whose help others need and upon Whom they are dependent. If God is not غنی and cannot come to our help when we need it, then His attributes "All-Seeing" and "All-Hearing" are of no use. Abraham has indeed adduced a most convincing and unassailable argument against idol-worship, viz. if the idols do neither see when their votaries are in trouble, nor hear their prayers when they call on them, nor do they come to their help when they need it, then what sense or purpose there is in worshipping such useless things?

6:143; 24:22; 36:61.

Commentary:

عبادة which is noun-infinitive from the verb عبد does not consist only in prostrating before God or an idol, but also signifies blindly or unthinkingly following a person or accepting an idea or belief without subjecting it to sane and searching criticism. This significance of the word is clear from the verse itself, because nobody has ever been seen to worship Satan in the sense that he prostrates before him and prays to him. It also appears from this verse that the word شیطان (Satan) here does not mean the 'Devil' or even the idols. Here it only signifies evil inclinations, wrong ideas and beliefs and bad associates and evil spirits. According to these meanings of the words عبادة and شیطان the verse would signify that one should not follow blindly or unthinkingly evil inclinations, wrong beliefs or bad friends or associates. Such an attitude on one’s part is tantamount to giving them Divine status and to worshipping them.

The word عصیا (rebel) also indicates that شیطان in this verse does not signify idols made of wood or stone because idols of stone do not disobey God. From the previous verse one may have been led to think that Abraham had advised his father against idol-worship only. This verse belies that idea and indicates that he advised him also against blindly following evil inclinations, wrong beliefs and association with evil persons. The words الشیطان (Satan) includes all these things.

Commentary:

The linking of عذاب (punishment) with the Divine attribute الرحمن (the Gracious) in this and other verses of this Surahappears to be somewhat incongruent and inconsistent. Punishment seems more appropriately related to God’s other attributes such as الجبار (the Subduer), القھار (the Most Supreme), ذو انتقام (the Avenger) etc. In fact, every punishment is the result of the defiance or disobedience of a particular Divine attribute. Sometimes a person is punished because he defies the Divine attribute الغفار (the Great Forgiver), at another time punishment comes upon him because he disobeys the Divine attribute الکریم (Most Generous) and so on. In this verse, in fact in the whole Surah, شرک i.e. idolatry, has been repeatedly denounced and condemned in the strongest and most scathing terms and the Divine attribute الرحمن i.e. the Gracious, has also been mentioned again and again because شرک (idolatry) in every shape and form is the direct result of denial of رحمانیةi.e. Divine grace. The two great idolatrous peoples—the Hindus and the Christians, have hopelessly fallen victim to the most degraded form of idolatry because they both deny رحمانیة i.e. Divine grace—the former by believing in the indestructibility and eternity of matter and soul and the latter by subscribing to the foolish doctrine that salvation is impossible without Atonement. So the mentioning together of the Divine attribute الرحمن (the Gracious) and Divine punishment shows that it is not رحمانیة i.e. Divine grace, which is the cause of Divine punishment, rather it is its denial and rejection.

شیطان (Satan), as stated above, may signify man’s evil inclinations and propensities, his bad friends and associates and evil spirits that cast their shadows upon him and lead him deeper and deeper into sin and transgression.

Commentary:

See next verse.