Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (4/274)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

‘Ata’ related from Ibn ‘Abbas: Joseph’s brothers did not recognize him until he removed the crown from his head. He had a mark on his temple, and Jacob had a similar one, as did Isaac and Sarah—a mark resembling a mole. They then recognized him and said, “Are you indeed Joseph?”

It was also said that they said this merely as a supposition, until he said, “I am Joseph, and this is my brother” (1)—Benjamin. “Allah has certainly favored us”: that is, He has bestowed His favor upon us by reuniting us.

“Indeed, whoever fears Allah”—by fulfilling the obligatory duties and avoiding acts of disobedience—“and is patient”—with regard to what Allah has forbidden him—“then Allah does not allow the reward of those who do good to go to waste.” Ibn ‘Abbas said: He fears Allah by avoiding adultery and remains patient in being unmarried. Mujahid said: He avoids sin and bears imprisonment patiently.

“They said, ‘By Allah, Allah has certainly preferred you over us, and we have surely been sinful.’ (91) He said, ‘No reproach will there be upon you today. May Allah forgive you, for He is the Most Merciful of the merciful. (92) Go with this shirt of mine and cast it over my father’s face; he will regain his sight. Then bring all your family to me.’ (93)”

They said this by way of apology: “By Allah, Allah has certainly preferred you over us”; that is, Allah chose you and granted you superiority over us. “And we have surely been sinful”; that is, in what we did to you, we were nothing but mistaken sinners. It is said: one is described as having deliberately sinned when the act was intentional, whereas one is described as having erred when it was unintentional (2).

Joseph said—being forbearing—“No reproach will there be upon you today”: there shall be no rebuke for you today, nor will I mention your sin to you after today. “May Allah forgive you, for He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.”

When Joseph disclosed his identity to them, he asked them about his father. He said, “What has become of my father after me?” They replied, “He has lost his sight.” So he gave them his shirt and said:

“Go with this shirt of mine and cast it over my father’s face; he will regain his sight”; that is, he will see again. It was also said that it means: he will come to me with his sight restored, because Joseph had summoned him.

(1) For these views, see Zad al-Masir, 14:281. (2) Al-Raghib al-Isfahani states in Al-Mufradat fi Gharib al-Quran, p. 151: “Khata' (error) is deviation from the proper course, and it takes several forms. The first is for a person to intend something which it is not proper to intend and then to do it. This is complete error, for which a person is held accountable. One says khati'a, yakhta'u, khit'an, and khita'atan. Allah says: ‘Indeed, we were at fault.’ The second is for a person to intend something proper to do, but for what occurs to differ from what he intended. This is termed akhta'a, ikhta'an; thus, he is mukhti' (one who errs). Such a person was correct in his intention but erred in his action. This is what is meant by the Prophet's statement: ‘My ummah has been excused for mistakes and forgetfulness.’ ... The third is for a person to intend something improper, but for the opposite to occur. Such a person is mistaken in his intention but correct in his action; he is blameworthy for his intention, though not praiseworthy for his action. ...” See also Tafsir al-Tabari, 2:110; 6:134; 16:245.

وَقَالَ عَطَاءٌ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: إِنَّ إِخْوَةَ يُوسُفَ لَمْ يَعْرِفُوهُ حَتَّى وَضَعَ التَّاجَ عَنْ رَأْسِهِ، وَكَانَ لَهُ فِي قَرْنِهِ عَلَامَةٌ وَكَانَ لِيَعْقُوبَ مِثْلُهَا وَلِإِسْحَاقَ مِثْلُهَا وَلِسَارَةَ مِثْلُهَا شِبْهُ الشَّامَةِ، فَعَرَفُوهُ فَقَالُوا: أَئِنَّكَ لَأَنْتَ يُوسُفُ. وَقِيلَ: قَالُوهُ عَلَى التَّوَهُّمِ حَتَّى، ﴿قَالَ أَنَا يُوسُفُ وَهَذَا أَخِي﴾ (١) ، بِنْيَامِينُ، ﴿قَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا﴾ أَنْعَمَ عَلَيْنَا بِأَنْ جَمَعَ بَيْنَنَا. ﴿إِنَّهُ مَنْ يَتَّقِ﴾ بِأَدَاءِ الْفَرَائِضِ وَاجْتِنَابِ الْمَعَاصِي، ﴿وَيَصْبِرْ﴾ عَمَّا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ ﷿ عَلَيْهِ. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: يَتَّقِي الزنى وَيَصْبِرُ عَنِ الْعُزُوبَةِ. وَقَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ: يَتَّقِي الْمَعْصِيَةَ وَيَصْبِرُ عَلَى السِّجْنِ، ﴿فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾ . ﴿قَالُوا تَاللَّهَ لَقَدْ آثَرَكَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا وَإِنْ كُنَّا لَخَاطِئِينَ (٩١) قَالَ لَا تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ (٩٢) اذْهَبُوا بِقَمِيصِي هَذَا فَأَلْقُوهُ عَلَى وَجْهِ أَبِي يَأْتِ بَصِيرًا وَأْتُونِي بِأَهْلِكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ (٩٣) ﴾ . ﴿قَالُوا﴾ مُعْتَذِرِينَ، ﴿تَاللَّهَ لَقَدْ آثَرَكَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا﴾ أَيِ: اخْتَارَكَ اللَّهُ وَفَضَّلَكَ عَلَيْنَا، ﴿وَإِنْ كُنَّا لَخَاطِئِينَ﴾ أَيْ: وَمَا كُنَّا فِي صَنِيعِنَا بِكَ إِلَّا مُخْطِئِينَ مُذْنِبِينَ. يُقَالُ: خَطِئَ خِطْئاً إِذَا تَعَمَّدَ، وَأَخْطَأَ إِذَا كَانَ غَيْرَ مُتَعَمِّدٍ (٢) . ﴿قَالَ﴾ يُوسُفُ وَكَانَ حَلِيمًا، ﴿لَا تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ﴾ لَا تَعْيِيرَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ، وَلَا أَذْكُرُ لَكُمْ ذَنْبَكُمْ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ، ﴿يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ﴾ . فَلَمَّا عَرَّفَهُمْ يُوسُفُ نَفْسَهُ سَأَلَهُمْ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، فَقَالَ: مَا فَعَلَ أَبِي بَعْدِي؟ قَالُوا: ذَهَبَتْ عَيْنَاهُ فَأَعْطَاهُمْ قَمِيصَهُ، وَقَالَ: ﴿اذْهَبُوا بِقَمِيصِي هَذَا فَأَلْقُوهُ عَلَى وَجْهِ أَبِي يَأْتِ بَصِيرًا﴾ أَيْ: يَعُدْ مُبْصِرًا. وَقِيلَ: يَأْتِينِي بَصِيرًا لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ قَدْ دَعَاهُ.

(١) راجع في هذه الأقوال: زاد المسير: ١٤ / ٢٨١. (٢) قال الراغب الأصفهاني في كتابه "المفردات في غريب القرآن" ص (١٥١) : "الخطأ: العدول عن الجهة، وذلك أَضْرُبٌ: أحدها: أن يريد غير ما تَحْسُن إرادته، فيفعله، وهذا هو الخطأ التام المأخوذ به الإنسان، يقال: خَطِئَ يَخْطَأ خِطْئًا وخِطأَة، قال تعالى: (وإن كنا لخاطئين) . والثاني: أن يريد ما يَحْسُن فعله، لكن يقع منه خلاف ما يريد، فيقال: أَخْطَأَ إِخْطَاءً فهو مُخْطِئٌ. وهذا قد أصاب في الإرادة وأخطأ في الفعل، وهو المعنيّ بقوله ﵊: (رفع عن أمتي الخطأ والنسيان) .. والثالث: أن يريد ما لا يحسن فعله ويتفق منه خلافه، فهذا مخطئ في الإرادة ومصيب في الفعل، فهو مذموم بقصده، وغير محمود على فعله ... ". وانظر: تفسير الطبري: ٢ / ١١٠، ٦ / ١٣٤، ١٦ / ٢٤٥.