(99–100) “When they entered Joseph’s presence, he drew his parents close to him and said, ‘Enter Egypt, if Allah wills, in safety.’ He raised his parents upon the throne, and they fell down before him in prostration. He said, ‘My father, this is the fulfillment of my earlier dream. My Lord has made it come true. He was indeed gracious to me when He brought me out of prison and brought you from the desert after Satan had stirred discord between me and my brothers. My Lord is indeed subtle in bringing about whatever He wills. He alone is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.’”
That is, “when” Jacob, his sons, and all their families had made their preparations and departed their homeland, intending to join Joseph and settle in Egypt, then, when they reached him and “entered Joseph’s presence, he drew his parents close to him”—meaning, he embraced them, kept them especially close to him, and showed them immense filial devotion, honor (1), reverence, and esteem. “He said” to all his family, “Enter Egypt, if Allah wills, in safety,” secure from every harm and fear. Thus they entered in this joyful state; their weariness and the hardship of their livelihood vanished, and they found happiness and delight.
“He raised his parents upon the throne”—that is, upon the royal couch and in the seat of authority—“and they fell down before him in prostration”; that is, his father, mother, and brothers prostrated themselves as an expression of veneration, reverence, and honor. “He said,” when he saw this and saw them prostrating before him, “My father, this is the fulfillment of my earlier dream”—when he had seen eleven stars and the sun and moon prostrating before him. This was its realization and ultimate fulfillment: “My Lord has made it come true,” rather than making it a confused dream.
“He was indeed gracious to me”—with tremendous grace—“when He brought me out of prison and brought you from the desert.” This reflects Joseph’s graciousness and refined speech, peace be upon him: he mentioned his imprisonment but not his time in the well, because he had fully pardoned his brothers and would not mention that sin. He also regarded their coming from the desert as part of Allah’s grace to him.
He did not say, “He brought you away from hunger and hardship,” nor did he say, “He was gracious to you.” Rather, he said, “He was gracious to me,” thus making himself the recipient of that grace. Blessed is He who singles out for His mercy whomever He wills among His servants and grants them mercy from Himself. He is indeed the Bestower. “After Satan had stirred discord between me and my brothers.” He did not say, “Satan provoked my brothers”; rather, he spoke as though the sin and ignorance had proceeded from both sides. Praise be to Allah, who humiliated and repelled Satan and reunited us after that painful separation.
“My Lord is indeed subtle in bringing about whatever He wills”: He conveys His kindness and favor to His servant from directions the servant does not perceive and raises him to lofty stations through circumstances he dislikes. “He alone is the All-Knowing,” who knows the outward and inward aspects of all things and His servants’ secrets and innermost thoughts; “the All-Wise” in placing all things in their proper places and directing ⦗406⦘ affairs toward the times appointed for them.