Tafseer of Joseph · Yusuf · 12:18
And they brought upon his shirt false blood. [Jacob] said, "Rather, your souls have enticed you to something, so patience is most fitting. And Allah is the one sought for help against that which you describe."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the words of Allah the Exalted: وَجَاءُوا عَلَى قَمِيصِهِ بِدَمٍ كَذِبٍ قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنْفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ (And they brought upon his shirt false blood. He said: "Nay, your souls have made a matter [seem] fair to you. So beautiful patience is [my response], and Allah is the One whose help is sought against what you describe.") (verse 18)
Abū Jaʿfar says: Allah the Exalted says: (And they brought upon his shirt false blood) — Allah called it "false" because those who brought the shirt while the blood was upon it lied and said to Yaʿqūb: "This is the blood of Yūsuf" — although it was not his blood; it was the blood of a young goat (sakhla), as has been transmitted.
Mention of those who said this:
18843. Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Ṣamad al-Anṣārī related to me, saying: Abū Usāma related to us, on the authority of Shubl, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word: (And they brought upon his shirt false blood) — he said: the blood of a young goat (sakhla).
18844. Al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: Shabāba related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word: (And they brought upon his shirt false blood) — he said: the blood of a young goat (sakhla), a ewe.
18845. Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning the word of Allah: (with false blood) — he said: the blood of a young goat (sakhla), that is: of a ewe.
18846. Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shubl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning the word of Allah: (with false blood) — he said: the blood of a young goat (sakhla), a ewe.
18847. Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: ʿAbd Allāh related to us, on the authority of Warqāʾ, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word: (with false blood) — he said: that blood was false; it was not the blood of Yūsuf.
18848. Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid: (with false blood) — he said: the blood of a young goat (sakhla), a ewe.
18849. Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, on the authority of Isrāʾīl, on the authority of Simāk, on the authority of ʿIkrima, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word: (with false blood) — he said: the blood of a young goat.
18850. Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: ʿAmr ibn Muḥammad related to us, on the authority of Asbāṭ, on the authority of al-Suddī, who said: They slaughtered a young goat from the flock and smeared the shirt with its blood. Then they came to their father. Yaʿqūb said: "That wolf was then merciful indeed! How did it eat the flesh without tearing the shirt? O my son, O Yūsuf, what have the sons of the slave-women done to you!"
18851. Al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz related to us, saying: Sufyān al-Thawrī related to us, on the authority of Simāk ibn Ḥarb, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: (And they brought upon his shirt false blood) — he said: If a beast of prey had eaten him, it would have torn the shirt.
18852. Al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: Abū Khālid related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us with his isnād, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, the like of it — except that he said: If the wolf had eaten him, it would have torn the shirt.
18853. Muḥammad ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Abū Aḥmad related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Simāk, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word: (And they brought upon his shirt false blood) — he said: If the wolf had eaten him, it would have torn it.
18854. ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Abī Ziyād related to me, saying: ʿUthmān ibn ʿAmr related to us, saying: Qurra related to us, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, who said: The shirt of Yūsuf was brought to Yaʿqūb; he looked at it, saw the trace of blood but saw no tear. He said: "O my sons, I have never known the wolf to be forbearing!"
18855. Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Ṣamad al-Anṣārī related to us, saying: Abū ʿĀmir al-ʿAqadī related to us, on the authority of Qurra, who said: I heard al-Ḥasan say: When they brought the shirt of Yūsuf and Yaʿqūb saw no tear, he said: "O my sons, by Allah, I have never known the wolf to be forbearing!"
18856. Muḥammad ibn al-Muthannā related to us, saying: Ḥammād ibn Masʿada related to us, on the authority of ʿImrān ibn Muslim, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, who said: When the brothers of Yūsuf brought his shirt to their father, he began to examine it and to say: "I have never known the wolf to be forbearing? It ate up my son but left his shirt unharmed!"
18857. Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: (And they brought upon his shirt false blood) — he said: When they brought the shirt of the prophet Yaʿqūb, he said: I see no trace of a beast of prey, no stab wound and no tear.
18858. Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: (false blood) — the false blood was not the blood of Yūsuf.
18859. Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Hushaym related to us, saying: Mujālid informed us, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī, who said: They slaughtered a young goat and smeared the shirt with its blood. When Yaʿqūb saw the shirt undamaged, he understood that the people had deceived him. He said to them: "That wolf was surely forbearing — it had compassion on the shirt but had no compassion on my son!" Thus he understood that they had deceived him.
18860. Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Abū Usāma related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Simāk, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: (And they brought upon his shirt false blood) — he said: When the shirt of Yūsuf was brought to Yaʿqūb and he saw no tear in it, he said: "You are lying! If a beast of prey had eaten him, it would have torn his shirt!"
18861. Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Isḥāq al-Azraq and Yaʿlā related to us, on the authority of Zakariyyā, on the authority of Simāk, on the authority of ʿĀmir, who said: In the shirt of Yūsuf there were three signs: when they put false blood upon his shirt — he said: Yaʿqūb said: If the wolf had eaten him, it would have torn his shirt.
18862. Al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: Muḥammad related to us, saying: Zakariyyā related to us, on the authority of Simāk, on the authority of ʿĀmir, who said: It was said that there were three signs in the shirt of Yūsuf: when it was cast upon the face of his father and thereby he regained his sight; when it was torn from behind; and when they put false blood upon his shirt.
18863. Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: his father related to us, on the authority of Isrāʾīl, on the authority of Simāk, on the authority of ʿĀmir, who said: There were three signs in the shirt of Yūsuf: the tear, the blood, and the fact that it was cast upon the face of his father whereby he regained his sight.
18864. Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Abū ʿĀmir related to us, saying: Qurra related to us, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, who said: When the shirt of Yūsuf was brought to Yaʿqūb and he saw the blood but no tear, he said: "I have never known the wolf to be forbearing!"
18865. He said: Ḥammād ibn Masʿada related to us, saying: Qurra related to us, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, with the like of it.
If someone says: How can it be said (false blood) when you know for certain that it was actual blood, even if it was not the blood of Yūsuf?
The answer is that there are two approaches:
The first: that it is said (false blood) because lies were told about it — as one says "the night of the new moon," and as it is said: فَمَا رَبِحَتْ تِجَارَتُهُمْ [Sūrat al-Baqara 16]. This was a view defended by a number of the Basran grammarians.
The second approach: that it is an infinitive (maṣdar) with the meaning of the passive participle (mafʿūl). The meaning is then: they brought upon his shirt blood about which lies were told (makkdhūb) — as one says: "he has no understanding and no discernment" and "he has no firmness and does not allow himself to be flogged." The Arabs do this frequently: they place the mafʿūl pattern in the place of the infinitive, and the infinitive in the place of the mafʿūl, as al-Rāʿī said:
"Until they had left no flesh upon his bones, nor for his heart any discernment (maʿqūl)" —
This was a view defended by a number of the Kūfan grammarians.
Concerning His word: (He said: "Nay, your souls have made a matter [seem] fair to you") — Allah the Exalted says: Yaʿqūb said to his sons who had told him that the wolf had eaten Yūsuf, regarding them as liars in that report: "The matter is not as you say — (nay, your souls have made a matter [seem] fair to you)" — that is: your souls have made a matter concerning Yūsuf fair and attractive to you, and you carried it out. As:
18866. Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda — he said: (Nay, your souls have made a matter [seem] fair to you) — he said: that is: your souls have made a matter [seem] fair to you.
Concerning His word: (So beautiful patience is [my response]) — he says: My patience over what you have done to me in the matter of Yūsuf is beautiful patience, or: it is beautiful patience.
Concerning His word: (and Allah is the One whose help is sought against what you describe) — he says: I seek Allah's help to protect me against the evil of the lies that you describe.
It has been said that the "beautiful patience" is the patience in which there is no impatience or lamentation.
Mention of those who said this:
18867. Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Ibn Numayr related to us, on the authority of Warqāʾ, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: (Beautiful patience) — he said: there is no lamentation (jazaʿ) in it.
18868. Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid — the like of it.
18869. Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shubl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid — the like of it.
18870. Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Nuʿaym related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Mujāhid: (Beautiful patience) — without lamentation.
18871. He said: Isḥāq related to us, saying: ʿAbd Allāh related to us, on the authority of Warqāʾ, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid — the like of it.
18872. He said: ʿAmr ibn ʿAwn related to us, saying: Hushaym informed us, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Yaḥyā, on the authority of Ḥibbān ibn Abī Jabala, who said: The Prophet ﷺ was asked about His word: (Beautiful patience) — he said: Patience without complaint. He said: Whoever voices his grief is not patient.
18873. Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Hushaym related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Yaḥyā informed us, on the authority of Ḥibbān ibn Abī Jabala: that the Prophet ﷺ was asked about His word: (Beautiful patience) — he said: Patience without complaint.
18874. He said: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid: (Beautiful patience) — there is no lamentation in it.
18875. Al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: Shabāba related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid — the like of it.
18876. Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to me, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: al-Thawrī informed us, on the authority of a man, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word: (Beautiful patience) — he said: without lamentation.
18877. Al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz related to us, saying: al-Thawrī related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid — the like of it.
18878. Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: al-Thawrī informed us, on the authority of one of his companions, who said: It is said: three things belong to patience: that you do not complain of your pain, nor of your misfortune, and that you do not praise yourself. — He said: al-Thawrī informed us, on the authority of Ḥabīb ibn Abī Thābit: that the prophet Yaʿqūb ﷺ had let his eyebrows sink so far that he had to lift them with a cloth. He was asked: "What is this?" He said: "The long duration of the ages and the abundance of sorrows!" Then Allah the Exalted revealed to him: "O Yaʿqūb, do you complain about Me?" He said: "O Lord, it is a sin I have committed — forgive me for it."
Concerning His word: (and Allah is the One whose help is sought against what you describe):
18879. Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: (and Allah is the One whose help is sought against what you describe) — that is: against the lies that you tell.
