Tafseer of Joseph · Yusuf · 12:39
O [my] two companions of prison, are separate lords better or Allah, the One, the Prevailing?
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 word of Allah, the Exalted: يَا صَاحِبَيِ السِّجْنِ أَأَرْبَابٌ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمِ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ (O two companions of the prison, are diverse lords better, or Allah, the One, the Subduer?) [12:39]
Abū Jaʿfar said: It is reported that Yūsuf ﷺ spoke these words to the two young men who entered the prison with him, because one of them was a polytheist (mushrik); he called him with these words to Islām and to abandoning the worship of deities (āliha) and idols, and said: يَا صَاحِبَيِ السِّجْنِ — that is to say: O people who are in the prison; he made them his "companions" on account of their dwelling therein — just as Allah, the Exalted, called the inhabitants of Paradise: "Those are the inhabitants (aṣḥāb) of Paradise — they abide therein eternally" — and likewise the people of the Fire; He called them "its inhabitants" on account of their dwelling therein. [note 1]
أَأَرْبَابٌ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمِ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ — he says: Is the worship of diverse lords (arbāb) and multiple deities (āliha) that bring neither benefit nor harm better — or is the worship of the one Worshipped One who has no second in His power and dominion, who has subjected all things and abased them, and to whom they are obedient — willingly and by compulsion? [note 2]
With what we have said concerning this the exegetes are in agreement.
Mention of who said that:
19289 — Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda — concerning His word يَا صَاحِبَيِ السِّجْنِ أَأَرْبَابٌ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ up to His word لا يَعْلَمُونَ — that he said: "When Allah's prophet Yūsuf knew that one of them had been saved, he called them to their portion with their Lord and their share of their Hereafter."
19290 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid — يَا صَاحِبَيِ السِّجْنِ — that Yūsuf says this.
19291 — [It was related to us], saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of Warqāʾ, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid — to the same effect.
19292 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq — who said: "Then he called them to Allah and to Islām and said: يَا صَاحِبَيِ السِّجْنِ أَأَرْبَابٌ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمِ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ — that is to say: Is it better to worship one God, or diverse gods that avail you nothing?"
