Tafseer of Joseph · Yusuf · 12:55
[Joseph] said, "Appoint me over the storehouses of the land. Indeed, I will be a knowing guardian."
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: قَالَ اجْعَلْنِي عَلَى خَزَائِنِ الأَرْضِ إِنِّي حَفِيظٌ عَلِيمٌ (He said: "Set me over the storehouses of the land; verily, I am a watchful keeper, possessing great knowledge." — 12:55)
Abū Jaʿfar says: Allah, the Exalted, says: Yūsuf said to the king: set me over the storehouses of your land.
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This is the plural of "khizāna" (storehouse).
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The definite article "al" (alif and lām) entered into "al-arḍ" (the land) as a substitute for the construct (genitive annexation), as the poet said:
Wa-al-aḥlāmu ghayru ʿawāzibi
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This is, from Yūsuf, the blessings of Allah be upon him, a request to the king that he entrust him with the management of the food of his land and its taxes, and that he take upon himself the care of the affairs of the land; and the king indeed did this with him, according to what has reached me, as:
19453 — Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word (ijʿalnī ʿalā khazāʾini al-arḍ): Pharaoh had many storehouses besides the food; he said: he handed over to him his full authority, and made him the judge; his command and his judgment were in force.
19454 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ibrāhīm ibn al-Mukhtār related to us, on the authority of Shayba al-Ḍabbī, concerning His word (ijʿalnī ʿalā khazāʾini al-arḍ), he said: over the guarding of the food.
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His word (innī ḥafīẓun ʿalīm) — the people of interpretation differed concerning its explanation.
Some said: its meaning is: I am a watchful keeper of what you place with me in trust, knowing of what you entrust to me.
Mention of who said this:
19455 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq: (innī ḥafīẓun ʿalīm): I am a keeper of what you place with me in trust, knowing of what you entrust to me. He said: "So be it."
19456 — Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word (innī ḥafīẓun ʿalīm): he says: a watchful keeper of what I administer, knowing of its affair.
19457 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ibrāhīm ibn al-Mukhtār related to us, on the authority of Shayba al-Ḍabbī, concerning His word (innī ḥafīẓun ʿalīm): he says: I am a watchful keeper of what you place with me in trust, knowing of the years of famine.
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Others said: I am a keeper of the accounts, knowing of the languages.
Mention of who said this:
19458 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: ʿAmr related to us, on the authority of al-Ashjāʿī: (innī ḥafīẓun ʿalīm): a keeper of the accounts, knowing of the languages.
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Abū Jaʿfar says: The more correct of the two opinions with us is the opinion of the one who said: its meaning is "I am a keeper of what you place with me in trust, knowing of what you entrust to me" — for this follows upon His word (ijʿalnī ʿalā khazāʾini al-arḍ) and his request to the king that he let him manage the storehouses of the land; it was then more fitting that he inform him that he has experience and competence therein, than that he inform him of his knowledge of the accounts and his mastery of the languages.
