Tafseer of Joseph · Yusuf · 12:70
So when he had furnished them with their supplies, he put the [gold measuring] bowl into the bag of his brother. Then an announcer called out, "O caravan, indeed you are thieves."
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: فَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُمْ بِجَهَازِهِمْ جَعَلَ السِّقَايَةَ فِي رَحْلِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَارِقُونَ (70)
Abū Jaʿfar said: When Yūsuf had loaded the camels of his brothers with the provisions that he loaded and had fulfilled their need, as in:
19510 — Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning the words فَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُمْ بِجَهَازِهِمْ : that is to say: after he had fulfilled their need for them and had measured out their measure fully.
His words جَعَلَ السِّقَايَةَ فِي رَحْلِ أَخِيهِ — that is to say: he placed the vessel with which food was measured in the baggage of his brother.
"Al-siqāya" (the drinking-cup) is the drinking vessel — the vessel from which the king drank and with which he measured food.
In accordance with what we have said, the people of interpretation also said.
Mention of who said that:
19511 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: ʿAffān related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Wāḥid related to us, on the authority of Yūnus, on the authority of al-Ḥasan: he used to say that "al-ṣuwāʿ" and "al-siqāya" are the same — the vessel from which one drinks.
19512 — He said: Shabāba related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: "al-siqāya" and "al-ṣuwāʿ" are one thing — Yūsuf drank from it.
19513 — He said: Isḥāq informed us, saying: ʿAbdullāh related to us, on the authority of Warqāʾ, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid — he said: "al-siqāya" is "al-ṣuwāʿ" — that from which Yūsuf drank.
19514 — Muḥammad ibn al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: جَعَلَ السِّقَايَةَ — he said: the drinking vessel of the king.
19515 — Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: السِّقَايَةَ فِي رَحْلِ أَخِيهِ — it is the vessel of the king from which he drank.
19516 — Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning the words قَالُوا نَفْقِدُ صُوَاعَ الْمَلِكِ وَلِمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِ حِمْلُ بَعِيرٍ — and this is "al-siqāya" from which the king drank, that is to say his measuring-cup (makkūk).
19517 — 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, concerning the words جَعَلَ السِّقَايَةَ and the words صُوَاعَ الْمَلِكِ : he said: those two are the same — "al-siqāya" and "al-ṣuwāʿ" are one thing, Yūsuf drank from it.
19518 — It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, who said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd ibn Sulaymān informed us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning the words جَعَلَ السِّقَايَةَ فِي رَحْلِ أَخِيهِ : it is the vessel from which the king drank.
19519 — Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning the words جَعَلَ السِّقَايَةَ فِي رَحْلِ أَخِيهِ : "al-siqāya" is "al-ṣuwāʿ"; it was a cup of gold, so it is related.
His words فِي رَحْلِ أَخِيهِ — that is to say: in the baggage of his brother from the mother's side and the father's side, namely Binyāmīn.
Thus also said the people of interpretation.
Mention of who said that:
19520 — Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: فِي رَحْلِ أَخِيهِ — that is to say: in the baggage of his brother.
His words ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ — that is to say: then a crier called out. It is also said: an announcer proclaimed it.
أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ — the caravan with loads. إِنَّكُمْ لَسَارِقُونَ .
In accordance with what we have said, the people of interpretation also said.
Mention of who said that:
19521 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: ʿAmr related to us, on the authority of Asbāṭ, on the authority of al-Suddī: فَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُمْ بِجَهَازِهِمْ جَعَلَ السِّقَايَةَ فِي رَحْلِ أَخِيهِ — and the brother was unaware of anything. When they departed, a crier called out before the caravan had set off: إِنَّكُمْ لَسَارِقُونَ .
19522 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq: Then he prepared for them their travel supplies, honored them, gave to them and measured out their full measure, and loaded for them camel by camel; and for his brother he loaded a camel in his name as he had done for them. Then he gave the order to place the drinking-cup of the king — "al-ṣuwāʿ" — and it is claimed that it was of silver — in the baggage of his brother Binyāmīn. Then he let them go until they were far from the village; then he gave the order to overtake them; they were held back, and then a crier called out: أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَارِقُونَ — halt! His messenger reached them and said to them, according to what is related: "Did we not lodge you well, measure out your measure fully, give you good shelter, and do for you what we did not do for others, and did we not admit you into our houses and dwellings?" — or words to that effect. They said: "Indeed; but what is the matter?" He said: "The drinking-cup of the king has disappeared and we suspect no one but you." قَالُوا تَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ مَا جِئْنَا لِنُفْسِدَ فِي الأَرْضِ وَمَا كُنَّا سَارِقِينَ .
His words أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ — the meaning of "al-ʿīr" has been set forth earlier; it is a plural without a singular from the same root.
It has been transmitted from Mujāhid that the caravan of the sons of Yaʿqūb were donkeys.
19523 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Zubayr related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid: أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ — he said: they were donkeys.
19524 — Al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, saying: a man related to me, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning the words أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَارِقُونَ : he said: the caravan were donkeys.
Notes: See the explanation of "al-tajhīz" and "al-jahāz" earlier (p. 154). — See the explanation of "al-raḥl" earlier (p. 157). — See the explanation of "adhdhana" earlier in the linguistic registers (a-dh-n). — See earlier (p. 173).
