Tafseer of Joseph · Yusuf · 12:78
They said, "O 'Azeez, indeed he has a father [who is] an old man, so take one of us in place of him. Indeed, we see you as a doer of good."
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: قَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَا الْعَزِيزُ إِنَّ لَهُ أَبًا شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا فَخُذْ أَحَدَنَا مَكَانَهُ إِنَّا نَرَاكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ (78)
Abū Jaʿfar said: Allah the Exalted says: The brothers of Yūsuf said to Yūsuf: يَا أَيُّهَا الْعَزِيزُ — O king — إِنَّ لَهُ أَبًا شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا — who leans heavily upon his love — they meant Yaʿqūb. فَخُذْ أَحَدَنَا مَكَانَهُ — that is to say: so take one of us in the place of Binyāmīn and set him free. إِنَّا نَرَاكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ — that is to say: we regard you as one who acts well in his deeds.
Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq said the following about it:
19614 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, he said: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq: إِنَّا نَرَاكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ — we regard that as a good deed on your part if you do it.
Note: See the explanation of "al-ʿazīz" earlier (p. 62, note 5 and the references there).
