Surah Yusuf 12:76 — translation and meaning

يوسف · Verse 76 / 111 · Page 244

ۚ ۗ ۖ ۚ فَبَدَأَ بِأَوْعِيَتِهِمْ قَبْلَ وِعَاءِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ اسْتَخْرَجَهَا مِن وِعَاءِ أَخِيهِ كَذَلِكَ كِدْنَا لِيُوسُفَ مَا كَانَ لِيَأْخُذَ أَخَاهُ فِي دِينِ الْمَلِكِ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَّن نَّشَاءُ وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ

Word by Word

ۚ
ۗ
ۖ
ۚ
فَبَدَأَ
fabada-a
So he began
بِأَوْعِيَتِهِمْ
bi-aw'iyatihim
with their bags
قَبْلَ
qabla
before
وِعَاءِ
wi'ai
(the) bag
أَخِيهِ
akhihi
(of) his brother
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
اسْتَخْرَجَهَا
is'takhrajaha
he brought it out
مِن
min
from
وِعَاءِ
wi'ai
(the) bag
أَخِيهِ
akhihi
(of) his brother
كَذَلِكَ
kadhalika
Thus
كِدْنَا
kid'na
(did) We plan
لِيُوسُفَ
liyusufa
for Yusuf
مَا
ma
He could not
كَانَ
kana
He could not
لِيَأْخُذَ
liyakhudha
take
أَخَاهُ
akhahu
his brother
فِي
fi
by
دِينِ
dini
the law
الْمَلِكِ
al-maliki
(of) the king
إِلَّا
illa
except
أَن
an
that
يَشَاءَ
yashaa
Allah willed
اللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah willed
نَرْفَعُ
narfa'u
We raise
دَرَجَاتٍ
darajatin
(in) degrees
مَّن
man
whom
نَّشَاءُ
nashau
We will
وَفَوْقَ
wafawqa
but over
كُلِّ
kulli
every
ذِي
dhi
possessor
عِلْمٍ
il'min
(of) knowledge
عَلِيمٌ
alimun
(is) the All-Knower

Transliteration

Fabada-a bi-aw'iyatihim qabla wi'aaa'i akheehi summas takhrajahaa minw wi 'aaa'i akheeh; kazaalika kidnaa li Yoosuf; maa kaana liyaakhuza akhaahu fee deenil maliki illaaa any yashaaa'al laah; narfa'u darajaatim man nashaaa'; wa fawqa kulli zee 'ilmin 'Aleem

Translation

So he began [the search] with their bags before the bag of his brother; then he extracted it from the bag of his brother. Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother within the religion of the king except that Allah willed. We raise in degrees whom We will, but over every possessor of knowledge is one [more] knowing.

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

So they returned them to Joseph to inspect their bags. He started by inspecting the bags of his half-brothers before inspecting the bag of his full brother, to cover up what he was doing. Then he inspected the bag of his full brother, and took the bowl of the king out of it. As Allah planned things for Joseph by arranging to have the bowl put into the bag of his brother, He also arranged – for the benefit of Joseph – that his brothers would be given the punishment of their country, which was the enslavement of the thief. This would not have come to pass if it had been according to the punishment of the king for thieves, which was beating and fining. Allah is able to arrange matters in whatever way He wills. He raises the ranks of those of His servants whom He wills, as He raised the rank of Joseph. Above every possessor of knowledge is someone more knowledgeable than them, and above the knowledge of everyone is the knowledge of Allah, Who knows all things.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

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