Yusuf · Makki · ayah 90 of 111

Yusuf 12:90

قَالُوٓا۟ أَءِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ يُوسُفُ ۖ قَالَ أَنَا۠ يُوسُفُ وَهَـٰذَآ أَخِى ۖ قَدْ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْنَآ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ مَن يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

“They said, "Are you indeed Joseph?" He said, "I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allāh has certainly favored us. Indeed, he who fears Allāh and is patient, then indeed, Allāh does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good."”

Saheeh International

Essence

Asked in disbelief who he is, Yusuf answers with his own name, points to his brother, and gives all the credit away.

A reflection

Not a promise of a palace

The second half of this ayah is often quoted as a kind of contract. Whoever is mindful and patient, Allah does not let the reward of the good-doers be lost. Said beside Yusuf's throne, it can sound like: be good, and you too will end up running Egypt.

Look at where the sentence actually sits, and what Yusuf names first. Before any principle, he says: this is my brother. Allah has favoured us. Three concise commentaries agree on what the favour was. Not the office. He gathered us together after we were parted.

Then look at what his patience contained. One early commentator glossed it: mindful of disobedience, patient in prison. Another: mindful of a forbidden embrace, patient with years unmarried. The patience Yusuf is speaking about included a cell he chose over a sin.

And the same phrase appears elsewhere in the Qur'an, of people who never saw a throne. Of those killed at Uhud, it says they rejoice in favour from Allah. And it says that Allah does not let the reward of the believers be lost (3:171). Their reward was not visible on this side of death at all.

So the sentence does not promise how the reward will look, or when. It promises that it will not be lost. Yusuf happened to be shown some of his here. The principle does not depend on that.

A reader who expects patience to pay out in promotions will be bewildered by much of life. A reader who hears what Yusuf actually said will not.

The full entry has 6 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.