Al-Qur'an Surah Yusuf Verse 76

Mufti Taqi Usmani

So, he started with their bags before (searching) the bag of his brother, then, recovered it from the bag of his brother.This is how We planned for Yūsuf. He had no right to take his brother according to the law of the king, unless Allah so willed. We elevate in ranks whomsoever We will. Above every man of knowledge, there is someone more knowledgeable.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Joseph began searching their bags before that of his brother ˹Benjamin˺, then brought it out of Benjamin’s bag. This is how We inspired Joseph to plan. He could not have taken his brother under the King’s law, but Allah had so willed. We elevate in rank whoever We will. But above those ranking in knowledge is the One All-Knowing.

Ruwwad Translation Center

So he began searching their bags before his brother’s bag, then he brought it out of his brother’s bag. This is how We planned for Joseph; he could not have detained his brother under the King’s law, unless Allah so willed. We raise in ranks whom We will, but above each one who possesses knowledge is the All-Knowing One.

A. J. Arberry

So he made beginning with their sacks, before his brother's sack, then he pulled it out of his brother's sack. So We contrived for Joseph's sake; he could not have taken his brother, according to the king's doom, except that God willed. Whomsoever We will, We raise in rank; over every man of knowledge is One who knows.

Abdul Haleem

[Joseph] began by searching their bags, then his brother’s, and he pulled it out from his brother’s bag. In this way We devised a plan for Joseph- if God had not willed it so, he could not have detained his brother as a penalty under the king’s law- We raise the rank of whoever We will. Above everyone who has knowledge there is the One who is all knowing.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Then he began with their sacks before the sack of his brother; then he brought it forth from his brothers sack. In this wise We contrived for Yusuf. He was not one to take his brother by the law of the king, except that Allah willed. We exalt in degrees whomsoever We will, and above every knowing one is a Knower.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

So he began (the search) with their baggage, before (he came to) the baggage of his brother; at length he brought it out of his brother's baggage. Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not take his brother by the law of the king except that Allah willed it (so). We raise to degrees (of wisdom) whom We please; but over all endued with knowledge is one, the All-Knowing.

Abul Ala Maududi

Then Joseph began searching their bags before searching his own brother's bag. Then he brought forth the drinking-cup from his brother's bag. Thus did We contrive to support Joseph. He had no right, according to the religion of the king (i.e. the law of Egypt), to take his brother, unless Allah so willed. We exalt whomsoever We will over others by several degrees. And above all those who know is the One Who truly knows.

Ahmed Ali

So he searched their saddle-bags before his brother's, then produced the cup from his brother's bag. That is how We planned an excuse for Joseph, for under the law of the king he could not detain his brother unless God so willed. We raise the status of whom We please. Over every man of knowledge there is one more knowing.

Ahmed Raza Khan

So he first searched their bags before his brother’s bag, then removed it from his brother’s bag; this was the plan We had taught Yusuf; he had no right to take his brother by the king’s law, except if Allah wills; We may raise in ranks whomever We will; and above every possessor of knowledge is another scholar.

Ali Quli Qarai

Then he began with their sacks, before [opening] his brother’s sack. Then he took it out from his brother’s sack. Thus did We devise for Joseph’s sake. He could not have held his brother under the king’s law unless Allah willed [otherwise]. We raise in rank whomever We please, and above every man of knowledge is One who knows best.

Ali Ünal

(So they were brought back before Joseph to be searched.) He began with their sacks before his brother’s sack; and then he brought the drinking-cup out of his brother’s sack. In this way We made an arrangement for Joseph. Under the king’s law, he could not have detained his brother, had not God so willed. Whomsoever We will, We raise in ranks. Above every owner of knowledge there is (always) one more knowledgeable (until God Who is the All-Knowing).

Amatul Rahman Omar

Then he (- the king´s herald) began (the search) with the sacks of others before (he came to) the sack of his (- Joseph´s) brother (Benjamin). (Finding the vessel therein) he brought it out of his brother´s sack. That is how We contrived for Joseph (to keep Benjamin with him, otherwise) he could not have taken his brother according to the king´s law. Yet it came about as Allâh willed. We raise in degrees (of rank) whomsoever We will. And over and above every possessor of knowledge there is One (Almighty God), Who is All Knowing.

English Literal

So he began with their bags/containers , before his brother`s bag/container , then he brought it out from his brother`s bag/container, as/like that, We plotted/conspired to Joseph, he was not to take his brother in the king`s religion/domain , except that God wills/wants, We raise whom We will/want stages/degrees , and above each (owner) of knowledge (is more) knowledgeable.

Faridul Haque

So he first searched their bags before his brother’s bag, then removed it from his brother’s bag; this was the plan We had taught Yusuf; he had no right to take his brother by the king’s law, except if Allah wills; We may raise in ranks whomever We will; and above every possessor of knowledge is another scholar.

Hamid S. Aziz

They said, "The recompense thereof is he in whose pack it is found - he shall be the recompense (atonement) thereof (as a bondsman); thus do we recompense the unjust."

Hilali & Khan

So he [Yusuf (Joseph)] began (the search) in their bags before the bag of his brother. Then he brought it out of his brother's bag. Thus did We plan for Yusuf (Joseph). He could not take his brother by the law of the king (as a slave), except that Allah willed it. (So Allah made the brothers to bind themselves with their way of "punishment, i.e. enslaving of a thief.") We raise to degrees whom We please, but over all those endowed with knowledge is the All-Knowing (Allah).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

They said: The penalty for this -- the person in whose bag it is found, he himself is the penalty for it. Thus do we punish the wrongdoers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

So he began with their sacks before the sack of his brother, then he brought it out from his brother's sack. Thus did We plan for the sake of Yusuf; it was not (lawful) that he should take his brother under the king's law unless Allah pleased; We raise the degrees of whomsoever We please, and above every one possessed of knowledge is the All-knowing one.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Then he (Joseph) began the search with their bags before his brother's bag, then he produced it from his brother's bag. Thus did We contrive for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother according to the king's law unless Allah willed. We raise by grades (of mercy) whom We will, and over every lord of knowledge there is one more knowing.

Muhammad Sarwar

They searched their baggage before that of Joseph's real brother where at last they found it. Thus, We showed Joseph how to plan this; he would not have been able to take his brother under the King's law unless God had wanted it to be so. We give a high rank to whomever We want. Over every knowledgeable person is one more knowing.

Qaribullah & Darwish

He searched their bags before his brother's and then took out the goblet from his brother's bag. As such We directed Joseph. By the king's law he had no right to seize his brother unless Allah willed otherwise. We raise whom We will in rank; over every knowledgeable person is One who knows.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

So he [Yusuf] began (the search) in their bags before the bag of his brother. Then he brought it out of his brother's bag. Thus did We plan for Yusuf. He could not take his brother by the law of the king (as a slave), except that Allah willed it. We raise to degrees whom We will, but over all those endowed with knowledge is the All-Knowing (Allah).

Wahiduddin Khan

He [the herald] searched their bags before his brother's and then took out the cup from his brother's bag. In this way, We devised a plan on behalf of Joseph. He could not have detained his brother under the King's law, unless God so willed. We exalt whoever We please: but above those who have knowledge there is One all knowing.

Talal Itani

So he began with their bags, before his brother's bag. Then he pulled it out of his brother’s bag. Thus We devised a plan for Joseph; he could not have detained his brother under the king’s law, unless God so willed. We elevate by degrees whomever We will; and above every person of knowledge, there is one more learned.

Tafsir jalalayn

And so he began with their sacks, and searched them, before his brother's sack, lest he be accused [of the theft]; then he pulled it, the drinking-cup, out of his brother's sack. God, exalted be He, says; Thus, [through such] contrivance, did We contrive for Joseph, [thus] We taught him how to devise a plot to take his brother; he, Joseph, could not have taken his brother, as a slave, on account of theft, according to the king's law, [according] to the laws of the king of Egypt -- since his [a thief's] requital according to his law would have been a beating and a penalty of twice [the value of] the stolen item, but not enslavement -- unless God willed, for him to be taken according to the law of his father [Jacob]; in other words, he was only able to take him with God's will, by God's inspiring him to ask his brothers [about the nature of requital] and their responding according to [what is decreed by] their customary practice. We raise by degrees whom We will (read with a genitive annexation, darajti man nash', or [simply] with nunation, darajtin man nash'), in terms of knowledge, as [We did] with Joseph; and above every man of knowledge, from among creatures, is one who knows better, better than him [and so on] until it ends with God, exalted be He.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

فَبَدَأَ بِأَوْعِيَتِهِمْ قَبْلَ وِعَاء أَخِيهِ

So he (Yusuf) began (the search) in their bags before the bag of his brother.

ثُمَّ اسْتَخْرَجَهَا مِن وِعَاء أَخِيهِ

Then he brought it out of his brother's bag.

Therefore, Yusuf took Binyamin as a slave according to their judgement and the law which they believed in.

So Allah said;

كَذَلِكَ كِدْنَا لِيُوسُفَ

Thus did We plan for Yusuf.

and this is a good plot that Allah likes and prefers, because it seeks a certain benefit using wisdom and the benefit of all.

Allah said next,

مَا كَانَ لِيَأْخُذَ أَخَاهُ فِي دِينِ الْمَلِكِ

He could not take his brother by the law of the king,

as a captive, for this was not the law of king of Egypt, according to Ad-Dahhak and several other scholars.

Allah only allowed Yusuf to take his brother as a captive after his brothers agreed to this judgement beforehand, and he knew that this was their law.

إِلاَّ أَن يَشَاء اللّهُ

except that Allah willed it.

This is why Allah praised him when He said,

نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مِّن نَّشَاء

We raise to degrees whom We will,

just as He said in another Ayah,

يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمْ

Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe. (58;11)

Allah said next,

وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ



but over all those endowed with knowledge is the All-Knowing.

Al-Hasan commented,

"There is no knowledgeable person, but there is another person with more knowledge until it ends at Allah the Exalted and Most Honored."

In addition, Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Sa`id bin Jubayr said, that we were with Ibn Abbas when he narrated an amazing Hadith.

A man in the audience said, `All praise is to Allah! There is an all-knowing above every person endowed with knowledge.'

Ibn Abbas responded, `Worse it is that which you said! Allah is the All-Knowing and His knowledge is above the knowledge of every knowledgeable person.'

Simak narrated that Ikrimah said that Ibn Abbas said about Allah's statement,
وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ
(but over all those endowed with knowledge is the All-Knowing (Allah),

"This person has more knowledge than that person, and Allah is above all knowledgeable persons."

Similar was narrated from Ikrimah.

Qatadah said,

"Over every person endowed with knowledge is a more knowledgeable person until all knowledge ends with Allah. Verily, knowledge started from Allah, and from Him the scholars learn, and to Him all knowledge returns."

Abdullah bin Mas`ud read the Ayah this way,

(
وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ عاَلِمٍ عَلِيمٌ
) "And above every scholar, is the All-Knower (Allah).