وَاتَّبَعتُ مِلَّةَ آبائي إِبراهيمَ وَإِسحاقَ وَيَعقوبَ ۚ ما كانَ لَنا أَن نُشرِكَ بِاللَّهِ مِن شَيءٍ ۚ ذٰلِكَ مِن فَضلِ اللَّهِ عَلَينا وَعَلَى النّاسِ وَلٰكِنَّ أَكثَرَ النّاسِ لا يَشكُرونَ

I follow the creed of my fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is not for us to ascribe any partner to Allah. That is by virtue of Allah’s grace upon us and upon all mankind, but most people do not give thanks.

EXEGESIS

Faḍl (grace) refers to anything bestowed beyond what is required or deserved. In this sense, everything God grants His servants can be considered faḍl – even punishment. This is because divine chastisement serves as a deterrent from sin and thus ultimately embodies grace.^{‎[1]Tibyan, 6/141.} The root verb faḍala means to be in surplus or excess. From it comes the meaning of excelling, to surpass. So the noun faḍl, which means remainder or excess, also means superiority and excellence. Faḍīlah (pl. faḍāʾil) is moral excellence, virtue, merit, and advantage.^{‎[2]Hans Wehr, f-ḍ-l.}

EXPOSITION

After declaring that he renounces the creed of the polytheists, Prophet Joseph (a) follows it up by declaring what creed he does follow. In matters of faith, one must first empty their heart of false notions before it can be filled with truth,^{‎[3]See also Alusi, 6/432.} just like in the testimony of faith (lā ilāha illa-llāh), where we first declare that we renounce other gods (lā ilāha), and then that we accept Him being the one and only God (illa-llāh).

I follow the creed of my fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for Prophet Isaac (a) and Prophet Abraham (a), the term fathers is used in its broader sense, referring to a grandfather and great-grandfather, respectively. Their mention here underscores that Prophet Joseph (a) was not an isolated monotheist but rather the heir of a long prophetic tradition. It is not necessary to assume that the youths Prophet Joseph (a) was addressing were familiar with these names; rather, he likely mentioned them out of reverence – both to acquaint his listeners with these great prophets of God and to affirm the deep-rooted legacy of monotheism from which he came. By linking himself to these great prophets, Prophet Joseph (a) underscores that his unwavering monotheism is not an isolated belief but part of a divine legacy, reinforcing his credibility while gently inviting his listeners to abandon polytheism. 

It is not for us to ascribe any partner to Allah: the messengers of God are divinely guarded against any form of shirk – whether in worship or in acknowledging lordship (rubūbiyyah). This absolute rejection of polytheism extends to all false objects of devotion, whether they be angels, deified humans like the Pharaohs, venerated creatures like the Apis Bull, celestial bodies like the sun and moon, or man-made idols and images.

Moreover, the phrase min shayʾ (translated here as any partner) carries a powerful rhetorical force – it denotes absolute negation, emphasising that they would never associate even the slightest speck of divinity with anything besides God. This comprehensive rejection of shirk encompasses all its forms, whether overt or subtle. It includes shirk khafī (hidden shirk), such as performing acts of worship – like prayer or charity – not sincerely for God’s sake, but to gain praise or worldly recognition. Thus, the verse underscores the complete purity of Prophet Joseph (a) and his fathers from any trace of polytheism, whether in belief, action, or intention.

That is by virtue of Allah’s grace upon us and upon all mankind: such unwavering monotheism is not a product of human effort but a manifestation of divine grace,^{‎[4]Tabrisi, 5/357; Thalabi, 5/224.} as Prophet Joseph (a) affirms here. For the prophets, this grace takes the form of direct revelation and innate guidance, illuminating their hearts with certainty in God’s oneness. For the rest of humanity, it comes through the prophets themselves, who serve as divine emissaries – clarifying the truth, dismantling falsehood, and calling people away from misguidance towards the straight path. Thus, this verse encapsulates both the theological purity of the prophets and their role as bearers of God’s mercy to all of creation.

But most people do not give thanks: by refusing to follow the call of the prophets sent to them by God, they have been ungrateful of the guidance He has blessed them with.^{‎[5]See also Tabari, 12/129; Mizan, 11/173.}

Finally, we may note that this verse is one of those used by the scholars as an example that one may recount their own merits, if it serves a positive purpose.^{‎[6]See for example Baydawi, 3/164.} It is also an example of how truly pious individuals would never attribute their merits to their own actions, but to the grace of God, That is by virtue of Allah’s grace upon us.^{‎[7]See Alusi, 7/73.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

When discussing this verse, Tabatabai raises the question as to why prophets are needed if people already know God and monotheism through their pure innate nature (fiṭrah). He then answers this by saying that it is possible that people forget that or lapse into ignorance regarding it, and the prophets are sent to remind them of it.^{‎[8]Mizan, 11/173-174.} Naturally, there are many other reasons and benefits for God sending prophets, and what he has mentioned should not be considered excluding those.

[1] Tibyan, 6/141.
[2] Hans Wehr, f-ḍ-l.
[3] See also Alusi, 6/432.
[4] Tabrisi, 5/357; Thalabi, 5/224.
[5] See also Tabari, 12/129; Mizan, 11/173.
[6] See for example Baydawi, 3/164.
[7] See Alusi, 7/73.
[8] Mizan, 11/173-174.