يوسُفُ أَيُّهَا الصِّدّيقُ أَفتِنا في سَبعِ بَقَراتٍ سِمانٍ يَأكُلُهُنَّ سَبعٌ عِجافٌ وَسَبعِ سُنبُلاتٍ خُضرٍ وَأُخَرَ يابِساتٍ لَعَلّي أَرجِعُ إِلَى النّاسِ لَعَلَّهُم يَعلَمونَ
‘Joseph,’ [he said], ‘O truthful one, give us your opinion concerning seven fat cows who are eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green ears and [seven] others dry, that I may return to the people so that they may know [the truth of the matter].’
EXEGESIS
Ṣiddīq (truthful one) is the emphatic form of ṣādiq, and means one who is very truthful. This title is one that is applicable to all prophets.[1]
EXPOSITION
Joseph: there is an omission between this and the previous verse. The king agreed to allow the cupbearer to go and see Prophet Joseph (a). He arrives at the prison and addresses him as O truthful one, because he knew from prior experience that Prophet Joseph (a) was indeed truthful in his words.[2] It is not clear however if the man ever believed in Prophet Joseph’s (a) prophethood.
Give us your opinion: the same verb is used here that the king used when addressing the courtiers. Previously, when the cupbearer and his friend addressed Prophet Joseph (a), they said to him Inform us (nabbiʾnā) of its interpretation (verse 36), however here the cupbearer used the verb aftinā (give us your opinion) which is more formal and is meant to convey his increased respect towards Prophet Joseph (a).[3]
Concerning seven fat cows who are eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green ears and [seven] others dry: the cupbearer related the dream of the king exactly as he had reported it, which is the correct way of doing it, as changing even some minor details of a dream might greatly impact its meaning.[4]
That I may return to the people: he impressed upon Prophet Joseph (a) that people were waiting in anticipation for the answer he would give,[5] so that they may know the interpretation of the dream.[6]
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Some have said that so that they may know means that people may know Prophet Joseph’s (a) merits and his wisdom and knowledge,[7] but that does not align nicely with the context of the verse, as the cupbearer is asking him about the dream and that is the question to which the people were waiting for an answer.
INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS
- So Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. He shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came to Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream to interpret it.’ Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, ‘It is not in me. God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.’ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘In my dream, I stood on the bank of the Nile. And suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fattened and fine-looking, and they grazed in the reeds. Then seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt. I have never seen such ugliness in all the land of Egypt. And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows. And when they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as before. Then I awoke. I also saw in my dreams seven ears of grain, full and good, suddenly come up on one stalk. Then seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprang up after them. And the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears. So I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.’[8]
[1] Tibyan, 6/148.
[2] Baydawi, 3/166.
[3] Alusi, 6/443. See the discussion in verses 36 and 41 on the verb of fatwā.
[4] Razi, 18/465.
[5] Mizan, 11/188-189.
[6] Tibyan, 6/148; Tabari, 12/136.
[7] Tabrisi, 5/364; Razi, 18/465; Qurtubi, 9/202.
[8] Genesis 41:14-24.