قالَ هَل عَلِمتُم ما فَعَلتُم بِيوسُفَ وَأَخيهِ إِذ أَنتُم جاهِلونَ
He said: ‘Have you realised what you did to Joseph and his brother, when you were senseless?’
EXEGESIS
Jāhilūn (senseless) is the plural of the active participle jāhil, from jahl, meaning ignorance.
EXPOSITION
Finally, the time had come for Prophet Joseph (a) to reveal himself. As we explained in verse 58, the motivation for all the subterfuge and Prophet Joseph (a) keeping his identity hidden from his brothers had been to remind them of what they had done all those years ago. The events and ordeals the brothers had to endure in the last few years had been a sufficient reminder for them of what they had done and how much hurt their jealousy had caused to their family, and it was time to bring the ruse to completion.
He said: ‘Have you realised what you did to Joseph and his brother’: these are the words of Prophet Joseph (a). This then was the manifestation of God’s promise to young Joseph (a) when he was stuck alone in the cold and dark of the well, you will surely inform them about this affair of theirs while they are not aware (verse 15).[1] Can God’s promise be anything but true?
We know from earlier verses[2] that the brothers had not only been jealous of Prophet Joseph (a), but Benjamin as well, and that they had mistreated both of them. Of course, what they had done to Prophet Joseph (a) was far more extreme. There were probably also other incidents where they had mistreated them in their childhood about which the Quran is silent.
Prophet Joseph (a) revealed himself in this indirect way, in effect telling them that he had kept his identity hidden and had planned all this subterfuge to remind them of their senseless jealousy and the actions it led to. The phrase Have you realised is to emphasise this motivation. He wished for them to fully understand how ignorant and harmful those actions had been and to arrive at a proper understanding that would enable true regret.
When you were senseless: the expression idh antum jāhilūn indicates a state that was in the past and is no longer, otherwise he should have said wa antum jāhilūn (while you are senseless).[3] Attributing this action to the past shows the respectful manner in which Prophet Joseph (a) said it, and his magnanimous forgiveness.[4] Prophet Joseph’s (a) character is an amazing example to any believer on what it means to be forgiving. He had every right to be angry and upset with his brothers, but he did not press that upon them even for a moment; he merely indirectly enabled them to realise their mistake, and when he knew they had realised it, he forgave them without a moment’s hesitation or expecting them to plead for it.
The senselessness is said to be the senselessness of childhood or youth,[5] and while it may be understood like that – or even perhaps intended by Prophet Joseph (a) in order to soften the criticism – as we saw during the story, their senselessness was not just something borne of childhood ignorance, but the ignorance caused when jealousy clouds one’s judgement, as this jealousy persisted still in their adult lives.
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
It is said that Have you realised what you did to Joseph and his brother does not refer to any direct harm inflicted upon Benjamin himself, but rather to the indirect suffering they caused him by separating him from Prophet Joseph (a).[6]
[1] Tabrisi, 5/400; Razi, 18/504.
[2] Verses 8 and 69.
[3] Tibyan, 6/187-188.
[4] Tabrisi, 5/400.
[5] This opinion is attributed to Ibn Abbas, Tabrisi, 5/400; Thalabi, 5/253.
[6] Tabari, 13/36; Zamakhshari, 2/501.