وَلَمّا فَصَلَتِ العيرُ قالَ أَبوهُم إِنّي لَأَجِدُ ريحَ يوسُفَ ۖ لَولا أَن تُفَنِّدونِ

As the caravan set off, their father said: ‘I sense the scent of Joseph, if you will not consider me a dotard.’

EXEGESIS

Faṣalat (set off) is the feminine verb of faṣala which linguistically means ‘to decisively separate or divide between two things’, creating a clear barrier or distinction between them. Its opposite is waṣl, which means ‘connection, joining, or uniting’. In its literal sense, faṣl can refer to physical separation, such as a wall dividing two spaces. Figuratively, it denotes intellectual or conceptual distinction, such as differentiating between truth and falsehood, and justice and injustice.[1] We understand from this term that Prophet Jacob (a) sensed the scent as soon as the caravan carrying Prophet Joseph’s (a) shirt set off from Egypt.[2]

ʿĪr (caravan) was discussed in verse 70 and refers to a caravan of beasts of burden. It can be used to refer to either the people, the animals, or both.[3]

Tufannidūn (consider me a dotard) derives from the verb fanada, which conveys the act of discrediting, refuting, or systematically dismantling a claim – often with connotations of mocking or belittling the speaker. Fanad is someone whose opinion is not reliable,[4] a dotard and one who has lost their wits.[5] Al-Asmaʿī has noted that when an old man’s speech becomes excessive due to senility, he is called mufannad.[6]

In this verse, Prophet Jacob (a) expresses his hope that the scent of Prophet Joseph (a) has reached him, but he hesitates to voice it fully, fearing his sons would dismiss him as delusional or ridicule his emotional attachment. Unlike simpler terms for denial (such as takdhīb), tufannidūn implies a deeper, more psychological rejection; it is one that undermines not just the claim but the claimant’s credibility, reflecting societal attitudes towards ageing or grief-stricken individuals. It is notable how this verb captures the tension between Prophet Jacob’s (a) prophetic intuition and his sons’ potential scorn, emphasising the Quran’s linguistic precision.

EXPOSITION

As the caravan set off from Egypt,[7] something miraculously stirred within Prophet Jacob (a) in Canaan and he could sense the smell of Prophet Joseph (a), realising that he would soon be reunited with him.

Their father said: as mentioned in verse 88, apparently not all the brothers had gone to Egypt and the words spoken in this and the next verse were apparently exchanged between Prophet Jacob (a) and those of his sons who had remained behind in Canaan.[8] The exchange might also be between him and his grandchildren.

I sense the scent of Joseph: sensing the scent from such a distance is not something that can ordinarily occur and was certainly a blessing granted to Prophet Jacob (a),[9] a sign of his prophethood, and of the deep love and intimate connection between him and Prophet Joseph (a). Any questions that some have put forward as to why Prophet Jacob (a) could not smell Prophet Joseph (a) when he was in the well and so on are hence pointless, since this was a blessing and intended for this moment, and God gives of such grace what He wills, when He wills.[10]

If you will not consider me a dotard: this verse once again shows us how intimately Prophet Jacob (a) knew his family and how he pre-empted their actions and reactions. When they asked him to send Prophet Joseph (a) with them, he knew what they were planning and proclaimed, and I fear the wolf may eat him while you are oblivious of him (verse 13), knowing that they would claim that. Here too he knew that they would not believe him and would chalk his claims up to merely being the ramblings of a senile old man, a thinking which is evident from their reply in the next verse.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. From Imam al-Ṣādiq (a), that he said regarding this verse: ‘Jacob found the scent of Abraham’s shirt when the caravan departed from Egypt, while he was in Palestine.’[11]

Note: As discussed earlier there are some narrations that claim the shirt Prophet Joseph (a) gave his brothers was the shirt given to Prophet Abraham (a) by Gabriel when he was flung in the fire, which was then passed down to Prophet Joseph (a) through his fathers.

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

It has been claimed that Prophet Jacob (a) said this to other people who were present with him in Canaan, and not to his sons.[12]

Quṭb argues that Prophet Jacob (a) said this once the caravan had arrived in Canaan to the neighbourhood where he lived,[13] but in this case we should expect the verb to be waṣalat (arrived) instead of faṣalat. Faḍl-Allāh argues that the verse does not mean that Prophet Jacob (a) literally smelt the scent of Prophet Joseph (a), but rather that Prophet Jacob (a) was simply overcome by a sense that he would soon meet Prophet Joseph (a).[14] However, there is no compelling reason to understand the verse in such a figurative manner.

[1] Tibyan, 6/192.
[2] Nemuneh, 10/69.
[3] Raghib, p. 596, ʿ-y-r.
[4] Mizan, 11/244.
[5] Zamakhshari, 2/504.
[6] Razi, 18/508.
[7] Baghawi, 2/513.
[8] See Muhit, 6/324; Qurtubi, 9/259.
[9] Razi, 18/508.
[10] See also Nemuneh, 10/73-74.
[11] Ayyashi, 2/193.
[12] Tibyan, 6/192-193; Tabari, 13/40.
[13] Qutb, 4/2028.
[14] Fadlallah, 12/265.