فَلَمّا دَخَلوا عَلىٰ يوسُفَ آوىٰ إِلَيهِ أَبَوَيهِ وَقالَ ادخُلوا مِصرَ إِن شاءَ اللَّهُ آمِنينَ

When they entered into the presence of Joseph, he set his parents close to himself, and said: ‘Welcome to Egypt, in safety, God willing!’

EXEGESIS

Āwā (he set) is the transitive form of the verb awaya and means giving shelter, protection, drawing near, or providing refuge. The verb often implies not just physical shelter but also emotional closeness and tenderness. It denotes to bring close someone or thing that is beloved and to make them comfortable.[1]

Abawayhi (his parents) is the dual possessive of ab, meaning father. The dual is used to mean father and mother, and the masculine is used to indicate both, just like in other cases in Arabic where a mixture of masculine and feminine is intended.[2]

Dakhalū (they entered) and udkhulū (enter) are both from the verb dakhala, meaning to enter. Because his family was already in Egypt when this was said, the latter is here translated in its intended meaning of Welcome. It means they were allowed to come and live in Egypt, without being confronted by authorities or other locals.[3]

EXPOSITION

When they entered into the presence of Joseph: the sons of Prophet Jacob (a) who had returned to Canaan did as Prophet Joseph (a) had asked them (verse 93) and brought along with them their father Prophet Jacob (a) and all their family members, wives, children, and other dependents to Egypt.

He set his parents close to himself, and said: remember that Prophet Joseph (a) was still an important official of the Egyptian government and part of the ruling class, and with that came a host of protocols and etiquette that he had to deal with. As was custom for rulers or important notables at that time, commoners granted entry to the court were usually not allowed within close proximity of the ruler or noble and had to stand in attendance at a specific distance. By bringing them close to himself, Prophet Joseph (a) was showing them a sign of great respect.

The identity of the parents mentioned in the verse has been subject to scholarly debate, specifically concerning whether Prophet Joseph’s (a) biological mother was still alive. According to the Biblical account, Rachel (Joseph’s (a) mother) died after giving birth to his younger brother, Benjamin. While Muslim exegetes acknowledge this narrative, many maintain that Prophet Jacob (a) subsequently married Rachel’s sister, Leah,[4] thereby creating two primary interpretations:

1. The majority view holds that parents refers to Prophet Jacob (a) and Leah, who assumed maternal responsibility for Prophet Joseph (a) and Benjamin after Rachel’s death.[5]
2. The alternative view argues that Rachel was still alive, and hence parents would mean Prophet Jacob (a) and Rachel.[6]

Linguistic considerations support both positions. While abawayhi typically denotes biological parents, the Quran itself employs ab (father) in a flexible manner, as seen when referring to Prophet Abraham’s (a) adoptive father Āzar as his ‘father’ (6:74), or using ab to denote forefathers generally (2:133)

Thus, interpreting parents to include Prophet Joseph’s (a) aunt (who fulfilled the maternal role) remains textually valid and aligns with the Quran’s occasional expansive use of kinship terms.

Welcome to Egypt: to settle and live there,[7] in safety, God willing!

Generally, Canaanites and foreigners would not have been allowed to settle in Egyptian lands, however, Prophet Joseph (a) had throughout the years of his career gained enough influence in the Egyptian political apparatus to be able to get such dispensation for his family. The Children of Israel would of course come to be quite successful in Egypt and multiplied plenty, until they became a whole nation living within Egypt.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. From Hishām ibn Sālim, that Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) said: ‘When Jacob approached Egypt, Joseph went out to receive him. When Joseph saw him, he intended to dismount for him but then considered his position of authority and did not do so. When he greeted Jacob, Gabriel descended upon him and said: “O Joseph, God – praised be His glory – says: ‘Did what you possess prevent you from dismounting for My righteous servant?’ Extend your hand.” So he extended it, and a light emerged from between his fingers. He asked: “What is this, O Gabriel?” Gabriel replied: “This is the sign that no prophet will ever come from your seed, as a punishment for what you did to Jacob when you did not dismount to him.”’[8]

Note: This hadith should be discarded as it is contrary to the meaning of dakhalū ʿalā yūsuf (When they entered into the presence of Joseph), which does not make very good sense if we claim that Prophet Joseph (a) rode out to meet them somewhere on the border of Canaan and Egypt, especially considering how Prophet Joseph (a) instructed his brothers to go to Canaan and bring me all your folks (verse 93), which indicates that they should come to him, not that they meet somewhere. Furthermore, the statement āwā ilayhi abawayhi (translated as he set his parents close to himself) makes more sense in the context of an official court, not a tent in the desert. This statement also refutes the hadith as it emphasises the respect Prophet Joseph (a) showed them, whereas the hadith portrays him as disrespectful. Unfortunately, as we have seen throughout the commentary on this surah, Prophet Joseph (a) has been the target of numerous reports seeking to deride his character. The claim that Prophet Joseph (a) went out to meet them is probably Isrāʾīliyyāt as that is what the Torah has narrated (see Insights from Other Traditions).

2. From Abū Baṣīr, that Imam al-Bāqir (a) said: ‘When they entered into the presence of Joseph in the palace of the king, he [Joseph] embraced his father and wept and lifted him up, placing him and his aunt on the throne of the kingdom. Then he went into his chamber, applied oil, used kohl, and dressed in the garments of honour and royalty. When he came out to them, they all prostrated before him in reverence and gratitude to God. At that moment, he said: Father! This is the fulfilment of my dream of long ago … [verse 100].’[9]

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

A wild claim is attributed to Hasan al-Baṣrī, according to which Prophet Joseph’s (a) mother rose from the dead and came to Egypt in order to perform prostration to Joseph (a) so that his vision should be fulfilled.[10] Obviously, such claims should not be taken seriously, unless there is serious evidence for them.

Ṭabarī asks how it is possible that Prophet Joseph (a) says to his parents udkhulū miṣr (translated here as Welcome to Egypt, but literally meaning ‘enter into Egypt’) if they were already in Egypt. He then answers this by relating the opinion of Suddī, that Prophet Joseph (a) rode out to meet them.[11] This does not make sense for the same criticism of the hadith we mentioned earlier. Furthermore, there is no need to understand udkhulū as indicating that they were not yet in Egypt as it has the meaning of assuring them here that they are allowed to settle in Egypt without fearing any trouble from the locals.

It should be added that the statement God willing is related to in safety – and not to udkhulū miṣr as some have mistakenly thought – and is similar to the verse, You will surely enter the Sacred Mosque, God willing, in safety (48:27);[12] this is because it was not permissible to enter (and settle down) in Egypt without the permission of the king.[13]

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. Then He said, ‘I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand shall close your eyes.’ Jacob arose from Beer-sheba, and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father and their little ones and their wives in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him. They took their livestock and their possessions that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and came to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him. He brought with him to Egypt his sons and his sons’ sons, his daughters and his sons’ daughters, and all his descendants.[14]
2. All those who came with Jacob to Egypt, who were direct descendants, besides the wives of Jacob’s sons, were sixty-six in all. And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two. All those of the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy.[15]
3. Joseph readied his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet Israel his father. As soon as he appeared to him, he fell on his neck and wept on his neck a long time.[16]

[1] Tibyan, 6/169.
[2] Tibyan, 6/196.
[3] See also Fadlallah, 9/478.
[4] See for example Tibyan, 6/196; Tabrisi, 5/405; Tabari, 13/352, 354; Thalabi, 5/259. Their claim is in contradiction to the Biblical narrative, according to which Jacob (a) married Rachel’s older sister Leah before marrying her. In fact, the Biblical narrative tells an intricate story of how Jacob (a) was supposedly in love with Rachel, however her father Laban tricked Jacob (a) into marrying Leah and sleeping with her, but then promised to allow him to marry Rachel later as well, and Jacob (a) was thus married to both sisters at the same time (Genesis 29:15-30).
[5] Tabrisi, 5/405. This opinion is attributed to Suddī (Tibyan, 6/196). Ṭabrisī mentions a report from Imam al-Bāqir (a) that specifies Prophet Jacob (a) came to Egypt along with the maternal aunt of Prophet Joseph (a), who was the mother of Benjamin (Umm Yamīn) (Tabrisi, 5/405). According to this report, Prophet Joseph (a) and Benjamin had different mothers, which is contrary to what is famously mentioned.
[6] Nemuneh, 10/85-86. This opinion is attributed to Jubbāʾī, Hasan al-Baṣrī, and others (Tibyan, 6/196).
[7] Tibyan, 6/196.
[8] Tabrisi, 5/405. In another version, Prophet Joseph (a) initially wished to dismount, but then hesitated because of his position and did not do so (Amali.S, p. 323; Ilal, 1/55).
[9] Ayyashi, 2/197; Tabrisi, 5/456; Nur, 2/467.
[10] Related in Tabrisi, 5/405.
[11] Tabari, 13/43. See also Thalabi, 5/258.
[12] Related in Thalabi, 5/258.
[13] Baghawi, 2/515.
[14] Genesis 46:3-7.
[15] Genesis 46:26-27.
[16] Genesis 46:29.