Surah Yusuf 12:89

Yusuf reveals His True Identity to His Brothers and forgives Them

Allah says, when Yusuf's brothers told him about the afflictions and hardship, and shortages in food they suffered from in the aftermath of the drought that struck them, and he remembered his father's grief for losing his two children, he felt compassion, pity and mercy for his father and brothers. He felt this way, especially since he was enjoying kingship, authority and power, so he cried and revealed his true identity to them when he asked them,

(Do you know what you did with Yusuf and his brother, when you were ignorant) meaning, `when you separated between Yusuf and his brother,'

(when you were ignorant) He said, `What made you do this is your ignorance of the tremendous sin you were about to commit.' It appears, and Allah knows best, that Yusuf revealed his identity to his brothers only then by Allah's command, just as he hid his identity from them in the first two meetings, by Allah's command. When the affliction became harder, Allah sent His relief from that affliction, just as He said He does,

(Verily, along with every hardship is relief. Verily, along with every hardship is relief.)94:5-6 This is when they said to Yusuf,

(Are you indeed Yusuf), in amazement, because they had been meeting him for more than two years while unaware of who he really was. Yet, he knew who they were and hid this news from them. Therefore, they asked in astonishment,

(Are you indeed Yusuf He said: "I am Yusuf, and this is my brother...") Yusuf said next,

`(Allah has indeed been gracious to us.) by gathering us together after being separated all this time,'

("Verily, he who has Taqwa, and is patient, then surely, Allah makes not the reward of the gooddoers to be lost." They said: "By Allah! Indeed Allah has preferred you above us.") They affirmed Yusuf's virtue above them, being blessed with beauty, conduct, richness, kingship, authority and, above all, prophethood. They admitted their error and acknowledged that they made a mistake against him,

(He said: "No reproach on you this day.") He said to them, `There will be no blame for you today or admonishment, and I will not remind you after today of your error against me.' He then multiplied his generosity by invoking Allah for them for mercy,

(may Allah forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy!)

Setelah anak-anak Yakub mengemukakan alasan-alasan mereka kembali ke Mesir, Yusuf menjawabnya dengan mengingatkan mereka atas kejahatan yang telah mereka lakukan terhadap Yusuf dan Bunyamin, adiknya. Yusuf juga mengatakan bahwa apa yang mereka perbuat kepada diri dan adiknya adalah perbuatan yang sangat jelek atau buruk. Mungkin karena kejahilan mereka pada waktu itu, mereka tidak mengetahui dan merasakan buruknya perbuatan itu walaupun bertentangan dengan syariat agama serta melanggar kewajiban berbuat baik kepada kedua orang tua dan perintah bergaul dengan baik terhadap karib kerabat. Ini adalah realisasi dari apa yang telah Allah wahyukan kepada Yusuf ketika ia dilemparkan ke dalam sumur oleh saudara-saudaranya sebagaimana firman Allah swt:

Kami wahyukan kepadanya, "Engkau kelak pasti akan menceritakan perbuatan ini kepada mereka, sedang mereka tidak menyadari. (Yusuf/12: 15)