Surah Yusuf — Verse 37

Key Words and Phrases:

• Ta'weel (تَأْوِيلِهِ): Interpretation, explanation, or the final meaning and reality of something.
• Millah (مِلَّةَ): The path, religion, or way of life followed by a people.
• Tunbba'ukum (نَبَّأْتُكُمَا): I will inform you, tell you, or give you news of it.
• Turzaqanihi (تُرْزَقَانِهِ): That which you are provided with or given as sustenance (here, referring to the food that comes to them).

The Interpretation:

Prophet Yusuf (Joseph), peace be upon him, addressed his two companions in prison with a statement that was both a demonstration of his prophethood and an invitation to faith. He said: "There is no food that will come to you as your daily provision, whether it be the meal you are about to eat or any other sustenance, except that I will inform you of its true nature, its interpretation, and what will happen to it before it even reaches you." This was not a boast or a claim of magic; rather, it was a clear sign of the divine knowledge granted to him by Allah.

He then clarified the source of this extraordinary knowledge, saying: "This is from what my Lord has taught me." He immediately distanced himself from any false means of knowledge, such as soothsaying, astrology, or divination. His knowledge was a pure gift from Allah, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Then, Yusuf seized this moment to turn their attention to the most important truth of all. He said: "Indeed, I have left the religion of a people who do not believe in Allah, and who, concerning the Hereafter, are disbelievers." By saying this, he was making a powerful declaration of his own faith. He was telling them that he had abandoned the false beliefs of the society he lived in—a society that denied the Creator and rejected the concept of accountability and the life to come. He was, in essence, inviting them to join him in the pure worship of Allah alone, the religion of his forefathers Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Ya'qub.

This verse is a beautiful lesson for all of us. It shows that true knowledge, especially beneficial knowledge, is a light from Allah. It also shows that a believer's priority is always to call others to the truth, even in the most difficult of circumstances. Yusuf was in prison, yet he used his God-given gift not for personal gain, but to guide others towards the worship of the One True God. He combined his worldly knowledge with his spiritual mission, reminding us that every blessing we have should be used to draw ourselves and others closer to Allah. His words are a call to purify our hearts, to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and to live a life of purpose, knowing that we will be held accountable for our deeds.