Surah Yusuf ayat 20 Tafsir Quran 12:20

﴿وَشَرَوْهُ بِثَمَنٍ بَخْسٍ دَرَاهِمَ مَعْدُودَةٍ وَكَانُوا فِيهِ مِنَ الزَّاهِدِينَ﴾
[ يوسف: 20]

12:20 And they sold him for a reduced price - a few dirhams - and they were, concerning him, of those content with little.

Then they sold him — they the caravan purchased him from them — for a very low a diminished price a handful of dirhams 20 or 22; for they that is his brothers set small store by him. So the caravan brought him to Egypt where the one who had bought him sold him for 20 dinars two pairs of sandals and two robes.

They sold him to a slave-dealer for a small price amounting to a small number of silver coins, and they had no interest in him

Yusuf is Rescued from the Well and sold as a Slave Allah narrates what happened to Yusuf, peace be upon him, after his brothers threw him down the well and left him in it, alone, where he remained for three days, according to Abu Bakr bin `Ayyash.
Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "After Yusuf's brothers threw him down the well, they remained around the well for the rest of the day to see what he might do and what would happen to him.
Allah sent a caravan of travelers that camped near that well, and they sent to it the man responsible for drawing water for them.
When he approached the well, he lowered his bucket down into it, Yusuf held on to it and the man rescued him and felt happy, يبُشْرَى هَـذَا غُلاَمٌ ( "What good news! Here is a boy." ) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas commented, "Allah's statement, وَأَسَرُّوهُ بِضَـعَةً ( So they hid him as merchandise ), is in reference to Yusuf's brothers, who hid the news that he was their brother.
Yusuf hid this news for fear that his brothers might kill him and preferred to be sold instead.
Consequently, Yusuf's brothers told the water drawer about him and that man said to his companions, يبُشْرَى هَـذَا غُلاَمٌ ( "What good news! Here is a boy." ), a slave whom we can sell.
Therefore, Yusuf's own brothers sold him." Allah's statement, وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ ( And Allah was the All-Knower of what they did.
) states that Allah knew what Yusuf's brothers, and those who bought him, did.
He was able to stop them and prevent them from committing their actions, but out of His perfect wisdom He decreed otherwise.
He let them do what they did, so that His decision prevails and His appointed destiny rules, أَلاَ لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالاٌّمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ ( Surely, His is the creation and commandment.
Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the all that exists! ) 7:54 This reminds Allah's Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, that Allah has perfect knowledge in the persecution that his people committed against him and that He is able to stop them.
However, He decided to give them respite, then give Muhammad ﷺ the victory and make him prevail over them, just as He gave Yusuf victory and made him prevail over his brothers.
Allah said next, وَشَرَوْهُ بِثَمَنٍ بَخْسٍ دَرَهِمَ مَعْدُودَةٍ ( And they sold him for a Bakhs price, - for a few Dirhams ) in reference to Yusuf's brothers selling him for a little price, according to Mujahid and `Ikrimah.
`Bakhs' means decreased, just as Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah, فَلاَ يَخَافُ بَخْساً وَلاَ رَهَقاً ( shall have no fear, either of a Bakhs (a decrease in the reward of his good deeds ) or a Rahaq ( an increase in the punishment for his sins ).) 72:13 meaning that Yusuf's brothers exchanged him for a miserably low price.
Yet, he was so insignificant to them that had the caravan people wanted him for free, they would have given him for free to them! Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Ad-Dahhak said that, وَشَرَوْهُ ( And they sold him ), is in reference to Yusuf's brothers.
They sold Yusuf for the lowest price, as indicated by Allah's statement next, دَرَهِمَ مَعْدُودَةٍ ( for a few Dirhams ), twenty Dirhams, according to `Abdullah bin Mas`ud.
Similar was said by Ibn `Abbas, Nawf Al-Bikali, As-Suddi, Qatadah and `Atiyah Al-`Awfi, who added that they divided the Dirhams among themselves, each getting two Dirhams.
Ad-Dahhak commented on Allah's statement, وَكَانُواْ فِيهِ مِنَ الزَهِدِينَ ( And they were of those who regarded him insignificant. ) "Because they had no knowledge of his prophethood and glorious rank with Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored."

(12:20) Then they sold him for a paltry price. *15 a few dirhams. And they did not expect a big price for him.

And they sold him for a reduced meaning

*15) Though the matter of the disposal of Prophet Joseph by his brothers was simple, the Bible has made this very complicated.
It is obvious that the brothers threw Joseph into the well and went away.
Afterwards a caravan came there and pulled him out and carried him to Egypt where they sold him.
But the Bible says that the brothers cast him into a pit: then a company of Ishmaelites came there and they agreed to sell him to them.
But in the meantime the Midianite merchantmen had drawn and lifted up Joseph and sold him to the Ishmaelites who brought him into Egypt.
( Gen.
37: 25-28 ).
But the authors of the Bible forget this sale transaction and further on in v.
36 say that Prophet Joseph was sold in Egypt by the Midianites and not by the Ishmaelites as stated in v.
28.
But the Talmudic version of the matter is a little different from this.
It says that the Midianites drew Joseph up from the pit and carried him along with them.
As they passed by, the sons of Jacob saw Joseph with them and accused them of stealing their slave.
At this a furious quarrel arose and they were ready to enter upon a bloody fray.
But a bargain was concluded and the sons of Jacob sold their brother to the Midianites for twenty pieces of silver, who afterwards sold him to the Ishmaelites for the same amount.
Then the Ishmaelites took him into Egypt and sold him there.
Incidentally, it is this Talmudic version that has given rise to the tradition among the Muslims that the brothers of Joseph had sold him.
But it should be noted that the Qur'an does not confirm this tradition.

 

Yusuf is Rescued from the Well and sold as a Slave Allah narrates what happened to Yusuf, peace be upon him, after his brothers threw him down the well and left him in it, alone, where he remained for three days, according to Abu Bakr bin `Ayyash.
Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "After Yusuf's brothers threw him down the well, they remained around the well for the rest of the day to see what he might do and what would happen to him.
Allah sent a caravan of travelers that camped near that well, and they sent to it the man responsible for drawing water for them.
When he approached the well, he lowered his bucket down into it, Yusuf held on to it and the man rescued him and felt happy, يبُشْرَى هَـذَا غُلاَمٌ ( "What good news! Here is a boy." ) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas commented, "Allah's statement, وَأَسَرُّوهُ بِضَـعَةً ( So they hid him as merchandise ), is in reference to Yusuf's brothers, who hid the news that he was their brother.
Yusuf hid this news for fear that his brothers might kill him and preferred to be sold instead.
Consequently, Yusuf's brothers told the water drawer about him and that man said to his companions, يبُشْرَى هَـذَا غُلاَمٌ ( "What good news! Here is a boy." ), a slave whom we can sell.
Therefore, Yusuf's own brothers sold him." Allah's statement, وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ ( And Allah was the All-Knower of what they did.
) states that Allah knew what Yusuf's brothers, and those who bought him, did.
He was able to stop them and prevent them from committing their actions, but out of His perfect wisdom He decreed otherwise.
He let them do what they did, so that His decision prevails and His appointed destiny rules, أَلاَ لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالاٌّمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ ( Surely, His is the creation and commandment.
Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the all that exists! ) 7:54 This reminds Allah's Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, that Allah has perfect knowledge in the persecution that his people committed against him and that He is able to stop them.
However, He decided to give them respite, then give Muhammad ﷺ the victory and make him prevail over them, just as He gave Yusuf victory and made him prevail over his brothers.
Allah said next, وَشَرَوْهُ بِثَمَنٍ بَخْسٍ دَرَهِمَ مَعْدُودَةٍ ( And they sold him for a Bakhs price, - for a few Dirhams ) in reference to Yusuf's brothers selling him for a little price, according to Mujahid and `Ikrimah.
`Bakhs' means decreased, just as Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah, فَلاَ يَخَافُ بَخْساً وَلاَ رَهَقاً ( shall have no fear, either of a Bakhs (a decrease in the reward of his good deeds ) or a Rahaq ( an increase in the punishment for his sins ).) 72:13 meaning that Yusuf's brothers exchanged him for a miserably low price.
Yet, he was so insignificant to them that had the caravan people wanted him for free, they would have given him for free to them! Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Ad-Dahhak said that, وَشَرَوْهُ ( And they sold him ), is in reference to Yusuf's brothers.
They sold Yusuf for the lowest price, as indicated by Allah's statement next, دَرَهِمَ مَعْدُودَةٍ ( for a few Dirhams ), twenty Dirhams, according to `Abdullah bin Mas`ud.
Similar was said by Ibn `Abbas, Nawf Al-Bikali, As-Suddi, Qatadah and `Atiyah Al-`Awfi, who added that they divided the Dirhams among themselves, each getting two Dirhams.
Ad-Dahhak commented on Allah's statement, وَكَانُواْ فِيهِ مِنَ الزَهِدِينَ ( And they were of those who regarded him insignificant. ) "Because they had no knowledge of his prophethood and glorious rank with Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored."

( And they sold him ) the brothers of Malik Ibn Du’ar bought him ( for a low price ) by cheating in weight; it is also said that he was bought with false money; and it was also said that he was bought with unlawful money, ( a number of silver coins ) 20 silver coins; it is also said: 32 silver coins; ( and they attached no value to him ) they were reluctant to buy him because they did not need him; it is also said that the brothers of Joseph attached no importance to Joseph because they did not know his standing and stature with Allah, Exalted is He. It is also said that the people of the caravan attached no value to Joseph.

And they sold him for a low price, - for a few Dirhams (i.e. for a few silver coins). And they were of those who regarded him insignificant.

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