وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِى ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ مِن مِّصْرَ لِٱمْرَأَتِهِۦٓ أَكْرِمِى مَثْوَىٰهُ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَنفَعَنَآ أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُۥ وَلَدًا وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلِنُعَلِّمَهُۥ مِن تَأْوِيلِ ٱلْأَحَادِيثِ وَٱللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَمْرِهِۦ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
“And he of Egypt who purchased him said unto his wife: Receive him honourably. Perchance he may prove useful to us or we may adopt him as a son. Thus we established Joseph in the land that We might teach him the interpretation of events. And Allah was predominant in His career, but most of mankind know not.” — M. M. Pickthall
Fahreddin er-Râzî12-13. c.✓ Citation verified
In this section, Fahreddin er-Râzî addresses Joseph's placement in the home of the Egyptian dignitary and the dignitary's statement to his wife 'make his dwelling comfortable'; the purpose here relates to the possibility of Joseph's adoption, as the dignitary had no children. Furthermore, two aspects of the expression 'Allah prevails over His affair' are explained: one is Allah's absolute power, and the other is the arrangement of Joseph's affairs through divine providence, whereby Allah wills good despite his brothers' evil intentions.
والثاني : والله غالب على أمر يوسف ، يعني أن انتظام أموره كان إلهيا ، وما كان بسعيه وإخوته أرادوا به كل سوء ومكروه والله أراد به الخير ، فكان كما أراد الله تعالى ودبر
Kurtubî13. c.✓ Citation verified
Kurtubî states that the Egyptian dignitary who purchased Joseph, having no child of his own, wished to adopt him, and that the slave-son conflict in the expression 'let us adopt him' was resolved through first freeing him and then adopting him. He also reports various narrations regarding the dignitary's name and identity (Kitfîr/Itfîr, the vizier Rayyân b. al-Walîd, or Pharaoh of Moses), and his wife's name (Râ'îl or Zulaikha). He also elaborates on the story transmitted from Wahb b. Munabbih concerning the purchase price of Joseph and his bringing to Egypt by the caravan.
فإن قيل : كيف قال أو نتخذه ولدا وهو ملكه والولدية مع العبدية تتناقض قيل له : يعتقه ثم يتخذه ولدا بالتبني وكان التبني في الأمم معلوما عندهم
İbn Kesîr14. c.✓ Citation verified
Ibn Kesîr reports that the name of the Egyptian dignitary who purchased Joseph was Kitfîr or, according to Ibn Ishâq, Atfîr, and that the ruler was Rayyân b. al-Walîd from the people of 'Âmalika. He transmits narrations that the dignitary's wife's name was Râ'îl or Zulaikha, and that the person who sold Joseph was Mâlik b. Dâr. He also notes from Abdullah b. Mas'ud that the dignitary's wife is mentioned as one of the three most perceptive people, and that Mujâhid and Suddî interpreted 'Allah prevails over His affair' as 'He cannot be overcome, He cannot be prevented.'
وكان الذي اشتراه من مصر عزيزها وهو الوزير بها حدثنا العوفي عن ابن عباس وكان اسمه قطفير وقال محمد بن إسحاق اسمه أطفير بن روحيب وهو العزيز وكان على خزائن مصر وكان الملك يومئذ الريان بن الوليد رجل من العماليق
Zemahşerî12. c.✓ Citation verified
Zemahşerî reports that the name of the Egyptian dignitary who purchased Joseph was Qutfîr or Atfîr, that the king ruling in that era was Rayyân b. al-Walîd, that he believed in Joseph, and that he died while Joseph was alive. He then notes that Qâbûs b. Mus'ab succeeded to the throne, that Joseph invited him to Islam but he refused. He lists Joseph's purchase, his years in the dignitary's household, his position as vizier, and his bestowal of knowledge and wisdom along with their respective ages.
وقد آمن بيوسف ومات في حياة يوسف
Beydâvî13. c.✓ Citation verified
Beydâvî explains in this verse the Egyptian dignitary's purchase of Joseph, his statement to his wife 'take good care of him, let us adopt him as a son,' and Allah's establishment of him on earth. He notes that the purpose of this establishment was to teach Joseph the science of dream interpretation and to establish justice through him. He also explains that the expression 'Allah prevails over His affair' points to Allah's willingness and realization of something other than what Joseph's brothers intended.
والله غالب على أمره لا يرده شيء ولا ينازعه فيما يشاء
Comparison
Common ground
All the scholars agree that the Egyptian dignitary, having no child, wished to adopt Joseph; the interpretation that the expression 'Allah prevails over His affair' indicates Allah's realization of good despite his brothers' evil intentions is also a shared emphasis.
Differences
While Kurtubî, Ibn Kesîr, and Zemahşerî primarily focus on narrative material, concentrating on historical-narrative details such as the dignitary's name (Kitfîr/Atfîr), the ruler's identity (Rayyân b. al-Walîd), and his wife's name (Râ'îl/Zulaikha); Fahreddin er-Râzî engages more in linguistic and rhetorical analysis, working through the layers of meaning in the verse (the distinction between divine power and divine providence). Beydâvî, on the other hand, combines narration with linguistic analysis, presenting both narrative details and word-by-word analysis together; these differences stem from the methodological inclinations of the scholars (the narrative school/the interpretation-rhetoric school).
Historical context
The early-period narrative accumulation (sources such as Wahb b. Munabbih, Mujâhid, Suddî) has been largely preserved and transmitted by later scholars; middle-period scholars such as Zemahşerî and Kurtubî compiled these narrations systematically, while later scholars such as Fahreddin er-Râzî and Beydâvî enriched the narrative material with linguistic and rhetorical analysis. The basic narrative framework has remained stable over time, while the interpretive layer has become diverse according to different schools.
Modern connection
This verse presents a patience-based perspective that behind the difficulties in a person's life, there may be a divine order operating of which one is unaware. At the same time, it can be considered a reminder of the value of Joseph's being entrusted to a foreign household, serving with a sense of trust and responsibility, and displaying an honest and constructive stance in one's environment.
AI analysis — not a fatwa or ruling, not yet reviewed by a scholar