وَجَآءَ إِخْوَةُ يُوسُفَ فَدَخَلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِ فَعَرَفَهُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُۥ مُنكِرُونَ
“And Joseph's brethren came and presented themselves before him, and he knew them but they knew him not.” — M. M. Pickthall
Zemahşerî12. c.✓ Citation verified
Zemahşerî attributes the failure of Yusuf's brothers to recognize him to several reasons: the passage of a long time, Yusuf being young at the time of separation, their belief that he was dead and their not thinking of him, and the great difference between a slave who was thrown into a well and sold for a cheap price and the person who has now become a king/sultan. According to some reports, they saw him sitting on a throne in Pharaoh's clothing, dressed in silk garments, with a gold necklace around his neck and a crown on his head, which made it impossible for them to recognize him. In contrast, the reason why Yusuf recognized them was that they were adult men when he separated from them and they were dressed in clothes similar to those of that time; moreover, Yusuf's attention and focus were continuously directed toward them.
لم يعرفوه لطول العهد ومفارقته إياهم في سن الحداثة ، ولاعتقادهم أنه قد هلك ، ولذهابه عن أوهامهم لقلة فكرهم فيه واهتمامهم بشأنه
Kurtubî13. c.✓ Citation verified
Kurtubî states in this verse that Yusuf's brothers came to Egypt to buy grain during the time of famine; he says this is from the miraculous conciseness (ijaz) style of the Qur'an (conveying much meaning in few words). He then narrates, citing Ibn Abbas, how the famine reached the land of Canaan, how Jacob sent his sons, and how Yusuf's fame spread. Several different views are listed regarding why the brothers did not recognize Yusuf: the passage of a long time, their knowing him as a slave, thinking he was an infidel king, seeing him with silk clothing and a golden crown, or perhaps having seen him from behind a curtain are mentioned as possibilities.
لما أصاب الناس القحط والشدة ونزل ذلك بأرض كنعان بعث يعقوب عليه السلام ولده للميرة وذاع أمر يوسف عليه السلام في الآفاق للينه وقربه ورحمته ورأفته وعدله وسيرته
Taberî9-10. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Taberî, when Yusuf saw his brothers, he recognized them, but the brothers did not recognize him. The reason for this is that during the years of famine, people came to Egypt for provisions and Yusuf's brothers also came to him for this purpose; because Allah willed to fulfill His purpose regarding Yusuf, they did not recognize him.
فعرفهم وهم له منكرون، لما أراد الله أن يبل
Comparison
Common ground
All three exegetes agree on the fundamental point that Yusuf recognized his brothers, but the brothers could not recognize him. Among the reasons for this failure to recognize, situational differences such as the passage of a long time and Yusuf now being in the position of a king/sultan, seen wearing silk garments and golden ornaments, are commonly mentioned.
Differences
Zemahşerî emphasizes rational/situational explanations and includes psychological details such as the age difference at the time of separation and the fact that Yusuf's attention was continuously directed toward his brothers. Kurtubî addresses the matter within the framework of the Qur'an's ijaz/conciseness style and foregrounds the linguistic-rhetorical dimension while merely listing various reports. Taberî, on the other hand, presents the event primarily through the method of report-based exegesis, placing it within a divine cause-and-effect relationship in the context of the fulfillment of Allah's purpose concerning Yusuf.
Historical context
Taberî, the earliest exegete, explains the event within the framework of divine decree using a report-focused method, whereas in the later period Zemahşerî gave greater emphasis to language and reasoning, bringing situational/psychological reasons to the fore. Kurtubî, employing both approaches (report and rational analysis) together, exhibits a synthetic attitude, which points to the tendency of the exegetical tradition over time to combine report-based and rational interpretation methods.
Modern connection
This narrative opens a field of thought regarding how a person is perceived through changes in external appearance, status, and the passage of time; it can draw attention to the importance of patience and the effort to recognize/understand in social relationships. Yusuf's sustained attention toward his brothers can be considered a constructive example of preserving family bonds despite difficulties. The various explanations that different exegetes brought to the same verse reflects the exegetical tradition as an instance of a tolerant pluralism in scholarship and the value of different methodologies existing together.
AI analysis — not a fatwa or ruling, not yet reviewed by a scholar