قَالُوا۟ وَأَقْبَلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِم مَّاذَا تَفْقِدُونَ
“They cried, coming toward them: What is it ye have lost?” — M. M. Pickthall
Taberî explains this expression as a question directed toward the people in question, meaning 'What is it that you have lost or are searching for?' The text indicates that the expression is used in the context of noticing and questioning the absence of something.
ما الذي تفقدون؟In this text, Râzî reports that the word 'tefkıdûne' is read as 'tefkıdûne' in the recitation of Abû Abdurrahman es-Sülemî and that this means 'to find something lost.' He also transmits different qiraat variations of 'sıvâ'/'sâ'/'suv'/'suva' and their plural forms (sıyân, asvâ'). He notes that some scholars do not distinguish between sâ' and sıvâ', and he cites the recitation of Abû Hurairah as evidence for this.
وقرأ أبو عبد الرحمن السلمي { تفقدون } من أفقدته إذا وجدته فقيدا قالوا تفقد صواع الملك . قال صاحب ( الكشاف ) : قرىء صواع وصاع وصوع وصوع بفتح الصاد وضمها ، والعين معجمة وغير معجمةAccording to Ibn Kathîr, this expression clarifies that the word 'sikaya' mentioned in the story refers to a measuring vessel (cup/basin) that the ruler/Joseph used for measuring. In other words, what is meant here is an instrument used for measuring grain and similar items.
أي صاعه الذي يكيل بهAccording to Beydâwî, the water vessel (sikaya) was placed in the baggage of Joseph's brother, and it is reported that this vessel was made of gold or silver and was a mishrab used as a measuring cup or an animal watering vessel. The possibilities regarding whether the crier's declaration 'You are thieves' was made by Joseph's command or with Binyamin's consent have been enumerated, and furthermore, the linguistic meanings of the words 'ayr' (caravan) and 'tefkidûn' (you have lost) and their different qiraat readings have been explained.
قيل كانت مشربة جعلت صاعا يكال به وقيل. كانت تسقى الدواب بها ويكال بها وكانت من فضة. وقيل من ذهبCommon ground
The exegetes commonly agree that the verse is an interrogative sentence (what have you lost/are you searching for) and that the word 'sikaya' means a measuring vessel or water container; they also share an approach based on qiraat differences and linguistic analysis.
Differences
While Taberî addresses the expression more in the context of rhetoric and interrogative sentences, Râzî transmits qiraat variations (tefkıdûne, sıvâ/sâ/suv) in detail; Ibn Kathîr focuses on the lexical meaning of the word, while Beydâwî adds both qiraat differences and narration-based possibilities such as the material of the vessel and whose command the declaration came from. These differences are related to whether the exegetes worked with a language/qiraat focus or a narration/tafsir focus.
Historical context
From Taberî to Beydâwî, the basic linguistic framework remained constant, but over time the diversity of qiraat narrations and narrations regarding the details of the event (such as the material of the vessel, the source of the declaration) have been compiled and transmitted more systematically; this shows that the tafsir tradition expanded from linguistic analysis toward the richness of narrations.
This verse reminds us of the process of noticing and questioning a deficiency; in daily life too, understanding that something has been lost, investigating its cause, and finding a solution in a fair manner requires patience and attentiveness. The process of search and questioning in the story can be considered as a cautious reminder about the importance of acting with sincerity and justice in moments of doubt in social relationships, without hastening.
AI analysis — not a fatwa or ruling, not yet reviewed by a scholar