فَبَدَأَ بِأَوْعِيَتِهِمْ قَبْلَ وِعَآءِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَخْرَجَهَا مِن وِعَآءِ أَخِيهِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كِدْنَا لِيُوسُفَ ۖ مَا كَانَ لِيَأْخُذَ أَخَاهُ فِى دِينِ ٱلْمَلِكِ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَـٰتٍ مَّن نَّشَآءُ ۗ وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِى عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ 76
Translations
So he began [the search] with their bags before the bag of his brother; then he extracted it from the bag of his brother. Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother within the religion [i.e., law] of the king except that Allāh willed. We raise in degrees whom We will, but over every possessor of knowledge is one [more] knowing.
Transliteration
Fa-bada bi-awiyatihim qabla wiya'i akhih thumma istakhrajaha min wiya'i akhih. Kadhalika kidnaa li-Yusuf. Ma kana li-ya'khudha akhah fi dini al-malik illa an yasha'a Allah. Narfa'u darajatin man nasha'u wa fawqa kulli dhi ilmin alim.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how Yusuf's servants began searching the saddlebags of his brothers before Binyamin's, and then extracted the drinking cup from Binyamin's bag. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that this was a planned scheme (kayd) orchestrated by Allah to keep Binyamin with Yusuf, since he could not unjustly detain him under the king's law without legal grounds. The verse concludes with the principle that Allah elevates in degrees whomever He wills, and above every possessor of knowledge is One who possesses greater knowledge (Allah).
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Yusuf's reunion with his brothers in Egypt. It describes the climactic moment where the cup is discovered in Binyamin's bag, a pivotal plot point that allows Yusuf to legally retain his full brother. The broader context of Surah Yusuf demonstrates Allah's providence and wisdom in orchestrating events for noble purposes.
Related Hadiths
While no specific hadith directly comments on this ayah, the Quranic narrative itself is substantiated throughout Islamic tradition as a complete story. The principle 'there is no god but Allah' and trust in divine wisdom are reflected in numerous hadiths about reliance on Allah (tawakkul).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah's wisdom often works through seemingly complex circumstances to achieve righteous purposes, and that no matter how knowledgeable humans become, Allah's knowledge and wisdom remain infinitely superior. For modern readers, this invites reliance on divine guidance even when circumstances appear unclear or difficult.