92. He said, “No blame on you on this day, may Allah forgive you, and He is the most Merciful of those who have mercy.”

In this ayah, Allah reveals to us the absolute perfection of the character of Yusuf (AS). This was the same character that the Prophet (PBUH) had. This was the character that Allah described as a “tremendous character.” The most salient feature of Allah, the One Name that He (swt) mentions again and again in the Quran, is His (swt)’s Mercy. Of course, there is no one who can be as merciful as Allah (swt). But if there is one creature among all of the creation of Allah who can come close to this attribute of Allah, it is the human being. Allah has placed within the human being the ability to rise above this world, to rise above the passions and the desires, to be one who is truly selfless. To be one who can love, and forgive and show mercy like Him (swt). This was the Prophet (PBUH), this was Yusuf (AS), and this is how we should try to be.

Now that the brothers realized that this man in Egypt was really Yusuf (AS), they were probably expecting him to punish them in some way. He could have easily denied them the grain that they were begging for. He could even have had them arrested and tortured. He could have done whatever he wanted with them. They were completely at his mercy. So they were expecting some form of punishment from him. Would they deserve anything less after what they had done to him? But not only does Yusuf (AS) not punish them in any way, but he does not even criticize or rebuke them. He does not say anything negative about them whatsoever. In fact, he even explicitly says that there is to be no blame on them that day. This is to emphasize and acknowledge that *there is to be nothing said against them and nothing done against them. They will receive no punishment and not even any form of criticism whatsoever*. See here how forgiving Yusuf (AS) to a people who had done so much wrong to him.

Also notice how Yusuf (AS) says that there will be no blame on them on “this day”. By mentioning “this day”, Yusuf (AS) is also acknowledging that they have now changed. He acknowledges the fact that they are not the same people today who threw him into the well all those years ago. They are different now. They have changed. So there is to be no blame on them whatsoever. See here how not only does Yusuf (AS) not blame his brothers for what they did, but he even compliments them and praises them for the fact that they have changed. Despite all that they did to him, he has nothing but love for them.

Then Allah (swt) tells us how Yusuf (AS) said: “may Allah forgive you.” Not only does Yusuf (AS) not punish his brothers. Not only does he not blame them in any way. Not only does he compliment them and remind them of the good in them, but as we see from this ayah he even prays for Allah (swt) to forgive them. This shows us once again the Ihsan of Yusuf (AS). He wanted nothing else except to please His Lord.

This prayer was indeed the best that Yusuf (AS) could do for his brothers. Because what is better than forgiveness from Allah? This was better than the grain. Better than the merchandise. Better than anything that this world has to offer. For Allah to forgive you. For Allah to be pleased with you. For Allah to wipe away the wrong and the sin that you have done. When you realize that there is so Magnificent and Perfect a Being as Allah what then can you desire more than His Pleasure? What could you desire more than for Him to not be angry with you? So we see the perfection of Yusuf (AS)’s character here as well. Not only did he not have any hatred or anger for his brothers at all but he gave them the best that he could give them. He prayed to Allah for Him (swt) to forgive them.

Finally, in the last part of ayah, Yusuf reminds them that Allah is the most Merciful of those who have mercy. He says this so that they never think that are beyond the Mercy of Allah. As great as the sins they have done. As numerous as their sins are. As distant as they have gone from their Lord. They should never for one second think that they are beyond His (swt)’s Mercy.

These words which Yusuf (AS) spoke to his brothers in this ayah were the exact same words that the Prophet (PBUH) spoke to the Quraysh chiefs when he (PBUH) conquered Makkah. These same Quraysh chiefs who had done so much injustice and oppression to him (PBUH). The ones who had mocked and ridiculed him (PBUH). The ones who had killed many of his beloved companions. The ones who had opposed the Message that Allah had given him (PBUH) even when they knew that is was the truth. These Quraysh chiefs were now at his mercy. He (PBUH) could have done anything that he wanted with them. But Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) only said to them the words in this ayah “No blame on you on this day, may Allah forgive you, and He is the most Merciful of those who have mercy.”

LESSONS

1. So Yusuf (AS) forgave his brothers after how many years? He was 7 when they threw him in the well. He grew up in the house of the Minister until he was a young man in early twenties. He then spends almost 10 years in prison. So how old was he when he finally became the Minister? He was probably around 33 years old. And then another 7 years he spends as being the minister until the drought started. He had not seen his family, his beloved father, mother and younger brother for almost 40 years. It's a very long time of suffering just because of jealousy. Can you see how our jealousy can literally destroy other people's lives?

2. All of us, throughout our lives, pushed into this critical stage when we feel that somebody has hurt us deeply. Sometimes the people who hurt us the most are from among our family, friends, and our loved ones. Sometimes people hurt us and sometimes we hurt people. Sometimes people are jealous of us and other times we are jealous of others. All of us have some bad and good in us. We, humans, are social creatures, and forgiveness can help us repair valuable relationships with our friends and relatives. Forgiving a good friend who has apologized for hurting with a promise that he won’t hurt you again makes a lot of sense and helps you regain your friendship.

3. It's true that it's much easier to forgive people whom you care about, but it is very difficult to forgive those who hurt us intentionally and who don't care. The hardest time to forgive someone is when he/she doesn't apologize. You want to let it go, but it's like they still don't see the wrong in what they did. In such situations sometimes you have to wait until they are sorry for their actions and then you forgive. Prophet Yusuf didn't forgive his brothers when he was in the well, neither did he forgive them when he was sold into slavery nor did he forgive them when he was in prison. He forgave them when he was in the position to take revenge. He forgave them when he could have settled the scores by depriving them of grains. But before forgiving them, he taught them a lesson. So in some situations, if a person is not feeling guilty about his wrongdoing then if you can, create a situation to help them understand about their wrong doings so they may feel sorry for their behavior and ask for your forgiveness. Sometimes you have to wait for Allah to create such a situation - a situation where Allah may give you full control to take revenge, but then you choose forgiveness instead of revenge. This is what Prophet Yusuf did. With all his power as a leader, he was in a position to take revenge; he was in a position to make life miserable for those that had brought misery into his life. But he chose the sweetness of forgiveness instead. And this is the most important lesson that we can learn from the story of Yusuf AS.

4. What if they are not sorry for their wrongdoings and keep hurting you?  Should you still forgive them? The answer is, you do not need to excuse the wrong, or even stop feeling hurt about it,  or be friends with them again if you think they will hurt you again. Forgiveness doesn't mean to go back to the same old relationship in such situation rather it means not seek revenge or wish that something bad happens to them. By all means, you must keep the safe distance so that they don't hurt you again and you may move on with your life without them but after forgiving them.

5. It took almost 40 years for justice to take place. It took 40 years for him to be in power to take revenge, it took 40 years for him to finally meet his father. Can you imagine the pain and sadness, away from your family living among the strangers? And yet he forgave them. So we too must try forgiving others no matter how hard they have been on us or whatever problems they may have caused to us because at the end forgiveness is something that is beloved to Allah and it is a sign of greatness.

6. Allah (subḥanahu was ta‘ala) can always bring about reconciliation between two people who are fighting and enemies of one another.  There was so much hatred in the hearts of Yusuf's brothers and so much of pain in Yusuf's heart but what happened in the end?  All is forgotten and forgiven.  If you have some problem with your loved ones, realize that it is only a matter of time insha’Allāh.  Turn to Allah and make dua to Allah to bring about that reconciliation.  Make this du‘a to Allah “O Allah, bring our hearts together, reconcile between us, guide us to ways of peace, and deliver us from darkness into light. Keep us away from immorality, outwardly and inwardly, and bless us in our hearing, our seeing, our hearts, our spouses, and our children. Accept our repentance, for you alone are the Relenting, the Merciful. Make us grateful for your blessings, praising and accepting them, and give them to us in full.” 

7. If Allah can bring together the hearts of Yusuf and his brothers, then surely Allah can bring about reconciliation for you and others as well. 

8. What is important in the eyes of Allah is the state that you die in. So it is never too late to turn over a new leaf.  It is never too late to give up our bad habits and start a lifestyle that is pleasing to Allah.  At the beginning of the story the brothers of Yusuf were in one state and ended in another, and that is what is important. 

9. We must trust Allah with our emotions when we are face to face with those who have hurt us deeply.

10. Allah uses even the negative motives of others to bring about His perfect purpose.