Tafseer Ibn Kathir of YUSUF [56]

56. Thus did We give full authority to Yusuf in the land, to take possession therein, when or where he likes. We bestow of Our mercy on whom We will, and We make not to be lost the reward of the good doers. 57. And verily, the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believed and had Taqwa. Allah said next,

(Thus did We give full authority to Yusuf in the land), in Egypt,

(to take possession therein, when or where he likes.) As-Suddi and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that this part of the Ayah means, ”To do whatever he wants therein.'' Ibn Jarir at Tabari said that it means, ”He used to move about freely in the land after being imprisoned, suffering from hardship and the disgrace of slavery.'' Allah said next,

(We bestow of Our mercy on whom We will, and We make not to be lost the reward of the good doers.) Allah says here, We did not let the patience of Yusuf, from the harm his brothers exerted on him and being imprisoned because of the wife of the `Aziz, to be lost. Instead, Allah the Exalted and Most Honored rewarded him with His aid and victory,

(And We make not to be lost the reward of the good doers. And verily, the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believed and had Taqwa.) Allah states that what He has prepared for His Prophet Yusuf, peace be upon him, in the Hereafter is much greater, subs- tantial and honored than the authority He gave him in this life. Allah said about His Prophet Sulayman (Solomon), peace be upon him,

(”This is Our gift, so spend or withhold, no account will be asked of you.'' And verily, for him is a near access to Us, and a good (final) return (Paradise).) ﴿38:39-40﴾ Yusuf, peace be upon him, was appointed minister of finance by Ar-Rayyan bin Al-Walid, king of Egypt at the time, instead of the `Aziz who bought him and the husband of she who tried to seduce him. The king of Egypt embraced Islam at the hands of Yusuf, peace be upon him, according to Mujahid.