What does Quran 12:89 mean?

Quran 12:89 (Surah Yusuf, Ayah 89) translates to: "He said, "Do you know what you did with Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant?""

Which Surah and Juz is Quran 12:89 from?

This ayah is from Surah Yusuf (Joseph), the 12th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 13.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 12:89?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Sahih Muslim, Sahih al-Bukhari, Sunan Ibn Majah.

What tafsir is available for Quran 12:89?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas, Al-Jalalayn — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

What topics does Quran 12:89 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Prophet Yusuf, Forgiveness, Repentance, Family Relations, Compassion.

Ayah 88

فَلَمَّا دَخَلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِ قَالُوا۟ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ...

12:89Yusuf

Ayah 90

قَالُوٓا۟ أَءِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ يُوسُفُ ۖ قَالَ أَنَا۠...

قَالَ هَلْ عَلِمْتُم مَّا فَعَلْتُم بِيُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ إِذْ أَنتُمْ جَٰهِلُونَ

Qaala hal 'alimtum maa fa'altum bi Yoosufa wa akheehi iz antum jaahiloon

He said, "Do you know what you did with Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant?"

Themes in this ayah

Explore in Habl →

Lessons from past peoples82 Justice & honesty58

Scores run 0–100: how strongly this ayah speaks to a theme. 70+ is central, 50+ is clear, under 50 is weak.

6 other themes with weak connections

Labeled by AI and people · How this works

Follow this theme through YusufFollow this theme

12:89Ayah 1111

72 ayahs in Yusuf are strongly about lessons from past peoples. This is one of them.

← Previous on Lessons from past peoples12:85They said, "By Allah, you will not cease remembering Joseph until you become fatally ill or become of those who perish."Next on Lessons from past peoples →12:90They said, "Are you indeed Joseph?" He said "I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allah has certainly favored us. Indeed, he who fears Allah and is patient,

Tafsir

Scholars largely agree on this ayah

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 12:89→

Then he said to them in rebuke ‘Do you realise what you did to Joseph in the way of beating him and selling him and otherwise and his brother oppressing him after having separated him from his brother while you were ignorant?’ of where the affair of Joseph will lead?

‘By Allah, indeed it is a grave matter that the likes of you, a descendent of two Imāms of guidance – meaning Umar and Ibn Umar – is asked about a matter and you have no knowledge of it’. So said that Abū Aqīl Yahyā bin al-Mutawakkil witnessed them both when they said that.

Sahih al-Bukhari #6332Narrated `Abbas:Sahih

that he said to the Prophet (ﷺ) "Did you benefit Abu Talib with anything?"

Sunan Ibn Majah #2021It was narrated that Sa'ib said to the Prophet (ﷺ):Da'if

"You were my partner during the Ignorance period and you were the best of partners, you did not contend or dispute."

Sunan Abu Dawud #4122The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by al-Zuhri who did not mention Maimunah. This version has:Sahih

He said: Why did you not make use of it ? He then mentioned the rest of the tradition to the same effect but did not mention tanning.

Sahih Muslim #2740This hadith is narrated'on the authority of 'Uthman b. 'Abdullah b. Mauhab with the same chain of transmitters. And in the narration transmitted on the authority of Shaiban (the words are):Sahih

" The Messenoer of Allah (ﷺ) said: Did any one of you command him to attack it or point towards it?" And in the narration transmitted by Shu'ba (the words are):" Did you point out or did you help or did you hunt?" Shu'ba said: I do not know whether he said:" Did you help or did you hunt?"