Who Was Imprisoned With Yusuf, and Why Did It Matter for His Release?
مَن دخل السجن مع يوسف عليه السلام، وما أثر ذلك في خروجه منه؟
Two slaves owned by the king of Egypt were admitted to prison with Yusuf. Yusuf’s reputation for being honest and having noble character spread throughout the prison, as did the knowledge that he could interpret dreams. Each of the two prisoners had a dream, which they recounted to Yusuf and asked him to interpret. The cup-bearer saw himself pressing grapes to make wine, while the other saw himself carrying bread on his head from which the birds were eating. Yusuf then interpreted the dream of each of the two men. The one who saw himself pressing grapes to make wine would be released from prison and would serve wine to the king. The other, who was carrying bread on his head, would be crucified, and the birds would eat from his head. Yusuf then asked the one he expected to be released to mention him to the king, but when he got out of prison, he forgot, and Yusuf stayed in prison several more years. “And two other servants went to jail with Yusuf. One of them said, ‘I dreamt I was pressing wine.’ The other said, ‘I dreamt I was carrying some bread on my head, from which birds were eating.’ Then both said, ‘Tell us their interpretation, for we surely see you as one of the good-doers.’ Yusuf replied, ‘I can even tell you what kind of meal you will be served before you receive it. This knowledge is from what my Lord has taught me. I have shunned the faith of a people who disbelieve in Allah and deny the Hereafter'” (Surah Yusuf 12:36-37). “O my fellow-prisoners! The first one of you will serve wine to his master, and the other will be crucified and the birds will eat from his head. The matter about which you inquired has been decided” (Surah Yusuf 12:41).
دخل مع يوسف عليه السلام رجلان عبدان للمَلِك، وكان يوسف عليه السلام معروفا بصدقه وأخلاقه النبيلة، كما عُرف عنه أنه يعرف تفسير الأحلام. وقد رأى كل من السجينين حلما، وطلبا من يوسف عليه السلام أن يفسر لهما الحلم. حامل الكأس رأى في منامه أنه يعصر العنب ليصنع الخمر، بينما رأى الآخر أنه يحمل خبزا فوق رأسه والطيور تأكل من هذا الخبز. فسّر يوسف عليه السلام حلم كل واحد منهما: الذي رأى أنه يعصر العنب لصنع الخمر سيخرج من السجن ويسقي المَلِك خمرا، أما الآخر الذي يحمل على رأسه الخبز فسيُصلب والطيور ستأكل رأسه. وقد طلب من الذي ظن أنه سيخرج من السجن أن يذكر للمَلِك أمر يوسف حتى يُخرجه من السجن، لكنه عندما خرج من السجن نسي، وبقي يوسف عليه السلام في السجن عدة سنين. قال الله تعالى: وَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ السِّجْنَ فَتَيَانِ ۖ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا إِنِّي أَرَانِي أَعْصِرُ خَمْرًا ۖ وَقَالَ الْآخَرُ إِنِّي أَرَانِي أَحْمِلُ فَوْقَ رَأْسِي خُبْزًا تَأْكُلُ الطَّيْرُ مِنْهُ ۖ نَبِّئْنَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِ ۖ إِنَّا نَرَاكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿٣٦﴾ قَالَ لَا يَأْتِيكُمَا طَعَامٌ تُرْزَقَانِهِ إِلَّا نَبَّأْتُكُمَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِ قَبْلَ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمَا ۚ ذَٰلِكُمَا مِمَّا عَلَّمَنِي رَبِّي ۚ إِنِّي تَرَكْتُ مِلَّةَ قَوْمٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ وَهُم بِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ كَافِرُونَ ﴿٣٧﴾ (سورة يوسف: 36-37)، وقال تعالى: يَا صَاحِبَيِ السِّجْنِ أَمَّا أَحَدُكُمَا فَيَسْقِي رَبَّهُ خَمْرًا ۖ وَأَمَّا الْآخَرُ فَيُصْلَبُ فَتَأْكُلُ الطَّيْرُ مِن رَّأْسِهِ ۚ قُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ الَّذِي فِيهِ تَسْتَفْتِيَانِ ﴿٤١﴾ (سورة يوسف: 41).
1. A Reputation Earned Before It Was Needed | سمعةٌ اكتسبها قبل أن يحتاج إليها
The two men approached Yusuf because they saw him as one of the good-doers, as their own words show: “for we surely see you as one of the good-doers” (12:36). Ibn Kathir notes that he had become known in the prison for generosity, trustworthiness, truthful speech, good conduct and much worship. How that quality shows itself is explained in how trustworthiness is reflected.
قصد الرجلان يوسف عليه السلام لأنهما رأياه من المحسنين، كما يدل عليه قولهما: (إِنَّا نَرَاكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ) (يوسف 12: 36). وذكر ابن كثير أنه اشتهر في السجن بالجود والأمانة وصدق الحديث وحسن السيرة وكثرة العبادة. وأما كيف تظهر الأمانة في سلوك المرء، فمبيّن في الجواب عن مظاهر الأمانة.
2. An Answer That Led With Faith Before Interpretation | جوابٌ بدأ بالإيمان قبل التأويل
Before interpreting either dream, Yusuf first declared that his knowledge came from Allah and that he had rejected the beliefs of a people who deny Allah and the Hereafter. Ibn Kathir describes Yusuf turning to the two young men and calling them to the worship of Allah alone: he used a captive audience’s genuine curiosity as an opening to invite them toward faith, not simply to demonstrate a skill.
قبل أن يؤوّل يوسف عليه السلام رؤيا أيٍّ منهما، أعلن أن علمه من عند الله، وأنه ترك ملة قوم لا يؤمنون بالله ولا بالآخرة. وذكر ابن كثير أن يوسف أقبل على الفتيين بالمخاطبة والدعاء لهما إلى عبادة الله وحده، فجعل حرصهما الصادق على معرفة التأويل بابًا لدعوتهما إلى الإيمان، لا لإظهار براعته فحسب.
3. A Single Forgotten Request That Delayed Everything | طلبٌ واحد نُسي فتأخر به كل شيء
The connection to the king that Yusuf hoped for through the freed cup-bearer did not fail because his interpretation was wrong (both predictions came true exactly as stated) but because of one man’s simple forgetfulness, covered in How Many Years Did Yusuf Spend in Prison? Despite the truth of his interpretation, years still passed before that accuracy translated into freedom, a reminder that being right and being rescued do not always arrive on the same timeline.
لم يتعطل ما رجاه يوسف عليه السلام من بلوغ أمره المَلِك، بواسطة الساقي الذي خرج من السجن، لخطأ في تأويله، فقد تحقق التأويلان كما ذكر تمامًا، وإنما تعطّل بنسيان يسير من رجل واحد، كما بيّنا في جواب: كم سنة لبث يوسف عليه السلام في السجن؟ ومع ذلك مضت سنون قبل أن يفضي صدق تأويله إلى خروجه من السجن، وفي ذلك تذكير بأن إصابة الصواب لا تقترن دائمًا بالنجاة في الوقت نفسه.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Who was imprisoned alongside Yusuf?
According to tafsir reports, they were two royal servants, a cup-bearer and a baker.
What did Yusuf tell them their dreams meant?
One would be released and serve the king wine, and the other would be executed.
Why did this matter for Yusuf’s own eventual release?
The freed cup-bearer later remembered Yusuf’s skill when the king had his own troubling dream, creating the connection that led to Yusuf’s release.