Overall meaning : Joseph’s brothers returned to Egypt, Allah Almighty states, and, presenting themselves before Joseph again, they pleaded, 'Chief Minister, extreme hardship has afflicted us and our families due to famine that struck our land, and so we have brought but little money to buy food, but please give us our full measure of grains like you did before. Be generous and charitable to us and accept these worthless dirhams, for Allah rewards the charitable who generously spend on the needy.’
Their pitiful condition touched Joseph’s heart, and, feeling compassion for them, he revealed his identity to them and said, 'Do you remember the harm you did to Joseph and his brother when you were still ignorant of the consequences of your actions?’ They said, 'Are you really Joseph?’ 'I am Joseph,’ he replied, 'and this is my full brother. Allah has been gracious to us by bringing us together again after such a long separation. Allah will richly reward those who fear Him by doing what He commands and avoiding what He forbids and patiently endure hardships, for He never lets the reward of those who do good go to waste.’
'We swear by Allah,’ they said, 'Allah has chosen you in preference to us and blessed you with knowledge, forbearance, grace and power, and we were clearly in the wrong for what did to you.’ He said, 'There is no blame on you today. May Allah forgive you! Of all those who show mercy He is the Most Merciful towards those who repent of their sins and become obedient to Him. When he asked them about his father and they told him that he had lost his eyesight as a result of weeping over his loss, he said to them, 'Go with this shirt of mine and lay it over my father’s face, and he will recover his eyesight. Then come back to me with all your families.’