Tafsir for verses: 12:94, 12:95, 12:96
وَلَمَّا فَصَلَتِ ٱلۡعِيرُ قَالَ أَبُوهُمۡ إِنِّي لَأَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَۖ لَوۡلَآ أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ ٩٤ ﴿94 قَالُواْ تَٱللَّهِ إِنَّكَ لَفِي ضَلَٰلِكَ ٱلۡقَدِيمِ ٩٥ ﴿95 فَلَمَّآ أَن جَآءَ ٱلۡبَشِيرُ أَلۡقَىٰهُ عَلَىٰ وَجۡهِهِۦ فَٱرۡتَدَّ بَصِيرٗاۖ قَالَ أَلَمۡ أَقُل لَّكُمۡ إِنِّيٓ أَعۡلَمُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ ٩٦ ﴿96
94And when the caravan set out (from Egypt), their father (Ya‘qūb) said (in Canaan), “I sense the fragrance of Yūsuf, if you do not take me to be senile.” 95They said, “By God, you are still in your old fallacy!” 96So, when came the man with good news, he put it (the shirt) on his face, and he turned into a sighted man. He (Ya‘qūb) said, “Did I not tell you that I know from Allah what you do not know?”
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Commentary

The caravan departed from the outskirts of Egypt. It is said: he separated from the town in sections when he moved away from its walls. Ibn Abbas read: So when the caravan separated, he said to his grandson and those around him from his people: "Indeed, I find the scent of Yusuf, which Allah made apparent from the scent of the shirt when he came from a distance of eight." And the term 'tafneed' refers to the state of being senile, which is the denial of reason due to old age. It is said: a senile old man, but it is not said: a senile old woman, because she did not possess sound judgment in her youth to be senile in her old age. The meaning is: were it not for your senility towards me, you would have believed me. Certainly, you are in your old delusion, in your long-standing deviation from the truth due to your excessive love for Yusuf, your constant mention of him, and your hope of meeting him. They believed he had died. The bearer of good news cast the shirt on Jacob's face, or Jacob cast it, and he returned seeing. It is said: he was returned to him and he regained his sight. Did I not tell you? This refers to his saying: "Indeed, I find the scent of Yusuf," or his saying: "And do not despair of the mercy of Allah," and his saying: "Indeed, I know from Allah what you do not know." It was narrated that he asked the bearer of good news: How is Yusuf? He said: He is the king of Egypt. He said: What should I do with the king? While I have left my religion? He said: He is upon the religion of Islam. He said: Now the blessing is complete.

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Al-ZamakhshariAbū al-Qāsim Maḥmūd ibn ʿUmar al-Zamakhsharī
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