Quran Universe
12:54

وَقَالَ ٱلۡمَلِكُ ٱئۡتُونِي بِهِۦٓ أَسۡتَخۡلِصۡهُ لِنَفۡسِيۖ فَلَمَّا كَلَّمَهُۥ قَالَ إِنَّكَ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ لَدَيۡنَا مَكِينٌ أَمِينٞ

Waqala almaliku itoonee bihi astakhlishu linafsee falamma kallamahu qala innaka alyawma ladayna makeenun ameenun

And the king said, "Bring him to me; I will appoint him exclusively for myself." And when he spoke to him, he said, "Indeed, you are today established [in position] and trusted."

Word by word
  1. وَقَالَAnd said
  2. ٱلۡمَلِكُthe king
  3. ٱئۡتُونِيBring him to me
  4. بِهِۦٓBring him to me
  5. أَسۡتَخۡلِصۡهُI will select him
  6. لِنَفۡسِيۖfor myself
  7. فَلَمَّاThen when
  8. كَلَّمَهُۥhe spoke to him
  9. قَالَhe said
  10. إِنَّكَIndeed,you
  11. ٱلۡيَوۡمَ(are) today
  12. لَدَيۡنَاwith us
  13. مَكِينٌfirmly established
  14. أَمِينٞ(and) trusted
Yusuf · 12:54Makkah

From the cell to the king's inner circle.

One conversation, and trust was won

The meeting
the kingbring him to me
speaks with
Yusufname now cleared
declares
high and trustedfrom today
What earned it
connectionswho you know
characterseen in one conversation

Once Yusuf's innocence was clear, the king wanted him as one of his closest aides. Ibn Kathir says that when they spoke, the king saw his ability, good conduct and manners, and told him: today you are with us, high in rank and fully trusted.

The interview where you just told the truth, did not oversell, did not badmouth your old boss. The new manager says: I trust you. Years of quiet integrity can show up in a single conversation.

Getting ahead depends on knowing the right people.

Character, kept in hard years, is what opens the door when it finally opens.

Try this

In one conversation today, just be plainly honest, with no spin.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And the king said: "Bring him to me that I may attach him to my person." Then, when he spoke to him, he said: "Verily, this day, you are with us high in rank and fully trusted. (54)  Yusuf  said: "Set me over the storehouses of the land; I will indeed guard them with full knowledge. (55)

Yusuf's Rank with the King of Egypt

Allah states that when he became aware of Yusuf's innocence and his innocense of what he was accused of, the king said,

ائْتُونِي بِهِ أَسْتَخْلِصْهُ لِنَفْسِي

(Bring him to me that I may attach him to my person.), 'that I may make him among my close aids and associates,'

فَلَمَّا كَلَّمَهُ

(Then, when he spoke to him), when the king spoke to Yusuf and further recognized his virtues, great ability, brilliance, good conduct and perfect mannerism, he said to him,

إِنَّكَ الْيَوْمَ لَدَيْنَا مَكِينٌ أَمِينٌ

(Verily, this day, you are with us high in rank and fully trusted.) The king said to Yusuf, 'You have assumed an exalted status with us and are indeed fully trusted.' Yusuf, peace be upon him said,

اجْعَلْنِي عَلَىٰ خَزَائِنِ الْأَرْضِ ۖ إِنِّي حَفِيظٌ عَلِيمٌ

(Set me over the storehouses of the land; I will indeed guard them with full knowledge.) Yusuf praised himself, for this is allowed when one's abilities are unknown and there is a need to do so. He said that he is,

حَفِيظٌ

(Hafiz), an honest guard,

عَلِيمٌ

('Alim), having knowledge and wisdom about the job he is to be entrusted with. Prophet Yusuf asked the king to appoint him as minister of finance for the land, responsible for the harvest storehouses, in which they would collect produce for the years of drought which he told them will come. He wanted to be the guard, so that he could dispense the harvest in the wisest, best and most beneficial way. The king accepted Yusuf's offer, for he was eager to draw Yusuf close to him and to honor him. So Allah said,