Translation of the meanings Ayah 88 Surah Yūsuf - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - The Noble Qur'an Encyclopedia

Ayah: 88

فَلَمَّا دَخَلُواْ عَلَيۡهِ قَالُواْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡعَزِيزُ مَسَّنَا وَأَهۡلَنَا ٱلضُّرُّ وَجِئۡنَا بِبِضَٰعَةٖ مُّزۡجَىٰةٖ فَأَوۡفِ لَنَا ٱلۡكَيۡلَ وَتَصَدَّقۡ عَلَيۡنَآۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَجۡزِي ٱلۡمُتَصَدِّقِينَ

(88) ^[2812]When they entered upon him, they said: “O Chief Minister, we, and our households, have been touched by adversity and we have come with ˹some˺ paltry commodity so give us full measure ˹of provisions˺ and show us benefaction^[2813]; indeed Allah rewards the benefactors”.

[2812] Although their main aim was not to obtain more supplies and provisions, they started off by a heart tendering appeal by describing how badly-off they were. This so that Joseph (عليه السلام) would empathetically engage with them making it opportune for them to reveal their purpose (cf. al-Rāzī, al-Qāsimī). This had the desired effect indeed! (cf. al-Saʿdī)
[2813] Taṣaddaq ʿalaynā (lit. give us charity) by giving them full measure of goodly provisions in lieu of their ‘paltry commodity’ (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar, al-Tafsīr al-Muḥarrar).