The cruel famine was acting oppressively in the neighbouring countries of Egypt, such as Canaan. Jacob once again directed his sons to go to Egypt, and this time their main object being to find Joseph and his brothers. Jacob's sons were amazed to hear that from their father, for thinking how could Joseph be found in Egypt, while his very life was under question for them!? Jacob said:ِ

      ``My sons! Go on, and search for Joseph and his brothers, and despair not of Allah's Mercy that no one shall despair of Allah's Mercy except the infidels.''

      While there is life there is hope, and above the cloud with its shadow, is the star with its light. So a believer should never despair of Allah, because despair is the conclusion of infidels.

      The brethren went to Egypt according to their father's direction, and this was their third journey to the land. This time they were different and cautious to see AZIZ, for the charge of theft. Their only consolation was now their father's emphasis upon losing no hope of God's Mercy, and also a letter, that it is narrated, Jacob had written to the AZIZ of Egypt.

      They also had spent most of their capital for trade, and had a little amount of money to buy anything like corn. So they had to appeal to AZIZ for charity.

      Anyhow they reached the capital of Pharaoh's country, and presented themselves to AZIZ, saying:ِ

      ``O, AZIZ! The distress of famine has afflicted us and our family, and we have come with a little capital of trade. Please do give us full measure by being charitable to us, that we see that you are of the good doers.''

      They said so, and meanwhile they handed over the letter that Jacob had written to AZIZ.

      The brethren had been ordered to go in search of Joseph as their main goal; but they directly went to AZIZ in search of corn, for having no hope to find Joseph anymore.

      In his letter, Jacob had given his thanks to the AZIZ of Egypt for being so kind and gentle to them. He had also introduced himself as being an apostle of God and the grand-son of ABRAHAM, and finally had asked AZIZ to release Benjamine, that he was sure that his son would never steal anything high or low, and there must have happened some misunderstandings.

      The brothers were struck with astonishment, when they saw that AZIZ kissed the letter, and put it upon his eyes; and then read it, while his tears rolled down his cheek and dropped upon the letter!! The letter rendered AZIZ so impatient that he could no more conceal his identity; and then, he smiled so that their Joseph's pearly white teeth apeared in AZIZ'S mouth, and gave them a great shock by which they remembered Joseph the truthful; and all that they had done of evil to him! Following that smile of consolation AZIZ said to them:ِ

      ``Have you known what you did to Joseph and his brother, when you were IGNORANTS!?''

      The great reverence that AZIZ showed for Jacob's letter; and his teeth shown by smile, that was exactly the resemblance of their brother's in beauty; induced in them that AZIZ could be their lost Joseph! They exclaimed:ِ

      ``Are you indeed Joseph!?'' and AZIZ said!

      ``Yes! I am Joseph and here is Benjamine my brother with me.'' The brother drowned in their tears and enthusiasm said:ِ

      ``By Allah, God has elevated you over us, and we have been guilty.''

      And so the brethren frankly confessed their sinning and wrong doings, and submitted to Joseph's superiority and being the elect of God.

      The sorrow gave its place to a real happiness, because piety and patience is loved and rewarded by God. Joseph behaved his brothers very gently and ignored all their wrongs and said:ِ

      ``Go you now with the shirt of mine, and cast it on the face father to recover his sight, and bring him to me with all your families.''

      The brethren had at first tried to cover their crime by taking the blood stained shirt of Joseph, which plunged Jacob into a long grief and anguish. Now Joseph's shirt could be the bezoar-stone or the antitoxin of his first, shirt by which Jacob's sight was restored, and his grief and anguish was ended! Joseph emphasized on the brother who had taken the first bloody shirt to Jacob, to take the second shirt too.

      Now it was so that Joseph served his food with the brethren in the same table. The brothers were ashamed and could not look on the eyes of Joseph for the feel of guilt. So they said to Joseph that it was very difficult for them to look at his face and dine with him, because they could not forget what they had done to their brother before.

      In order to restore their confidence and self-reliance, Joseph said to them:ِ ``My brothers! I am proud now to serve my dinner with you and on the same table, because the Egyptians used to consider me a slave boy who has through climbing the steps of progress, attained their kingdom and kingship; but now-a-days when they see my brothers and my father, they have made sure that I am not a slave boy as they thought, but on the contrary I am of the progeny of the prophets. And thus Joseph infused new life, new hope and self-reliance into the brethren!''