Surah 12. Yusuf

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Verses [Section]: 1-6[1], 7-20 [2], 21-29 [3], 30-35 [4], 36-42 [5], 43-49 [6], 50-57 [7], 58-68 [8], 69-79 [9], 80-93 [10], 94-104 [11], 105-111 [12]

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Quran Text of Verse 7-20لَقَدْCertainlyكَانَwereفِیْinیُوْسُفَYusufوَ اِخْوَتِهٖۤand his brothersاٰیٰتٌsignsلِّلسَّآىِٕلِیْنَ for those who ask اِذْWhenقَالُوْاthey saidلَیُوْسُفُSurely Yusufوَ اَخُوْهُand his brotherاَحَبُّ(are) more belovedاِلٰۤیtoاَبِیْنَاour fatherمِنَّاthan weوَ نَحْنُwhile weعُصْبَةٌ ؕ(are) a groupاِنَّIndeedاَبَانَاour fatherلَفِیْ(is) surely inضَلٰلٍan errorمُّبِیْنِۚۖclear قْتُلُوْاKillیُوْسُفَYusufاَوِorاطْرَحُوْهُcast himاَرْضًا(to) a landیَّخْلُso will be freeلَكُمْfor youوَجْهُ(the) faceاَبِیْكُمْ(of) your fatherوَ تَكُوْنُوْاand you will beمِنْۢafter thatبَعْدِهٖafter thatقَوْمًاa peopleصٰلِحِیْنَ righteous قَالَSaidقَآىِٕلٌa speakerمِّنْهُمْamong themلَا(Do) notتَقْتُلُوْاkillیُوْسُفَYusufوَ اَلْقُوْهُbut throw himفِیْinغَیٰبَتِthe bottomالْجُبِّ(of) the wellیَلْتَقِطْهُwill pick himبَعْضُsomeالسَّیَّارَةِ[the] caravanاِنْifكُنْتُمْyou areفٰعِلِیْنَ doing قَالُوْاThey saidیٰۤاَبَانَاO our father!مَاWhyلَكَ(do) youلَاnotتَاْمَنَّاtrust usعَلٰیwithیُوْسُفَYusufوَ اِنَّاwhile indeed weلَهٗ(are) for himلَنٰصِحُوْنَ surely well-wishers اَرْسِلْهُSend himمَعَنَاwith usغَدًاtomorrowیَّرْتَعْ(to) enjoyوَ یَلْعَبْand playوَ اِنَّاAnd indeed, weلَهٗfor himلَحٰفِظُوْنَ (will) surely (be) guardians قَالَHe saidاِنِّیْIndeed, [I]لَیَحْزُنُنِیْۤit surely saddens meاَنْthatتَذْهَبُوْاyou should take himبِهٖyou should take himوَ اَخَافُand I fearاَنْthatیَّاْكُلَهُwould eat himالذِّئْبُa wolfوَ اَنْتُمْwhile youعَنْهُof himغٰفِلُوْنَ (are) unaware قَالُوْاThey saidلَىِٕنْIfاَكَلَهُeats himالذِّئْبُthe wolfوَ نَحْنُwhile weعُصْبَةٌ(are) a groupاِنَّاۤindeed weاِذًاthenلَّخٰسِرُوْنَ surely (would be) losers 12. Yusuf Page 237فَلَمَّاSo whenذَهَبُوْاthey took himبِهٖthey took himوَ اَجْمَعُوْۤاand agreedاَنْthatیَّجْعَلُوْهُthey put himفِیْinغَیٰبَتِ(the) bottomالْجُبِّ ۚ(of) the wellوَ اَوْحَیْنَاۤBut We inspiredاِلَیْهِto himلَتُنَبِّئَنَّهُمْSurely, you will inform themبِاَمْرِهِمْabout this affairهٰذَاabout this affairوَ هُمْwhile theyلَا(do) notیَشْعُرُوْنَ perceive وَ جَآءُوْۤAnd they cameاَبَاهُمْ(to) their fatherعِشَآءًearly at nightیَّبْكُوْنَؕweeping قَالُوْاThey saidیٰۤاَبَانَاۤO our father!اِنَّاIndeed weذَهَبْنَا[we] wentنَسْتَبِقُracing each otherوَ تَرَكْنَاand we leftیُوْسُفَYusufعِنْدَwithمَتَاعِنَاour possessionsفَاَكَلَهُand ate himالذِّئْبُ ۚthe wolfوَ مَاۤBut notاَنْتَyouبِمُؤْمِنٍ(will) believeلَّنَاusوَ لَوْeven ifكُنَّاwe areصٰدِقِیْنَ truthful وَ جَآءُوْAnd they broughtعَلٰیuponقَمِیْصِهٖhis shirtبِدَمٍwith false bloodكَذِبٍ ؕwith false bloodقَالَHe saidبَلْNayسَوَّلَتْhas enticed youلَكُمْhas enticed youاَنْفُسُكُمْyour soulsاَمْرًا ؕ(to) a matterفَصَبْرٌso patienceجَمِیْلٌ ؕ(is) beautifulوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahالْمُسْتَعَانُ(is) the One sought for helpعَلٰیagainstمَاwhatتَصِفُوْنَ you describe وَ جَآءَتْAnd there cameسَیَّارَةٌa caravanفَاَرْسَلُوْاand they sentوَارِدَهُمْtheir water drawerفَاَدْلٰیthen he let downدَلْوَهٗ ؕhis bucketقَالَHe saidیٰبُشْرٰیO good news!هٰذَاThisغُلٰمٌ ؕ(is) a boyوَ اَسَرُّوْهُAnd they hid himبِضَاعَةً ؕ(as) a merchandiseوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahعَلِیْمٌۢ(is) All- Knowerبِمَاof whatیَعْمَلُوْنَ they do وَ شَرَوْهُAnd they sold himبِثَمَنٍۭfor a priceبَخْسٍvery lowدَرَاهِمَdirhamsمَعْدُوْدَةٍ ۚfewوَ كَانُوْاand they wereفِیْهِabout himمِنَofالزَّاهِدِیْنَ۠those keen to give up

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Translation of Verse 7-20

(12:7) Verily in the story of Joseph and his brothers there are many signs for those who inquire (about the truth).

(12:8) And call to mind when the brothers of Joseph conferred together and said: "Surely Joseph and his brother⁸ are dearer to our father than we are, although we are a group of so many. Our father is clearly mistaken.⁹

(12:9) So either kill Joseph or cast him into some distant land so that your father's attention may become exclusively yours. And after so doing become righteous."¹⁰

(12:10) Thereupon one of them said: "Do not kill Joseph, but if you are bent upon doing something, cast him down to the bottom of some dark pit, perhaps some caravan passing by will take him out of it."

(12:11) After so deciding they said to their father: "Why is it that you do not trust us regarding Joseph although we are his true well-wishers?"

(12:12) Send him out with us tomorrow that he may enjoy himself and play while we will be there, standing guard over him."¹¹

(12:13) Their father answered: "It grieves me indeed that you should take him with you for I fear that some wolf might eat him up while you are negligent of him."

(12:14) They said: "Should a wolf eat him, despite the presence of our strong group, we would indeed be a worthless lot!"

(12:15) So when they went away with Joseph and decided to cast him in the bottom of the dark pit, We revealed to Joseph: "Surely a time will come when you will remind them of their deed. They know nothing about the consequence of what they are doing."¹²

(12:16) At nightfall they came to their father weeping

(12:17) and said: "Father! We went racing with one another and left Joseph behind with our things, and then a wolf came and ate him up. We know that you will not believe us howsoever truthful we might be."

(12:18) And they brought Joseph's shirt, stained with false blood. Seeing this their father exclaimed: "Nay (this is not true); rather your evil souls have made it easy for you to commit a heinous act. So I will bear this patiently, and in good grace.¹³ It is Allah's help alone that I seek against your fabrication."¹⁴

(12:19) And a caravan came, and they sent their water drawer to draw water. As he let down his bucket in the well he (observed Joseph) and cried out: "This is good news. There is a boy." They concealed him, considering him as part of their merchandise, while Allah was well aware of what they did.

(12:20) Later they sold him for a paltry sum¹⁵ - just a few dirhams; they did not care to obtain a higher price.

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Commentary

8. This refers to Benjamin, Joseph’s true brother, who was younger than him by a few years. His mother had passed away at the time of his birth. This explains why Jacob cared more for thése two sons. Moreover, out of all his sons it was in Joseph alone that Jacob saw clear indications of tighteousness and piety. Moreover, the statement made by Jacob upon hearing of Joseph’s dream also indicates that he was well aware of Joseph’s extraordinary potential.

On the other hand, the character of the ten stepbrothers was sharply at variance with that of Joseph as is evident from subsequent events. How, then, can it be conceived that a righteous person such as Jacob would be happy with such corrupt sons? Curiously enough, one of the reasons for Joseph’s brothers’ Jealousy as mentioned in the Bible reflects very poorly on Joseph’s character.

According to the Bible, Joseph ‘brought an ill report’ of his brothers to his father (Genesis 37: 2 — Ed.), which would make one presume that it was one of the reasons for their hatred for him.

9. For a better understanding of this statement, one should bear in mind the material conditions of nomadic, tribal societies. Such a society is usually devoid of an organized state, and generally consists of a number of independent tribes that live side by side. In such a society, a man’s strength depends entirely on the number of his supporters, and these consist of his sons, grandsons, brothers, and nephews. These members of the family are extremely important since a person depends only upon them in the event of an attack upon his person, property or honor. Under such circumstances, a person is naturally inclined to hold his youthful sons dearer than the women or children of his household for it is the former who bear the brunt of any fighting with the enemy. When the ten stepbrothers noticed that Jacob gave Joseph — who was still small and they were grown up and strong — greater affection, they thought that their father had become senile.

10. This statement reflects the psychological make-up of those who, even when they vigorously pursue their desires, still make an effort to maintain some relationship with faith and righteousness. Such people seem to have a peculiar way of conciliating between their responses to the demands of righteousness on the one hand, and of self-indulgence on the other. When they are under strong pressure from their lusts, they go ahead and commit an evil act, keeping the demands of faith temporarily in abeyance. However, as soon as they feel pangs of guilt, they try to assuage their conscience, assuring it that what they had committed was merely an ephemeral act of sinning; that this sin was inevitable as only thus could an important purpose be achieved. They further assure their conscience that it will not be long before they repent and revert to their original righteousness.

11. The Qur’anic narrative on this point is different both from that of the Bible and the Talmud. The Biblical version mentions that Joseph’s brothers had gone towards Shechem to graze their cattle. In their absence, it was Jacob himself who sent Joseph to look for them. (Genesis 37: 12-16 — Ed.) This, however, seems highly improbable. For Jacob knew well that his other sons were highly jealous of Joseph. So why would Jacob have sent Joseph on such a perilous mission? Given the circumstances of the case, the Qur’anic account appears more plausible.

12. We have translated the Qur’anic words as follows: ‘they know nothing about the consequence of what they are doing’. The Qur’anic expression here may be interpreted in three ways, and each of the three interpretations seems to fit the situation. One interpretation suggests that God comforted Joseph by means of revelation and that his brothers were unaware that he had received such a revelation. The second meaning could be that Joseph would one day make his brothers realize their mistakes in circumstances which for the moment were out of the range of their imaginations. The third meaning could be that Joseph’s brothers were doing something out of sheer ignorance, without realizing its possible consequences. The Bible and Talmud do not mention that God comforted Joseph by His words. Instead, the Talmud says that when Joseph was thrown into the pit he cried profusely and made impatient pleas to his brothers. On the contrary, if one goes through the Qur’anic account there emerges an altogether different image. This account portrays the life-history of a young man who had the potential to become — as indeed he later did become — one of the major figures of human history. This is also in sharp contrast with the Talmudic version. That version mentions that in a desert a few Bedouin threw a young boy into a pit.

This is followed by a portrayal of Joseph’s actions in which there 1s nothing that would distinguish him from any other boy in that situation.

13. The text has the words, literally that may be translated as ‘gracious patience’. This signifies a patience which is devoid of complaint, of piteous entreaties, of frothing and fuming; a patience which consists of enduring suffering with calm and dignity.

14. The image of Jacob that emerges from accounts of the story in both the Bible and the Talmud is also run of the mill. According to the Bible, on hearing the news of the grievous incident, Jacob rent his garments, put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days (Genesis 37: 34). Likewise, the Talmud mentions that Jacob abandoned himself to grief and lay with his face to the ground refusing to be comforted and cried: ‘Yes, this was the shirt of my son’ and he mourned for many years.

This description makes Jacob look like any ordinary person. However, in the Qur’anic version Jacob stands out head and shoulders above ordinary humans.

He appears as an embodiment of forbearance and patience. Nor does he lose his poise on hearing the shocking news about his son. Moreover, thanks to his unusual intelligence, when Joseph’s stepbrothers come forth with a made-up story, Jacob saw through the whole matter. He instantly grasped that his jealous sons had fabricated the account. Despite the grievous nature of the incident, Jacob maintains his grace and dignity, patiently endures what has befallen him, and places his full faith in God (see verses 7-18 — Ed.).

15. What seems to have happened was that Joseph’s brothers cast him into a pit and then left him. Thereafter, a caravan passing by rescued Joseph, taking him to Egypt where they sold him. The Bible, however, mentions that Joseph’s brothers later came across a caravan of Ishmaelites. They sought to take Joseph out of tank pit and sell him to the caravan only to discover that Midianite traders had already taken Joseph from the pit and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Later, the compilers of the Bible conveniently forgot the fact that, according to their own account, Joseph had already been sold to the Ishmaelites. It is strange, therefore, to note that later on it is mentioned that Joseph was sold in Egypt by the same Midianite traders. (For a full account see Genesis 37: 25-8 and 36.) In sharp contrast to this is the Talmudic account which says that the Midianite traders took Joseph out of the pit and enslaved him. Subsequently, on discovering this, Joseph’s brothers remonstrated with them. After they had paid twenty shekels of silver to his brothers, they stopped quarrelling. Then they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites also for twenty shekels of silver and they later sold him in Egypt. This has given rise to the popular tradition among Muslims that Joseph’s brothers sold Joseph. It must be clarified, however, that the Qur’an does not bear this out.