Surah Yusuf (12): Verses 9-10

Translation and Exegesis

And know that when envy grew strong and reached its peak, they said: "We must certainly remove Yusuf from his father."

This could only be achieved in two ways:

1. Killing him.
2. Exiling him to a land where hope of his reunion with his father would be lost.

There is no greater evil a jealous person could wish for than this. Then they stated the reason for this:

Meaning: Yusuf occupied him and diverted his father's attention toward himself. If Yusuf is gone, his father will turn toward us with affection and love.

There are several interpretations for this phrase:

1. First View: They knew that what they intended to do was a major sin. They said: "If we do this, we will repent to God afterward and become among the righteous people."
2. Second View: Righteousness here does not refer to religious piety, but rather that your affairs will become sound in your father's eyes, and your father will love you and focus on your matters.
3. Third View: Due to this distress (of Yusuf's presence), you have become distracted and unable to attend to your important affairs. Once this distress is removed, you will be free to manage your affairs properly.

There was a difference of opinion regarding who uttered the command to kill:

• One opinion: One of his brothers said this.
• Second opinion: They consulted an outsider who advised them to kill him, and none of Yusuf's brothers said it. Those who hold the first opinion differ on who it was: Wahb said it was Shimon, and Muqatil said it was Reuben.

Objection: How is this fitting for them, as they were prophets?

Answer: Some have responded by saying that at that time, they were adolescents (Muraahiqeen) and not yet adults. This is weak because it is unlikely that the Prophet of God, Ya'qub (peace be upon him), would send a group of boys without a sensible adult to prevent them from committing evil deeds. Furthermore, their statement, "{And thereafter you will be a righteous people}," indicates that before this repentance, they were not righteous, which contradicts the idea that they were mere boys.

Another response is that this action was considered a minor sin (sagha'ir). This is also unlikely because harming a father who is an infallible prophet, lying to him, and plotting the destruction of a younger brother are all major sins (ummuhat al-kaba'ir).

The correct answer is to state that they were not yet prophets, or if they were prophets, this incident occurred before their prophethood.

Then, God recounts that one speaker said:

It is said this speaker was Reuben, who was Yusuf's maternal cousin and had the best opinion concerning him, so he forbade them from killing him. It is also said it was Judah (Yahuda), who was the eldest in opinion, virtue, and age.

Then He said:

Regarding this, there are several issues:

• Nafi' read both instances of the word as plural: {فِي غَيَابَاتِ الْجُبِّ}.
• The rest read it as singular in both instances: {فِي غَيَابَةِ الْجُبِّ}.

The rationale for the plural reading: The well (Jubb) has sides and regions, so there can be multiple hiding places (Ghayabat). The rationale for the singular reading: The intent is a single location within the well where Yusuf would be hidden (Ghayab). The singular form is more specific and indicative of the intended meaning.

• Al-Jahdari read: {فِي غَيَابَةِ الْجُبِّ} (singular for the first, singular for the second).

• Linguists say: Al-Ghayabah is anything that conceals something. Thus, Ghayabat al-Jubb means its deepest part, what is hidden from the viewer's eye, and the darkest part at its bottom.
• Al-Jubb: It is a well that is not lined (i.e., dug out of the earth without masonry). It is called Jubb because it was cut out, and nothing was done to it besides the cutting, such as lining or similar work.

Mentioning Al-Ghayabah along with Al-Jubb indicates that the advisor suggested throwing him into a dark place within the well, hidden from the sight of observers. The mention of Al-Ghayabah conveys this meaning, as it was possible he could have been thrown into a part of the well that was still visible to passersby.

The definite article Al in {الْجُبِّ} implies a previously known well. There was a difference of opinion on which well it was:

• Qatadah said: It was a well in Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis).
• Wahb said: It was in the land of Jordan.
• Muqatil said: It was three Farsakhs (leagues) from Ya'qub's dwelling.

They specified that particular well for the reason they mentioned:

That well was well-known, and caravans frequently stopped there. They knew that if he were thrown there, he would be closer to safety, because when caravans passed by and stopped there, they would see the person and take him out. Thus, throwing him there made his demise less likely.

• Iltiqat means taking something from the road, hence Luqatah (found property) and Luqit (found child).
• Al-Hasan read: {تَلْتَقِطُهُ} (with a Ta'), based on the meaning, because "some of the travelers" (ba'd as-Sayyarah) also refers to a group of travelers. As-Sayyarah are the people traveling on the road for a journey.

Ibn Abbas said: It means the passersby.

Regarding the statement:

The phrase {إِنْ كُنْتُمْ فَاعِلِينَ} (if you are going to do [it]) implies that the preferable course of action is not to do any of these things. But if you must proceed, then limit yourselves to this extent. This is similar to the verse: {وَإِنْ عَاقَبْتُمْ فَعَاقِبُوا بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبْتُمْ بِهِ} (And if you punish, punish with the like of that with which you were afflicted) (An-Nahl: 126), meaning the best thing is not to punish at all.

Surah Yusuf (12): Verse 11