Tafsir of Yusuf 12:11-12

{مَا لَكَ لَا تَأْمَنَّا} It is recited with the manifestation of the two nuns (idhar), and with assimilation (idgham)—both with and without ishmam (rounding the lips). It is also recited as ta’manna with a kasra on the ta’ and assimilation.

The meaning: "Why do you not trust us with him, while we desire good for him, love him, and feel compassion for him? Nothing has appeared from us regarding him that indicates anything other than sincere advice and affection." They intended by this—when they resolved to plot against Yusuf—to cause him (Ya‘qub) to abandon his opinion and his habit of protecting Yusuf from them. This contains evidence that he (Ya‘qub) sensed from them that which necessitated not trusting them with him.

{نَرْتَعْ} We shall enjoy ourselves by eating fruits and other things. The root of al-rat‘a is abundance and spaciousness. It is also recited as narta‘i (from irta‘a, yarta‘i). It is also recited as yarta‘ and yal‘ab (with the ya’), and yarta‘ (from arta‘a his livestock). Al-‘Ala’ ibn Sayaba recited yarta‘ with a kasra on the ‘ayn, and yal‘ab in the nominative case (raf‘) as an initial clause (ibtida’).

If you ask: How did Ya‘qub (peace be upon him) permit them to play? I say: Their "play" was racing and archery practice, so that they might benefit themselves in ways needed for fighting the enemy, not for mere amusement. The evidence for this is his saying: "O our father, we went racing" (Yusuf: 17). They only called it "play" because it was in the form of play.

{قَالَ إِنِّي لَيَحْزُنُنِي أَن تَذْهَبُوا بِهِ وَأَخَافُ أَن يَأْكُلَهُ الذِّئْبُ وَأَنتُمْ عَنْهُ غَافِلُونَ}