Tafsir of Yusuf 12:8

{إذ قالوا ليوسف وأخوه أحب إلى أبينا منا ونحن عصبة}

{قال يوسف}: The lam is for emphasis (al-ibtida’), serving to confirm and verify the content of the sentence. They intended to convey that the increase of his love for them was a fixed matter, beyond any doubt.

{وأخوه}: This refers to Benjamin. They specifically said "his brother," even though they were all his brothers, because they shared the same mother.

{أحب}: It is used for both (the singular and the plural). The comparative form (af‘al min) does not distinguish between the singular and the plural, nor between masculine and feminine, when followed by min. However, it must distinguish when accompanied by the definite article (al-), and when it is in the genitive construction (idafa), both are permissible.

{ونحن عصبة}: The waw is for the state (hal). It means: He prefers them in love over us, yet they are two small children who provide neither sufficiency nor benefit, while we are a group of ten men, capable and able to attend to his needs. Therefore, we are more deserving of his increased love than they are, due to our superiority in number and utility.

{إن أبانا لفي ضلال مبين}: Meaning, he is astray from the path of correctness regarding this matter.

{العصبة} and {العصابة}: Ten people or more. It is also said: up to forty. They are called this because they are a group that binds (ta‘assub) matters together and suffices against calamities.

It is narrated by al-Nazzal ibn Sabra from Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that he read it as wa-nahnu ‘usbatan (in the accusative case). It is said that the meaning is: "We gather as a group (‘usba)." Ibn al-Anbari says this is like the Arab saying: "The Amiri is his paternal aunt," meaning he takes care of his paternal aunt.

{اقتلوا يوسف أو اطرحوه أرضا يخل لكم وجه أبيكم وتكونوا من بعده قوما صالحين}