Surah 12. Yusuf

They promised, 'We will try to convince his father to let him come. We will certainly do 'our best'.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

They said: "We shall certainly seek to get our wish about him from his father: indeed we shall do it." ¹⁷²¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The brothers said: "Certainly, we shall try to beg him of our father, and bring him away with us; we shall certainly comply with your desire." In reality they probably loved Benjamin no more than they loved Joseph. But they must get food when the present supply was exhausted, and they must humour the great Egyptian Wazir. Note that they do not call Jacob "our father" but "his father"; how little they loved their aged father, whom they identified with Joseph and Benjamin! Their trial and their instruction in their duties is now being undertaken by Joseph.

Joseph ordered his servants to put his brothers' money back into their saddlebags so that they would find it when they returned to their family and perhaps they would come back.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And (Joseph) told his servants to put their stock in trade (with which they had bartered) into their saddlebags so they should know it only when they returned to their people in order that they might come back. ^{1722 1723}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Bidha'at: stock in trade; capital with which business is carried on; money-when it is used as capital for trade. It is better here to suppose that they were bartering goods for grain. Cf. xii. 19.

It was most important for Joseph's plan that they should come back. If they came back at all, they could not come without Benjamin after what he had told them. As an additional incentive to their coming back, he returns the price of the grain in such a way that they should find it in their saddle-bags when they reach home.

When Joseph's brothers returned to their father, they pleaded, 'O our father! We have been denied 'further' supplies. So send our brother with us so that we may receive our measure, and we will definitely watch over him.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Now when they returned to their father they said: "O our father! no more measure of grain shall we get (unless we take our brother): so send our brother with us that we may get our measure; and we will indeed take every care of him." ¹⁷²⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

On their return they no doubt told Jacob all that had transpired. But to beg Benjamin of him was no easy matter, as Jacob did not trust them and had no cause to trust them after their treatment of Joseph, So they use the argument of urgent necessity for all it is worth.

He responded, 'Should I trust you with him as I once trusted you with his brother 'Joseph'? But 'only' Allah is the best Protector, and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: "Shall I trust you with him with any result other than when I trusted you with his brother aforetime? But Allah is the best to take care (of him) and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy!" ¹⁷²⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

I construe Jacob's answer to be a flat refusal to let Benjamin go with them. It would be like the former occasion when he trusted Joseph with them and they lost him. Did they talk of taking care of him? The only protection that he trusted was that of Allah. He at least showed mercy to old and young alike. Did man show such mercy? Witness his sad old age and his lost little Joseph! Would they bring down "his grey hairs with sorrow to the grave?"

When they opened their bags, they discovered that their money had been returned to them. They argued, 'O our father! What more can we ask for? Here is our money, fully returned to us. Now we can buy more food for our family. We will watch over our brother, and obtain an extra camel-load of grain. That load can be easily secured.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Then when they opened their baggage they found their stock in trade had been returned to them. They said: "O our father! what (more) can we desire? This our stock in trade has been returned to us: so we shall get (more) food for our family; we shall take care of our brother; and add (at the same time) a full camel's load (of grain to our provisions): this is but a small quantity." ^{1726 1727}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The ten brothers did not take their father's refusal as final. They opened their saddle-bags, and found that the price they had paid for their provisions had been returned to them. They had got the grain free! What more could they desire? The spell which Joseph had woven now worked. If they only went back, this kind Wazir would give more grain if they pleased him. And the only way to please him was to take back their younger brother with them. It would cost them nothing. Judging by past experience they would get a whole camel's load of grain now. And so they stated their case to the aged father.

Two meanings are possible,-either or perhaps both. 'What we have brought now is nothing compared to what we shall get if we humour the whim of the Egyptian Wazir. And, moreover, Egypt seems to have plenty of grain stored up. What is a camel-load to her Wazir to give away?'

Jacob insisted, 'I will not send him with you until you give me a solemn oath by Allah that you will certainly bring him back to me, unless you are totally overpowered.' Then after they had given him their oaths, he concluded, 'Allah is a Witness to what we have said.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

(Jacob) said: "Never will I send him with you until ye swear a solemn oath to me in Allah's name that ye will be sure to bring him back to me unless ye are yourselves hemmed in (and made powerless)." And when they had sworn their solemn oath he said: "Over all that we say be Allah the Witness and Guardian!" ^{1728 1729}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The appeal to the family's needs in the time of famine at length made Jacob relent, but he exacted a solemn promise from the brothers, under the most religious sanctions, that they would bring Benjamin back to him, unless they were themselves prevented, as the Insurance Policies say "by an act of God," so that they became really powerless. To that promise Jacob called Allah to witness.

This is more than a formula. Allah is invoked as present and witnessing the bargain, and to Him both parties make over the affair to arrange and fulfil.

He then instructed 'them', 'O my sons! Do not enter 'the city' all through one gate, but through separate gates.¹ I cannot help you against 'what is destined by' Allah in the least. It is only Allah Who decides. In Him I put my trust. And in Him let the faithful put their trust.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

 He told them that every three or four of them should enter through a different gate. His desire was to protect them from envy and harm.

Further he said; "O my sons! enter not all by one gate: enter ye by different gates. Not that I can profit you aught against Allah (with my advice): none can command except Allah: on Him do I put my trust and let all that trust put their trust on Him." ¹⁷³⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Commentators refer to a Jewish or Eastern custom or superstition which forbade members of a numerous family to go together in a mass for fear of "the evil eye". But apart from East or West, or custom or superstition, it would be ridiculous for any large family of ten or eleven to parade together in a procession among strangers. But there was even a better reason in this particular case, which made Jacob's advice sound, and Jacob was, as stated in the next verse, a man of knowledge and experience. Here were eleven strangers dressed alike, in a dress not of the country, talking a strange language, coming in a time of stress, on an errand for which they had no credentials. Would they not attract undue attention and suspicion if they went together? Would they not be taken for spies?-or for men bent on some mischief, theft, or organised crime? Such a suspicion is referred to in verse 73 below. By entering separately they would attract little attention. Jacob very wisely tells them to take all human precautions. But like a Prophet of Allah he warns them that human precautions would be no good if they neglect or run counter to far weightier matters-Allah's Will and Law. Above all, they must try to understand and obey this, and their trust should be on Allah rather than on human usages, institutions, or precautions, however good and reasonable these might be.

Then when they entered as their father had instructed them, this did not help them against 'the Will of' Allah whatsoever. It was just a desire in Jacob's heart which he satisfied. He was truly blessed with 'great' knowledge because of what We had taught him, but most people have no knowledge.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And when they entered in the manner their father had enjoined it did not profit them in the least against (the Plan of) Allah: it was but a necessity of Jacob's soul which he discharged. For he was by Our instruction full of knowledge (and experience): but most men know not. ^{1731 1732 1733}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See the last verse and n. 1730. Though they scrupulously observed their father's injunctions to the letter, their hearts were not yet pure, and they got into trouble, as the later story will show. They had the hardihood to cast aspersions on Joseph, not knowing that they were in Joseph's power. And Joseph took a noble revenge by planning a reunion of the whole family and shaming the ten brothers into repentance. He was the instrument for the fulfilment of Allah's Plan.

It is a necessity of a Prophet's soul that he should speak out and teach all that he knows, to the worthy and unworthy alike. This, Jacob did to his unworthy sons, as well as to his worthy sons whom he loved best. It was not for him as Prophet to guarantee any results. In this case he could not save his sons from getting into trouble merely because they followed the letter of his advice in a small matter. Apply this to the teaching of a greater than Jacob. Men who literally observe some small injunctions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad and neglect the greater principles which he taught cannot blame him for their troubles and difficulties. If they examined the matter, they would find that they brought the troubles on themselves.

The Prophets of Allah are full of knowledge,-not as men, but as taught by the grace of Allah. For men, as such, are (Carlyle said) mostly fools,-devoid of knowledge and understanding.

When they entered Joseph's presence, he called his brother 'Benjamin' aside, and confided 'to him', 'I am indeed your brother 'Joseph'! So do not feel distressed about what they have been doing.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Now when they came into Joseph's presence he received his (full) brother to stay with him. He said (to him): "Behold! I am thy (own) brother; so grieve not at aught of their doings." ^{1734 1735 1736}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The ten brothers, with Benjamin, arrived in Egypt, and waited on the great Wazir. Joseph again received them hospitably, even more so than before, as they had complied with his request to bring Benjamin. No doubt many shrewd and probing questions were asked by Joseph, and no doubt it was clear that Benjamin was one apart from the other ten. Baidhawi fills up the picture of the great feast for us. The guests were seated two by two. Baidhawi was the odd one, and Joseph courteously took him to his own table.

After the feast the question of lodgings arose. They were to be accommodated two by two. Again Benjamin was the odd one. What more natural than that the Wazir should take him to himself He thus got a chance of privacy with him. He disclosed his identity to him, charging him to keep it a secret, and to take no notice of any strange doings that might occur. He must have learnt from Benjamin about his father and about the inner doings of the family. He must get them all together into Egypt under his own eye. He had a plan, and he proceeded to put it into execution.

The past tense of Kanu, combined with the aorist of Ya'malun, signifies that the reference is to their brothers' doings, past, present, and future. Benjamin was not to mind what wrongs they had done in the past, or how they behaved in the present or the immediate future. Joseph had a plan that required Benjamin's silence in strange circumstances.

When Joseph had provided them with supplies, he slipped the royal cup into his brother's bag. Then a herald cried, 'O people of the caravan! You must be thieves!'

  - Mustafa Khattab

At length when he had furnished them forth with provisions (suitable) for them he put the drinking cup into his brother's saddlebag. Then shouted out a Crier: "O ye (in) the Caravan! Behold! ye are thieves without doubt!" ¹⁷³⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Joseph's plan was to play a practical joke on them, which would achieve two objects. Immediately it would put them into some consternation, but nothing comparable to what he had suffered at their hands. When the plan was unravelled, it would make them thoroughly ashamed of themselves, and dramatically bring home their guilt to them. Secondly, it would give him an excuse to detain Benjamin and bring their aged father into Egypt. He contrived that a valuable drinking cup should be concealed in Benjamin's saddle-bag. When it was found after an ostentatious search, he would detain the supposed culprit, and attain his object, as the story relates further on.

They asked, turning back, 'What have you lost?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

They said turning towards them: "What is it that ye miss?"

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The herald 'along with the guards' replied, 'We have lost the King's measuring cup. And whoever brings it will be awarded a camel-load 'of grain'. I guarantee it.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

They said: "We miss the great beaker of the king; for him who produces it is (the reward of) a camel-load; I will be bound by it."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Joseph's brothers replied, 'By Allah! You know well that we did not come to cause trouble in the land, nor are we thieves.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

(The brothers) said: "By Allah! well ye know that we came not to make mischief in the land and we are no thieves!" ¹⁷³⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

As strangers in a strange land, they were liable to be suspected as spies or men who meditated some unlawful design, or some crime, such as theft, which would be common in a season of scarcity. The brothers protested against the absurdity of such a suspicion after they had been entertained so royally by the Wazir.

Joseph's men asked, 'What should be the price for theft, if you are lying?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

(The Egyptians) said: "What then shall be the penalty of this if ye are (proved) to have lied?" ¹⁷³⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"That might be all very well," said the Egyptians, "but what if it is found by a search that you have in fact abused the Wazir's hospitality by stealing a valuable cup?"

Joseph's brothers responded, 'The price will be 'the enslavement of' the one in whose bag the cup is found. That is how we punish the wrongdoers.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

They said: "The penalty should be that he in whose saddle bag it is found should be held (as bondman) to atone for the (crime). Thus it is we punish the wrongdoers!" ^{1740 1741}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We must try to picture to ourselves the mentality of the ten. They understood each other perfectly, in their sins as well as in other things. For themselves, the search held out no fears. Besides they had had no opportunity of stealing. But what of that young fellow Benjamin? They were ready to believe anything against him, the more so as the Wazir's partiality for him had lent a keen edge to their jealousy. Judging by their own standards, they would not be surprised if he had stolen, seeing that he had had such opportunities-sitting at the High Table and staying with the Wazir. They felt very self-righteous at the same time that they indulged in the luxury of accusing in their thoughts the most innocent of men! Supposing he had stolen, here would be a fine opportunity of getting rid of him. What about their solemn oath to their father? Oh! that was covered by the exception. He had done for himself. They had done all they could to protect him, but they were powerless. The old man could come and see for himself.

This was their family custom. It was of course long anterior to the Mosaic Law, which laid down full restitution for theft, and if the culprit had nothing, he was to be sold for his theft (Exod. xxii. 3). But here the crime was more than theft. It was theft, lying, and the grossest abuse of confidence and hospitality. While the ten felt a secret satisfaction in suggesting the penalty, they were unconsciously carrying out Joseph's plan. Thus the vilest motives often help in carrying out the most beneficent plans.