Tafsir

Yusuf's Brothers ask for Their Father's Permission to take Yusuf with Them

When Yusuf's brothers agreed to take him and throw him down the well, taking the advice of their elder brother Rubil, they went to their father Ya`qub, peace be upon him. They said to him, "Why is it that you, لاَ تَأْمَنَّا عَلَى يُوسُفَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَنَـصِحُونَ(do not trust us with Yusuf though we are indeed his well-wishers)." They started executing their plan by this introductory statement, even though they really intended its opposite, out of envy towards Yusuf for being loved by his father. They said, أَرْسِلْهُ مَعَنَا"(Send him with us) tomorrow so that we all enjoy ourselves and play." Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi said similarly. Yusuf's brothers said next, وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَـفِظُونَ(and verily, we will take care of him.), we will protect him and ensure his safety for you.

Appearing in the fifth (111) and sixth (112) verse is the request of these brothers before their father in which they wondered why he would not trust them with Yusuf, although they wished him fully well. So, they pleaded, he should send him along with them to enjoy himself freely by eating and drinking and playing with them and that they all shall be there to take care of him.

The tone of the very request made by the brothers of Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) indicates that they had already made such a request earlier too which was not accepted by their father. Therefore, in the present request, they seem to have tried to assure their father with added effort and insistence.

قال إخوة يوسف -بعد اتفاقهم على إبعاده-: يا أبانا ما لك لا تجعلنا أمناء على يوسف مع أنه أخونا، ونحن نريد له الخير ونشفق عليه ونرعاه، ونخصه بخالص النصح؟

لما تواطئوا على أخذه وطرحه في البئر ، كما أشار عليهم أخوهم الكبير روبيل ، جاءوا أباهم يعقوب ، عليه السلام ، فقالوا : ( ياأبانا ما لك لا تأمنا على يوسف وإنا له لناصحون ) وهذه توطئة وسلف ودعوى ، وهم يريدون خلاف ذلك; لما له في قلوبهم من الحسد لحب أبيه له