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JOSEPH—YUSUF “201
He will show thee manner of reading into
the meaning of things, and fill
the measure of His Favour on thee and
on the house of Jacob, even as
He had aforetime fulfilled the measure of
His Favour on thy forefathers, Abraham and Isaac.
Without doubt thy Lord is Omniscient and Wise.”
SECTION 2: VERSES 7-20
(7) Assuredly in (the story of)
Joseph and his brothers those who pester
thee with questions (in respect of it)
will find ample material (for reflection).
{8] Said taey, (the stepbrothers of Joseph):
“Decidedly Joseph and his brother are
better loved of our father than we,
although, we outnumber them; .
indeed ovr father is clearly jn the wrong.”
The brothers of Joseph planned to take. Josephs -with them
into the woods, where they used to graze their ‘cattle and “thus,
get an Opportunity to throw him into a well. . This idea
originated with Reuben who was ag:inst the idea of killing
him (Genesis 37: 24).
[9] *Let us kill Joseph or push him
out into some other land,
so that our father shall set. his face on us
alone and we thereafter. live.as upright men.“
{10} One of them said: ‘Kill him‘ not
but if you really. wish to get tid of him,
better throw him down into the «
bottom of a blind well, Perchance
some wayfarers may pick him up
(and carry bim away with them).’202 THE TARJUMAN AL-QUR’AN CHAP
(11] They (all went to their father and)
said: “O our father! why dost-thou
not trust us and (let Joseph move in
our company) ; indeed (we assure
thee) we mean him well.”
{12] Send him then with us
tomorrow that he may sport with us
and enjoy himself and surely
we will take care of him.”
The sons of Jacob engaged themselves during day time in
grazing their cattle and return in the eveniog to their tents for
test. When Jacob came to know that Joseph was being taken
by his bfothers into the woods, Jacob instantaneously felt
alarmed at the idea. He knew that the woods were infested
with wolves, and he feared that Joseph might fall a prey to them.
It was with no small reluctance, therefore, that Jacob let Joseph
accompany his brothers. ‘But his brothers were delighted at
the thought that they could now play upon the fear expressed
by Jacob. Having carried out their nefarious plan by throw-
dog Joseph into a well, they reported to their father. that some
wolvesthad taken away Joseph.
(13] He said; “Verily it will grieve
me, should you take him away from me, for,’
I fear some wojf might devour him while
you happen to be heedless of him,”
[14] They said: “When we aré’
in number, how it is possible for au
him? Surely, if such.a should happen,
we would tbén have proved ourselves to be
a worthless lot.”% 7
[15] And when they s ent away with bim
and resolved to put him at the bottom of
a well, (and indeed carried out their resolve),XIL . JOSEPH—YUSUPF 203
We revealed to him: “(Joseph) : do not
despair ; a time will come when they will
call to mind this deed of theirs in a situation
when they could hardly recognise (thee as
their forsaken brother),” :
[16] And at nightfall they came
weeping to their father.
{t7] They said: “O our father! we
went to run races leaving Joseph behind
to look after our belongings and a wolf
devoured him; but thou wilt not believe
us even though we speak the very truth.”
Jacob was naturally grieved atsthis report, but he bore the
grief with becoming patience. He could not forget the glad
tidings tliat had been given him in the past from above, that his
son Joseph was to play a glorious part in life, and that all pro-
phecies of old, would be fulfilled in bis person. So he could
nog delieve in the report given by his sons. He suspected that
some ynischief had been done to his son by his brothers’ aod,
therefore, he laid bis trust ia God, that one day everything would
be cleared anc the boy would retura to him.
io verse 18, it is stated that the brothers of Joseph had
presented to their father the shirt, that Joseph had put on that
day, with some blood sprinkled thereon, in proof of the story
that they had coined. But Jacob could easily see that his sons
could not possess Joseph’s shirt, if he had been carried away by
wolves, Besides, the shirt could not have remained intact if
that had happened, He was certain, therefore, that the story
was got up. ‘So hé listened to the story io silence. His only
reply to them was, “Nay! This is what your hearts have impelled
you to fabricate.” The reply afforded a clear indication that
Jacob did not believe in the story.