Yusuf · Makki · ayah 78 of 111

Yusuf 12:78

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْعَزِيزُ إِنَّ لَهُۥٓ أَبًا شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا فَخُذْ أَحَدَنَا مَكَانَهُۥٓ ۖ إِنَّا نَرَىٰكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

“They said, "O ʿAzeez,[611] indeed he has a father [who is] an old man, so take one of us in place of him. Indeed, we see you as a doer of good."”

Saheeh International

Essence

The brothers who once gave a brother away now plead their old father's love for the youngest, and offer one of themselves in his place.

A reflection

Not saving their skins, but offering them

It is tempting to hear this plea cynically. The brothers are frightened of going home empty-handed. They promised their father, they failed, and now they will say anything to avoid facing him.

There is fear in it, certainly. But listen to what they actually offer.

Take one of us in his place.

Not money, not a bargain, not an excuse. One of themselves. A brother offered as a substitute for a brother.

One modern commentary names their motive plainly: they pleaded in order to keep their pledge to their father. Another classical commentary says the offer could mean as a servant, or as a hostage until a ransom was brought. Either way, someone from among the ten would stay in a foreign country, in the youngest's place.

These are the men who, years ago, removed a brother so that they could have their father's attention. Now they offer to remove themselves so that a brother can go home to him.

That is not a small change. It is the story's first true reversal of the well.

A man's younger brother is about to lose his job for missed shifts in the weeks around his first child's birth. The older brother goes to the depot and offers to work his nights for a month, unpaid, so the job is kept open. The manager agrees. The older brother has two children of his own and sees little of them that month.

He does not mention it at the christening.

The brothers on the road do not yet know that the youngest is safe, honoured, and beside his own brother. They think they are leaving him in slavery. And they offer to take it on themselves.

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