Volume 10 Surah 12 - 15 - Enjoy Islam

Yūsuf (Joseph) | A FAVOURITE CHILD IS LOST
brothers’ grudge even further. How could it be that their father missed him even
when he went out to play for a few hours! -
“I dread that the wolf may eat him when you are heedless of him.” (Verse 13) They must
have found in his words the excuse they were looking for, for they immediately
reassure Jacob that they will take good care of Joseph. “They said: ‘If the wolf were to eat
him when we are so many, then we should surely be lost.’” (Verse 14) If a wolf should beat
us when we are so many and so strong, then we are good for nothing. We lose
everything.
Thus the protective father gives way to the strong persuasion and impassioned
assurances of his sons. It was against his better judgement that he should let them
take Joseph, but he was clearly embarrassed. Thus, God’s will came to pass and the
events of the story unfolded.
Fast-Changing Fortunes
Then we see them on their way, Joseph with them, and they intent on putting their
wicked plot into effect. God Almighty inspires the young boy, reassuring him that it
is only a trial that is certain to come to an end. He will survive and he will remind his
brothers of their plot against him on a day when they will not know him to be
Joseph. “And when they went away with him, they resolved to cast him into the depths of the
well. We revealed [this] to him: ‘You will tell them of this their deed at a time when they shall
not know you.’“ (Verse 15)
Their resolve, then, was to cast him into the dark depths of a well to remove him
altogether from their family life. At this point when Joseph fears for his life, when
there’s no one to help him and ten adult and powerful brothers against him, a mere
young child, reassurance comes to him through inspiration that he will be saved and
will live until such a time as he reminds them of their crime. At that point in the
future, they will not know that he is their brother whom they had thrown into the
well.
We leave Joseph now to face his ordeal, undoubtedly reassured by God’s
inspiration, to look at his brothers facing their saddened father after committing their
crime: “At nightfall they came to their father weeping, and said: ‘Father, we went off racing
and left Joseph behind with our belongings, and the wolf devoured him. But you will not
believe us even though we are saying the truth.’ And they produced his shirt stained with
false blood. He said: No, but your minds have tempted you to evil. Sweet patience! It is to God
alone that I turn for support in this misfortune that you have described.’” (Verses 16-18)
Their blindness meant their plot was imperfect. Had they taken a calmer
approach, they would not have harmed Joseph the first time their father permitted
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