Prophets Stories In Islam

Part 3: Prophet Yusuf (as) And His Brothers Plot

"Truly, Yusuf and his brother (Binyamin) are loved more by our father than we, but we are Usbah (a strong group). Really our father is in a plain error. Kill Yusuf or cast him out to some other land, so that the favor of your father may be give to you alone, and after that you will be righteous folk (by intending repentance before committing the sin).
One from among them said: "Kill not Yusuf, but if you must do something, throw him down to the bottom of a well, he will be picked up by some caravan of travelers." (12:8-10)
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The pages of the Old Testament say that Yusuf told them his dream, whereas the Quran does not say that happened. Had it been so, the brothers would have said so themselves. The Old Testament claims they had lost their own rights by him, and so they would kill him. Indeed Yusuf kept his father's order and did not tell his brothers about his dream. In spite of this, his brothers sat down to conspire against him.
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One of them asked: "Why does our father love Yusuf more than us?"
Another answered: "Perhaps because of his beauty."
A third said: "Joseph and his brother occupied our father's heart."
The first complained: "Our father has gone all astray."
One of them suggested a solution to the matter; kill Joseph. "Where should we kill him?"
"We should banish him away from these grounds."
"We will send him to a distant land."
"Why should we not kill him and have rest so that the favor of your father may be give to you alone?"
However, Judah (Yahudh), the eldest and most intelligent among them, said: "There is no need to kill him when all you want is to get rid of him. Look here, let us throw him into a well and he will be picked up by a passing caravan. They will take him with them to a distant land. He will disappear from your father's sight and our purpose will be served with his exile. Then after that we shall repent for our crime and become good people once again."
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The discussion continued on the idea of dropping Joseph into a well, as it was seen as the safest solution. The plan to kill him was defeated; kidnap into a distant land was approved. It was the cleverest of ideas.
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The Brothers Approach Yaqub, their next movement opened the scene between them and their father Yaqub (pbuh):
"They said: O our father! Why do you not trust us with Yusuf, when we are indeed his well wishers? Send him with us tomorrow to enjoy himself and play, and verily we will take care of him.
He (Yaqub) said: Truly, it saddens me that you should take him away. I fear lest a wolf should devour him, while you are careless of him.
They said: If a wolf devours him, while we are Usbah (a strong group) (to guard him), then surely we are the losers." (12:11-14)
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Yaqub suggested a point, which had not occurred to them in their discussion: he feared that desert wolves would eat him! The wolves within them, or did he mean the wild wolves? No one but Allah knows. They coaxed their father to send Yusuf with them; he agreed under their pressure. Yusuf Thrown into the Well They were excited that they could now get rid of Yusuf for after this they could stand a better chance of receiving their father's affection. On leaving home, they went directly to the well, as they had planned, on the pretext of drinking water. One of them put his arms around Yusuf and held him tightly. Startled by this unusual behavior, Yusuf struggled to free himself. More brothers rushed to hold him. One of them removed his shirt. Some more joined in to lift Yusuf up and cast him into the deep well. Yusuf's piteous pleas made no difference to their cruel hearts. Then Allah revealed to Yusuf that he was safe and should not fear, for he would meet them again some day to remind them of what they had done. There was water in the well, which buoyed Yusuf's body, so he was not harmed. He sat lonely in the water, then clung to a rock ledge overheard and climbed on top of it. His brothers left him in this desolate place. Then they killed a sheep and soaked Yusuf's shirt in its blood. One brother said that they should swear to keep their deed a close secret. All of them took the oath. The Brothers Lie to Yaqub.
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"So, when they took him away, they all agreed to throw him down to the bottom of the well, and we inspired in him: Indeed, you shall inform them of this affair, when they know (you) not. And they came to their father in the early part of the night, weeping.
They said: O our father! We went racing with one another and left Yusuf by our belongings and a wolf devoured him; but you will never believe us even when we speak the truth. And they brought his shirt, stained with false blood.
He said: Nay, your ownselves made up a tale. So, patience is most fitting. And it is Allah whose help can be sought against that which you assert." (12:15-18)
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After they had thrown him into the well, they dipped his shirt into the false blood. At night, they returned with it to their father, crying bitterly. For this reason, some scholars have cautioned that one should not be deceived by another's crying, because it could be that the evildoer's weeping is a mere act.
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Deep down in the heart Yaqub knew that his beloved son was still alive and that his other sons were lying. He held the blood stained shirt in his hands, spread it out and remarked: "What a merciful wolf! he ate up my beloved son without tearing his shirt!"
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Their faces turned red when he demanded more information, but each swore by Allah that he was telling the truth. The brokenhearted father burst into tears. The father acted wisely by praying for mighty patience, which is free of doubt, and by trusting in Allah for help against what they had plotted against him and his son.
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This scene dims, and the scene opens in the well with which Yusuf had been thrown. Yusuf Finds Comfort in Allah. In the dark well Yusuf managed to find a stone ledge to hold onto. Around him was total darkness and an eerie silence. Fearful thoughts entered his mind: what would happen to him? Where would he find food? Why had his own brothers turned against him? Would his father know of his plight? His father's smile flashed before him recalling the love and affection he had always shown him. Yusuf began to pray earnestly, pleading to Allah for salvation. Gradually his fear began to subside. His Creator was testing the young man with a great misfortune in order to infuse in him a spirit of patience and courage. Yusuf, surrended himself to the will of his Lord.