Surah Yusuf 12:9

There are Lessons to draw from the Story of Yusuf

Allah says that there are Ayat, lessons and wisdom to learn from the story of Yusuf and his brothers, for those who ask about their story and seek its knowledge. Surely, their story is unique and is worthy of being narrated.

(When they said: "Truly, Yusuf and his brother are dearer to our father than we...") They swore, according to their false thoughts, that Yusuf and his brother Binyamin (Benjamin), Yusuf's full brother,

(dearer to our father than we, while we are `Usbah.) meaning, a group. Therefore, they thought, how can he love these two more than the group,

(Really, our father is in a plain error.) because he preferred them and loved them more than us.

(Kill Yusuf or cast him out to some (other) land, so that the favor of your father may be given to you alone,) They said, `Remove Yusuf, who competes with you for your father's love, from in front of your father's face so that his favor is yours alone. Either kill Yusuf or banish him to a distant land so that you are rid of his trouble and you alone enjoy the love of your father. '

(and after that you will be righteous folk.), thus intending repentance before committing the sin,

(One from among them said...) Qatadah and Muhammad bin Ishaq said that he was the oldest among them and his name was Rubil (Reuben). As-Suddi said that his name was Yahudha (Judah). Mujahid said that it was Sham`un (Simeon) who said,

(Kill not Yusuf,), do not let your enmity and hatred towards him reach this level, of murder. However, their plot to kill Yusuf would not have succeeded, because Allah the Exalted willed that Yusuf fulfill a mission that must be fulfilled and complete; he would receive Allah's revelation and become His Prophet. Allah willed Yusuf to be a powerful man in Egypt and govern it. Consequently, Allah did not allow them to persist in their intent against Yusuf, through Rubil's words and his advice to them that if they must do something, they should throw him down to the bottom of a well,

(he will be picked up by some caravan) of travelers passing by. This way, he said, you will rid yourselves of this bother without having to kill him,

(if you must do something,) meaning, if you still insist on getting rid of him. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar said, "They agreed to a particularly vicious crime that involved cutting the relation of the womb, undutiful treatment of parents, and harshness towards the young, helpless and sinless. It was also harsh towards the old and weak who have the rights of being respected, honored and appreciated, as well as, being honored with Allah and having parental rights on their offspring. They sought to separate the beloved father, who had reached old age and his bones became weak, yet had a high status with Allah, from his beloved young son, in spite of his weakness, tender age and his need of his father's compassion and kindness. May Allah forgive them, and indeed, He is the Most Merciful among those who have mercy, for they intended to carry out a "grave error." Ibn Abi Hatim collected this state- ment, from the route of Salamah bin Al-Fadl from Muhammad bin Ishaq.

Dalam suatu musyawarah untuk menetapkan tindakan yang tepat dan tegas terhadap Yusuf, mereka mengusulkan agar dia dibunuh saja atau dibuang ke tempat yang jauh, sehingga ia tidak mungkin kembali atau binasa dan mati di tempat pembuangan itu. Dengan demikian, ayah mereka Yakub akan berputus asa dan tidak mempunyai harapan lagi untuk bertemu dengan anaknya yang paling disayanginya itu, dan lama kelamaan tentunya dia akan melupakannya. Selama ini yang menjadi halangan baginya untuk memperhatikan mereka ialah Yusuf di sampingnya. Bila Yusuf sudah tiada atau tersingkir ke negeri yang jauh, tentulah ayah mereka akan kembali memperhatikan dan menyayangi mereka. Mereka menginsyafi bahwa tindakan ini adalah suatu tindakan yang kejam tidak berperikemanusiaan, suatu tindakan kriminal yang sangat besar dosanya. Akan tetapi, mereka telah jauh tersesat dari jalan yang benar dan terjerumus ke dalam perangkap setan, sehingga tidak nampak lagi oleh mereka akibat perbuatan itu bagi ayah dan diri mereka sendiri jika perbuatan itu dilakukan.

Mereka membujuk diri mereka sendiri dengan mengatakan, meskipun mereka telah berdosa, pintu tobat masih terbuka lebar. Mereka akan bertobat dengan tobat nasuha dan tidak akan berbuat seperti itu lagi, dan menjadi hamba Allah yang saleh. Tentu Allah akan menerima tobat, mengampuni segala dosa dan kesalahan hamba-Nya, dengan demikian ayah mereka akan merasa senang kepada mereka, dan Allah tidak akan menyiksa mereka.