Yusuf 12:79
Joseph · ayah 79 of 111
Qala maAAatha Allahi anna/khutha illa man wajadna mataAAanaAAindahu inna ithan lathalimoon
Saheeh International translation
Other English translations
Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+
"He replied, ‘God forbid that we should take anyone other than the person on whom we found our property: that would be unjust of us.’"
Pickthall (classic)+
"He said: Allah forbid that we should seize save him with whom we found our property; then truly we should be wrong-doers."
Yusuf Ali (classic)+
"He said: "Allah forbid that we take other than him with whom we found our property: indeed (if we did so), we should be acting wrongfully."
Tafsīr · classical commentary
Ibn Kathir
Abridged English, public domain
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Ibn Kathir
Abridged English, public domain
Yusuf's Brothers offer taking One of Them instead of Binyamin as a Slave, Yusuf rejects the Offer
When it was decided that Benyamin was to be taken and kept with Yusuf according to the law they adhered by, Yusuf's brothers started requesting clemency and raising compassion in his heart for them,
(They said, "O `Aziz! Verily, he has an old father...") who loves him very much and is comfor- ted by his presence from the son that he lost,
(so take one of us in his place.), instead of Binyamin to remain with you,
(Indeed we think that you are one of the doers of good.), the good doers, just, and accepting fairness,
(He said: "Allah forbid, that we should take anyone but him with whom we found our property..."), `according to the judgement that you gave for his punishment,
(Indeed, we should be wrongdoers.), if we take an innocent man instead of the guilty man. '
Tafsir Saʿdi
English translation, public domain
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Tafsir Saʿdi
English translation, public domain
Maʿārif al-Qur'ān
Mufti Shafi Usmani, English
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Maʿārif al-Qur'ān
Mufti Shafi Usmani, English
The response of Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) appears in verse 79 قَالَ مَعَاذَ اللَّـهِ أَن نَّأْخُذَ إِلَّا مَن وَجَدْنَا مَتَاعَنَا عِندَهُ إِنَّا إِذًا لَّظَالِمُونَ that is, he gave his reply to their request according to the regulations followed in his country by telling them that they were not authorized to detain anyone they wished. In fact, if they were to arrest someone other than the person from whose possession the lost property has been recovered, then, according to their own fatwa and ruling, they would be accused of being unjust.
The reason he gave was that they had themselves said that ` he, in whose baggage the stolen property is found, shall himself be the punishment.'
Tafsīr sourced from quran.com's open API. These are classical commentaries; for personal rulings consult a qualified scholar.