x JOSEPH—YUSUF “201 He will show thee manner of reading into the meaning of things, and fill the measure of His Favour on thee and on the house of Jacob, even as He had aforetime fulfilled the measure of His Favour on thy forefathers, Abraham and Isaac. Without doubt thy Lord is Omniscient and Wise.” SECTION 2: VERSES 7-20 (7) Assuredly in (the story of) Joseph and his brothers those who pester thee with questions (in respect of it) will find ample material (for reflection). {8] Said taey, (the stepbrothers of Joseph): “Decidedly Joseph and his brother are better loved of our father than we, although, we outnumber them; . indeed ovr father is clearly jn the wrong.” The brothers of Joseph planned to take. Josephs -with them into the woods, where they used to graze their ‘cattle and “thus, get an Opportunity to throw him into a well. . This idea originated with Reuben who was ag:inst the idea of killing him (Genesis 37: 24). [9] *Let us kill Joseph or push him out into some other land, so that our father shall set. his face on us alone and we thereafter. live.as upright men.“ {10} One of them said: ‘Kill him‘ not but if you really. wish to get tid of him, better throw him down into the « bottom of a blind well, Perchance some wayfarers may pick him up (and carry bim away with them).’202 THE TARJUMAN AL-QUR’AN CHAP (11] They (all went to their father and) said: “O our father! why dost-thou not trust us and (let Joseph move in our company) ; indeed (we assure thee) we mean him well.” {12] Send him then with us tomorrow that he may sport with us and enjoy himself and surely we will take care of him.” The sons of Jacob engaged themselves during day time in grazing their cattle and return in the eveniog to their tents for test. When Jacob came to know that Joseph was being taken by his bfothers into the woods, Jacob instantaneously felt alarmed at the idea. He knew that the woods were infested with wolves, and he feared that Joseph might fall a prey to them. It was with no small reluctance, therefore, that Jacob let Joseph accompany his brothers. ‘But his brothers were delighted at the thought that they could now play upon the fear expressed by Jacob. Having carried out their nefarious plan by throw- dog Joseph into a well, they reported to their father. that some wolvesthad taken away Joseph. (13] He said; “Verily it will grieve me, should you take him away from me, for,’ I fear some wojf might devour him while you happen to be heedless of him,” [14] They said: “When we aré’ in number, how it is possible for au him? Surely, if such.a should happen, we would tbén have proved ourselves to be a worthless lot.”% 7 [15] And when they s ent away with bim and resolved to put him at the bottom of a well, (and indeed carried out their resolve),XIL . JOSEPH—YUSUPF 203 We revealed to him: “(Joseph) : do not despair ; a time will come when they will call to mind this deed of theirs in a situation when they could hardly recognise (thee as their forsaken brother),” : [16] And at nightfall they came weeping to their father. {t7] They said: “O our father! we went to run races leaving Joseph behind to look after our belongings and a wolf devoured him; but thou wilt not believe us even though we speak the very truth.” Jacob was naturally grieved atsthis report, but he bore the grief with becoming patience. He could not forget the glad tidings tliat had been given him in the past from above, that his son Joseph was to play a glorious part in life, and that all pro- phecies of old, would be fulfilled in bis person. So he could nog delieve in the report given by his sons. He suspected that some ynischief had been done to his son by his brothers’ aod, therefore, he laid bis trust ia God, that one day everything would be cleared anc the boy would retura to him. io verse 18, it is stated that the brothers of Joseph had presented to their father the shirt, that Joseph had put on that day, with some blood sprinkled thereon, in proof of the story that they had coined. But Jacob could easily see that his sons could not possess Joseph’s shirt, if he had been carried away by wolves, Besides, the shirt could not have remained intact if that had happened, He was certain, therefore, that the story was got up. ‘So hé listened to the story io silence. His only reply to them was, “Nay! This is what your hearts have impelled you to fabricate.” The reply afforded a clear indication that Jacob did not believe in the story.