سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ
Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 10
قَالَ قَآئِلٌ مِّنْهُمْ لَا تَقْتُلُوا۟ يُوسُفَ وَأَلْقُوهُ فِى غَيَـٰبَتِ ٱلْجُبِّ يَلْتَقِطْهُ بَعْضُ ٱلسَّيَّارَةِ إِن كُنتُمْ فَـٰعِلِينَ ﴿10﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
One from among them said: "Kill not Yûsuf (Joseph), but if you must do something, throw him down to the bottom of a well; he will be picked up by some caravan of travellers."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالَ
qāla
Said
قَآئِلٌۭ
qāilun
a speaker
مِّنْهُمْ
min'hum
among them
لَا
lā
(Do) not
تَقْتُلُوا۟
taqtulū
kill
يُوسُفَ
yūsufa
Yusuf
وَأَلْقُوهُ
wa-alqūhu
but throw him
فِى
fī
in
غَيَـٰبَتِ
ghayābati
the bottom
ٱلْجُبِّ
l-jubi
(of) the well
يَلْتَقِطْهُ
yaltaqiṭ'hu
will pick him
بَعْضُ
baʿḍu
some
ٱلسَّيَّارَةِ
l-sayārati
[the] caravan
إِن
in
if
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you are
فَـٰعِلِينَ
fāʿilīna
doing
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
The meaning of {قَالَ قَآىِٕلٌ مِّنْهُمْ لَا تَقْتُلُوْا يُوْسُفَ …:’’ غَيٰبَتِ ‘‘} in the lexicon is: {’’غَيَابَةُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مَا سَتَرَكَ مِنْهُ ‘‘ } that is, the concealment of anything is that which veils it from you, meaning it hides it from you. That is why the grave is also called {’’غَيَابَةٌ‘‘}. The meaning of {’’ الْجُبِّ ‘‘ } is a well, a well with much water and depth, or a well dug in the earth in which no wall of stones or bricks has been built, {’’السَّيَّارَةِ ‘‘} caravan. (Qamus) One of these brothers, who was naturally better and more compassionate than the others, when he saw them exceeding the limits, realizing that they would not be deterred in any way, gave them such advice that they could also accept and he would not be considered a supporter of Yusuf. That was: do not kill Yusuf, for murder is a very great crime. (The commentators say that he mentioned Yusuf’s name to evoke softness, compassion, and mercy in their hearts, so that they might reflect on whom they were about to kill—Yusuf, who is our brother.) If you must do something, then throw him into the depth of a blind well. In this way, your purpose will also be fulfilled, as some caravan will pick him up and take him away; you will succeed in your aim of removing him from your father’s sight, and you will also be saved from the murder of an innocent soul. {’’ قَالَ قَآىِٕلٌ مِّنْهُمْ ‘‘} This means that if those who suggested murder were brothers, then this was also a brother. Which brother said this, there is no mention of it in the Qur’an and Hadith, because for the purpose of guidance there was no need for it, and there is no knowing the truth or falsehood of the earlier books to rely on them and mention a name.
