سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ
Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 19
وَجَآءَتْ سَيَّارَةٌ فَأَرْسَلُوا۟ وَارِدَهُمْ فَأَدْلَىٰ دَلْوَهُۥ ۖ قَالَ يَـٰبُشْرَىٰ هَـٰذَا غُلَـٰمٌ ۚ وَأَسَرُّوهُ بِضَـٰعَةً ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿19﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And there came a caravan of travellers and they sent their water-drawer, and he let down his bucket (into the well). He said: "What good news! Here is a boy." So they hid him as merchandise (a slave). And Allâh was the All-Knower of what they did.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَجَآءَتْ
wajāat
And there came
سَيَّارَةٌۭ
sayyāratun
a caravan
فَأَرْسَلُوا۟
fa-arsalū
and they sent
وَارِدَهُمْ
wāridahum
their water drawer
فَأَدْلَىٰ
fa-adlā
then he let down
دَلْوَهُۥ ۖ
dalwahu
his bucket
قَالَ
qāla
He said
يَـٰبُشْرَىٰ
yābush'rā
O good news
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
This
غُلَـٰمٌۭ ۚ
ghulāmun
(is) a boy
وَأَسَرُّوهُ
wa-asarrūhu
And they hid him
بِضَـٰعَةًۭ ۚ
biḍāʿatan
(as) a merchandise
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
عَلِيمٌۢ
ʿalīmun
(is) All-Knower
بِمَا
bimā
of what
يَعْمَلُونَ
yaʿmalūna
they do
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.
(Ayah 19) ➊ {وَ جَآءَتْ سَيَّارَةٌ …:} This caravan was heading towards Egypt. Allah’s favor upon Yusuf (peace be upon him) was that the attention of the caravan people turned towards drawing water from the well, and Yusuf (peace be upon him) got the opportunity to come out. Here, it is self-evident that when the water drawer let down the bucket, Yusuf (peace be upon him) clung to it and came up.
➋ {وَ اَسَرُّوْهُ بِضَاعَةً:’’ بِضَاعَةً ‘‘} means merchandise, that is, it was obligatory upon the caravan people to announce around, or according to what Yusuf (peace be upon him) would tell them, to take him to his father, but they were cruel and irreligious. They forcibly made him a slave and hid him as merchandise, intending to sell him in Egypt, even though it is forbidden to enslave or sell a free person. In this entire context, there is no mention of Yusuf’s (peace be upon him) brothers; rather, it is clear that when Yusuf (peace be upon him) came out, the caravan people were very happy and hid him as merchandise, not letting anyone know.
➌ In these verses, there is consolation for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that the act of Yusuf’s (peace be upon him) brothers throwing him into the well ultimately became a means of his greatness and elevation. You too should not be disheartened by the oppression and injustice of your family members. All of them, like the brothers of Yusuf, will eventually stand before you.
➋ {وَ اَسَرُّوْهُ بِضَاعَةً:’’ بِضَاعَةً ‘‘} means merchandise, that is, it was obligatory upon the caravan people to announce around, or according to what Yusuf (peace be upon him) would tell them, to take him to his father, but they were cruel and irreligious. They forcibly made him a slave and hid him as merchandise, intending to sell him in Egypt, even though it is forbidden to enslave or sell a free person. In this entire context, there is no mention of Yusuf’s (peace be upon him) brothers; rather, it is clear that when Yusuf (peace be upon him) came out, the caravan people were very happy and hid him as merchandise, not letting anyone know.
➌ In these verses, there is consolation for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that the act of Yusuf’s (peace be upon him) brothers throwing him into the well ultimately became a means of his greatness and elevation. You too should not be disheartened by the oppression and injustice of your family members. All of them, like the brothers of Yusuf, will eventually stand before you.
