سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ
Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 80
فَلَمَّا ٱسْتَيْـَٔسُوا۟ مِنْهُ خَلَصُوا۟ نَجِيًّا ۖ قَالَ كَبِيرُهُمْ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ أَبَاكُمْ قَدْ أَخَذَ عَلَيْكُم مَّوْثِقًا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمِن قَبْلُ مَا فَرَّطتُمْ فِى يُوسُفَ ۖ فَلَنْ أَبْرَحَ ٱلْأَرْضَ حَتَّىٰ يَأْذَنَ لِىٓ أَبِىٓ أَوْ يَحْكُمَ ٱللَّهُ لِى ۖ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ ٱلْحَـٰكِمِينَ ﴿80﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
So, when they despaired of him, they held a conference in private. The eldest among them said: "Know you not that your father did take an oath from you in Allâh’s Name, and before this you did fail in your duty with Yûsuf (Joseph)? Therefore I will not leave this land until my father permits me, or Allâh decides my case (by releasing Benjamin) and He is the Best of the judges.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَلَمَّا
falammā
So when
ٱسْتَيْـَٔسُوا۟
is'tayasū
they despaired
مِنْهُ
min'hu
of him
خَلَصُوا۟
khalaṣū
they secluded themselves
نَجِيًّۭا ۖ
najiyyan
(in) private consultation
قَالَ
qāla
Said
كَبِيرُهُمْ
kabīruhum
the eldest among them
أَلَمْ
alam
Do not
تَعْلَمُوٓا۟
taʿlamū
you know
أَنَّ
anna
that
أَبَاكُمْ
abākum
your father
قَدْ
qad
has taken
أَخَذَ
akhadha
has taken
عَلَيْكُم
ʿalaykum
upon you
مَّوْثِقًۭا
mawthiqan
a promise
مِّنَ
mina
by
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
وَمِن
wamin
and before
قَبْلُ
qablu
and before
مَا
mā
that
فَرَّطتُمْ
farraṭtum
you failed
فِى
fī
concerning
يُوسُفَ ۖ
yūsufa
Yusuf
فَلَنْ
falan
So never
أَبْرَحَ
abraḥa
will I leave
ٱلْأَرْضَ
l-arḍa
the land
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
يَأْذَنَ
yadhana
permits
لِىٓ
lī
me
أَبِىٓ
abī
my father
أَوْ
aw
or
يَحْكُمَ
yaḥkuma
Allah decides
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah decides
لِى ۖ
lī
for me
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
and He
خَيْرُ
khayru
(is) the Best
ٱلْحَـٰكِمِينَ
l-ḥākimīna
(of) the judges
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
80. Then, when they lost all hope of [persuading] Joseph, they withdrew to confer privately. The eldest among them said, "Do you not know that your father took a solemn pledge from you in Allah’s name, and before this, you also fell short in your duty regarding Joseph? So I will never leave this place until my father permits me or Allah decides for me, and He is the best of judges."
[77]
The Eldest Brother's Refusal to Return:
When Yusufؑ clearly refused to do such a favor, all the brothers went aside in seclusion and began to ponder over the current distressing situation. It had become a matter where there was neither a way to go forward nor a place to stay. If they had not committed excess in the matter of Yusuf earlier, the situation would not have become so grave now. In these circumstances, the eldest brother, mentioning the previous incident, said that he did not consider himself worthy of facing his father. However, he told them to go and inform their father of this situation. He would remain there and then try to bring Binyamin back from those people, or else he would die, or if his father ordered him to return, only then would he face his father. Now, whatever Allah wills will be acceptable to him, and He alone will decide what is best for him. In any case, he was not ready to return home with them and preferred death over it.
[77]
The Eldest Brother's Refusal to Return:
When Yusufؑ clearly refused to do such a favor, all the brothers went aside in seclusion and began to ponder over the current distressing situation. It had become a matter where there was neither a way to go forward nor a place to stay. If they had not committed excess in the matter of Yusuf earlier, the situation would not have become so grave now. In these circumstances, the eldest brother, mentioning the previous incident, said that he did not consider himself worthy of facing his father. However, he told them to go and inform their father of this situation. He would remain there and then try to bring Binyamin back from those people, or else he would die, or if his father ordered him to return, only then would he face his father. Now, whatever Allah wills will be acceptable to him, and He alone will decide what is best for him. In any case, he was not ready to return home with them and preferred death over it.
