قَالَ لَنْ أُرْسِلَهُۥ مَعَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ تُؤْتُونِ مَوْثِقًا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لَتَأْتُنَّنِى بِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن يُحَاطَ بِكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّآ ءَاتَوْهُ مَوْثِقَهُمْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌ 66
Translations
[Jacob] said, "Never will I send him with you until you give me a promise [i.e., oath] by Allāh that you will bring him [back] to me, unless you should be surrounded [i.e., overcome by enemies]." And when they had given their promise, he said, "Allāh, over what we say, is Entrusted."
Transliteration
Qāla lan ursilahu maʿakum ḥattā tuʾtūnī mawthiqan mina -llāhi lataʾtunannī bihi illā an yuḥāṭa bikum, falammā ʾātawhu mawthiqahum qāla -llāhu ʿalā mā naqūlu wakīl
Tafsir (Explanation)
Ya'qub (Jacob) refuses to send his youngest son Benjamin with his brothers to Egypt unless they swear a binding oath before Allah that they will return with him safely, except in the case of circumstances beyond their control. After they provide this covenant, Ya'qub affirms that Allah is sufficient as the Trustee over all their affairs. This demonstrates Ya'qub's paternal care, his reliance upon Allah, and the Islamic principle of taking necessary precautions while trusting in Divine providence—a balance emphasized by classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Surah Yusuf, specifically in the critical moment when the brothers return to Egypt and request to take Benjamin. The context reflects the historical account from Jewish and Islamic tradition regarding Joseph's family dynamics and Ya'qub's protective nature toward his youngest sons following the earlier loss of Joseph.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, Sahih Bukhari contains numerous hadiths about taking oaths and covenants (mawathiq) in business and family matters, reflecting the Islamic legal principle of binding agreements. Additionally, hadiths regarding tawakkul (reliance on Allah) while taking precautions, such as those in Sunan At-Tirmidhi, complement this ayah's dual message.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to balance practical wisdom and protective measures with absolute trust in Allah's plan—we should neither be reckless by neglecting safeguards nor anxious by failing to rely on Allah's governance. It exemplifies how sincere believers invoke Allah as their witness in important commitments, making our promises and responsibilities sacred acts.