فَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهَازِهِمْ جَعَلَ ٱلسِّقَايَةَ فِى رَحْلِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ أَيَّتُهَا ٱلْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَـٰرِقُونَ 70
Translations
So when he had furnished them with their supplies, he put the [gold measuring] bowl into the bag of his brother. Then an announcer called out, "O caravan, indeed you are thieves."
Transliteration
Falammā jahhazhum bi-jihāzihim jaʿala al-siqāyata fī rahli akhīhi thumma adhdhana muʾadhdhinun ayyatuhā al-ʿīru innakum la-sāriqūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
After Joseph prepared his brothers' provisions for their journey, he secretly placed the drinking cup (which belonged to the king) in the saddlebag of his youngest brother Benjamin as a test. A herald then proclaimed that the caravan was accused of theft. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this was part of Joseph's divine plan to keep Benjamin with him, as he could not bear to be separated from his only full brother, while also orchestrating circumstances that would eventually lead to the revelation of his identity and the reunion of his family.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Joseph's brothers' second journey to Egypt to buy grain. The surah, revealed in Mecca, recounts Joseph's extraordinary trials and ultimate triumph, with this incident demonstrating his wisdom and his emotional attachment to Benjamin. The event serves the larger thematic purpose of showing how divine wisdom works through human actions.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly narrates this Quranic event, the broader theme relates to Surah Yusuf being mentioned in Sahih Bukhari as 'the best of stories' (ahsan al-qasas), highlighting its spiritual significance. The account in 12:70-87 illustrates themes of trust in Allah's plan found throughout prophetic teachings.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that Allah works through complex circumstances and human emotions to achieve His greater purposes, and that sometimes apparent wrongdoing or complexity in life is part of a divine plan leading to ultimate good and reunion of loved ones.