ٱرْجِعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَبِيكُمْ فَقُولُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَآ إِنَّ ٱبْنَكَ سَرَقَ وَمَا شَهِدْنَآ إِلَّا بِمَا عَلِمْنَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِلْغَيْبِ حَـٰفِظِينَ 81
Translations
Return to your father and say, 'O our father, indeed your son has stolen, and we did not testify except to what we knew. And we were not witnesses of the unseen.
Transliteration
Irji'u ilā abīkum faqūlū yā abānā inna ibnaka saraqā wa mā shahidnā illā bimā 'alamnā wa mā kunnā li-al-ghaybi hāfizīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The brothers of Yusuf return to their father Ya'qub with false accusations that Yusuf stole the royal cup, instructing them to tell their father while emphasizing their testimony was limited to what they witnessed. Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note this statement contains both deceit (the false accusation) and a partial truth (they honestly witnessed the cup being found in Yusuf's saddlebag, though they were complicit in planting it). The phrase 'we are not guardians of the unseen' reveals their attempt to deflect responsibility while maintaining plausible deniability regarding their knowledge of the setup.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs in the climactic section of Surah Yusuf where the brothers' jealousy and deception reach their apex. After selling Yusuf into slavery years earlier, they now attempt another scheme by planting the royal drinking cup in his possession to remove him from Egypt. This verse reflects their continued moral corruption and desperation as divine justice slowly unfolds.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly references this ayah, Sahih Muslim records that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, 'The truthful merchant will be with the prophets on the Day of Judgment,' establishing the Islamic principle that truthfulness is a foundational virtue opposed to the deception shown by Yusuf's brothers.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah warns against bearing false witness and constructing lies with half-truths, demonstrating how deception ultimately fails against Allah's plan. It teaches that those who scheme against the innocent for selfish reasons will eventually face exposure, as Yusuf's eventual vindication and elevation exemplifies.
Related Ayahs
قَالَ رَبِّ ٱلسِّجْنُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا يَدْعُونَنِىٓ إِلَيْهِ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَصْرِفْ عَنِّى كَيْدَهُنَّ أَصْبُ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْجَـٰهِلِينَ
He said, "My Lord, prison is more to my liking than that to which they invite me. And if You do not avert from me their plan, I might incline toward them and [thus] be of the ignorant."
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ٱسْتَيْـَٔسَ ٱلرُّسُلُ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ كُذِبُوا۟ جَآءَهُمْ نَصْرُنَا فَنُجِّىَ مَن نَّشَآءُ ۖ وَلَا يُرَدُّ بَأْسُنَا عَنِ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ
[They continued] until, when the messengers despaired and were certain that they had been denied, there came to them Our victory, and whoever We willed was saved. And Our punishment cannot be repelled from the people who are criminals.
فَإِن لَّمْ تَأْتُونِى بِهِۦ فَلَا كَيْلَ لَكُمْ عِندِى وَلَا تَقْرَبُونِ
But if you do not bring him to me, no measure will there be [hereafter] for you from me, nor will you approach me."
نَحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ أَحْسَنَ ٱلْقَصَصِ بِمَآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ وَإِن كُنتَ مِن قَبْلِهِۦ لَمِنَ ٱلْغَـٰفِلِينَ
We relate to you, [O Muḥammad], the best of stories in what We have revealed to you of this Qur’ān although you were, before it, among the unaware.