ٱقْتُلُوا۟ يُوسُفَ أَوِ ٱطْرَحُوهُ أَرْضًا يَخْلُ لَكُمْ وَجْهُ أَبِيكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ قَوْمًا صَـٰلِحِينَ 9
Translations
Kill Joseph or cast him out to [another] land; the countenance [i.e., attention] of your father will [then] be only for you, and you will be after that a righteous people."
Transliteration
Iqtulū Yūsufa aw ithrahūhu ardan yakhlu lakum wajhu abīkum wa takūnū min baʿdihi qawman sālihīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah records the evil counsel of Yusuf's brothers as they conspired against him, proposing either to kill him or cast him into a distant land so their father would turn his attention solely to them and they could become righteous people afterwards. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note the profound irony and hypocrisy in their statement—they rationalized heinous sin by claiming it would lead to righteousness, demonstrating how the ego (nafs) deceives people into justifying evil deeds with false spiritual reasoning.
Revelation Context
This verse is part of the narrative of Surah Yusuf, which details the trial and tribulations of Prophet Yusuf. The context here is the brothers' jealousy over their father's preference for Yusuf, leading them to plot his removal. While Surah Yusuf was revealed in Mecca during a period of hardship for the Prophet Muhammad, this particular narrative teaches timeless lessons about jealousy, family discord, and divine wisdom.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'Avoid envy, for envy devours good deeds as fire devours wood' (Sunan Abu Dawud 4895). Additionally, the Prophet warned against harboring malice toward family members, emphasizing that maintaining family bonds is essential to faith.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that evil intentions dressed in the language of righteousness remain evil, and that jealousy—especially within families—can lead to grave sins if not controlled. We must examine our intentions honestly and resist the temptation to rationalize wrongdoing, remembering that Allah knows what is hidden in our hearts.