Prophet Yūsuf: Part 1 — The Well, the House and the Prison
Section 9 of 31 · Lives of the Prophets
Good News — Here Is a Boy!
Yūsuf was in the well when a caravan of travellers passed by. They sent someone to fetch water for them, and he lowered the bucket into the well. Yūsuf clung to the bucket. The man pulled up the bucket, expecting some water — and found a child in it.
وَجَآءَتْ سَيَّارَةٌ فَأَرْسَلُوا۟ وَارِدَهُمْ فَأَدْلَىٰ دَلْوَهُۥ ۖ قَالَ يَـٰبُشْرَىٰ هَـٰذَا غُلَـٰمٌ ۚ وَأَسَرُّوهُ بِضَـٰعَةً ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ
“And some wayfarers came (near the pit in which Yūsuf was thrown), and sent their water-drawer (to bring water for them). So, he let down his bucket. He said, “What a good news! Here is a boy.” And they kept him hidden as merchandise, while Allah was aware of what they were doing.” (12:19)
He said: yā bushrā, hādhā ghulām — good news, here is a boy! He was so happy. Why? Because this was a fortune. In those times a slave would fetch a lot of money, so they felt that selling this young child would be a very good deal for them. They picked him up, took him with them in their caravan, and went to Egypt. And they sold him in Egypt — for a good price.