Prophet Yūsuf: Part 2 — The Storehouses and the King’s Cup
Section 25 of 29 · Lives of the Prophets
Take One of Us Instead
Now the brothers were trying to free Binyāmīn, because they had given their father a promise that they would come back with him.
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْعَزِيزُ إِنَّ لَهُۥٓ أَبًا شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا فَخُذْ أَحَدَنَا مَكَانَهُۥٓ ۖ إِنَّا نَرَىٰكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
“They said, “O ‘Azīz, he has a father, a very old man. So, take one of us in his place. We see you are a generous man.”” (12:78)
They said: O ruler of the land, truly he has a father who is old, so take one of us in his place; indeed, we think you are one of the good-doers.
قَالَ مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ أَن نَّأْخُذَ إِلَّا مَن وَجَدْنَا مَتَـٰعَنَا عِندَهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِذًا لَّظَـٰلِمُونَ
“He said, “We seek Allah’s refuge from keeping anyone other than him with whom we have found our thing, otherwise we shall be unjust.”” (12:79)
He said: no — that would be oppression; that is wrong. How can we take an innocent one? He is the guilty one; we are going to keep him.