Prophet Yūsuf: Part 2 — The Storehouses and the King’s Cup
Section 26 of 29 · Lives of the Prophets
The Eldest Stays Behind
When they had given up hope, they went aside to confer. Their eldest brother — they say his name was Rūbīl — spoke.
فَلَمَّا ٱسْتَيْـَٔسُوا۟ مِنْهُ خَلَصُوا۟ نَجِيًّا ۖ قَالَ كَبِيرُهُمْ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ أَبَاكُمْ قَدْ أَخَذَ عَلَيْكُم مَّوْثِقًا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمِن قَبْلُ مَا فَرَّطتُمْ فِى يُوسُفَ ۖ فَلَنْ أَبْرَحَ ٱلْأَرْضَ حَتَّىٰ يَأْذَنَ لِىٓ أَبِىٓ أَوْ يَحْكُمَ ٱللَّهُ لِى ۖ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ ٱلْحَـٰكِمِينَ
“So when they lost hope in him, they went aside for consultation. The oldest of them said, “Do you not know that your father has taken pledge from you in the name of Allah, while you had defaulted earlier in the case of Yūsuf. So, I shall never leave this land unless my father permits me or Allah decides about me. He is the best of all judges.” (12:80)
The eldest among them said: do you not know that your father took an oath from you in the name of Allah, and before this you failed in your duty with Yūsuf? Therefore I will not leave this land until my father permits me, or Allah decides my case; and He is the best of judges. He said: I am not going to leave Egypt. I am not going to go and face my father after this. We betrayed Yūsuf before, and now we are going to go to our father and say that our brother has been taken as a prisoner? I am not going to leave. So he stayed there, and the other brothers went back to their father.