Surah Yusuf, Ayah 63
Quran 12:63 · Joseph · Makki · Para 13 · Page 242
فَلَمَّا رَجَعُوْۤا اِلٰۤی اَبِیْهِمْ قَالُوْا یٰۤاَبَانَا مُنِعَ مِنَّا الْكَیْلُ فَاَرْسِلْ مَعَنَاۤ اَخَانَا نَكْتَلْ وَاِنَّا لَهٗ لَحٰفِظُوْنَ ۟
Transliteration
Falamma rajaAAoo ila abeehim qalooya abana muniAAa minna alkaylufaarsil maAAana akhana naktal wa-innalahu lahafithoon
Saheeh International
So when they returned to their father, they said, "O our father, [further] measure has been denied to us, so send with us our brother [that] we will be given measure. And indeed, we will be his guardians."
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
When they returned to their father, and told him about the generosity of Joseph to them, they also told their father that any further measure would be denied to them if they did not bring their brother with them. They asked him to send him with them, because if he did so they would be given provisions. They promised their father that they would take good care of him, bringing him back safely.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) on 12:63–12:64
So, when they returned to their father, they said: "O our father! No more measure of grain shall we get (unless we take our brother). So send our brother with us, and we shall get our measure and truly, we will guard him. (63)He said: "Can I entrust him to you except as I entrusted his brother [Yusuf] to you aforetime? But Allah is the Best to guard, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy. (64)
Yusuf's Brothers ask Ya'qub's Permission to send Their Brother Binyamin with Them to Egypt
Allah says that when they went back to their father,
قَالُوا يَا أَبَانَا مُنِعَ مِنَّا الْكَيْلُ
(they said: "O our father! No more measure of grain shall we get...") 'after this time, unless you send our brother Binyamin with us. So send him with us, and we shall get our measure and we shall certainly guard him.' Some scholars read this Ayah in a way that means, 'and he shall get his ration.' They said,
وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ
(and truly, we will guard him.), 'do not fear for his safety, for he will be returned back to you.' This is what they said to Ya'qub about their brother Yusuf,
أَرْسِلْهُ مَعَنَا غَدًا يَرْتَعْ وَيَلْعَبْ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ
("Send him with us tomorrow to enjoy himself and play, and verily, we will take care of him.")[12:12] This is why Prophet Ya'qub said to them,
هَلْ آمَنُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا كَمَا أَمِنتُكُمْ عَلَىٰ أَخِيهِ مِن قَبْلُ
(Can I entrust him to you except as I entrusted his brother [Yusuf] to you aforetime?) He asked them, 'Will you do to him except what you did to his brother Yusuf before, when you took him away from me and separated me from him?'
فَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ حَافِظًا ۖ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ
(But Allah is the Best to guard, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.) Ya'qub said, 'Allah has the most mercy with me among all those who show mercy, He is compassionate with me for my old age, feebleness and eagerness for my son. I invoke Allah to return him to me, and to allow him and I to be together; for surely, He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.'