Tafsir & Commentary
Joseph (يوسف) · Meccan
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَا مَا لَكَ لَا تَأْمَ۫نَّا عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَنَـٰصِحُونَ11
12:11
Translation — Sahih International
They said, "O our father, why do you not entrust us with Joseph while indeed, we are to him sincere counselors?
Transliteration
Qalū yā abānā mā laka lā ta'mannā ʿalā Yūsufa wa-innā lahu lanāṣihūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The sons of Yaʿqūb petition their father, asking why he does not trust them with Yūsuf, asserting their sincere intention to care for him. This verse reveals the brothers' apparent concern for their father's trust while masking their true envious intent—a subtle portrayal of hypocrisy that Ibn Kathīr highlights as central to understanding their later betrayal. Al-Ṭabarī notes that their claim of being well-wishers (nāṣihūn) contrasts sharply with their actual malice, demonstrating how the Qur'ān exposes the discrepancy between outward words and hidden intentions.
Revelation Context (Asbab al-Nuzul)
This ayah occurs early in Sūrah Yūsuf, establishing the narrative tension that drives the surah's plot. The brothers' request to take Yūsuf out with them marks the beginning of the crisis that will separate him from his father. The surah was revealed in Mecca during a period when the Prophet Muhammad (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) faced opposition, and the themes of patience, trust in Allah, and divine providence are woven throughout.
Related Hadiths
While no ḥadīth directly addresses this ayah, the principle of sincere advice (nṣīḥah) is emphasized in the ḥadīth: 'The religion is sincere advice' (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim). Additionally, ḥadīths on trusting one's children and recognizing hidden intentions relate thematically to Yaʿqūb's paternal concern.
Themes
Key Lessons
This ayah teaches us that words alone cannot be trusted without examining the hearts behind them; we should develop spiritual discernment to recognize sincere counsel from deceptive claims. It also reminds us that even those closest to us may harbor hidden malice, and that our ultimate trust should rest with Allah, who alone knows the unseen realities of human hearts.