وَسْـَٔلِ ٱلْقَرْيَةَ ٱلَّتِى كُنَّا فِيهَا وَٱلْعِيرَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَقْبَلْنَا فِيهَا ۖ وَإِنَّا لَصَـٰدِقُونَ 82
Translations
And ask the city in which we were and the caravan in which we came - and indeed, we are truthful.'"
Transliteration
Wa's'al al-qaryata allati kunna fiha wa al-'ira allati aqbalna fiha wa inna la sadiqun
Tafsir (Explanation)
The brothers of Yusuf propose to verify their truthfulness by asking the people of Egypt and the caravan from which they came about the theft of the cup. This statement demonstrates their confidence in their innocence and their appeal to objective witnesses. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari note this reflects their desperation to prove their honesty before the Egyptian ruler, showing how the brothers attempted to use available evidence and testimony to clear themselves.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Yusuf's trial, specifically after his brothers are accused of stealing the royal cup (planted by Yusuf as a test). The verse reflects the brothers' defense strategy in the court of the Egyptian ruler, representing a crucial moment in their redemptive journey and the unfolding of divine wisdom through the story.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly references this verse, Sahih Muslim contains hadiths about the virtue of truthfulness and bearing witness. The Prophet (ﷺ) emphasized that truthfulness leads to righteousness, which thematically aligns with the brothers' appeal to truthful witnesses.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that truth can be established through credible witnesses and objective evidence, encouraging believers to seek fair judgment through legitimate means rather than deception. It also reminds us that maintaining integrity and truthfulness is the strongest defense against false accusations.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ هَـٰذِهِۦ سَبِيلِىٓ أَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا۠ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِى ۖ وَسُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Say, "This is my way; I invite to Allāh with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allāh; and I am not of those who associate others with Him."
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَا ٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا خَـٰطِـِٔينَ
They said, "O our father, ask for us forgiveness of our sins; indeed, we have been sinners."
قَالُوا۟ جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥ مَن وُجِدَ فِى رَحْلِهِۦ فَهُوَ جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
[The brothers] said, "Its recompense is that he in whose bag it is found - he [himself] will be its recompense. Thus do we recompense the wrongdoers."
ٱرْجِعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَبِيكُمْ فَقُولُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَآ إِنَّ ٱبْنَكَ سَرَقَ وَمَا شَهِدْنَآ إِلَّا بِمَا عَلِمْنَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِلْغَيْبِ حَـٰفِظِينَ
Return to your father and say, 'O our father, indeed your son has stolen, and we did not testify except to what we knew. And we were not witnesses of the unseen.