(15–18) “When they took him away and resolved to cast him into the depths of the well, We revealed to him, ‘You will surely tell them of this deed of theirs when they are unaware.’ They returned to their father at night, weeping. They said, ‘O our father, we went off racing one another and left Joseph with our belongings, and a wolf devoured him. But you will not believe us, even though we are telling the truth.’ They brought his shirt stained with false blood. He said, ‘Rather, your souls have enticed you to do something. So beautiful patience is called for, and Allah alone is the One whose help is sought against what you describe.’”
That is, after their father had given him permission, Joseph’s brothers took Joseph away and resolved to cast him into the depths of the well, as the brother previously mentioned had proposed. They were able to carry out what they had unanimously resolved to do, so they exercised their power over him and cast him into the ⦗395⦘ well. Allah then showed him kindness by revealing to him, while he was in that dire predicament: “You will surely tell them of this deed of theirs when they are unaware.” That is, a time would come when he would reproach them and tell them of this deed, while they had no inkling of it. This contained glad tidings for him that he would be saved from the plight into which he had fallen and that Allah would reunite him with his family and brothers in a state of honor and firmly established authority in the land.
“They returned to their father at night, weeping,” so that they would arrive later than usual and so that their weeping might serve as evidence in their favor and an indication that they were telling the truth.
Offering a false excuse (1), they said, “O our father, we went off racing one another,” either on foot or in an archery contest, “and left Joseph with our belongings,” to spare him exertion and allow him to rest. “A wolf devoured him” while we were away from him competing. “But you will not believe us, even though we are telling the truth.” That is: We have offered you this excuse, but it appears that you will not believe us because of the sorrow for Joseph in your heart and your deep tenderness toward him.
Yet your refusal to believe us does not prevent us from presenting the true excuse. All of this was intended to reinforce their excuse. Another means by which they sought to substantiate their claim was that “they brought his shirt stained with false blood,” which they alleged was Joseph’s blood from when the wolf devoured him. Their father did not believe them. “He said, ‘Rather, your souls have enticed you to do something.’” That is, their souls had made an evil deed—separating Joseph from him—seem attractive to them. He had observed indications and circumstances [as well as Joseph’s dream, which Joseph had related to him] (2) that led him to say this.
“So beautiful patience is called for, and Allah alone is the One whose help is sought against what you describe.” That is: As for me, I shall strive to fulfill my duty, which is to bear this ordeal with beautiful patience, free of discontent and complaint to created beings, and to seek Allah’s help in doing so rather than relying on my own power and strength. Thus, he pledged himself to this course and poured out his complaint to his Creator when he said, “I complain of my anguish and sorrow only to Allah.” Complaining to the Creator does not conflict with beautiful patience, for when a prophet makes a promise, he fulfills it.