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fa-lammā stayʾasū minhu khalaṣū najiyyan qāla kabīruhum ʾa-lam taʿlamū ʾanna ʾabākum qad ʾakhadha ʿalaykum mawthiqan mina llāhi wa-min qablu mā farraṭtum fī yūsufa fa-lan ʾabraḥa l-ʾarḍa ḥattā yaʾdhana lī ʾabī ʾaw yaḥkuma llāhu lī wa-huwa khāyru l-ḥākimīna
When they had despaired of [moving] him, they withdrew to confer privately. The eldest of them said, ‘Don’t you know that your father has taken a [solemn] pledge from you by Allah, and earlier you have neglected your duty in regard to Joseph? So I will never leave this land until my father permits me, or Allah passes a judgement for me, and He is the best of judges.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Yusuf – Verse 80
80. “So when they despaired of (moving) him, they conferred in private. The eldest of them said: ‘Don’t you know that your father has taken a solemn covenant from you in Allah’s name, and before that you failed to perform your duty with Yusuf? Therefore, I will never leave this land until my father permits me, or Allah decides for me; and He is the best of judges’.”
The brothers were faced with the prospect of returning to their father in shame. They did their utmost to save Benjamin, however they found all roads leading to a solution blocked. Therefore, they despaired from the ‘Aziz, or from deliverance of the brother, and decided to return to kan‘an and tell their father about the matter when they went off by themselves into a corner and conferred as to what next to do. The verse says:
“So when they despaired of (moving) him, they conferred in private...”
However, in that private conference the elder brother told them whether they did not know that their father had taken an oath of Allah from them that they had to return Benjamin in any possible price, and that they were the same persons who formerly failed to fulfil their duty concerning Yusuf, and had a bad background with the Father. The verse says:
“…The eldest of them said: ‘Don’t you know that your father has taken a solemn covenant from you in Allah’s name, and before that you failed to perform your duty with Yusuf?...”
The older brother, who embarrassed and frustrated at their unreliability with their father, decided to stay in Egypt until his father permitted or until Allah (s.w.t.) decided. The holy verse continues saying:
“…Therefore, I will never leave this land until my father permits me, or Allah decides for me; and He is the best of judges’.”
The decision of Allah means either until death overtook him or that Allah (s.w.t.) would make manifest a solution to this problem; or a plausible excuse which could decisively accepted by father.
Explanations
1. The Arabic term /xalasu/ means separating themselves away from others. The Qur’anic word /najiyyan/ means to enter into a whispered conversation with someone. Therefore, the phrase /xalasu najiyyan/ means that they gathered together apart from others, for a confidential meeting to decide on what to do.
2. Pleas and requests should not hinder one from executing Divine commands and implementing decisive plans in that respect.
3. In cases where one is a culprit in major disasters and unpleasant matters, the elders are more responsible and the more shameful they seem.
4. Treachery and crime hurt the conscience of good people throughout their lives.