15. So when they went away with him, and they all agreed to place him at the bottom of the well. And We revealed to him “Surely you will inform them of this affair of theirs while they do not perceive”.
They all agreed to place young Yusuf (AS) at the bottom of the well known to them. They were all guilty of placing this young and defenseless child at the bottom of a deep well. This shows us that *there was not one merciful heart amongst them*. Some books of tafsir mention that when they finally got far away from the house, they began joking harshly with him sarcastically and began beating him up and mocking him and the love that his father had for him. When they got to the well, they tied him up and took his shirt off. He begged and pleaded with each of them: “Oh my brother, why are you doing this?” He begged and pleaded with all ten of them one by one, but there was not one heart of pity or mercy amongst them. They wanted something that was permissible (love of their father), but their hearts became blind. They completely rejected the begging, pleading, and crying of a little boy who is their brother and the heart of their father. They took his shirt off and they threw him into the well.
Look at the gravity of their sin? This little boy who was abandoned, tortured, mocked, ridiculed, and harmed by his own brothers. First of all, they broke their promise to their father to look after his son. Then they broke their trust to Allah (swt) to look after their younger sibling. Then they caused harm to a Muslim by leaving him in a place where he could get hurt. How could they have been sure that Yusuf (AS) would be safe at the bottom of that well? How could they be sure that the caravan people who find Yusuf (AS) would not hurt him? How could they be sure that there were no scorpions or snakes at the bottom of that well? In addition to this - the emotional suffering that they caused to Yusuf (AS) and his father. Imagine what it was like for a seven-year-old child to be alone at the bottom of a deep and dark well. We ourselves would have been terrified and scared, now think how it must have been for this seven-year-old child. This is the evil that they all agreed to do. So they committed multiple sins. Deceiving their father, making the false promise, breaking the promise, hurting the child, hurting their father, telling lies, plotting against their brother and finally playing with the emotions of their father.
LESSONS
1. The evil actions of the brothers are never described in detail in the Qur'an, and nor does Allah ever explicitly criticize them directly despite the fact that this is such a cruel thing that they did. Why is Allah swt silent? What is the wisdom behind this? Because it is not appropriate to mention any type of evil in detail whether it is lewdness and fahishah or about evil or about a sin that occurred. There is no benefit to spread it amongst the people. Human nature becomes accustomed to listening to it and spreading it, and when it becomes accustomed to listening and thinking and spreading, this is the stepping-stone to actually doing it.
2. As soon as the darkness of the well overtook him, Allah’s wahy (inspiration) came down immediately to console him. Allah (swt) Knows best as to how exactly He (swt) communicated these words to Yusuf (AS). Did He (swt) actually speak these words to the child? Was it sent through an angel? Or was it merely a feeling that Yusuf (AS) had in his heart? What we can be certain of however is that this is not the same kind of revelation that is sent to prophets. This is not revelation that is sent to guide the people. Rather it was only meant to console Yusuf (AS) and let him know that everything would be all right. From these words Yusuf (AS) knows that he would survive this ordeal in the well. He also knows that one day he would be in a position where he would inform his brothers about what they had done here while they were unaware.
3. The lesson and the benefit that we can take from this part of the ayah is to realize that if we are sincere worshippers and servants of Allah (swt) then He (swt) would take care of us and look after us during times of need and hardship. At that moment of difficulty when all of the world seems to have turned against us, then Insha Allah we will find Allah (swt) with us. Allah (swt) will console us and He (swt) will give us strength in order that we may overcome our grief and sadness, as well as our anxiety and fear. This is not only true for us but it is also true for our children. If we are sincere to Allah (swt) and if we try our best to serve Him (swt), then Insha Allah He (swt) will take care of our children even when we are not there for them.
4. How do you say your good-byes? When we say our good-byes at our home doors in the morning, though it be but for a few hours separation, as we think—we do not know how long it may be before we shall meet again. Yusuf went out from his father's door that morning, for but a day absence. We can picture the parting. All the household was much interested or sad in Yusuf's journey. Little Binyamin would have a deep interest in his big brother's journey, and would want to go with him. All the family gathered about the door to see Yusuf off and stood there watching him, calling and waving their good-byes, until he was out of sight. His father was anxious, worried and sad hoping that Yusuf would be home again by the evening. No one dreamed that for more than forty years, that bright happy face would not be seen, that some of them would never see him again.
We must not miss the lesson. Even our most casual partings may be for years, and perhaps forever. When we part at our doors in the morning, one to go to work, one to school, one on a short journey, others to stay in the home—we do not know when we shall all look again in each other's face. We expect to gather at the table at noon, or round the dinner table in the evening—but are we sure of it? Many go out in the morning—who never come home at night!
If Yaqub and Yusuf and the other members of that family had known that morning, that for more than forty years they would not meet again, would not their parting have been very tender? Yet life is quite as uncertain for us and our households, as it was for Yaqub's family. Any hurried good-bye maybe for years, and perhaps final; surely then it should be loving. We should never separate in an angry or impatient mood, with unforgiveness, bitterness, or misunderstanding. We should not say our good-byes coldly, carelessly—but always with thoughtful love and gentle feeling.
Suppose that the one who goes out—should be brought home dead; or should return to find the one dead—whom he left at the door. If the parting were with harsh word or look or thought—how must the surviving one grieve, when sitting by the deceased, to remember the last word or look! The regret then will not atone for the coldness of the parting on the doorstep, nor will they take the pang out of the bereft heart. We should make every parting with home loved ones, every briefest good-bye, sweet enough, kindly enough, for a last farewell, should it prove to be the last, as it may well be.