Page 74 - General Knowledge from the Qur'an

72 GENERAL KNOWLEDGE FROM THE QUR'AN

all those who put their trust, put it in Him alone.' But when they en-
tered as their father said, it did not save them from Allah at all, yet a
need in Ya'qub's soul was satisfied. He had knowledge which We had
taught him, but most of mankind simply do not know. Then when
they entered into Yusuf's presence, he drew his brother close to him
and said, 'I am your brother. Do not be distressed concerning all the
things they used to do.' Then when he had supplied them with their
needs, he put the goblet in his brother's bag. A herald called out, 'Car-
avan! You are thieves!' They turned to them and said, 'What are you
missing?' They said, 'We're missing the goblet of the king. The man
who brings it will get a camel's load. Regarding that I stand as guaran-
tor.' They said, 'By Allah, you know we did not come to corrupt the
land and that we are not thieves.' They said, 'What is the reparation for
it if it in fact transpires that you are liars?' They said, 'Its reparation
shall be him in the saddlebags of whom it is discovered. With us that is
how wrongdoers are repaid.' (Surah Yusuf, 67-75)
He started with their bags before his brother's and then produced it
from his brother's bag. In that way We devised a cunning scheme for
Yusuf. He could not have held his brother according to the statutes of
the King – only because Allah had willed it so. We raise the rank of
anyone We will. Over everyone with knowledge is a Knower. They
said, 'If he steals now, his brother stole before.' But Yusuf kept it to
himself and still did not disclose it to them, saying, 'The plight that
you are in is worse than that. Allah knows best the matter you de-
scribe.' They said, 'Your Eminence! He has an old and venerable father,
so take one of us instead of him. We see without a doubt that you are of
the people who do good.' He said, 'Allah forbid that we should take
anyone but him with whom our goods were found. In that case we
would clearly be wrongdoers.' When they despaired of him, they went
apart to talk alone. The eldest of them said, 'You know full well your
father had you make a covenant with Allah concerning this, and how
before you failed him with Yusuf. I will not leave this land until I have
permission from my father, or Allah decides about the case on my be-
half. Truly He is the justest Judge of all. Return now to your father and
say to him, "Your son stole, father. We can do no more than testify to