Al-Qur'an Surah Yusuf Verse 15

Mufti Taqi Usmani

So, when they went away with him and were determined to put him in the bottom of a pit, (they did accordingly). And We revealed to him (Yūsuf), “You will (one day) remind them of this deed of theirs, and they will not recognize (you).”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And so, when they took him away and decided to throw him into the bottom of the well, We inspired him: “˹One day˺ you will remind them of this deed of theirs while they are unaware ˹of who you are˺.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

Then when they took him away and they agreed to cast him into the bottom of the well, We inspired him: “You will surely inform them of this affair of theirs when they will not realize [who you are].”

A. J. Arberry

So when they went with him, and agreed to put him in the bottom of the well, and We revealed to him, 'Thou shalt tell them of this their doing when they are unaware.'

Abdul Haleem

Then they took him away with them, resolved upon throwing him into the hidden depths of a well- We inspired him, saying, ‘You will tell them of all this [at a time] when they do not realize [who you are]!’-

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

So when they took him away, and resolved to place him in the bottom of the well, We Revealed unto him: surely thou wilt declare unto them this their affair, while they shall perceive not.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

So they did take him away, and they all agreed to throw him down to the bottom of the well; and We put into his heart (this Message); 'Of a surety thou shalt (one day) tell them the truth of this their affair while they know (thee) not'

Abul Ala Maududi

So when they went away with Joseph and decided to cast him in the bottom of the dark pit, We revealed to Joseph: "Surely a time will come when you will remind them of their deed. They know nothing about the consequence of what they are doing."

Ahmed Ali

So, when they took him out they planned to throw him into an unused well. We revealed to Joseph: "You will tell them (one day) of this deed when they will not apprehend it."

Ahmed Raza Khan

So when they took him away – and all of them agreed that they should drop him in the dark well; and We sent the divine revelation to him, “You will surely tell them of their deed at a time when they will not know.”

Ali Quli Qarai

So when they took him away and conspired to put him into the recess of a well, We revealed to him, ‘[A day will come when] you will surely inform them about this affair of theirs while they are not aware [of your identity].’

Ali Ünal

And so they went away with him, and decided to put Joseph in the depth of the well, (which they did). We revealed to him: "You will most certainly remind them of this deed of theirs while they are unaware (neither knowing nor understanding all that has transpired)."

Amatul Rahman Omar

So when (after forcing their father) they took him away and agreed to put him into the depths of a dry well (and carried their plan out), We revealed to him (- Joseph), `You shall certainly tell them (one day) of this (treacherous) doing of theirs while they perceive not.´

English Literal

So when they went/went away with him, and they all unanimously agreed that they put him in the well`s/deep well`s low hidden area/grave, and We inspired/transmitted to him: "You will inform them (E) with their matter/affair, this, and (while) they are not feeling/knowing/sensing."

Faridul Haque

So when they took him away - and all of them agreed that they should drop him in the dark well; and We sent the divine revelation to him, “You will surely tell them of their deed at a time when they will not know.”

Hamid S. Aziz

Said they, "Why, if the wolf should devour him while we are so (strong) a band, verily, then we should ourselves have perished first."

Hilali & Khan

So, when they took him away, they all agreed to throw him down to the bottom of the well, and We inspired in him:"Indeed, you shall (one day) inform them of this their affair, when they know (you) not."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

They said: If the wolf should devour him, while we are a (strong) company, we should then certainly be losers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

So when they had gone off with him and agreed that they should put him down at the bottom of the pit, and We revealed to him: You will most certainly inform them of this their affair while they do not perceive.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Then, when they led him off, and were of one mind that they should place him in the depth of the pit, We inspired in him: Thou wilt tell them of this deed of theirs when they know (thee) not.

Muhammad Sarwar

When they took Joseph with them, they agreed to throw him into the well. We revealed to Joseph that (sometime) in the future at a time when they would not recognize him, he would remind them of all this.

Qaribullah & Darwish

When they went with him, they agreed to put him in the bottom of a well. We revealed to him: 'You shall tell them of what they did when they are not aware (it is you)'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

So, when they took him away, they all agreed to throw him down to the bottom of the well, and We revealed to him: "Indeed, you shall (one day) inform them of this their affair, when they know (you) not."

Wahiduddin Khan

And so, when they went away with him, they decided to cast him into the dark depths of a well. Then We revealed to him Our will, "You shall [one day] tell them of this deed of theirs, when they do not realize who you are."

Talal Itani

So they went away with him, and agreed to put him at the bottom of the well. And We inspired him, “You will inform them of this deed of theirs when they are unaware.”

Tafsir jalalayn

So when they went off with him, and agreed, resolved, to put him into the bottom of the well (the response of lamm, `when', has been omitted, in other words [understand it as being] fa`al dhlika, `they did [just] that') by taking off his shirt -- after having beaten him, humiliated him and desiring to kill him -- and lowering him in a bucket [into the well]. When he reached half-way down the well, they flung him [from the bucket] so that he would [fall and] die, but he fell into the water and took refuge near a rock. They then called to him and he responded, thinking that they had [decided to have] mercy on him. They then wanted to smash his head with a rock, but Judah prevented them. And We revealed to him, in the well, through true revelation (wahy haqqa) -- he was 17 years of age or just under -- in order to reassure his heart; `Truly you shall inform them, after this day, of this affair, [this] deed, of theirs when they are unaware', of [who] you [are] (wa-hum l yash`urna is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the action of `informing').

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Yusuf is thrown in a Well

Allah tells;

فَلَمَّا ذَهَبُواْ بِهِ

when they took him away,

Allah says that when Yusuf's brothers took him from his father, after they requested him to permit that,

وَأَجْمَعُواْ أَن يَجْعَلُوهُ فِي غَيَابَةِ الْجُبِّ

they all agreed to throw him down to the bottom of the well,

This part of the Ayah magnifies their crime, in that it mentions that they all agreed to throw him to the bottom of the well. This was their intent, yet when they took him from his father, they pretended otherwise, so that his father sends him with a good heart and feeling at ease and comfortable with his decision.

It was reported that Yaqub, peace be upon him, embraced Yusuf, kissed him and supplicated to Allah for him when he sent him with his brothers.

As-Suddi said that;

the time spent between pretending to be well-wishers and harming Yusuf was no longer than their straying far from their father's eyes.

They then started abusing Yusuf verbally, by cursing, and harming him by beating. When they reached the well that they agreed to throw him in, they tied him with rope and lowered him down. When Yusuf would beg one of them, he would smack and curse him. When he tried to hold to the sides of the well, they struck his hand and then cut the rope when he was only half the distance from the bottom of the well. He fell into the water and was submerged. However, he was able to ascend a stone that was in the well and stood on it.

Allah said next,

وَأَوْحَيْنَأ إِلَيْهِ لَتُنَبِّيَنَّهُم بِأَمْرِهِمْ هَـذَا وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ



and We revealed to him;"Indeed, you shall (one day) inform them of this their affair, when they know (you) not."

In this Ayah, Allah mentions His mercy and compassion and His compensation and relief that He sends in times of distress. Allah revealed to Yusuf, during that distressful time, in order to comfort his heart and strengthen his resolve, `Do not be saddened by what you have suffered. Surely, you will have a way out of this distress and a good end, for Allah will aid you against them, elevate your rank and raise your grade. Later on, you will remind them of what they did to you.'

وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ


when they know not.

Ibn Abbas commented on this Ayah,

"You will remind them of this evil action against you, while they are unaware of your identity and unable to recognize you.