THEY PROMISED TO RETURN

 FAJR REMINDER: THEY PROMISED TO RETURN

By: Umm ‘Affān

Rajab 28, 1447 (18-January-2026)

Prophet Yūsuf (‘Alayhi Salām) reached an agreement with his brothers after treating them with kindness. Allāh mentions:

وَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهَازِهِمْ قَالَ ائْتُونِي بِأَخٍ لَّكُم مِّنْ أَبِيكُمْ أَلَا تَرَوْنَ أَنِّي أُوفِي الْكَيْلَ وَأَنَا خَيْرُ الْمُنزِلِينَ | فَإِن لَّمْ تَأْتُونِي بِهِ فَلَا كَيْلَ لَكُمْ عِندِي وَلَا تَقْرَبُونِ

“And when he had furnished them forth with provisions (according to their need), he said: “Bring me a brother of yours from your father; (he meant [Binyamin (Benjamin)). See you not that I gave full measure, and that I am the best hosts? But if you bring him not to me, there shall be no measure (of corn) for you with me, nor shall you come near me.”

[Sūrah Yūsuf (12) Verses 59-60]

They agreed to bring their younger brother with them. Allāh states:

قَالُوا سَنُرَاوِدُ عَنْهُ أَبَاهُ وَإِنَّا لَفَاعِلُونَ

They said: “We shall try to get permission (for him) from his father, and verily, we shall do it.”

[Sūrah Yūsuf (12) Verse 61]

Meanwhile, Prophet Yūsuf (‘Alayhi Salām) instructed his servants to return their money into their bags, encouraging them to return. When they got home, they informed their father that no more grain would be given unless they traveled with their younger brother. [See Sūrah Yūsuf (12) Verses 62-63]

Remembering the loss of his previous son, Prophet Ya’qūb (‘Alayhi Salām) hesitated to agree, but his sons assured him they would protect their brother. Despite their reassurances, he was anxious and troubled by their request, still grieving over the loss of Yūsuf (‘Alayhi Salām). Allāh narrates:

قَالَ هَلْ آمَنُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا كَمَا أَمِنتُكُمْ عَلَىٰ أَخِيهِ مِن قَبْلُ فَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ حَافِظًا وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

He said: “Can I entrust him to you except as I entrusted his brother [Yūsuf (Joseph)] to you aforetime? But Allāh is the Best to guard, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.”

[Sūrah Yūsuf (12) Verse 64]

As the saying goes, once bitten, twice shy. Abū Hurayrah (Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:

لاَ يُلْدَغُ الْمُؤْمِنُ مِنْ جُحْرٍ وَاحِدٍ مَرَّتَيْنِ.‏

A believer is not stung twice (by something) out of the same hole.

[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6133]

To their astonishment, the brothers were surprised to find their money returned when they opened their bags. This motivated them to further persuade their father.

قَالُوا يَا أَبَانَا مَا نَبْغِي هَٰذِهِ بِضَاعَتُنَا رُدَّتْ إِلَيْنَا وَنَمِيرُ أَهْلَنَا وَنَحْفَظُ أَخَانَا وَنَزْدَادُ كَيْلَ بَعِيرٍ ذَٰلِكَ كَيْلٌ يَسِيرٌ

They said: “O our father! What (more) can we desire? This, our money has been returned to us, so we shall get (more) food for our family, and we shall guard our brother and add one more measure of a camel's load. This quantity is easy (for the king to give).”

[Sūrah Yūsuf (12) Verse 65]

Allāh reveals their father’s response:

قَالَ لَنْ أُرْسِلَهُ مَعَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ تُؤْتُونِ مَوْثِقًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ لَتَأْتُنَّنِي بِهِ إِلَّا أَن يُحَاطَ بِكُمْ فَلَمَّا آتَوْهُ مَوْثِقَهُمْ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌ

He [Ya’qūb (Jacob)] said: “I will not send him with you until you swear a solemn oath to me in Allāh’s Name, that you will bring him back to me unless you are yourselves surrounded (by enemies, etc.),” And when they had sworn their solemn oath, he said: “Allāh is the Witness over what we have said.”

[Sūrah Yūsuf (12) Verse 66]

Prophet Ya’qūb (‘Alayhi Salām) commanded his children to swear only by Allāh's Name, underscoring a vital aspect of Tawḥīd (Islāmic Monotheism). Abū Hurayrah (Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) stated:

لَا تَحْلِفُوا بِآبَائِكُمْ وَلَا بِأُمَّهَاتِكُمْ وَلَا بِالْأَنْدَادِ وَلَا تَحْلِفُوا إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ وَلَا تَحْلِفُوا بِاللَّهِ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ صَادِقُون

“Do not swear an oath by your father, nor your mothers, nor by rivals to Allāh. Do not swear an oath unless it is by Allāh and you are honest.”

[Sunan Abī Dāwūd 3248]

In another Ḥadīth, 'Abdullāh Ibn 'Umar (Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anhuma) narrated that the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) saw ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khaṭṭāb (Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anhu) swearing by his father while mounted. The Prophet remarked:

أَلَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَنْهَاكُمْ أَنْ تَحْلِفُوا بِآبَائِكُمْ مَنْ كَانَ حَالِفًا فَلْيَحْلِفْ بِاللَّهِ أَوْ لِيَصْمُت

“Surely Allāh prohibits you from swearing an oath by your fathers. Whoever swears an oath, let him swear by Allāh or remain silent.”

[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6270, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 3104]

Eventually, Prophet Ya’qūb (‘Alayhi Salām) agreed to send Binyamin [Benjamin] with them. However, he advised them to enter through different gates rather than all together, fearing the evil eye for his handsome and graceful sons, as noted by Ibn ‘Abbas (Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anhuma) and others.

Ibn ‘Abbās (Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anhuma) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

الْعَيْنُ حَقٌّ وَلَوْ كَانَ شَيْءٌ سَابَقَ الْقَدَرَ سَبَقَتْهُ الْعَيْنُ وَإِذَا اسْتُغْسِلْتُمْ فَاغْسِلُوا

“The evil eye is real. If anything could precede the divine decree, it would be preceded by the evil eye. When you are asked to perform a ritual bath, then do so.”

[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2188]

I beseech Allāh to protect us from the evil eye. Aameen.