Tafseer of Joseph · Yusuf · 12:16
And they came to their father at night, weeping.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the words of Allah the Exalted: وَجَاءُوا أَبَاهُمْ عِشَاءً يَبْكُونَ (And they came to their father in the evening, weeping.) (verse 16)
Abū Jaʿfar says: Allah the Exalted says: The brothers of Yūsuf came back to their father, after they had cast Yūsuf into the hidden depth of the well, in the evening, weeping.
It has been said that the meaning of His word (we were competing) is: "we took part in an archery contest" — derived from al-sibāq (the contest). As in:
18841. Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: ʿAmr ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, who said: They came to their father in the evening, weeping. When he heard their voices he was alarmed and said: "What is the matter with you, my sons? Has something happened to your sheep?" They said: "No!" He said: "And what then is the matter with Yūsuf?"
