“I fear the wolf may devour him...

“I fear the wolf may devour him,” Ya‘qub tried to make an excuse fearing that the promised calamity may descend with regard to Yusuf, because Yusuf was his favorite child. But Allah’s decree came to pass and Ya‘qub failed to obviate Divine trial. He entrusted Yusuf to the brothers in spite of the foreboding. When they left with Yusuf, Ya‘qub followed them and took Yusuf and embraced him. Then returned him to the elder brothers.

They began to move on quickly lest Ya‘qub again follows them and take Yusuf away with him, and took him far away into the forest. The eldest of them suggested that Yusuf need not be slain in order to separate him from his father. He could be cast into a well so that some passers-by may fish him out and carry him away. So they took Yusuf to well and pushed him inside thinking he would soon drown.

When Yusuf reached the bottom of the well the brothers heard a voice, “O sons of Ya‘qub convey my salaams to my father.” When the brothers heard this they decided not to leave the place until they are sure Yusuf is dead. They waited until late night and returned home lamenting and said, “O father! We had left Yusuf with our belongings and went hunting.

When we returned we found that a wolf had carried him off.” “Innalillaahe wa inna ilaihe raajeo’on, (Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return)”, said Ya‘qub and began to weep, knowing that the foretold calamity had descended. He maintained patience and resigned to the Divine decree.

He told his sons, “What you say is not true.” “Nay, your souls have made the matter light for you,” (12:18) “The Almighty would never allow Yusuf to be devoured by a wolf before I witness the realization of the true dream of Yusuf,” he added. Next morning the brothers decided to check the condition of Yusuf. Whether he was alive or dead. When they reached the place, they saw that some travelers had gathered around the well. The group had previously deputed one person to get water.

He had tossed the bucket in the well and Yusuf clung to it and was pulled out. When the bucket rose to the surface the traveler was astonished to find a cherubic boy sitting on it. He called his companions and showed them the child. Yusuf’s brother stepped forward and said, “He is our slave-boy who fell into the well yesterday.

We came to pull him out today.” Saying this, they took Yusuf aside and issued a dire warning that if he did not support their claim that he was their slave, they would kill him.