Yusuf (Joseph)

Verse 17

Table of Contents

17. “They said: ‘O’ our father! Verily we went off racing and left Yusuf with our things; then the wolf devoured him. But you will never believe us even though we be truthful’.”

The brothers told three consecutive lies to justify their fault. They said they had gone tracing; they left Yusuf with their things and a wolf devoured him.

Waiting impatiently to receive his beloved son, the father was struck with fear and concern on seeing them return without Yusuf, he was afraid that his worst fears had been realized. Naturally, Ya‘qub asked them why Yusuf had not returned with them.

They said that they had gone racing (horse-riding and the like) and since Yusuf was too young and could not participate, they left him with their belongings. They were so occupied with racing that they forgot about everything else, even their younger brother whom they had left looking after their things. It was at that time that the vicious wolf came and tore him apart.

The verse says:

“They said: ‘O’ our father! Verily we went off racing and left Yusuf with our things; then the wolf devoured him...”

This was the truth of the matter they said, but, they told their father that he would never believe them, because Jacob had already predicted such a thing would happen, and thus he might regard their claims as a pretext.

The verse says:

“…But you will never believe us even though we be truthful’.”

To explain Yusuf’s absence, as it was referred at the beginning, the brothers told three consecutive lies: They left Yusuf with their belongings, they went off to race with each other, and the wolf came and ate him.

Traditions upon Lie

There are numerous Islamic traditions about lying, a few of which are listed below:

  1. Imam Rida (as) said:

“Keep away from major sins, which consist of: Killing someone the shedding of whose blood is forbidden, fornication, theft, lying, arrogance and extravagance.”1

  1. It is narrated from Allah’s Prophet (S) who said:

“Abstain from lying for it seduces (man) to commit sins which in turn lead him to Hellfire.”2

  1. Imam Hasan ‘Askari (as) has been quoted to have said:

“All corruptions are assembled in one house, the key of which is lying”3 .

That is, man’s lying leads him to commit other sins.

  1. The sublime Prophet told Abuthar Ghaffari:

“O’ Abuthar! Woe be unto him who tells lies in order to make others laugh! Woe be unto him! Woe be unto him! Woe be unto him! Woe be unto him!”3

  1. Imam Sadiq (as) has been narrated who said:

“Allah’s Prophet (S) said: ‘The worst type of quotation is quoting a lie’.”4

  1. Ali (as) has said:

“The end of telling a lie is self-blame and feeling sorry for oneself.”5

  1. The sublime Prophet (S) said to Ali (as):

“O Ali! Abstain from lying, for it brings shame. Then one would be reported as a liar to Allah.”6

  1. The holy Prophet (S) remarked:

“He who bears false witness against a Muslim or the person sheltered by Islam, or an individual in the society, would be hanged by his tongue on the Day of Resurrection, and would be cast along with the hypocrites into the lowest level of Hell.”7

  1. Ali (as) said:

“The consequence of lying is meanness in this world and torment in the Hereafter.”8

  1. The sublime Prophet (S) said:

“Lying is one of the gateways to hypocrisy.”10

Footnotes

  1. Uyun ’Akhbar ul-Riza, vol. 2, p.137. ↩

  2. Mustdrak-ul-wasael , vol.2 , p.100. ↩

  3. Makarim al Akhlaq, p.47. ↩

  4. Bihar ul Anwar, vol.72 , p.259. ↩

  5. Qurar-ul-Hikam, vol.4 , p.363. ↩

  6. Bihar al Anwar , vol.77, p.67. ↩

  7. Wasa`il al Shia , vol.18, p.237, hadith 6. ↩

  8. Qurar-ul-Hikam, vol. 3, p. 332 ↩