قالوا سَنُراوِدُ عَنهُ أَباهُ وَإِنّا لَفاعِلونَ

They said: ‘We will solicit him from his father. [That] we will surely do.’

EXEGESIS

Nurāwidu (solicit) is derived from rawd, and as was discussed in verse 23 it means to achieve something by gentle and delicate means.

EXPOSITION

They said: ‘We will solicit him from his father’: this statement indicates that they had made it known earlier that the father would not easily wish to part with his youngest son, who was favoured by him. Especially, the expression his father (as opposed to saying ‘our father’) is indicative of this sentiment.[1] In other words, they knew it would not be a simple matter, but they would set about it regardless.[2]

[That] we will surely do: by saying this they wished to ingratiate themselves to the powerful governor of Egypt,[3] who unbeknownst to them was their brother, Joseph (a). The statement also conveys their confidence in the matter. While they knew it would not be easy, they were sure that they would be able to convince their father in this regard, for if they had already done so once with Prophet Joseph (a), how could they not succeed in getting him to part with Benjamin?[4]

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. Then they said one to another, ‘We are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. Therefore, this distress has come upon us.’ Reuben answered them, saying, ‘Did I not speak to you, saying, “Do not sin against the boy”; and you would not listen? Therefore, his blood is now required of us.” They did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter. He turned himself away from them and wept, but then turned back to them again and spoke with them. Then he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.[5]

Note: In the Biblical narrative, Joseph (a) demands that one of the brothers be left behind as a guarantee of their good will and honesty. Many exegetes have also mentioned that, borrowing from the Biblical narrative and mentioning Simeon by name as well.

[1] Mizan, 11/210.
[2] Qutb, 4/2015; Tantawi, 7/386.
[3] Mizan, 11/210.
[4] See Nemuneh, 10/19.
[5] Genesis 42:21:24.