Quran Universe
12:12

أَرۡسِلۡهُ مَعَنَا غَدٗا يَرۡتَعۡ وَيَلۡعَبۡ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَٰفِظُونَ

Arsilhu maAAana ghadan yartaAA wayalAAab wainna lahu lahafithoona

Send him with us tomorrow that he may eat well and play. And indeed, we will be his guardians.

Word by word
  1. أَرۡسِلۡهُSend him
  2. مَعَنَاwith us
  3. غَدٗاtomorrow
  4. يَرۡتَعۡ(to) enjoy
  5. وَيَلۡعَبۡand play
  6. وَإِنَّاAnd indeed,we
  7. لَهُۥfor him
  8. لَحَٰفِظُونَ(will) surely (be) guardians
Yusuf · 12:12Makkah

Let him come play. We will guard him.

A promise of care hiding a plan

The offer
tomorroweat well and play
we guard himsafe with us
hiding
the wellalready decided
What the promise was
a fun outingwhat it looked like
a coverfor what they planned

The brothers asked to take Yusuf out the next day so he could enjoy himself and play, promising to protect him and keep him safe. The guardians were the danger.

A promise to look after something can be used to get access to it. The friend who offers to hold your money. The adult who offers to babysit too eagerly. Care is shown over time, not just declared.

Promises of protection are a good sign.

A promise to guard is only as good as the heart behind it.

Try this

Think of something you promised to look after. Check on it today, properly.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 12:11)

They said: "O our father! Why do you not trust us with Yusuf though we are indeed his well-wishers? (11)"Send him with us tomorrow to enjoy himself and play, and verily, we will take care of him. (12)

Yusuf's Brothers ask for Their Father's Permission to take Yusuf with Them

When Yusuf's brothers agreed to take him and throw him down the well, taking the advice of their elder brother Rubil, they went to their father Ya'qub, peace be upon him. They said to him, "Why is it that you,

لَا تَأْمَنَّا عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَنَاصِحُونَ

(do not trust us with Yusuf though we are indeed his well-wishers?)." They started executing their plan by this introductory statement, even though they really intended its opposite, out of envy towards Yusuf for being loved by his father. They said,

أَرْسِلْهُ مَعَنَا

"(Send him with us) tomorrow so that we all enjoy ourselves and play." Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi said similarly. Yusuf's brothers said next,

وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ

(and verily, we will take care of him.), we will protect him and ensure his safety for you.