Quran Universe
12:79

قَالَ مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ أَن نَّأۡخُذَ إِلَّا مَن وَجَدۡنَا مَتَٰعَنَا عِندَهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِذٗا لَّظَٰلِمُونَ

Qala maAAatha Allahi an nakhutha illa man wajadna mataAAana AAindahu inna ithan lathalimoona

He said, "[I seek] the refuge of Allah [to prevent] that we take except him with whom we found our possession. Indeed, we would then be unjust."

Word by word
  1. قَالَHe said
  2. مَعَاذَAllah forbid
  3. ٱللَّهِAllah forbid
  4. أَنthat
  5. نَّأۡخُذَwe take
  6. إِلَّاexcept
  7. مَن(one) who
  8. وَجَدۡنَاwe found
  9. مَتَٰعَنَاour possession
  10. عِندَهُۥٓwith him
  11. إِنَّآIndeed,we
  12. إِذٗاthen
  13. لَّظَٰلِمُونَsurely (would be) wrongdoers
Yusuf · 12:79Makkah

Taking the innocent for the guilty would be injustice.

Yusuf refuses a swap

His answer
their offertake one of us
refused
only the onewith whom we found it
otherwisewe would be unjust
What justice means
someone paysit does not matter who
the right onenever the innocent

Yusuf answered: Allah forbid that we take anyone except the one with whom we found our property. Ibn Kathir explains, according to the judgement they gave, taking an innocent man instead would be wrongdoing.

The whole class gets detention for one pupil. The team loses its bonus for one person's mistake. Someone has to pay, so anyone will do. Justice cares who.

As long as someone takes the blame, the matter is settled.

Blaming the wrong person is its own injustice, even when it is convenient.

Try this

If you are tempted to punish a group for one person's fault, address only that person.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 12:78)

They said: "O 'Aziz! Verily, he has an old father (who will grieve for him); so take one of us in his place. Indeed we think that you are one of the doers of good. (78)He said: "Allah forbid, that we should take anyone but him with whom we found our property. Indeed (if we did so), we should be wrongdoers. (79)

Yusuf's Brothers offer taking One of Them instead of Binyamin as a Slave, Yusuf rejects the Offer

When it was decided that Benyamin was to be taken and kept with Yusuf according to the law they adhered by, Yusuf's brothers started requesting clemency and raising compassion in his heart for them,

قَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَا الْعَزِيزُ إِنَّ لَهُ أَبًا شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا

(They said, "O 'Aziz! Verily, he has an old father...") who loves him very much and is comforted by his presence from the son that he lost,

فَخُذْ أَحَدَنَا مَكَانَهُ

(so take one of us in his place.), instead of Binyamin to remain with you,

إِنَّا نَرَاكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(Indeed we think that you are one of the doers of good.), the good doers, just, and accepting fairness,

قَالَ مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ أَن نَّأْخُذَ إِلَّا مَن وَجَدْنَا مَتَاعَنَا عِندَهُ

(He said: "Allah forbid, that we should take anyone but him with whom we found our property..."), 'according to the judgement that you gave for his punishment,

إِنَّا إِذًا لَّظَالِمُونَ

(Indeed, we should be wrongdoers.), if we take an innocent man instead of the guilty man.'