Turning towards them, they said, “What are you missing?”

They said, “We are missing the measuring-bowl of the king, and whoever brings it back shall deserve a camel-load, and I stand surety for it.”

They said, “We swear by Allah, you know, we did not come to make mischief in the land, nor have we ever been thieves.”

They said, “What is the punishment, if you are liars?”

They said, “Its punishment? The one in whose saddlebag it is found shall himself be the punishment. This is how we punish the wrongdoers.”

So, he started with their bags before (searching) the bag of his brother, then, recovered it from the bag of his brother.This is how We planned for Yūsuf. He had no right to take his brother according to the law of the king, unless Allah so willed. We elevate in ranks whomsoever We will. Above every man of knowledge, there is someone more knowledgeable.

They said, “If he commits theft, (there is nothing surprising, because) his other brother had committed theft earlier.” Yūsuf kept it (his reaction) to himself and did not reveal it to them. He said (in his heart), “You are even worse in position. Allah knows best of what you allege.”

They said, “O ‘Azīz, he has a father, a very old man. So, take one of us in his place. We see you are a generous man.”

He said, “We seek Allah’s refuge from keeping anyone other than him with whom we have found our thing, otherwise we shall be unjust.”

So when they lost hope in him, they went aside for consultation. The oldest of them said, “Do you not know that your father has taken pledge from you in the name of Allah, while you had defaulted earlier in the case of Yūsuf. So, I shall never leave this land unless my father permits me or Allah decides about me. He is the best of all judges.