Surah Yusuf · سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ · Juz 13
Q 12:79
قَالَ مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ أَن نَّأْخُذَ إِلَّا مَن وَجَدْنَا مَتَـٰعَنَا عِندَهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِذًا لَّظَـٰلِمُونَ
Translations
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."- Il dit: «Qu'Allah nous garde de prendre un autre que celui chez qui nous avons trouvé notre bien! Nous serions alors vraiment injustes.»Tafsir
Joseph asked for protection from Allah that they should wrong someone innocent with the sin of a wrongdoer. If they took someone other than the person in whose bag they found the bowl of the king, then they would be wrongdoers, because they would be punishing someone who was innocent and letting a criminal go free.
Read Ibn Kathir (Ibn Kathir (abridged, English))
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.'
Arabic text: Tanzil (Uthmani). Translations: Sahih International (en), Muhammad Hamidullah (fr). tanzil.net