What is the interpretation of the verse: "They said, 'If he steals, a brother of his has stolen before him'"?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Yusuf's brothers said when they found the king's drinking cup in their brother's baggage: (If he steals, a brother of his stole before), meaning that Benjamin followed his brother Yusuf in stealing. This was to absolve themselves, because Yusuf was not from their mother, and if he stole, it was due to the influence of his thieving brother's lineage. The exegetes differed regarding the type of theft they attributed to Yusuf, but these are unsubstantiated narrations. Al-Qurtubi commented that they lied against him in what they attributed to him.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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Where this answer came from
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 79406
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy