سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ
Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 24
وَلَقَدْ هَمَّتْ بِهِۦ ۖ وَهَمَّ بِهَا لَوْلَآ أَن رَّءَا بُرْهَـٰنَ رَبِّهِۦ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ ٱلسُّوٓءَ وَٱلْفَحْشَآءَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا ٱلْمُخْلَصِينَ ﴿24﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And indeed she did desire him, and he would have inclined to her desire, had he not seen the evidence of his Lord. Thus it was, that We might turn away from him evil and illegal sexual intercourse. Surely, he was one of Our chosen (guided) slaves.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
And certainly
هَمَّتْ
hammat
she did desire
بِهِۦ ۖ
bihi
him
وَهَمَّ
wahamma
and he would have desired
بِهَا
bihā
her
لَوْلَآ
lawlā
if not
أَن
an
that
رَّءَا
raā
he saw
بُرْهَـٰنَ
bur'hāna
the proof
رَبِّهِۦ ۚ
rabbihi
(of) his Lord
كَذَٰلِكَ
kadhālika
Thus
لِنَصْرِفَ
linaṣrifa
that We might avert
عَنْهُ
ʿanhu
from him
ٱلسُّوٓءَ
l-sūa
the evil
وَٱلْفَحْشَآءَ ۚ
wal-faḥshāa
and the immorality
إِنَّهُۥ
innahu
Indeed, he
مِنْ
min
(was) of
عِبَادِنَا
ʿibādinā
Our slaves
ٱلْمُخْلَصِينَ
l-mukh'laṣīna
the sincere
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
24. 1 Some commentators have explained its meaning as follows: (لَوْلَآ اَنْ رَّاٰ بُرْهَانَ رَبِّهٖ) 12. Yusuf:24) is not related to the preceding phrase, i.e., وَهَمَّ بِهَا, but its answer is omitted, meaning: "If Yusuf (علیہ السلام) had not seen the proof of his Lord, he would have done what he intended." This translation is according to the interpretation of most commentators, and those who have connected it with لَوْ لَا and explained it to mean that Yusuf (علیہ السلام) did not even intend, these commentators have considered it contrary to the Arabic style. And they have explained that even Yusuf (علیہ السلام) had intended, but firstly, it was not voluntary, rather the encouragement and pressure of the wife of Aziz of Egypt was involved in it. Secondly, that merely intending to sin is not against infallibility, acting upon it is against infallibility (Fath al-Qadeer, Ibn Kathir). However, the researchers among the commentators have explained that Yusuf (علیہ السلام) would also have intended it if he had not seen the proof of his Lord. That is, he had already seen the proof of his Lord. Therefore, he did not even intend the wife of Aziz of Egypt. Rather, as soon as he was invited to sin, he exclaimed, "I seek refuge with Allah." However, not intending does not mean that no excitement or urge arose in the soul. The arising of excitement and urge is a different matter, and actually intending is another matter. And the reality is that if no excitement or urge arises at all, then such a person's abstaining from sin is not a virtue. The real virtue is when the urge and excitement arise within the soul, and then a person controls it and abstains from sin. Hazrat Yusuf (علیہ السلام) presented an unparalleled example of this perfect patience and self-control.
24. 2 Here, according to the first interpretation, the answer to لولاء is omitted: "he would have done what he intended." What was this proof? There are various opinions about it. The meaning is that something from his Lord was shown to him, and upon seeing it, he succeeded in suppressing and rejecting the urge of the soul. Allah protects His prophets in this way.
24. 3 That is, just as We saved Yusuf (علیہ السلام) from evil or its intention by showing him the proof, in the same way We arranged to keep him away from evil and indecent matters in every affair. Because he was among Our chosen servants.
24. 2 Here, according to the first interpretation, the answer to لولاء is omitted: "he would have done what he intended." What was this proof? There are various opinions about it. The meaning is that something from his Lord was shown to him, and upon seeing it, he succeeded in suppressing and rejecting the urge of the soul. Allah protects His prophets in this way.
24. 3 That is, just as We saved Yusuf (علیہ السلام) from evil or its intention by showing him the proof, in the same way We arranged to keep him away from evil and indecent matters in every affair. Because he was among Our chosen servants.
