سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ
Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 31
فَلَمَّا سَمِعَتْ بِمَكْرِهِنَّ أَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَعْتَدَتْ لَهُنَّ مُتَّكَـًٔا وَءَاتَتْ كُلَّ وَٰحِدَةٍ مِّنْهُنَّ سِكِّينًا وَقَالَتِ ٱخْرُجْ عَلَيْهِنَّ ۖ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْنَهُۥٓ أَكْبَرْنَهُۥ وَقَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ وَقُلْنَ حَـٰشَ لِلَّهِ مَا هَـٰذَا بَشَرًا إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا مَلَكٌ كَرِيمٌ ﴿31﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
So when she heard of their accusation, she sent for them and prepared a banquet for them; she gave each one of them a knife (to cut the foodstuff with), and she said [(to Yûsuf (Joseph)]: "Come out before them." Then, when they saw him, they exalted him (at his beauty) and (in their astonishment) cut their hands. They said: "How perfect is Allâh (or Allâh forbid)! No man is this! This is none other than a noble angel!"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَلَمَّا
falammā
So when
سَمِعَتْ
samiʿat
she heard
بِمَكْرِهِنَّ
bimakrihinna
of their scheming
أَرْسَلَتْ
arsalat
she sent
إِلَيْهِنَّ
ilayhinna
for them
وَأَعْتَدَتْ
wa-aʿtadat
and she prepared
لَهُنَّ
lahunna
for them
مُتَّكَـًۭٔا
muttaka-an
a banquet
وَءَاتَتْ
waātat
and she gave
كُلَّ
kulla
each
وَٰحِدَةٍۢ
wāḥidatin
one
مِّنْهُنَّ
min'hunna
of them
سِكِّينًۭا
sikkīnan
a knife
وَقَالَتِ
waqālati
and she said
ٱخْرُجْ
ukh'ruj
Come out
عَلَيْهِنَّ ۖ
ʿalayhinna
before them
فَلَمَّا
falammā
Then when
رَأَيْنَهُۥٓ
ra-aynahu
they saw him
أَكْبَرْنَهُۥ
akbarnahu
they greatly admired him
وَقَطَّعْنَ
waqaṭṭaʿna
and cut
أَيْدِيَهُنَّ
aydiyahunna
their hands
وَقُلْنَ
waqul'na
they said
حَـٰشَ
ḥāsha
Forbid
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
Allah
مَا
mā
not
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
(is) this
بَشَرًا
basharan
a man
إِنْ
in
not
هَـٰذَآ
hādhā
(is) this
إِلَّا
illā
but
مَلَكٌۭ
malakun
an angel
كَرِيمٌۭ
karīmun
noble
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.
31. 1 The absent conversations and reproaches of the women of Egypt have been described as "makr" (deceit/plot), due to which some commentators have stated that these women had already received reports of Yusuf's unparalleled beauty and charm. Thus, they wished to see this embodiment of beauty, and so they succeeded in their secret scheme. And the wife of Aziz arranged this gathering to show that the one whom I am infatuated with is not just a slave or an ordinary man, but is adorned with such inner and outer beauty that losing one's heart and soul upon seeing him is not something impossible. Therefore, she arranged a feast for these women and invited them to a meal.
31. 2 That is, she arranged such seating places where cushions were placed, just as even today such floor seating arrangements are common among Arabs. Even in hotels and restaurants, such arrangements are made.
31. 3 That is, Yusuf (AS) was kept hidden at first. When all the women had knives in their hands, the wife of Aziz (Zuleikha) ordered Yusuf (AS) to appear in the gathering.
31. 4 That is, upon witnessing the manifestation of Yusuf's (AS) beauty, firstly, they acknowledged his greatness and majesty, and secondly, they were so overwhelmed with ecstasy that they cut their own hands with the knives. As a result, their hands were wounded and bloodied. It is mentioned in a hadith that Yusuf (AS) was given half of all beauty (Sahih Muslim).
31. 5 This does not mean that angels are better or superior to humans in form or appearance, because humans have never seen angels. Moreover, regarding humans, Allah Himself has clearly stated in the Noble Quran that We created him in the best stature (ahsan taqweem). These women denied his humanity only because they saw such an embodiment of beauty and charm that had never appeared before their eyes in human form, and they called him an angel because common people think that angels possess such forms that are superior to human form. From this, it is understood that due to the extraordinary characteristics and distinctions of the Prophets, it has always been the practice of such people in every era, who are unfamiliar with prophethood and its status, to declare them as a luminous creation instead of human.
31. 2 That is, she arranged such seating places where cushions were placed, just as even today such floor seating arrangements are common among Arabs. Even in hotels and restaurants, such arrangements are made.
31. 3 That is, Yusuf (AS) was kept hidden at first. When all the women had knives in their hands, the wife of Aziz (Zuleikha) ordered Yusuf (AS) to appear in the gathering.
31. 4 That is, upon witnessing the manifestation of Yusuf's (AS) beauty, firstly, they acknowledged his greatness and majesty, and secondly, they were so overwhelmed with ecstasy that they cut their own hands with the knives. As a result, their hands were wounded and bloodied. It is mentioned in a hadith that Yusuf (AS) was given half of all beauty (Sahih Muslim).
31. 5 This does not mean that angels are better or superior to humans in form or appearance, because humans have never seen angels. Moreover, regarding humans, Allah Himself has clearly stated in the Noble Quran that We created him in the best stature (ahsan taqweem). These women denied his humanity only because they saw such an embodiment of beauty and charm that had never appeared before their eyes in human form, and they called him an angel because common people think that angels possess such forms that are superior to human form. From this, it is understood that due to the extraordinary characteristics and distinctions of the Prophets, it has always been the practice of such people in every era, who are unfamiliar with prophethood and its status, to declare them as a luminous creation instead of human.
