Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 24

(Ayah 24) ➊ {وَ لَقَدْ هَمَّتْ بِهٖ وَ هَمَّ بِهَا :} The evil intention of the wife of Aziz towards Yusuf (peace be upon him) is evident from the “lam” and {’’ قَدْ ‘‘} (both of which are for emphasis and mean an oath), and indeed from the entire incident itself. However, whether Yusuf (peace be upon him) intended or not, there are different opinions among the commentators. Some commentators say that just as a fasting person, upon seeing cold water, feels an inclination towards it but restrains himself due to fasting—and this is a natural thing—such a thought may have come into the heart of Yusuf (peace be upon him), but due to the blessing of seeing {’’ بُرْهَانَ رَبِّهٖ ‘‘}, Yusuf (peace be upon him) dismissed it. However, the other interpretation, which is more satisfactory, is the one that is apparent from the translation, and in the Qur’an, there is also an example where the consequence of a conditional clause comes before it, as Allah Almighty said regarding the mother of Musa (peace be upon him): «{ اِنْ كَادَتْ لَتُبْدِيْ بِهٖ لَوْ لَاۤ اَنْ رَّبَطْنَا عَلٰى قَلْبِهَا }» [ القصص : ۱۰ ] “Indeed, she was about to disclose it, had We not bound her heart.” If Yusuf (peace be upon him) had already intended and was then turned away by the proof of his Lord, the words of the verse would not have been: «{ كَذٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ السُّوْٓءَ وَ الْفَحْشَآءَ }» “Thus it was, so that We might turn away from him evil and immorality,” but rather: {’’كَذٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَهُ عَنِ السُّوْٓءِ وَالْفَحْشَاءِ‘‘} “Thus it was, so that We might turn him away from evil and immorality.” Then, the testimony of every person involved in this incident also supports this, for example: (1) Allah Almighty Himself: «{ كَذٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ السُّوْٓءَ }» (2) Yusuf (peace be upon him): «{ هِيَ رَاوَدَتْنِيْ } » (3) The witness “examination of the shirt” (4) The Aziz of Egypt: «{ اِنَّكِ كُنْتِ مِنَ الْخٰطِـِٕيْنَ }» (5) The king of Egypt: «{ اِذْ رَاوَدْتُّنَّ يُوْسُفَ }» (6) The women of Egypt: «{ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ سُوْٓءٍ }» (7) And the wife of Aziz herself: «{ وَ اِنَّهٗ لَمِنَ الصّٰدِقِيْنَ}» (8) Yusuf (peace be upon him) himself later said: «{ وَ اِلَّا تَصْرِفْ عَنِّيْ كَيْدَهُنَّ اَصْبُ اِلَيْهِنَّ }» “If You do not turn away their plot from me, I might incline towards them”—this is clear evidence that he had not inclined. All these testimonies are before us. As for those commentators who, without evidence, bring Yusuf (peace be upon him) to the very edge of sin and then pull him back, they will answer to Allah Almighty themselves. And those commentators who describe in great detail the conversations that took place behind those closed doors, perhaps they were hiding there listening, or perhaps they received revelation from Allah Almighty, because neither the Qur’an, nor Hadith, nor reason, nor nature supports these dialogues.

➋ { لَوْ لَاۤ اَنْ رَّاٰ بُرْهَانَ رَبِّهٖ :} What was the proof of his Lord? There is nothing authentically established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding its specification, but commentators have narrated various statements, which are merely statements. Our teacher, Maulana Muhammad Abduh (may Allah have mercy on him), says: “It is possible that the high moral character of a prophet does not allow him to be inclined towards such an evil act as adultery, and this is what is referred to here as {’’ بُرْهَانَ رَبِّهٖ ‘‘}.”

➌ { اِنَّهٗ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُخْلَصِيْنَ : ’’ اَلْمُخْلِصِيْنَ ‘‘} If it is with a kasrah on the lam, it means sincere, fortunate servants; and {’’الْمُخْلَصِيْنَ ‘‘} if it is with a fathah on the lam, it means those who have been chosen, whom Allah Almighty has purified for Himself. Here, it is with a fathah on the lam, meaning those who have been honored with being chosen by Allah Almighty. Being a chosen servant is the reason for both these things: that Yusuf (peace be upon him) did not even intend evil, and that We kept evil and immorality away from him. Why? Because he was among Our chosen servants, about whom Satan himself admitted that he would not be able to mislead them. He said: «{ اِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِيْنَ }» [ الحجر : ۴۰ ] “Except Your servants among them who are purified.” In this one verse, Allah Almighty has mentioned the purity of Yusuf (peace be upon him) four times: (1) {’’ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ السُّوْٓءَ ‘‘} (2) {’’ وَ الْفَحْشَآءَ ‘‘} (3) {’’ اِنَّهٗ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُخْلَصِيْنَ ‘‘} (4) { ’’ الْمُخْلَصِيْنَ ‘‘}