سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ
Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 53
۞ وَمَآ أُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِىٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلنَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌۢ بِٱلسُّوٓءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّىٓ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿53﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"And I free not myself (from the blame). Verily, the (human) self is inclined to evil, except when my Lord bestows His Mercy (upon whom He wills). Verily, my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ وَمَآ
wamā
And not
أُبَرِّئُ
ubarri-u
I absolve
نَفْسِىٓ ۚ
nafsī
myself
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلنَّفْسَ
l-nafsa
the soul
لَأَمَّارَةٌۢ
la-ammāratun
(is) a certain enjoiner
بِٱلسُّوٓءِ
bil-sūi
of evil
إِلَّا
illā
unless
مَا
mā
[that]
رَحِمَ
raḥima
bestows Mercy
رَبِّىٓ ۚ
rabbī
my Lord
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
رَبِّى
rabbī
my Lord
غَفُورٌۭ
ghafūrun
(is) Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمٌۭ
raḥīmun
Most Merciful
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 53) ➊ { وَ مَاۤ اُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِيْ… :} This is the last part of the speech of the wife of the Aziz of Egypt. It is as if the wife of the Aziz of Egypt wants to say that I have not committed any major betrayal behind my husband's back; indeed, I did try to seduce Yusuf, but I was not successful. However, I do not declare myself to be chaste; I admit and confess to whatever mistake I made. Only the one upon whom Allah has special mercy (referring to Yusuf, peace be upon him) can be safe from the evil of the soul.
➋ From this, it is understood that the wife of the Aziz of Egypt believed in Allah and His attributes of being Forgiving and Merciful, and she also understood virtue and sin. Some people say that this cannot be her statement, because she was a disbeliever. The answer to this is, firstly, there is no evidence of her disbelief before us, and even if there were, the disbelievers of Makkah believed in Allah, considered adultery and other vices to be sins, yet they were still polytheists. Even today, you will find countless people who recite the Kalimah, believe in Allah, seek forgiveness from Him, and consider sin to be sin, yet are still completely involved in polytheism.
➋ From this, it is understood that the wife of the Aziz of Egypt believed in Allah and His attributes of being Forgiving and Merciful, and she also understood virtue and sin. Some people say that this cannot be her statement, because she was a disbeliever. The answer to this is, firstly, there is no evidence of her disbelief before us, and even if there were, the disbelievers of Makkah believed in Allah, considered adultery and other vices to be sins, yet they were still polytheists. Even today, you will find countless people who recite the Kalimah, believe in Allah, seek forgiveness from Him, and consider sin to be sin, yet are still completely involved in polytheism.
