سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ
Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 50
وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱئْتُونِى بِهِۦ ۖ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُ ٱلرَّسُولُ قَالَ ٱرْجِعْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَسْـَٔلْهُ مَا بَالُ ٱلنِّسْوَةِ ٱلَّـٰتِى قَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى بِكَيْدِهِنَّ عَلِيمٌ ﴿50﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And the king said: "Bring him to me." But when the messenger came to him, [Yûsuf (Joseph)] said: "Return to your lord and ask him, ‘What happened to the women who cut their hands? Surely, my Lord (Allâh) is Well-Aware of their plot.’"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَقَالَ
waqāla
And said
ٱلْمَلِكُ
l-maliku
the king
ٱئْتُونِى
i'tūnī
Bring him to me
بِهِۦ ۖ
bihi
Bring him to me
فَلَمَّا
falammā
But when
جَآءَهُ
jāahu
came to him
ٱلرَّسُولُ
l-rasūlu
the messenger
قَالَ
qāla
he said
ٱرْجِعْ
ir'jiʿ
Return
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
رَبِّكَ
rabbika
your lord
فَسْـَٔلْهُ
fasalhu
and ask him
مَا
mā
what
بَالُ
bālu
(is the) case
ٱلنِّسْوَةِ
l-nis'wati
(of) the women
ٱلَّـٰتِى
allātī
who
قَطَّعْنَ
qaṭṭaʿna
cut
أَيْدِيَهُنَّ ۚ
aydiyahunna
their hands
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
رَبِّى
rabbī
my Lord
بِكَيْدِهِنَّ
bikaydihinna
of their plot
عَلِيمٌۭ
ʿalīmun
(is) All-Knower
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
50. The king said (when he heard this interpretation): "Bring this man to me." But when the messenger came to Yusuf, he said: "Return to your master and ask him: What is the case of those women who cut their hands [49]? Surely, my Lord is well aware of their cunning."
[49]
The Refusal of Sayyiduna Yusuf to Leave Prison Before Being Cleared of the Allegation:
When the cupbearer returned from the prison and conveyed this interpretation, this strategy, and this glad tidings to the king, the king was overjoyed. The fear left his heart and he attained peace of mind. He was greatly impressed by the knowledge and virtue of Sayyiduna Yusuf ؑ and said that such a person should be brought to him so that he could benefit from his presence and honor and respect him according to his rank and capability. When the king’s messenger brought this message to Sayyiduna Yusuf ؑ in the prison and gave him the king’s message and the good news of his release from prison, instead of being pleased with the messenger, he refused to leave the prison and said to the messenger that he should go back and first have the king decide the case because of which he had been imprisoned. That is, what is the reality of the incident involving the women who had cut their hands. In other words, his reply was that until the investigation of his innocence in this crime was completed and he was fully acquitted, he was not ready to leave the prison. Then, in his demand, he deliberately did not mention the name of the real culprit, Zulaikha, because her husband was his benefactor and a just man; he did not want to disgrace him. Rather, he mentioned in general all those women who had cut their hands, because all of them had become accomplices of Zulaikha in this crime and together they had him thrown into prison. He also made it clear that his Lord knows his innocence and chastity, but he wanted that not even a shadow of doubt should remain in the heart of any uninformed person that perhaps Yusuf had any fault in this matter.
[49]
The Refusal of Sayyiduna Yusuf to Leave Prison Before Being Cleared of the Allegation:
When the cupbearer returned from the prison and conveyed this interpretation, this strategy, and this glad tidings to the king, the king was overjoyed. The fear left his heart and he attained peace of mind. He was greatly impressed by the knowledge and virtue of Sayyiduna Yusuf ؑ and said that such a person should be brought to him so that he could benefit from his presence and honor and respect him according to his rank and capability. When the king’s messenger brought this message to Sayyiduna Yusuf ؑ in the prison and gave him the king’s message and the good news of his release from prison, instead of being pleased with the messenger, he refused to leave the prison and said to the messenger that he should go back and first have the king decide the case because of which he had been imprisoned. That is, what is the reality of the incident involving the women who had cut their hands. In other words, his reply was that until the investigation of his innocence in this crime was completed and he was fully acquitted, he was not ready to leave the prison. Then, in his demand, he deliberately did not mention the name of the real culprit, Zulaikha, because her husband was his benefactor and a just man; he did not want to disgrace him. Rather, he mentioned in general all those women who had cut their hands, because all of them had become accomplices of Zulaikha in this crime and together they had him thrown into prison. He also made it clear that his Lord knows his innocence and chastity, but he wanted that not even a shadow of doubt should remain in the heart of any uninformed person that perhaps Yusuf had any fault in this matter.
