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Attempted Seduction of Joseph

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Attempted Seduction of Joseph

محاولة إغراء يوسف

The story of Prophet Joseph (Yusuf) in the Quran is rich with lessons, and a pivotal moment is the attempted seduction by the wife of Al-'Azeez, the Egyptian minister who had taken Joseph into his household. Joseph, a young man of remarkable beauty and piety, found himself in a difficult predicament when she sought to tempt him, closing the doors and explicitly inviting him to sin. His response was immediate and profound: [He said, "[I seek] the refuge of Allah"], expressing his unwavering commitment to his Lord and his master. When her advances were firmly rejected, and Joseph tried to escape, she tore his shirt from behind, and upon encountering her husband, falsely accused Joseph of intending evil against her. Despite the obvious signs of his innocence—[she tore his shirt from the back]—Joseph was unjustly imprisoned. Yet, years later, the truth shone brightly, culminating in her confession: [It was I who sought to seduce him, and indeed, he is of the truthful]. This powerful narrative beautifully illustrates Joseph's profound chastity, his absolute reliance on Allah during severe trials, and ultimately, Allah's triumph of truth over falsehood, offering enduring inspiration for resisting temptation and upholding moral integrity.

Quran 4 verses

وَرَٰوَدَتْهُ ٱلَّتِى هُوَ فِى بَيْتِهَا عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ وَغَلَّقَتِ ٱلْأَبْوَٰبَ وَقَالَتْ هَيْتَ لَكَ قَالَ مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّهُۥ رَبِّىٓ أَحْسَنَ مَثْوَاىَ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ

Wa raawadat hul latee huwa fee baitihaa 'an nafsihee wa ghallaqatil abwaaba wa qaalat haita lak; qaala ma'aazal laahi innahoo rabbeee ahsana maswaay; innahoo laa yuflihuz-zaalimoon

And she, in whose house he was, sought to seduce him. She closed the doors and said, "Come, you." He said, "[I seek] the refuge of Allah. Indeed, he is my master, who has made good my residence. Indeed, wrongdoers will not succeed."

تو جس عورت کے گھر میں وہ رہتے تھے اس نے ان کو اپنی طرف مائل کرنا چاہا اور دروازے بند کرکے کہنے لگی (یوسف) جلدی آؤ۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ خدا پناہ میں رکھے (وہ یعنی تمہارے میاں) تو میرے آقا ہیں انہوں نے مجھے اچھی طرح سے رکھا ہے (میں ایسا ظلم نہیں کرسکتا) بےشک ظالم لوگ فلاح نہیں پائیں گے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Moving to verse 23, the words of the text are: وَرَ‌اوَدَتْهُ الَّتِي هُوَ فِي بَيْتِهَا عَن نَّفْسِهِ وَغَلَّقَتِ الْأَبْوَابَ وَقَالَتْ هَيْتَ لَكَ And she, in whose house he was, seduced him away from his (resisting) self and bolted the doors, and said, 'come on!'. From the first verse, we know t...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And she in whose house he was — namely Zulaykhā — attempted to seduce him that is she asked him to lie with her and she closed the doors of the house. And she said to him ‘Come!’ hayta laka the lām of laka is for clarification; a variant reading has hīta laka or haytu laka. ‘God forbid!’ I seek refu...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Wife of the `Aziz loves Yusuf and plots against Him Allah states that the wife of the `Aziz of Egypt, in whose house Yusuf resided and whose husband recommended that she takes care of him and be generous to him, tried to seduce Yusuf! She called him to do an evil act with her, because she loved him ...

وَٱسْتَبَقَا ٱلْبَابَ وَقَدَّتْ قَمِيصَهُۥ مِن دُبُرٍ وَأَلْفَيَا سَيِّدَهَا لَدَا ٱلْبَابِ قَالَتْ مَا جَزَآءُ مَنْ أَرَادَ بِأَهْلِكَ سُوٓءًا إِلَّآ أَن يُسْجَنَ أَوْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

Wastabaqal baaba wa qaddat qameesahoo min dubu rinw wa alfayaa saiyidahaa ladal baab; qaalat maa jazaaa'u man araada bi ahlika sooo'an illaaa any-yusjana aw azaabun aleem

And they both raced to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back, and they found her husband at the door. She said, "What is the recompense of one who intended evil for your wife but that he be imprisoned or a painful punishment?"

اور دونوں دروازے کی طرف بھاگے (آگے یوسف اور پیچھے زلیخا) اور عورت نے ان کا کرتا پیچھے سے (پکڑ کر جو کھینچا تو) پھاڑ ڈالا اور دونوں کو دروازے کے پاس عورت کا خاوند مل گیا تو عورت بولی کہ جو شخص تمہاری بیوی کے ساتھ برا ارادہ کرے اس کی اس کے سوا کیا سزا ہے کہ یا تو قید کیا جائے یا دکھ کا عذاب دیا جائے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary Described in the previous verses was the time when the wife of the Aziz of Misr was busy enticing Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) into sin, and he, on his part, was trying to stay away from it. But, there was the natural struggle with that non-voluntary thought too. So, to help his honourabl...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And they raced to the door Joseph making for it in order to escape while she in order to grab hold of him caught hold of his garment and pulled him towards her and she tore his shirt from behind whereupon they encountered her master her husband at the door. She composed herself and then said ‘What i...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): مَا جَزَآءُ مَنْ أَرَادَ بِأَهْلِكَ سُوءًا (What is the recompense (punishment) for him who intended an evil design against your wife...), in reference to illegal sexual intercourse, إِلاَ أَن يُسْجَنَ (except that he be put in prison) أَوْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (or a painful torment) tormented severely w...

قَالَتْ فَذَٰلِكُنَّ ٱلَّذِى لُمْتُنَّنِى فِيهِ وَلَقَدْ رَٰوَدتُّهُۥ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ فَٱسْتَعْصَمَ وَلَئِن لَّمْ يَفْعَلْ مَآ ءَامُرُهُۥ لَيُسْجَنَنَّ وَلَيَكُونًا مِّنَ ٱلصَّٰغِرِينَ

Qaalat fazaalikunnal lazee lumtunnanee feeh; wa laqad raawattuhoo 'an nafsihee fasta'sam; wa la'il lam yaf'al maaa aamuruhoo la yusjananna wa la yakoonam minas saaghireen

She said, "That is the one about whom you blamed me. And I certainly sought to seduce him, but he firmly refused; and if he will not do what I order him, he will surely be imprisoned and will be of those debased."

تب زلیخا نے کہا یہ وہی ہے جس کے بارے میں تم مجھے طعنے دیتی تھیں۔ اور بےشک میں نے اس کو اپنی طرف مائل کرنا چاہا مگر یہ بچا رہا۔ اور اگر یہ وہ کام نہ کرے گا جو میں اسے کہتی ہوں تو قید کردیا جائے گا اور ذلیل ہوگا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Then, in verse 32, it was said: قَالَتْ فَذَٰلِكُنَّ الَّذِي لُمْتُنَّنِي فِيهِ ۖ وَلَقَدْ رَ‌اوَدتُّهُ عَن نَّفْسِهِ فَاسْتَعْصَمَ ۖ وَلَئِن لَّمْ يَفْعَلْ مَا آمُرُ‌هُ لَيُسْجَنَنَّ وَلَيَكُونًا مِّنَ الصَّاغِرِ‌ينَ ` She [ Zulaikha ] said: 'So, [ see ] this is the one you blamed me for. Yes, I se...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: She the wife of the Court Officer said when she saw what happened to them ‘This is he on whose account for the love of whom you blamed me alladhī lumtunnanī fīhi is an explication of her excuse. Indeed I did attempt to seduce him but he withheld himself he refused. Yet if he does not do what I bid h...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The News reaches Women in the City, Who also plot against Yusuf Allah states that the news of what happened between the wife of the `Aziz and Yusuf spread in the city, that is, Egypt, and people talked about it, وَقَالَ نِسْوَةٌ فِى الْمَدِينَةِ (And women in the city said...), such as women of chie...

قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُنَّ إِذْ رَٰوَدتُّنَّ يُوسُفَ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ قُلْنَ حَٰشَ لِلَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِن سُوٓءٍ قَالَتِ ٱمْرَأَتُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْـَٰٔنَ حَصْحَصَ ٱلْحَقُّ أَنَا۠ رَٰوَدتُّهُۥ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ

Qaala maa khatbukunna iz raawattunna Yoosufa 'annafsih; qulna haasha lillaahi maa 'alimnaa 'alaihi min sooo'; qaalatim ra atul 'Azeezil 'aana hashasal haqq, ana raawat tuhoo 'an nafsihee wa innahoo laminas saadiqeen

Said [the king to the women], "What was your condition when you sought to seduce Joseph?" They said, "Perfect is Allah! We know about him no evil." The wife of al-'Azeez said, "Now the truth has become evident. It was I who sought to seduce him, and indeed, he is of the truthful.

بادشاہ نے عورتوں سے پوچھا کہ بھلا اس وقت کیا ہوا تھا جب تم نے یوسف کو اپنی طرف مائل کرنا چاہا۔ سب بول اٹھیں کہ حاش َللهِ ہم نے اس میں کوئی برائی معلوم نہیں کی۔ عزیز کی عورت نے کہا اب سچی بات تو ظاہر ہو ہی گئی ہے۔ (اصل یہ ہے کہ) میں نے اس کو اپنی طرف مائل کرنا چاہا تھا اور بےشک وہ سچا ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary When the royal emissary delivered to Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) the order of his release and invited him to see the king, he asked him to first have his case investigated through the women who had cut their hands. His approach was based on many wise considerations. Allah Ta ala bestows ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: He said ‘What was your business women when you solicited Joseph?’ did you find on his part any inclination towards you? ‘God preserve us!’ they said. ‘We know of no evil in him.’ The Court Officer’s wife said ‘Now the truth is out now it has become clear; it was I who attempted to seduce him and he ...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The King investigates what happened between the Wife of the `Aziz, the Women in the City, and Yusuf Allah narrates to us that when the king was conveyed the interpretation of his dream, he liked Yusuf's interpretation and felt sure that it was true. He realized the virtue of Prophet Yusuf, recognize...

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