Did Yusuf Ever Intend Any Act of Indecency With Al-Aziz's Wife?
هل همّ يوسف عليه السلام بالفاحشة مع امرأة العزيز؟
No, Yusuf did not intend to perform any act of obscenity. Allah said, "and he would have done likewise, had he not seen," meaning he did not intend anything because he saw the proof from his Lord, and that proof is the knowledge Allah Almighty taught Yusuf and the prophethood Allah had chosen for him. Another sign that he did not intend any act of indecency is that the wife of Al-Aziz told the women of the city, "I did try to seduce him, but he firmly refused." Another thing that proves his innocence is that she and the women of the city did not accuse Yusuf of any obscenity, and if he had indeed intended anything, they would have mentioned it in the Royal Trial Council. And when the King said, "Bring him to me," he refused to leave prison until everyone confessed his innocence, and they did acknowledge his innocence.
لا، إن يوسف عليه السلام لم يهمّ بفعل الفاحشة، فإن الله تعالى قال: وَهَمَّ بِهَا لَوْلَا، أي أنه لم يهمّ بشيء لأنه رأى برهان ربه، وذلك البرهان هو ما علّم الله يوسف من العلم وما اصطفاه الله به من النبوة. ومما يدل أيضا على عدم همّه بفعل الفاحشة أن امرأة العزيز قالت لمن عندها من نسوة المدينة: ولقد راودته عن نفسه فاستعصم. ومما يدل على ذلك أيضا أنها ومن معها من نسوة المدينة لم يتهمن يوسف بشيء من الفواحش، ولو كان قد همّ بشيء لذكرت ذلك في مجلس المحاكمة الملكي، حين قال المَلِك: ائتوني به، فأبى أن يخرج من السجن حتى يعترف الجميع ببراءته، فأقروا بالبراءة ولم يذكروا فيه شيئا.
1. A Verse Whose Wording Needs Careful Reading | آية يحتاج لفظها إلى تدبّر
Surah Yusuf 12:24, covered in the previous question in this subcategory, is one of the few verses in the Quran whose surface wording could be misread if taken out of its full grammatical structure. According to the interpretation adopted in the answer, the word "lawla," meaning "had it not been for," governs the entire clause about Yusuf, meaning the verse describes what would have happened only in the absence of Allah's proof reaching him, not an actual inclination he acted on or even seriously entertained.
الآية الرابعة والعشرون من سورة يوسف، التي تناولناها في جواب: ما البلاء الأعظم الذي ابتُلي به يوسف عليه السلام بعد البئر، ولماذا كان أشق على النفس؟، من الآيات القليلة في القرآن الكريم التي قد يُساء فهم ظاهرها إذا قُطعت عن تركيبها النحوي كاملًا. وعلى التفسير الذي اعتمده الجواب، فإن الجملة المتعلقة بيوسف كلها معلّقة على «لولا»، فالمعنى أن الله تعالى وصف في الآية ما كان سيقع لولا أن رأى برهان ربه، لا ميلًا وقع منه فعلًا، ولا خاطرًا استقر في نفسه.
2. A Confession From the Very Person Who Accused Him | اعترافٌ ممن اتهمته
Before Yusuf's imprisonment, at the banquet, Al-Aziz's own wife admitted before a gathering of women, "I did try to seduce him, but he firmly refused" (Surah Yusuf 12:32). This is significant because the clearest evidence of Yusuf's innocence came not from a neutral witness but from the one person who had the strongest motive to blame him instead.
قبل سجن يوسف عليه السلام، اعترفت امرأة العزيز نفسها أمام جمع من النساء في المأدبة: (وَلَقَدْ رَاوَدتُّهُ عَن نَّفْسِهِ فَاسْتَعْصَمَ) (يوسف 12: 32). ولهذا الاعتراف أهمية بالغة، فأوضح دليل على براءة يوسف لم يأتِ من شاهد محايد، بل ممن كان لها أقوى دافع إلى اتهامه.
3. Refusing Freedom Until His Name Was Fully Cleared | إباء الخروج حتى تظهر براءته كاملة
When the king finally summoned him, Yusuf did not simply accept release; he insisted the matter of the women's hands and the full truth of the affair be investigated first (Surah Yusuf 12:50). This was remarkable restraint: he put the complete restoration of his reputation before his own immediate freedom. Ibn Kathir explains that he refused to leave until the king and his people had verified his innocence and that his imprisonment had been unjust.
لما استدعاه المَلِك آخر الأمر، لم يبادر يوسف عليه السلام إلى قبول الخروج، بل أصرّ أولًا على أن يُسأل عن شأن النسوة اللاتي قطعن أيديهن، وأن ينكشف الأمر كله (يوسف 12: 50). وفي هذا ضبط للنفس لافت، إذ قدّم ظهور براءته كاملة على حريته العاجلة. وذكر ابن كثير أنه امتنع من الخروج حتى يتحقق المَلِك ورعيته براءة ساحته، وأن سجنه كان ظلمًا وعدوانًا.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Did Yusuf ever intend to commit any act of indecency?
No, he did not, according to the interpretation adopted in this answer; later testimony confirms his innocence.
Who later confirmed that Yusuf had refused her advances?
Al-Aziz's wife herself, admitting before other women that he had firmly refused her.
Why did Yusuf refuse to leave prison immediately when the king summoned him?
He wanted his full innocence publicly acknowledged first, rather than accepting release with any doubt remaining.