Story Of Prophet Yusuf ✔

PART 16:YUSUF WAS SEDUCED BY THE WOMEN OF THE CITY [Surah Yusuf 12:31-33]

31. So when she heard of their plot, she sent for them and she prepared for them a banquet, and she gave each one of them a knife, and she said: “Come out to them”. So when they looked upon him they exalted him, and they cut their hands, and they said: “Allah forbid, this is not a man, this is only a noble angel”.

32. She said “So this is the one about whom you blamed me. And certainly I sought to seduce him against his will, but he resisted. And now if he does not do what I command then he will surely be of those imprisoned, and he will surely become of the disgraced”.

33. He said “My Rabb, the prison is more beloved to me than what they call me to. And if you do not turn away their plots from me, I will incline towards them and become of the ignorant”.

In this ayah Allah (swt) tells us what was the response of Zulaykha to what the women in the city had spoken in the previous ayah. Notice how Allah (swt) refers to what these women had spoken as a “plot.” That was indeed what it was. They did not speak these words against Zulaykha only for their entertainment, but rather this was a deliberate plot to bring her down. They were jealous of her. Even if they claimed to be her friends, deep down inside they hated her. She had more beauty and more power and more wealth than them. So they would do anything to bring her down and to bring themselves up in the process. That was why they spoke these words against her. It was all a part of their plot to bring her down. So Zulaykha wanted to make them pay for the words that they had spoken against her, so she made a great effort to plan and prepare her revenge.

Allah (swt) specifically mentions that she gave each one a knife to bring our attention to the fact that even this was part of her plan. She wanted them to see Yusuf (AS) and cut themselves. She knew that this was what would happen and they would cut themselves. This also shows that how severe tests, temptations, and trails Zulaykha must be going through for many years while Yusuf was present in front of her day and night.

Just at that moment when all of the women were cutting their fruit with the knives that was when she tells Yusuf (AS) to come out. The word “come out” gives the meaning of something that has been hidden is being brought out. So this suggests that in all of this time Yusuf (AS) had been kept hidden not only from the women on that particular evening, but he (AS) had been hidden from everyone throughout his entire life. No one has ever seen him before that evening. Finally, when the women saw Yusuf (AS), they cut their own hands while they were gazing upon him. Not only was he (AS) physically handsome but he (AS) also had that humbleness and innocence that made him appear even more beautiful. So without a doubt, Yusuf (AS) was of great beauty.

She tells them to look at Yusuf (AS) and then think about what they had said. By this, she is implying that if each of them had been in her situation, then they would have done exactly the same as she did. Then she openly admits what she had done. She then promises Yusuf that if he does not do what she says then surely he will be imprisoned and become of the disgraced. Those who are made to suffer both physical and psychological punishment.

Now all these women also started calling Yusuf to sin. Most likely each of them had a different plot to lure Yusuf (AS) to her. Some like the wife of the Aziz may have threatened him (AS) with punishment while others may have promised him (AS) a reward such as freedom or wealth. Each of them had a different plot, but each of their plots was evil because they were calling on him (AS) to do what was displeasing to Allah (swt). He realizes that with his own efforts and his own will power, he will not be able to keep away from this temptation. So he begged and pleaded to Allah to help him and preferred going to prison over them.

LESSONS

1. This verse shows us that wealth and power and nobility mean absolutely nothing. These women were the aristocracy of Egypt. They were the wives of the rulers and the people of power. Yet see their thinking and their behavior. What did their wealth and their status do for them? Did it elevate them in any way? Did it in any way make them more honored or noble? Did it in any way make them behave like a human being is supposed to behave?

2. The danger of power: The wife of Aziz used her wealth and power to either fulfill her desire or put an innocent person in prison. She wanted to disgrace him just because she felt humiliated for being turned down. This shows us that those who have no power will have no other options but to hate the person who rejected them or to be cold towards them or to continue pursuing them by any other means.

3. Inner beauty is more attractive than outer beauty. Yusuf (AS) had great inner qualities. Wife of Aziz acknowledged that when she said, "He stayed chaste."

4. It is only with the Help and Support of Allah (swt) that we can keep away from this sin and not through our own efforts and willpower. Strength only comes from Allah.

5. Allah (swt) is the One Who gives us the enabling grace to do every single good deed and He (swt) is the One Who gives us the enabling grace to stay away from every single evil deed. So before you praise yourself for any good deed that you may have done you first have to remember Allah (swt). Remember that it was Allah (swt) Who facilitated for you that good deed. Even the willpower and the strength that you find within yourself with which you stay away from evil is only from Allah (swt). Allah (swt) is the One Who has kept that evil far from you and so it is only because of Him (swt) that you were able to keep away from it. So do not ever praise yourself. Do not ever be content with yourself. Realize that self-contentment is the first step in the path to your destruction. May Allah (swt) save us from that! May Allah (swt) make us like Yusuf ('alayhi Salaam) to rely on Allah (swt) for every single good that we do and for every single evil that we avoid!