Prophets Stories In Islam

Part 9: Prophet Yusuf (as) and His innocence proved

The king was greatly astonished. Who could this person be? He commanded that Yusuf be set free from prison and presented to him at once. The king's envoy went to fetch him immediately, but Yusuf refused to leave the prison unless his innocence was proven. Perhaps they accused him of cutting the ladies hands, or trying to rape them. Perhaps any other false accusation was made. We do not know exactly what was said to the people to justify Yusuf's sentence to prison. The envoy returned to the king.
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The king asked him: "Where is Yusuf? Did I not command you to fetch him?"
The envoy replied: "He refused to leave until his innocence is established regarding the ladies who cut their hands."
The king ordered: "Bring the wives of the ministers and the wife of the chief minister at once."
The king felt that Yusuf had been harmed unfairly but he did not know exactly how. The wife of the chief minister came with the other ministers' wives.
The king asked: "What is the story of Yusuf? What do you know about him? Is it true that. . .?"
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One of the ladies interrupted the king exclaiming: "Allah forbid!"
A second said: "We know of no evil he has done."
A third said: "He enjoys the innocence of angels."
The eyes of everyone turned to the wife of the chief minister. She now wore a wrinkled face and had lost weight. She had been overwhelmed by sorrow over Yusuf while he was in prison. She boldly confessed that she had lied and he had told the truth. "I tempted him; but he refused." She confirmed what she said, not out of fear of the king or the other ladies, but for Yusuf to know that she had never betrayed him during his absence, for he was still in her mind and soul. Of all creation he was the only one she cared for, so she confirmed his innocence before all.
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Zulaikha's Life Afterwards Reflecting on these verses suggests that she had turned to Yusuf's religion, monotheism. His imprisonment was a great turning point in her life. After this, the Quranic style neglects the story of the chief minister's wife completely. We do not know what happened to her after she gave her clear evidence. Yet still, there are legends about her. It has been said that after her husband died she married Yusuf, gave birth to two sons named Afrayem and Mansa, and, behold she was a virgin. She confessed that her husband had been old and had never touched women. Other legends said that she lost her sight, weeping for Yusuf. She abandoned her palace and wandered in the streets of the city. However, the lady disappeared from the Quranic narrative at the suitable stage, at the climax of her trouble. Perhaps she lingers in memory longer than if we had known the ending.