SURAH (12) YUSOUF (AYA 11 to 30)

قَالُوا يَا أَبَانَا مَا لَكَ لَا تَأْمَنَّا عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَنَاصِحُونَ {12:11}

[Q12:11] Qaaloo yaaa abaanaa maa laka laa taamannaa 'alaa Yoosufa wa innaa lahoo lanaa sihoon.
[Q12:11] They said: O our father! What reason have you that you do not trust in us with respect to Yusuf? And most surely we are his sincere well-wishers:

[Q12:11] Mereka pun (pergi berjumpa dengan bapa mereka lalu) berkata: Wahai ayah kami! Mengapa ayah tidak percaya kepada kami tentang Yusuf, padahal sesungguhnya kami sentiasa tulus ikhlas mengambil berat kepadanya? 

(see commentary for verse 3)

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(12:11) After this consultation, they said to their father, "Father, why is it that you do not trust in us in regard to Joseph, though we are his sincere well-wishers?

أَرْسِلْهُ مَعَنَا غَدًا يَرْتَعْ وَيَلْعَبْ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ {12:12}

[Q12:12] Arilhu ma'anaa ghadany yarta'wa yal'ab wa innaa lahoo lahaafizoon. 
[Q12:12] Send him with us tomorrow that he may enjoy himself and sport, and surely we will guard him well.

[Q12:12] Biarkan dia pergi bersama-sama kami esok, supaya ia bersuka ria makan minum dan bermain-main dengan bebasnya; dan sesungguhnya kami akan menjaganya dengan sebaik-baiknya".  

(see commentary for verse 3)

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(12:12) Send him with us tomorrow that he may freely eat and enjoy sport: we will take good care of him." *11

*11 In this thing also the Qur'an differs from the Bible and the Talmud, according to which it was not the brothers, who requested their father to send Joseph with them but Prophet Jacob himself sent him with an errand to Shechem, where they were feeding their father's flocks. Obviously the version of the Qur'an is more realistic, for Prophet Jacob could never have thought of sending his beloved son with there, because he knew it full well that they were envious of hue, and sending him there would have been sending Joseph deliberately into the jaws of death. 

قَالَ إِنِّي لَيَحْزُنُنِي أَنْ تَذْهَبُوا بِهِ وَأَخَافُ أَنْ يَأْكُلَهُ الذِّئْبُ وَأَنْتُمْ عَنْهُ غَافِلُونَ {12:13}

[Q12:13] Qaala innee la yahzununeee an tazhaboo bihee wa akhaafu anyyaakulahuz zi'bu wa antum 'anhu ghaafiloon. 
[Q12:13] He said: Surely it grieves me that you should take him off, and I fear lest the wolf devour him while you are heedless of him.

[Q12:13] Bapa mereka menjawab: "Permergian kamu membawanya bersama sangatlah mendukacitakan daku, dan aku pula bimbang ia akan dimakan oleh serigala, ketika kamu lalai dari mengawalnya ". 

(see commentary for verse 3)

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(12:13) The father replied, "It troubles me that you should take him away with you, for I fear lest a wolf should eat him up, when you are off your guard."

قَالُوا لَئِنْ أَكَلَهُ الذِّئْبُ وَنَحْنُ عُصْبَةٌ إِنَّا إِذًا لَخَاسِرُونَ {12:14}

[Q12:14] Qaaloo la in akalahuzzi'bu wa nahnu 'usbatun innaaa izal lakhaasiroon. 
[Q12:14] They said: Surely if the wolf should devour him notwithstanding that we are a (strong) company, we should then certainly be losers.

[Q12:14] Mereka berkata: "Kalau dia dimakan oleh serigala, sedang kami ramai bilangannya, sesungguhnya kami sudah tentu menjadilah orang-orang yang rugi".  

When the brothers of Joseph found their father unwilling to permit them to take Joseph along with them, they went to Joseph and somehow made him go to the father and get permission for himself.

°          At last Jacob ordered Joseph to be given a bath and to be clad in the best of his clothes. The shirt which Ibrahim wore when he was thrown by Nimrod into the fire, was tied on his side (as a talisman), and provided him will all sorts of food and a supply of refreshing syrups and fresh water, entrusted Joseph to his other sons and advised them repeatedly to take care of Joseph’s convenience, safety and security.

°          There was a tree outside the town called ‘Shajaratul Wida’, (i.e., the parting tree). It is a common custom that whenever anyone used to go on any journey, his relatives or friends used to accompany him up to the tree and then bid him goodbye. Jacob told his son to proceed to the tree and wait there for him. The party with Joseph assembled under the tree and waited for Jacob.

°          Joseph’s sister Dunya who was asleep dreamt that a wolf had snatched away Joseph from the lap of her father Jacob. She awoke crying and enquired about the whereabouts of Joseph. On being informed of what had happened and everyone being at the tree, went running to the place and falling down at the feet of Joseph, prayed to him to take her along with him during the journey, which request could not be granted.

°          At last Jacob after repeatedly cautioning his sons about the safety and convenience of his beloved son Joseph, embraced Joseph and wept very much and in the end said, ‘Joseph.’ My dear Remember ALLAH (SWT) always; Never forget Him; Know thou that there is no other helper save He; Forget me not, I shall also not forget thee;”. Jacob was shedding tears and Dunya was crying for Joseph when the party started moving into the desert.

°          As long as they were in sight of Jacob, the brothers of Joseph pretended to avoid the least inconvenience to Joseph and no sooner they went out of his sight, THAN they began torturing him with all sorts of heartless cruelties. The one who, just to show to his father, was carrying Joseph on his shoulders threw him down saying that no one was there to bear his burden. They made him run into the Sahara before them and when he pleaded for kindness they told him to call to the Sun, the Moon and the Stars which he dreamt to be prostrating before him, to help him. When one brother kicked him, Joseph went to another brother seeking protection but he also behaved in a similar cruel way of slapping on his face. He was made to run and when in the wild his shoe gave way, he was made to run on the hot thorny desert, barefooted. When he felt a killing thirst and asked for some water, one of the brothers threw water on the sand and did not give him even a drop of it and the other brother would give him a slap on the face. THUS to whichever brothers’ Joseph went seeking his mercy, he would only push him towards the other brothers to hurt him further.

ALL THAT HAPPENED IN THE LIVES OF THE PREVIOUS APOSTLES DID HAPPEN ALL TOGETHER IN THE LIFE OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) AND THE HOLY IMAMS. THE MISFORTUNES WHICH BEFELL THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) DID NOT END WITH HIS DEPARTURE FROM THIS PHYSICAL WORLD BUT CONTINUED ALL THROUGH IN THE SUFFERINGS OF THE DIVINELY CHOSEN MEMBERS OF HIS HOLY FAMILY UPTO THE LAST ONE WHO IS ALSO CALLED MUHAMMAD ALMAHDI.

»    THE SAME FATE DID THE AHLUL BAYT, particularly the holy Imams Hasan and Husain, the beloved grandsons of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), meet at the hands of the people who called themselves Muslims.

»    No sooner did the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) shut his physical eyes, than the people deprived Ali, Fatema and their children of the legitimate rights.

[1] ALI, the ever Victorious Lion of ALLAH (SWT) had to patiently resign himself to the most humiliating miseries. The same Ali who was one with the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) in his holiness, and who was loved by the Apostle of ALLAH (SWT) as his own heart and soul, HAD to surrender himself without the least resistance, to be dragged by the crowds of the people, with a rope around his neck.

[2] The very FATEMA, Lady of Light, was the only surviving issue of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) whom he loved the most and about her he repeatedly issued the open declaration that ‘whosoever teased her, teased the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALLI ALAA MUHAMMAD WA ALI MUHAMMAD) and whosoever teased the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALLI ALAA MUHAMMAD WA ALI MUHAMMAD), teased ALLAH (SWT) and whosoever teased ALLAH (SWT) is an infidel, i.e., he who teased Fatema is an infidel.’ SHE was deprived of her rights to a property bequeathed to her by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), AND she had to leave this world with her side wounded, her ribs broken by the fall of her door caused by the kick of one who claimed himself to be one of the staunch followers of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

[3] HASAN the first grandson of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), the Second Holy Imam, WAS poisoned to death AND his coffin before its burial was made the target of a shower of arrows effected by the command of one of the wives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) AND his body could not be buried before it was wounded with several arrows pierced into it.

[4] And HUSAIN the Third Holy Imam about whom the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) had said ‘Husain is of me and I am of Husain,’ WAS buthched along with the band of seventy-two helpless ones of hid faithful comrades which included old saints of about eighty and hundred years, handsome young men of thirty and boys of nine and ten years and even a baby son of six months, after suffering untold miseries and tortures of hunger and thirst, in the scorching heat under the hottest sun on the burning sands of the desert of Karbala. The sufferings of Husain the Holy Imam and his godly comrades did not end with their butchered, for their holy bodies were trampled under the hooves of the horses of the brutes’ cavalry. It is related that when Joseph got thirsty and prayed to his brother for some water, they showed him the water in the goblet and emptied in throwing the water on the sand of the desert without giving him a drop from it.

SIMILARLY did happen at Karbala. When Husain asked water for his baby son, Ali Azghar, who was dying of hunger and thirst, the heartless brutes showed him the water in their water-bags and flowed it down on the sand and did not allow him to have even a drop of it even for the dying babe. The river Euphrates was flowing in front of Husain, nearby his camp but it was closely guarded against any from it being taken for Husain or for anyone in his camp. Joseph suffered getting enslaved and also being imprisoned, the whole of Husain’s household with ladies and children led by his ailing son Ali, the Fourth Holy Imam, were taken captives, treated worse than slaves and were imprisoned at Damascus. The history of Husain’s suffering has many sides and every side is far superior to that of what Joseph suffered. The sufferings of the two young innocents, the children of Muslim, who were of only five and six years are sufficient to be compared as superior to the miseries of Joseph at the hands of his brothers. These two young souls suffered everything that Joseph did suffer and something more of heart-rending tortures.

°          At last when the brothers of Joseph decided to throw him into a deserted well, he prayed his brothers to allow him a little respite to offer his last prayer to ALLAH (SWT). Similarly did happen with Husain. When the brutes decided to effect the wholesale slaughter, he requested the brutes for respite and spent one full night before his martyrdom, in prayer, and likewise did the two young innocents of Muslim in the hands of the brute Harith--- that it is reported that when he wanted to slay them at the bank of the Euphrates, they got a respite and offered their last prayers before getting beheaded. It as been related before that Dunya, the sister of Joseph, who loved Joseph the most, prayed to Joseph to take her along with him to serve him.

[5] ‘ZAINAB’ the sister of Husain, WHO loved her the most prayed to Husain to take her along with him leaving Madina and she accompanied Husain in all his suffering AND after the happenings at Karbala she was at the head of the Holy Ladies who were taken captive, AND suffered the humilities in open markets, in the streets of Kufa and Damascus AND the torture worse than death was her facing the brute Ibne-Zind in his open court at Kufa and Yazid in his court in Damascus, which was full to its maximum limits. SHE suffered imprisonment in a torturous cell. Ultimately in her own turn suffered martyrdom maintaining the tradition of her holy family. ***IT IS REPORTED THAT IT WAS ALSO TO HINT THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) OF THE SUFFERINGS THAT AWAITED HIM AND HIS HOLY FAMILY, THAT THIS SURAH OF JOSEPH WAS REVEALED TO HIM.

°          When Joseph had finished his prayers and his brothers held him, tied to a rope, to send him down into the well, Joseph told his brothers: ‘Look, ye my brothers; I give you my last words. Be ye kind to my old father and let him know what hath befallen me, lest he might feel and curse ye all.’ Hearing what Joseph said, Roil cut the rope with which Joseph was hung into the well, and Joseph fell down into the well wounded and unconscious. The Messenger Angel Gabriel arrived with blessing from ALLAH (SWT) and the good news about his elevation to glory and in the near future when he would be able to inform his brothers of what all they did when they would not recognise him owing to his high position and status.

°          Having thrown Joseph in the well, the brothers drenched Joseph’s shirt in the blood of a sheep and decided to go and report to their father that a wolf had devoured Joseph. But Lavi asked: “Are we not the children of Jacob, the Israel of ALLAH (SWT), son of Isaac, the son of Ibrahim who were both the Apostles of ALLAH (SWT)? Do ye think ALLAH (SWT) will not inform our father of the truth?” they asked as to what should be done.

°           Lavi suggested them to stand and offer joint prayer in a congregation (i.e., Namaz-e-Jama’at). BUT according to the tradition of the family of Ibrahim and Isaac, a congregational prayer could be offered with less than eleven persons behind, BUT with one of them standing in the front as the Imam they were only ten. Then Lavi said: “Let ye make ALLAH (SWT) as the Imam and stand all the eleven in a row and offer the prayer and seek ALLAH (SWT)’s help in keeping the truth a secret.” They prayed for the truth not to be revealed to their father.

°          Yahooda, one of the brothers escaped from the party and went to the well to see what had happened to him--- whether he was alive or dead. Joseph replied from the bottom of the well saying that his condition was of the one neither alive nor dead AND said to remember his miseries, hunger and his thirst. FEARING TO BE DETECTED by the other brothers, Yahooda returned to the party. It has already been said here that the brothers of Joseph of his shirt and made him naked. THE SAME was the fact about Husain at Karbala that his body was stripped of even the underwear. And Husain sent the same message to his faithful followers to remember his destitution, his miseries, his hunger and thirst IF ANY DESTITUTE, miserable or hungry or thirsty one, is seen or heard of.

°          It is said that the whole day Jacob was restless and had come out of the habitation, at the “Shajaratul Wida”, the Parting Tree, and there was Joseph’s sister Dunya. Every now and then Jocob used to tell Dunya to see into the desert if the party of his sons was returning. Both the father and the daughter had stationed themselves on a mound with their eyes fixed towards the desert anxiously waiting to see the party.

°          At last the party of the brothers of Joseph was sighted and Jacob anxiously told Dunya to see if Joseph was there among them. Dunya cried and said that she did not see Joseph among the brothers. Jacob gave out a loud sigh of sorrow and grief. The sons returned to their father and related the fabricated story of Joseph being devoured by a wolf. IN THE SAME way Husain’s daughter waited at Madina for his return and similarly was the disappointment.

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(12:14) They replied, "If a wolf should eat him up in our company, when we are a band, we shall be worthless people indeed!"

فَلَمَّا ذَهَبُوا بِهِ وَأَجْمَعُوا أَنْ يَجْعَلُوهُ فِي غَيَابَتِ الْجُبِّ ۚ وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْهِ لَتُنَبِّئَنَّهُمْ بِأَمْرِهِمْ هَٰذَا وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ {12:15}

[Q12:15] Falammaa zahaboo bihee wa ajma'ooo anyyaj'aloohu fee ghayaabatil jubb; wa awyainaaa ilaihi latunabbi 'annahum bi amrihim haaza wa hum laa yash'uroon. 

[Q12:15] So when they had gone off with him and agreed that they should put him down at the bottom of the pit, and We revealed to him: You will most certainly inform them of this their affair while they do not perceive.
[Q12:15] Setelah mereka pergi dengan membawanya bersama dan setelah mereka sekata hendak melepaskan dia ke dalam perigi, (mereka pun melakukan yang demikian), dan kami pula ilhamkan kepadanya:" Sesungguhnya engkau (wahai Yusuf, akan terselamat, dan) akan memberi tahu mereka tentang hal perbuatan mereka ini, sedang mereka tidak sedar (dan tidak mengingatinya lagi) ".  

(see commentary for verse 3)

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(12:15) When, after persisting like this, they took him away with them, and decided to cast him into a dark well, We revealed this to Joseph: "A time will surely come when you will admonish them about this act of theirs; now they do not comprehend its consequences." *12

*12 The Arabic words ("they do not understand") may very appropriately mean three things. First, "We were comforting Joseph, and his brothers were quite unaware of this that a Revelation was being sent to him." Second, "You will Iet them know of this evil act of theirs in such circumstances that they can never even imagine you to be there." Third, "Today they are committing an evil act, but they do not know its future consequences."
There is no mention of this in the Bible and the Talmud that Allah sent a Revelation to comfort Prophet Joseph at that time of his affliction. ON THE CONTRARY, the Talmud says that when he was thrown into the well, Prophet Joseph wept and cried aloud and implored his brothers for mercy, as if he was no better than any other lad of the desert, who would weep and cry if he were to be thrown into a well. But the picture the Qur'an depicts is that of a young man, who is destined to play the part of a great personality in history. 

وَجَاءُوا أَبَاهُمْ عِشَاءً يَبْكُونَ {12:16}

[Q12:16] Wa jaaa'ooo abaahum 'ishaaa 'any yabkoon. 
[Q12:16] And they came to their father at nightfall, weeping.

[Q12:16] Dan sesudah itu datanglah mereka mendapatkan bapa mereka pada waktu senja sambil (buat-buat) menangis. 

(see commentary for verse 3)

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(12:16) At nightfall they returned to their father, weeping and wailing,

قَالُوا يَا أَبَانَا إِنَّا ذَهَبْنَا نَسْتَبِقُ وَتَرَكْنَا يُوسُفَ عِنْدَ مَتَاعِنَا فَأَكَلَهُ الذِّئْبُ ۖ وَمَا أَنْتَ بِمُؤْمِنٍ لَنَا وَلَوْ كُنَّا صَادِقِينَ {12:17}

[Q12:17] Qaaloo yaaa abaanaaa innaa zahabnaa nastabiqu wa taraknaa Yoosufa 'inda mataa'inaa fa akhalahuz zi'b, wa maaa anta bimu'minil lanaa wa law kunnaa saadiqeen. 
[Q12:17] They said: O our father! Surely we went off racing and left Yusuf by our goods, so the wolf devoured him, and you will not believe us though we are truthful.

[Q12:17] Mereka berkata: "Wahai ayah kami! Sesungguhnya kami telah pergi berlumba-lumba berburu dan kami telah tinggalkan Yusuf menjaga barang-barang kami, lalu ia dimakan oleh serigala; dan sudah tentu ayah tidak akan percaya kepada kata-kata kami ini, sekalipun kami adalah orang-orang yang benar".  

(see commentary for verse 3)

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(12:17) and said, "O father! we were absorbed in running races, and we had left Joseph with our things, when a wolf came and devoured him: but you will never believe us, even though we were truthful".

وَجَاءُوا عَلَىٰ قَمِيصِهِ بِدَمٍ كَذِبٍ ۚ قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنْفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا ۖ فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ ۖ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ{12:18}

[Q12:18] Wa jaaa'oo 'alaa qamee shihee bidamin kazi' qaala bal sawwalat lakum anfusukum amraa; fasabrun jameel; wallaahul musta'aanu 'alaa man tasifoo.
[Q12:18] And they brought his shirt with false blood upon it. He said: Nay, your souls have made the matter light for you, but patience is good and ALLAH (SWT) is He Whose help is sought for against what you describe.

[Q12:18] Dan (bagi mengesahkan dakwaan itu) mereka pula melumurkan baju Yusuf dengan darah palsu. Bapa mereka berkata: "Tidak! Bahkan nafsu kamu memperelokkan kepada kamu suatu perkara (yang tidak diterima akal). Kalau demikian, bersabarlah aku dengan sebaik-baiknya, dan ALLAH (SwT) jualah yang dipohonkan pertolonganNya, mengenai apa yang kamu katakan itu." 

[Imam Jafar bin Muhammad as Sadiq has said that while Yusuf was in the well, Jabra-il advised him to invoke ALLAH (SWT)  in the following words:

ALLAHUMMA INNI AS-ALUKA O ALLAH (SWT), I beseech You,

BI-ANNA LAKAL HAMDU praise be to You,

LA ILAHA ILLA ANTAL MANNANU there is no ALLAH (SWT) save You, the benign,

BADI-US SAMAWATI WAL ARD the originator of the heavens and the earth,

DHUL JALALI WAL IKRAM the originator of the heavens and the earth,

AN TUSALLIYA ALA MUHAMMADIN WA ALI MUHAMMAD send Your blessings on Muhammad and on the children of Muhammad,

WA AN TAJ-ALLI MIN AMRI FARAJAN WA MAKHRAJAN and make my affair easy, and let it find a way-out,

WA TARZUQNI MIN HAYSU AHTASIB WA MIN HAYSU LA AHTASIB and make my affair easy, and let it find a way-out,

o    A caravan of merchants pulled Yusuf up with a bucket which was let down to bring water from the well. For the merchants Yusuf was an item of merchandise.  The brothers, who were visiting the well daily, came to claim his price as a runaway slave, but dared not haggle over the price, lest their plan, to get rid of him, should be defeated. The shrewd merchants bought Yusuf for the paltry sum of a few dirhams.

o    IN EGYPT, a high court official purchased him when he was put for sale in a public auction. He took him to his house and instructed his wife to make his stay honourable so that they might adopt him as a son. So ALLAH (SWT) firmly established Yusuf in the land and taught him the interpretation of dreams, and when he reached the prime of life He gave him wisdom and knowledge, because ALLAH (SWT) rewards those who are good.

o    The wife of the high official, Zulaykha, tried to seduce him. She desired him very much. As Yusuf was one of ALLAH (SWT)'s chosen devotees, He enabled him to avert both evil and lechery from himself. She grabbed and rent his shirt from behind. Both of them raced to the door. There they met her husband outside the door. At once she saw the trouble and put the blame on Yusuf and said: 'There is no other penalty for a man who wanted to outrage your wife but imprisonment or grievous punishment."

o    Yusuf said that it was she who wanted to seduce him. He had to tell the truth. A witness from her family testified. Yusuf's shirt was torn at the back, he must obviously have been retreating and Zulaykha must have been tugging from behind.

o    Everybody knew the guilty party. The husband was convinced that indeed it was a woman's ruse- the wiles of women are terrible. He asked Yusuf to ignore the affair and ordered his wife to ask forgiveness for her sin.

o    In the city the women gossiped. When she heard their slanderings, she invited them to a sumptuous feast and gave each of them a knife and called Yusuf to come out before them. When they saw him, the women were so wonderstruck with his beauty that they cut their hands.

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(12:18) And (in proof thereof) they had brought his shirt with the false blood upon it. Hearing this, the father said, "No! your evil souls have made this heinous act easy for you. I, however, will bear this patiently with a good grace. *13 And Allah alone can be asked for help regarding what you are concocting." *14

*13 The literal meaning of "good patience" which implies a patience that enables one to endure all kinds of troubles and afflictions in a calm, self-possessed and unrepining manner, without complaining or crying or weeping, as is worthy of great minds. 
*14 Prophet Jacob's reaction to the news of Joseph's death, as depicted in the Qur'an, is also different from that given in the Bible and the Talmud. According to them he was upset by the sad news and behaved like an ordinary father. The Bible says, "And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins. And mourned for his son many days." (Gen. 37: 34). And the Talmud says that at the sad news Jacob gave himself up to the abandonment of grief, and lay with his face to the ground.... and refused to be comforted, and cried, 'Some wild beast has devoured Joseph and I shall never see him more'; and he mourned for Joseph for many years. (The Talmud, H. Polano, pp. 78, 79).
When we contrast this picture with the one depicted in the Qur'an, we clearly see that the Qur'anic picture is that of a dignified and great personality. He is not upset in the least at hearing the sad news of his beloved son but at once gets to the bottom of the matter, and tells the envious brothers, "Your tale is false and fabricated." Then he shows "good patience" as a Prophet should and puts his trust in the help of God. 

وَجَاءَتْ سَيَّارَةٌ فَأَرْسَلُوا وَارِدَهُمْ فَأَدْلَىٰ دَلْوَهُ ۖ قَالَ يَا بُشْرَىٰ هَٰذَا غُلَامٌ ۚ وَأَسَرُّوهُ بِضَاعَةً ۚ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ {12:19}

[Q12:19] Wa jaaa'at saiyaaratun fa-arsaloo waaridahum fa adlaa dalwah; qaala yaa bushraa haaza ghulaam; wa asarroohu bi-daa'ah; wallaahu 'aleemum bimaa ya'maloon. 
[Q12:19] And there came travellers and they sent their water-drawer and he let down his bucket. He said: O good news! This is a youth; and they concealed him as an article of merchandise, and ALLAH (SWT) knew what they did.

[Q12:19] Dan (semasa Yusuf dalam perigi) datanglah ke tempat itu satu rombongan (ahli perniagaan) yang sedang dalam perjalanan; lalu mereka menghantarkan seorang pencari air bagi mereka; (setelah sampainya ke perigi itu) dia pun menghulurkan timbanya (dan manakala ia melihat Yusuf bergantung pada timbanya) ia berseru dengan katanya: "Hai, (ini) sungguh mengembirakan! Ini adalah seorang budak lelaki (yang cantik parasnya)". (Setelah mengetahui hal itu, saudara-saudara Yusuf pun datang) serta mereka sembunyikan keadaan Yusuf yang sebenarnya (untuk dijual) sebagai barang dagangan. Dan ALLAH (SwT) Maha Mengetahui akan apa yang mereka lakukan. 

A caravan of merchants from Midian lost its way and arrived at the deserted well in which Joseph was lying---

“Then there passed by Midianite merchantmen, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver; and they brought Joseph into Egypt.” Gen. 37:28

°          One of the travelers put his bucket into the well to fetch water. Gabriel told Joseph to hold fast the bucket or to get into it. Joseph came out of the well along with the bucket. The people wondered and kept him in the camp.

°          The brothers of Joseph used to come to the well everyday to know what happened to him. When they found Joseph safe with the travelers they claimed Joseph to be their slave who had run away from them. At last the traders purchased Joseph as a slave. The brothers of Joseph told the merchants that Joseph their slave was a habitual runaway, hence they should keep him always bound him in chain.

°          While passing through the desert the caravan passed the cemetery in which was buried Joseph’s mother. Joseph fell upon his mother’s grave and wept remembering her. (The same did Husain while leaving Madina). One of the slaves in the caravan was put in charge of Joseph. Not finding Joseph in the caravan he went in search for him AND FINDING Joseph at the grave rendered a violent slap on his face and Joseph’s face began bleeding at which a violent thunder shook the skies and a heavy lightning began to dazzle the eyes, lighting the whole desert as if it aimed to strike the caravan only. The merchants got perturbed and enquiry came to know about the atrocity done by the slave against Joseph.

°          The slave repented and Malik who was the purchaser of Joseph immediately relieved Joseph of the chains and provided him with a selected steed to ride along with them.

°          When the caravan entered Egypt the crowd that had assembled to witness the entry of the caravan, GOT STUNNED at the enchanting beauty of Joseph. Very soon the news about the wonder-striking beauty of Joseph spread in the town like wild-fire and the wealthy ones of the city flocked to the salve.

°          At last the Vazier Qatfir or Atfir (Potiphar---Gen. 39:2). (The Chief Officer) purchased him for his wife Zulaikha and he was assigned a respectable place of service in the palace.

°          Gabriel conveyed the glad tidings to Joseph saying that he would not be shifted from the palace and all those who till then ruled over him would be enslaved to him.

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(12:19) A caravan came there; they sent their water carrier and he let down his bucket in the well. (Seeing Joseph in it,) he cried aloud, "Good news! Here is a young lad." So they hid him as merchandise, but Allah knew well what they were doing.

وَشَرَوْهُ بِثَمَنٍ بَخْسٍ دَرَاهِمَ مَعْدُودَةٍ وَكَانُوا فِيهِ مِنَ الزَّاهِدِينَ {12:20}

[Q12:20] Wa sharawhu bisamanim bakhsin daraahima ma'doo datinw wa kaanoo feehi minaz zaahideen. 
[Q12:20] And they sold him for a small price, a few pieces of silver, and they showed no desire for him.

[Q12:20] Dan (setelah berlaku perundingan) mereka menjualnya dengan harga yang murah, iaitu beberapa dirham sahaja bilangannya; dan mereka adalah orang-orang yang tidak menghargainya. 

(see commentary for verse 3)

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(12:20) Then they sold him for a paltry price. *15 a few dirhams. And they did not expect a big price for him.

*15 Though the matter of the disposal of Prophet Joseph by his brothers was simple, the Bible has made this very complicated. It is obvious that the brothers threw Joseph into the well and went away. Afterwards a caravan came there and pulled him out and carried him to Egypt where they sold him. But the Bible says that the brothers cast him into a pit: then a company of Ishmaelites came there and they agreed to sell him to them. But in the meantime the Midianite merchantmen had drawn and lifted up Joseph and sold him to the Ishmaelites who brought him into Egypt. (Gen. 37: 25-28). But the authors of the Bible forget this sale transaction and further on in v. 36 say that Prophet Joseph was sold in Egypt by the Midianites and not by the Ishmaelites as stated in v. 28. But the Talmudic version of the matter is a little different from this. It says that the Midianites drew Joseph up from the pit and carried him along with them. As they passed by, the sons of Jacob saw Joseph with them and accused them of stealing their slave. At this a furious quarrel arose and they were ready to enter upon a bloody fray. But a bargain was concluded and the sons of Jacob sold their brother to the Midianites for twenty pieces of silver, who afterwards sold him to the Ishmaelites for the same amount. Then the Ishmaelites took him into Egypt and sold him there. Incidentally, it is this Talmudic version that has given rise to the tradition among the Muslims that the brothers of Joseph had sold him. But it should be noted that the Qur'an does not confirm this tradition. 

SECTION 3

         Joseph’s firmness in piety against the Great Temptation

Joseph purchased in Egypt---Joseph’s firmness in piety against the tempting attraction from his Mistress---Joseph’s innocence proved by an argument.

وَقَالَ الَّذِي اشْتَرَاهُ مِنْ مِصْرَ لِامْرَأَتِهِ أَكْرِمِي مَثْوَاهُ عَسَىٰ أَنْ يَنْفَعَنَا أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَدًا ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلِنُعَلِّمَهُ مِنْ تَأْوِيلِ الْأَحَادِيثِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَىٰ أَمْرِهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ {12:21}

[Q12:21] Wa qaalal lazish taraahu mim Misra limra atiheee akrimee maswaahu 'asaaa any-yanfa'anaaa aw nattakhizahoo waladaa; wa kazaalika mak-kannaa li-Yoosufa fil ardi wa linu'allimahoo min taaweelil ahaadees; wallaahu ghaalibun 'alaaa amrihee wa laakinna aksaran naasi laa ya'lamoon. 
[Q12:21] And the Egyptian who bought him said to his wife: Give him an honorable abode, maybe he will be useful to us, or we may adopt him as a son. And thus did We establish Yusuf in the land and that We might teach him the interpretation of sayings; and ALLAH (SWT) is the master of His affair, but most people do not know.

[Q12:21] Dan (setelah Yusuf dijualkan di negeri Mesir), berkatalah orang yang membeli Yusuf kepada isterinya: "Berilah dia layanan yang sebaik-baiknya; semoga ia berguna kepada kita, atau kita jadikan dia anak". Dan demikianlah caranya kami menetapkan kedudukan Yusuf di bumi (Mesir untuk dihormati dan disayangi), dan untuk kami mengajarnya sebahagian dari ilmu takbir mimpi. Dan ALLAH (SwT) Maha Kuasa melakukan segala perkara yang telah ditetapkanNya, akan tetapi kebanyakan manusia tidak mengetahui.  

(see commentary for verse 3)

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(12:21) The person *16 who bought him in Egypt said to his wife, *17 "Deal kindly with him: maybe he proves useful to us, or we may adopt him as our son." *18 Thus We made a way for establishing Joseph in the land and arranged to teach him the understanding of affairs. *19 Allah does whatever He wills but most people do not understand this.

*16 According to the Bible his name was Potiphar. But the Qur'an mentions him merely by the title (AI-'Aziz). As the Qur'an uses the same title for Prophet Joseph, when he rose to a high rank, it appears that the person held a high office or rank in Egypt, for the word (`Aziz) stands for a powerful person who cannot be opposed and disobeyed. The Bible and the Talmud say that he was an officer of Pharaoh's body guards and captain of the guard. And according to a tradition from Hadrat Ibn `Abbas, related by Ibn Jarir, he was the officer of the royal treasury. 
*17 According to the Talmud the name of his wife was Zelicha and she is known by the same name in the Muslim traditions. As regards the other tradition among the Muslims that Prophet Joseph married her afterwards, it is neither based on the Qur'an nor on the history of the Israelites. And the fact is that it is below the dignity of a Prophet to have married such a woman about whom he had personal knowledge that she was of a bad character. And this opinion is confirmed by this general statement of the Qur'an: "Women of bad character are for men of bad character and men of bad character are for women of bad character. And the women of pure character are for men of pure character, and the men of pure character for the women of pure character.... "(Quran XXIV: 26. )
*18 The fact that Potiphar had a very high opinion of Prophet Joseph from the very beginning is also confirmed by the Talmud and the Bible. The Talmud says that at this time Joseph was about eighteen years of age (and) Potiphar was very favourably impressed with his bearing and appearance. So he came to the conclusion that he belonged to some noble family and had been made a slave by the force of adverse circumstances. When the Midianites carried him before Potiphar, he said...."He does not look like a slave and I fear he has been stolen from his country and his home." That is why Potiphar did not treat him like a slave, but put him incharge of his house and all his possessions. Likewise the Bible says, "And he left all that he had in Josep's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat." (Gen. 39: 6). 
*19 This verse alludes to the special training Prophet Joseph needed at that time for the performance of the duties of the high rank to which he was destined to rise. Up to that time, he had been brought up in the desert, under the environment of a semi-nomadic life of a shepherd. There was neither any settled state in Canaan and Northern Arabia nor had there been any appreciable progress in culture and civilization, for it was inhabited by different independent clans with no settled government. Thus it is obvious that the training that Prophet Joseph had received in Canaan, had equipped him with the good characteristics of nomadic life coupled with the qualities of God-worship and high morality of the family of Prophet Abraham. But this was not enough to enable him to direct the affairs of Egypt, which was at that time one of the most cultured and civilized countries of the known world and required a different experience and training for the conduct of its affairs. The All-Powerful AIIah made arrangements for this training and sent him to the house of an officer of a very high rank in Egypt, who entrusted him with full powers over his house and estate. This enabled him to develop all those latent abilities that were needed to fulfil his destiny, and he gained the experience that was required for the efficient conduct of the affairs of the kingdom of Egypt in the years to come. 

وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ آتَيْنَاهُ حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ {12:22}

[Q12:22] Wa lammaa balagha ashuddahooo aatainaahu bukmanw wa 'ilmaa; wa kazaa lika najzil muhsineen. 
[Q12:22] And when he had attained his maturity, We gave him wisdom and knowledge: and thus do We reward those who do good.

[Q12:22] Dan ketika Yusuf sampai ke peringkat umurnya yang sempurna kekuatannya, Kami beri kepadanya kebijaksanaan serta ilmu pengetahuan; dan demikianlah kami membalas orang-orang yang berusaha memperbaiki amalannya. 

 “And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man, and he was in the hose of his master the Egyptian” Gen. 39:2.

It is related that Joseph was of thirty three (33) years when he was made the Vazier and at the age of fourty (40) he was commissioned with the apostleship of ALLAH (SWT) and HE LIVED FOR ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY (120) YEARS.

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(12:22) And when he reached his full maturity, We bestowed on him judgement and knowledge. *20 This is how We reward the righteous people.

*20 By the use of such words as the Qur'an usually means, "We bestowed on him Prophethood," for the Arabic word (hukmun) stands for both judgement and "authority" and (`ilmun) stands for that Knowledge which is directly revealed to the Prophets by Allah. Thus, the Arabic words of the Text will mean: "We gave him the power and the authority and the knowledge needed for judging rightly the affairs of the people." 

وَرَاوَدَتْهُ الَّتِي هُوَ فِي بَيْتِهَا عَنْ نَفْسِهِ وَغَلَّقَتِ الْأَبْوَابَ وَقَالَتْ هَيْتَ لَكَ ۚ قَالَ مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُ رَبِّي أَحْسَنَ مَثْوَايَ ۖ إِنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الظَّالِمُونَ {12:23}

[Q12:23] 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. 
[Q12:23] And she in whose house he was sought to make himself yield (to her), and she made fast the doors and said: Come forward. He said: I seek ALLAH (SWT)'s refuge, surely my Lord made good my abode: Surely the unjust do not prosper.

[Q12:23] Dan perempuan yang Yusuf tinggal di rumahnya, bersungguh-sungguh memujuk Yusuf berkehendakkan dirinya; dan perempuan itupun menutup pintu-pintu serta berkata: "Marilah ke mari, aku bersedia untukmu". Yusuf menjawab: "Aku berlindung kepada ALLAH (SwT) (dari perbuatan yang keji itu); sesungguhnya Tuhanku telah memeliharaku dengan sebaik-baiknya; sesungguhnya orang-orang yang zalim tidak akan berjaya".  

DAY BY DAY the fire of love for Joseph in the heart of Zulaikha got inflamed, and every time she endeavoured to misled him towards gaining her object of illegal union with him. Joseph strengthened himself seeking the protection from ALLAH (SWT).

The reader is invited to compare the language of the Holy Qur’an with that of the Bible referring to this event AND note the grace with which the Holy Qur’an has given the narrative.

1.     “And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and she said, Lie with me.

2.     “But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master gotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand.”

3.     “There is none greater in his house than I, neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife; how can I do this great wickedness, and I do this great wickedness, and sin against ALLAH (SWT)?”

4.     “And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.”

5.     “And it came to pass about this time that Joseph went into the house to do his business, and there was none of the men of the house there within.

6.     “And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me; and he let his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.” (Gen. 39:7-12)

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(12:23) Now the woman in whose house he was began to tempt him, and one day she closed the doors and said, "Come here." Joseph replied, "May Allah protect me from this! My Lord has given me a good abode: (and should I, then, misbehave like this?) Such workers of iniquity never fare well." *21

*21 Generally the commentators and translators are of the opinion that Prophet Joseph used (Rabbi "My Lord") for the master of the house, and what he meant to imply by way of argument was this: "My Lord has treated me very kindly and kept me well in the house. How can I, then, be so disloyal and ungrateful as to commit adultery with his wife?" I, however, strongly differ with such a translation and commentary. Though the Arabic usage of (rabb) admits of such a meaning, I have two strong reasons against this here. First, it is far below the dignity of a Prophet to refrain from a sin because of the regard he had for some person other than AIlah. Second, there is not a single instance in the Qur'an that a Prophet ever called anyone other than Allah his "rabb." Prophet Joseph himself differentiates between his creed and that of the Egyptians making it plain that his ("rabb": Lord) was Allah, while they had made other human beings their "rabb". Then this verse should be considered from another point of view: when ("rabbi") may also mean "My Lord", Prophet Joseph might have invoked Allah. Why should then one take the other meaning, "my master", which most surely implies something that is against the right creed? 

وَلَقَدْ هَمَّتْ بِهِ ۖ وَهَمَّ بِهَا لَوْلَا أَنْ رَأَىٰ بُرْهَانَ رَبِّهِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ السُّوءَ وَالْفَحْشَاءَ ۚ إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُخْلَصِينَ {12:24}

[Q12:24] Wa laqad hammat bihee wa hamma bihaa law laaa ar ra-aa burhaana rabbih; kazaalika linasrifa 'anhu sooo'a walfa hshaaa'; innahoo min 'ibaadi nal mukhlaseen. 
[Q12:24] And certainly she made for him, and he would have made for her, were it not that he had seen the manifest evidence of his Lord; thus (it was) that We might turn away from him evil and indecency, surely he was one of Our sincere servants.

[Q12:24] Dan sebenarnya perempuan itu telah berkeinginan sangat kepadanya, dan Yusuf pula (mungkin timbul) keinginannya kepada perempuan itu kalaulah ia tidak menyedari kenyataan Tuhannya (tentang kejinya perbuatan zina itu). Demikianlah (takdir Kami) untuk menjauhkan dari Yusuf perkara-perkara yang tidak baik dan perbuatan-perbuatan yang keji, kerana sesungguhnya ia dari hamba-hamba Kami yang dibersihkan dari segala dosa.  

It was Zulaikha who made violent overtures and tried the worst to entangle Joseph into the sin of fornication BUT Joseph who was wholly pure, innocent and infallible, abstained himself.

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(12:24) She advanced towards him, and he also would have advanced towards her, had he not perceived his Lord's argument. *22 This was so that We may remove indecency and immodesty from him; *23 indeed he was one of Our chosen servants.

*22 "His Lord's argument" means inspiration from Allah to rouse his conscience to the fact that it was not worthy of him to yield to the temptation by the woman. As regards the question, "What was that argument", it has been stated in the preceding verse, that is, "My Lord has shown much kindness towards me. Should I, then, misbehave like this? Such workers of iniquity never fare well. "This was the "Divine argument" that saved Prophet Joseph in the prime of youth from that great temptation. The significance of "Joseph also would have advanced towards her, had he not seen his Lord's argument" is this: "Even a Prophet like Joseph (Allah's peace be upon him) could not have been able to save himself from sin, had not Allah guided him rightly with His argument. Incidentally,

THIS VERSE MAKES PLAIN THE NATURE OF THE "IMMUNITY" OF PROPHETS FROM SIN. IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT A PROPHET IS INFALLIBLE AND INCAPABLE OF COMMITTING ANY ERROR, OFFENCE OR SIN OR DOING WRONG OR MAKING A MISTAKE. WHAT IT MEANS IS THIS: THOUGH A PROPHET POSSESSES PASSIONS, EMOTIONS, AND CARNAL DESIRES LIKE OTHER HUMAN BEINGS, AND IS CAPABLE OF COMMITTING A SIN, HE IS SO VIRTUOUS AND GOD-FEARING THAT HE NEVER DELIBERATELY CHERISHES ANY EVIL INTENTIONS, FOR HE IS ENDOWED WITH SUCH GREAT ARGUMENTS FROM HIS LORD AS DO NOT ALLOW THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH OVER-POWER THE VOICE OF HIS CONSCIENCE. And if ever he succumbs inadvertently to any of the human weaknesses, Allah at once sends a Revelation to him to set him on the right path. For the consequences of his error do not remain confined to his own person but react on the whole mankind, for even his slightest error might mislead the world to the most horrible sins. 
*23 "....so that We may remove indecency and immodesty from him" implies two things. First, "It was because of Our grace that he could perceive Our argument, and save himself from sin, for We willed to remove indecency and immodesty from Our chosen servant." The second meaning is rather deeper: This incident took place in the life of Joseph because this was essential for his spiritual training: "It was Our will to pass him through this hard test so that he should become immune from indecency and immodesty, for he would have to apply all his powers of piety to withstand such a great temptation, and thus become really so strong as not to yield to such things in future as well". The importance and the need of such a hard training becomes quite obvious, if we keep in view the moral conditions of the Egyptian society of that period. We can have a glimpse of this from vv. 30-32. It appears that the women in general and the "ladies" of high society in particular, enjoyed almost the same sexual freedom as is rampant today in the "civilized" West and in the Westernized East. Allah made arrangements for the special training of Prophet Joseph in the house of his master because he had to perform his Divine Mission in a perverted society, and that too as a ruler and not as a common man. It is thus obvious from the behaviour of those "ladies" of high rank, who did not feel any shame nor modesty in openly admiring the beauty of the young slave and from that of the "lady" of the house who was not ashamed of confessing openly that she did her best to tempt him and would continue to do so, that they would have done all they could to allure the young handsome ruler. Thus Allah not only made Prophet Joseph strong enough to resist such temptations in future by passing him through the hard test, but also filled the ladies with despair of gaining any "success" in this matter.

وَاسْتَبَقَا الْبَابَ وَقَدَّتْ قَمِيصَهُ مِنْ دُبُرٍ وَأَلْفَيَا سَيِّدَهَا لَدَى الْبَابِ ۚ قَالَتْ مَا جَزَاءُ مَنْ أَرَادَ بِأَهْلِكَ سُوءًا إِلَّا أَنْ يُسْجَنَ أَوْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ {12:25}

[Q12:25] 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. 
[Q12:25] And they both hastened to the door, and she rent his shirt from behind and they met her husband at the door. She said: What is the punishment of him who intends evil to your wife except imprisonment or a painful chastisement?

[Q12:25] Dan mereka berdua pun berkejaran ke pintu, serta perempuan itu mengoyakkan baju Yusuf dari belakang; lalu terserempaklah keduanya dengan suami perempuan itu di muka pintu. Tiba-tiba perempuan itu berkata (kepada suaminya): Tidaklah ada balasan bagi orang yang mahu membuat jahat terhadap isterimu melainkan dipenjarakan dia atau dikenakan azab yang menyiksanya". 

A witness bearing the witness refers to the miraculous event that when Joseph pleaded that he was not guilty the Aziz asked ‘What is the proof?’ JOSEPH WAS INSPIRED BY ALLAH (SWT) to point out to a baby of three or six month old belonging to one of the nearest relatives of Zulaikha. Aziz asked ‘How could the baby speak?’ Joseph replied, ‘My ALLAH (SWT) is Omnipotent, thou only ask Him.’ When the baby in clear language asked by Aziz declared aloud, ‘O’ Aziz. If Joseph’s shirt be torn from the front, she (Zulaikha) speaketh the truth and Joseph is a liar and if it be torn from the hind, Joseph is true and she is a liar?’ It had happened that when Zulaikha chased Joseph he ran towards the door and she came running and held him holding his shirt from behind and the shirt was torn in the hind. (Gen. 39:7-20)

v  It is said that when Joseph was elevated to the high position Gabriel appeared and just then a young man clad in dirty clothes came to Joseph with something in his hand. Gabriel said “O’ Joseph! Dost thou know who this man is?” Joseph said “He is my cook.” Gabriel said “O’ Joseph! This is the one who while yet a baby bore witness to thy innocence in the case of Zulaikha”.

JOSEPH TOOK HIM OUT OF THE KITCHEN AND HELD HIM IN RESPECT AND REGARD AS HIS VAZIER

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(12:25) At last Joseph and she raced towards the door one behind the other and she rent his shirt (pulling it) from behind, and they met her husband at the door. Seeing him, she cried out, "What punishment does the one deserve who shows evil intentions towards your wife? What else than this that he should be put in prison or tortured with painful torment?"

قَالَ هِيَ رَاوَدَتْنِي عَنْ نَفْسِي ۚ وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا إِنْ كَانَ قَمِيصُهُ قُدَّ مِنْ قُبُلٍ فَصَدَقَتْ وَهُوَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ {12:26}

[Q12:26] Qaala hiya raawadatnee 'an nafsee wa shahida shaahidum min ahlihaa in kaana qameesuhoo qudda min qubulin fasadaqat wa huwa minal kaazibbeen. 
[Q12:26] He said: She sought to make me yield (to her); and a witness of her own family bore witness: If his shirt is rent from front, she speaks the truth and he is one of the liars:

[Q12:26] Yusuf pula berkata: "Dia lah yang memujukku berkehendakkan diriku". (Suaminya tercengang mendengarnya) dan seorang dari keluarga perempuan itu (yang ada bersama-sama) tampil memberi pendapatnya dengan berkata:" "Jika baju Yusuf koyak dari depan maka benarlah tuduhan perempuan itu, dan menjadilah Yusuf dari orang-orang yang dusta. 

(see commentary for verse 3)

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(12:26) Joseph said, "It was she who solicited me." At this a member of her own family gave the circumstantial evidence, *24  saying, "If the shirt of Joseph is rent from the front, the woman speaks the truth and he is a liar.

*24 It appears that when the master of the house came on the scene, he was accompanied by a person of his wife's household. When he heard the story of the incident, he made this proposal: "As each of them accuses the other and there is no eye-witness of what happened between the two, the matter should be decided by the help of the circumstancial evidence, by examining the condition of Joseph's shirt." Obviously this was a very reasonable way of deciding the matter, and there was, therefore, no need to resort to a miracle. According to some traditions this witness was an infant, lying in the cradle, whom Allah had given the power of speech for giving this evidence. As this story is not supported by any authority, there is no reason why the obvious, plain and reasonable thing should not be accepted that the witness was a wise and experienced member of the family of the wife, instead of having resort to a miracle based on an unauthentic tradition. 

وَإِنْ كَانَ قَمِيصُهُ قُدَّ مِنْ دُبُرٍ فَكَذَبَتْ وَهُوَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ {12:27}

[Q12:27] Wa in kaana qameesuhoo qudda min duburin fakazabat wa huwa minas saadiqeen. 
[Q12:27] And if his shirt is rent from behind, she tells a lie and he is one of the truthful.

[Q12:27] Dan jika bajunya koyak dari belakang, maka dustalah perempuan itu, dan Yusuf adalah dari orang-orang yang benar". 

(see commentary for verse 3)

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(12:27) And if his shirt is rent from the back, she speaks a lie and he is truthful. *25

*25 This is what was implied in the evidence: "If Joseph's shirt is rent from the front, it means that Joseph is the aggressor and she has struggled to defend her honour. But if the shirt is rent from the back, it is obvious that he must have been running away from her and she must have been tugging from behind". The circumstancial evidence implied another thing. As the witness invited the master's attention to Prophet Joseph's shirt only, it meant that there was no sign at all of violence on the garments of the woman, for had he been the aggressor, there must have been some signs of violence on her garments. 

فَلَمَّا رَأَىٰ قَمِيصَهُ قُدَّ مِنْ دُبُرٍ قَالَ إِنَّهُ مِنْ كَيْدِكُنَّ ۖ إِنَّ كَيْدَكُنَّ عَظِيمٌ {12:28}

[Q12:28] Falammaa ra-aa qamee sahoo qudda min duburin qaala innahoo min kaidikunna inna kaidakunna 'azeem. 
[Q12:28] So when he saw his shirt rent from behind, he said: Surely it is a guile of you women; surely your guile is great:

[Q12:28] Setelah suaminya melihat baju Yusuf koyak dari belakang, berkatalah ia: "Sesungguhnya ini adalah dari tipu daya kamu orang-orang perempuan; sesungguhnya tipu daya kamu amatlah besar pengaruhnya. 

(see commentary for verse 3)

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(12:28) When the husband saw that the shirt was rent from the back, he said, "This is one of your cunning devices: your devices are very cunning indeed

يُوسُفُ أَعْرِضْ عَنْ هَٰذَا ۚ وَاسْتَغْفِرِي لِذَنْبِكِ ۖ إِنَّكِ كُنْتِ مِنَ الْخَاطِئِينَ {12:29}

[Q12:29] Yoosofu a'rid 'an haaza wastaghfiree lizambiki innaki kunti minal khaati'een. 
[Q12:29] O Yusuf! Turn aside from this; and (O my wife)! Ask forgiveness for your fault, surely you are one of the wrong-doers.

[Q12:29] Wahai Yusuf, lupakanlah hal ini. Dan engkau (Wahai Zulaikha), mintalah ampun bagi dosamu, sesungguhnya engkau adalah dari orang-orang yang bersalah!" 

(see commentary for verse 3)

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(12:29) Joseph !leave this matter. And, O woman, beg forgiveness for your sin, for you' were indeed the wrong-doer." 25a

*25a. A comparative study of the story as given in the Qur'an and in the Bible and the Talmud will be worthwhile.
The Bible says, "And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, that she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home...And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound." (Gen. 39: 12-16, 19-20).
The clumsy manner of the above version is obvious. It appears from this that Prophet Joseph's garment was so shaped that the whole of it fell into her hands when she tugged it. Then he ran away all naked, leaving it with her, as if to supply her with a clear proof of his own guilt.
Now let us turn to the Talmud. It says `....hearing the accusation, Potiphar commanded at once that the lad should be whipped severely. Then he carried Joseph before the judges............They ordered that the rent garmtent should be brought to them and upon an examination of the same, they pronounced Joseph "not guilty".' (The Talmud Selections, H. Polano, pp. 81-82). Obviously this version is also faulty, for it cannot be imagined that a person of such a high rank would himself take the case to a court that his own slave had tried to assault his wife criminally. Incidentally, this Qur'anic version of the story is a clear proof of the fact that it has no copied stories from the Israelite traditions as the pseudoorientalists allege, but has, on the other hand, corrected them and told the real facts to the world.

SECTION 4

         Joseph prefers prison against the Temptation

The chief’s wife proves the irresistible attraction of Joseph’s beauty---Joseph imprisoned.

وَقَالَ نِسْوَةٌ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ امْرَأَتُ الْعَزِيزِ تُرَاوِدُ فَتَاهَا عَنْ نَفْسِهِ ۖ قَدْ شَغَفَهَا حُبًّا ۖ إِنَّا لَنَرَاهَا فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ {12:30}

[Q12:30] Wa qaala niswatun filma deenatim ra atul'Azeezi turaawidu fataahaa 'an nafsihee qad shaghafahaa bubbaa; innaa lana raahaa fee dalaalim mubeen. 
[Q12:30] And women in the city said: The chiefs wife seeks her slave to yield himself (to her), surely he has affected her deeply with (his) love; most surely we see her in manifest error.

[Q12:30] Dan (sesudah itu) perempuan-perempuan di bandar Mesir (mencaci hal Zulaikha dengan) berkata: Isteri Al-Aziz itu memujuk hambanya (Yusuf) berkehendakkan dirinya, sesungguhnya cintanya (kepada Yusuf) itu sudahlah meresap ke dalam lipatan hatinya; sesungguhnya kami memandangnya berada dalam kesesatan yang nyata." 

(see commentary for verse 3)

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(12:30) The women of the town began to talk about this matter, saying, "The wife of Al-`Aziz has been soliciting her young slave, for she has passionately fallen in love with him. We think that she is manifestly doing the wrong thing."