Joseph — Verse 51

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, recognized his knowledge in the interpretation of dreams and valued his good conduct with his subjects in his country. The king said, ائْتُونِى بِهِ (Bring him to me.) `Release him from prison and bring him to me.' When the king's emissary came to Yusuf and conveyed the news of his imminent release, Yusuf refused to leave the prison until the king and his subjects declare his innocence and the integrity of his honor, denouncing the false accusation that the wife of the `Aziz made against him. He wanted them to know that sending him to prison was an act of injustice and aggression, not that he committed an offense that warranted it. He said, ارْجِعْ إِلَى رَبِّكَ (Return to your lord (i.e. king...) The Sunnah of our Prophet praised Prophet Yusuf and asserted his virtues, honor, elevated rank and patience, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him. The Musnad and the Two Sahihs recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «نَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِالشَّكِّ مِنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِذْ قَال» (We are more liable to be in doubt than Ibrahim when he said,) رَبِّ أَرِنِى كَيْفَ تُحْىِ الْمَوْتَى (My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead. ..) «وَيَرْحَمُ اللهُ لُوطًا لَقَدْ كَانَ يَأْوِي إِلَى رُكْنٍ شَدِيدٍ، وَلَوْ لَبِثْتُ فِي السِّجْنِ مَا لَبِثَ يُوسُفُ لَأَجَبْتُ الدَّاعِي» (And may Allah send His mercy on Lut! He wished to have powerful support! If I were to stay in prison for such a long time as Yusuf did, I would have accepted the offer.) In another narration collected by Ahmad from Abu Hurayrah, the Prophet said about Yusuf's statement, فَاسْأَلْهُ مَا بَالُ النِّسْوَةِ الَّـتِى قَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ إِنَّ رَبِّى بِكَيْدِهِنَّ عَلِيمٌ ("...and ask him, `What happened to the women who cut their hands Surely, my Lord (Allah) is Well-Aware of their plot."') «لَوْ كُنْتُ أَنَا، لَأَسْرَعْتُ الْإِجَابَةَ وَمَا ابْتَغَيْتُ الْعُذْر» (If it was me, I would have accepted the offer rather than await my exoneration first.) Allah said (that the king asked), قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُنَّ إِذْ رَاوَدتُنَّ يُوسُفَ عَن نَّفْسِهِ (He said, "What was your affair when you did seek to seduce Yusuf") The king gathered those women who cut their hands, while being hosted at the house of the wife of the `Aziz. He asked them all, even though he was directing his speech at the wife of his minister, the `Aziz in particular. He asked the women who cut their hands, مَا خَطْبُكُنَّ (What was your affair...), what was your story with regards to, إِذْ رَاوَدتُنَّ يُوسُفَ عَن نَّفْسِهِ (when you did seek to seduce Yusuf) on the day of the banquet قُلْنَ حَاشَ للَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِن سُوءٍ (The women said: "Allah forbid! No evil know we against him!") The women answered the king, `Allah forbid that Yusuf be guilty of this, for by Allah, we never knew him to do evil.' This is when, قَالَتِ امْرَأَتُ الْعَزِيزِ الَنَ حَصْحَصَ الْحَقُّ (The wife of the `Aziz said: "Now the truth has Hashasa...") or the truth is manifest to all, according to Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and others. Hashasa also means, `became clear and plain', أَنَاْ رَوَدْتُّهُ عَن نَّفْسِهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الصَّـدِقِينَ (it was I who sought to seduce him, and he is surely of the truthful.) when he said, هِىَ رَاوَدَتْنِى عَن نَّفْسِى (It was she that sought to seduce me.) ذَلِكَ لِيَعْلَمَ أَنِّى لَمْ أَخُنْهُ بِالْغَيْبِ (in order that he may know that I betrayed him not in (his) absence. ) She said, `I admit this against myself so that my husband knows that I did not betray him in his absence and that adultery did not occur. I tried to seduce this young man and he refused, and I am admitting this so that he knows I am innocent,' وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِى كَيْدَ الْخَـئِنِينَوَمَآ أُبَرِّىءُ نَفْسِى (And, verily, Allah guides not the plot of the betrayers. And I free not myself (from the blame).) She said, `I do not exonerate myself from blame, because the soul wishes and lusts, and this is what made me seduce him,' for, النَّفْسَ لأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلاَّ مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّى (Verily, the (human) self is inclined to evil, except when my Lord bestows His mercy (upon whom He wills).) whom Allah the Exalted wills to grant them immunity, إِنَّ رَبِّى غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ (Verily, my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) This is the most viable and suitable understanding for the continuity of the story and the meanings of Arabic speech. Al-Mawardi mentioned this in his Tafsir, in support of it, it was also preferred by Imam Abu Al-`Abbas Ibn Taymiyyah who wrote about it in detail in a separate work. It was said Yusuf peace be upon him is the one who said, ذَلِكَ لِيَعْلَمَ أَنِّى لَمْ أَخُنْهُ (in order that he (the `Aziz) may know that I betrayed him not) with his wife, بِالْغَيْبِ (in (his) absence).) until the end of Ayah (53) He said, `I sent back the emissary, so that the king would investigate my innocence and the `Aziz be certain that, أَنِّى لَمْ أَخُنْهُ (I betrayed him not), with his wife, بِالْغَيْبِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِى كَيْدَ الْخَـئِنِينَ (in (his) absence. And, verily, Allah guides not the plot of the betrayers.)' This is the only explanation presented by Ibn Jarir At-Tabari and Ibn Abi Hatim, but the first view is stronger and more obvious because it is a continuation of what the wife of the `Aziz said in the presence of the king. Yusuf was not present at all during this time, for he was released later on and brought to the king by his order.

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 is indeed of the truthful’ in his saying It was she who attempted to seduce me Q. 1226. Joseph was then informed of this and he said

As for the statement of the women of the faculties: 'God preserve us! We know of no evil in him', and the statement of the ʿAzīz's wife: 'Now the truth is out, [these constitute] an allusion to the illumination of the soul and of the faculties by the light of the Truth, their assumption of the attribute of justful speech and truthfulness, the actualisation of the trait of justice by means of the light of [inclusive] unity, the manifestation of love immediately upon separation after union, and [to] the perfection of the soul's reassuredness because of its affirmation of the heart's merit and sincereness, and [of] its guilt and his [the heart's] innocence. For part of the [process of the] perfection of the soul's reassuredness is its admission of guilt and its seeking of forgiveness for the excesses it has committed when it was a commanding [soul] and its holding on to divine mercy and lordly protection [from sin].As for the King's wish to use him for himself, that represents his making the heart as the viceregent (khilāfa) over the kingdom after complete perfection, as is related in the story [to the effect] that he [the King] made him sit on his throne, placed his own crown on his head, gave him his ring to wear and girded him with his sword as well as removed Potiphar from office. After Potiphar died, the King gave him his wife, Zulaykhā, in marriage and then himself abdicated the throne in favour of him and devoted himself to worship of his Lord. All of that is an allusion to the station of viceregency (khalīfa) of the Truth, similar to where He said to David, We have indeed made you a viceregent on the earth [Q. 38:26]. The death of al-ʿAzīz is an allusion to the arrival of the heart at his station and the departure of the spirit to his presential vision of the unity. As for his [Joseph's] marriage to al-ʿAzīz's wife, that is an allusion to the heart's giving the soul enjoyment of shares after reassurance, for the noble illumined soul, through [its enjoyment of] shares, becomes stronger in observing the preconditions for uprightness, enforcing the laws of justice, inferring the principles of knowledge and deed, which were the two children whom, according to the story, she bore him, Ephraim and Misha.

As for the statement of the women of the faculties: 'God preserve us! We know of no evil in him', and the statement of the ʿAzīz's wife: 'Now the truth is out, [these constitute] an allusion to the illumination of the soul and of the faculties by the light of the Truth, their assumption of the attribute of justful speech and truthfulness, the actualisation of the trait of justice by means of the light of [inclusive] unity, the manifestation of love immediately upon separation after union, and [to] the perfection of the soul's reassuredness because of its affirmation of the heart's merit and sincereness, and [of] its guilt and his [the heart's] innocence. For part of the [process of the] perfection of the soul's reassuredness is its admission of guilt and its seeking of forgiveness for the excesses it has committed when it was a commanding [soul] and its holding on to divine mercy and lordly protection [from sin].As for the King's wish to use him for himself, that represents his making the heart as the viceregent (khilāfa) over the kingdom after complete perfection, as is related in the story [to the effect] that he [the King] made him sit on his throne, placed his own crown on his head, gave him his ring to wear and girded him with his sword as well as removed Potiphar from office. After Potiphar died, the King gave him his wife, Zulaykhā, in marriage and then himself abdicated the throne in favour of him and devoted himself to worship of his Lord. All of that is an allusion to the station of viceregency (khalīfa) of the Truth, similar to where He said to David, We have indeed made you a viceregent on the earth [Q. 38:26]. The death of al-ʿAzīz is an allusion to the arrival of the heart at his station and the departure of the spirit to his presential vision of the unity. As for his [Joseph's] marriage to al-ʿAzīz's wife, that is an allusion to the heart's giving the soul enjoyment of shares after reassurance, for the noble illumined soul, through [its enjoyment of] shares, becomes stronger in observing the preconditions for uprightness, enforcing the laws of justice, inferring the principles of knowledge and deed, which were the two children whom, according to the story, she bore him, Ephraim and Misha.

قال الملك للنسوة اللاتي جرحن أيديهن: ما شأنكن حين راودتنَّ يوسف عن نفسه يوم الضيافة؟ فهل رأيتن منه ما يريب؟ قلن: معاذ الله ما علمنا عليه أدنى شيء يَشينه، عند ذلك قالت امراة العزيز: الآن ظهر الحق بعد خفائه، فأنا التي حاولت فتنته بإغرائه فامتنع، وإنه لمن الصادقين في كل ما قاله.

وقوله تعالى "قال ما خطبكن إذ راودتن يوسف عن نفسه" إخبار عن الملك حين جمع النسوة اللاتي قطعن أيديهن عند امرأة العزيز فقال مخاطبا لهن كلهن وهو يريد امرأة وزيره وهو العزيز قال الملك للنسوة اللاتي قطعن أيدهن " ما خطبكن " أي شأنكن وخبرنكن " إذ راودتن يوسف عن نفسه " يعني يوم الضيافة " قلن حاش لله ما علمنا عليه من سوء " أي قالت النسوة جوابا للملك حاش لله أن يكون يوسف متهما والله ما علمنا علية من سوء فعند ذلك " قالت امرأة العزيز الآن حصحص الحق " قال ابن عباس ومجاهد وغير واحد: تقول الآن تبين الحق وظهر وظهر وبرز " أنا راودته عن نفسه وإنه لمن الصادقين " أي في قوله " هي راودتني عن نفسي ".

هذا ، وقوله - سبحانه - ( قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُنَّ إِذْ رَاوَدتُّنَّ يُوسُفَ عَن نَّفْسِهِ ) حكاية لما فعله الملك بعد أن بلغه الرسول بما طلبه يوسف منه .وفى الكلام حذف يفهم من السياق ، والتقدير : وبعد أن رجع رسول الملك إليه وأخبره بما قاله يوسف ، استجاب الملك لما طلبه يوسف منه ، فأحضر النسوة وقال لهن : ما خطبكن إذ راودتن يوسف عن نفسه .والخطب : مصدر خطب يخطب ، ويطلق - غالبا - على الأمر المهم الذى يجعل الناس يتحدثون فيه كثيراً ، وجمعه خطوب .والمعنى : بعد أن جمع الملك النسوة قال لهن : ما الأمر الهام الذى حملكن فى الماضى على أن تراودن يوسف عن نفسه؟ وهل وجدتن فيه ميلا إلى الاستجابة لكنَّ . . "قال صاحب الظلال ما ملخصه : " والخطب الأمر الجلل .. . فكأن الملك كان قد استقصى فعلم أمرهن قبل أن يواجههن ، وهو المعتاد فى مثل هذه الأحوال ، ليكون الملك على بينة من الأمر وظروفه قبل الخوض فيه ، فهو يواجههن مقررا الاتهام ، ومشيرا إلى أمر لهن جلل . .ون هذا نعلم شيئاً بما دار فى حفل الاستقبال فى بيت الوزير ، وما قالته النسوة ليوسف ، وما لمحن به وأشرن إليه ، من الإِغراء الذى بلغ حد المراودة .ومن هذا نتخيل صورة لهذه الأوساط ونسائها حتى فى ذلك العهد الموغل فى التاريخ ، فالجاهلية هى الجاهلية دائماً ، وِأنه حيثما كان الترف ، وكانت القصور والحاشية ، كان التحلل والتميع والفجور الناعم الذى يرتدى ثياب الأرستقراطية " .وأمام هذه المواجهة التى واجههن بها الملك ، لم يملكن الإِنكار ، بل قلن بلسان واحد : ( حَاشَ للَّهِ ) أى : معاذ الله .( مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِن سواء ) قط ، وإنما الذى علمناه منه هو الاستعصام عن كل سوء .وهنا ( قَالَتِ امرأت العزيز ) ويبدو أنها كانت حاضرة ، معهم عند الملك .( الآن حَصْحَصَ الحق ) أى : الآن ظهر الحق وانكشف انكشافا تاما بعد أن كان خافيا والفعل حصحص أصله حص ، كما قيل : كبكب فى كب ، وهو مأخوذ من الحص بمعنى الاستئصال والإِزالة ، تقول : فلان حص شعره إذا استأصله وأزاله فظهر ما كان خافيا من تحته . . .ثم أضافت إلى ذلك قولها ( أَنَاْ رَاوَدْتُّهُ عَن نَّفْسِهِ ) أى : أنا التى طلبت منه ما طلبت ( وَإِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الصادقين ) فى قوله ( هِيَ رَاوَدَتْنِي عَن نَّفْسِي ) وهكذا يشاء الله - تعالى - أن تثبت براءة يوسف على رءوس الأشهاد ، بتلك الطريقة التى يراها الملك ، وتنطق بها امرأة العزيز ، والنسوة اللائى قطعن أيديهن .قال صاحب الكشاف : " ولا مزيد على شهادتهن له بالبراءة والنزاهة ، واعترافهن على أنفسهن بأنه لم يتعلق بشئ مما قذفته به لأنهن خصومة ، وإذا اعترف الخصم بأن صاحبه على الحق وهو على الباطل لم يبق لأحد مقال " - إذ الفضل ما شهدت به الأعداء - .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُنَّ إِذْ رَاوَدْتُنَّ يُوسُفَ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ قُلْنَ حَاشَ لِلَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ سُوءٍ قَالَتِ امْرَأَةُ الْعَزِيزِ الآنَ حَصْحَصَ الْحَقُّ أَنَا رَاوَدْتُهُ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ (51)قال أبو جعفر : وفي هذا الكلام متروك، قد استغني بدلالة ما ذكر عليه عنه ، وهو: " فرجع الرسول إلى الملك من عند يوسف برسالته ، فدعا الملك النسوة اللاتي قطعن أيديهن وامرأة العزيز " فقال لهن: (ما خطبكن إذ راودتن يوسف عن نفسه) ، كالذي:-19406 - حدثنا ابن حميد قال ، حدثنا سلمة ، عن ابن إسحاق: فلما &; 16-138 &; جاء الرسول الملك من عند يوسف بما أرسله إليه، جمع النسوة وقال: ( ما خطبكن إذ راودتن يوسف عن نفسه)؟* * *ويعني بقوله: (ما خطبكن)، ما كان أمركن ، وما كان شأنكن ، ( إذ راودتن يوسف عن نفسه) (32) ، فأجبنه فقلن: ( حاش لله ما علمنا عليه من سوء قالت امرأة العزيز الآن حصحص الحق)، (33) تقول: الآن تبين الحق وانكشف فظهر ، (أنا راودته عن نفسه) ، وإن يوسف لمن الصادقين في قوله: هِيَ رَاوَدَتْنِي عَنْ نَفْسِي .* * *وبمثل ما قلنا في معنى: (الآن حصحص الحق)، قال أهل التأويل .*ذكر من قال ذلك:19407 - حدثني المثنى قال ، حدثنا عبد الله قال، حدثنا معاوية ، عن علي ، عن ابن عباس: (الآن حصحص الحق)، قال: تبيّن.19408 - حدثني محمد بن عمرو قال ، حدثنا أبو عاصم قال ، حدثنا عيسى ، عن ابن أبي نجيح ، عن مجاهد ، في قول الله: (الآن حصحص الحق)، تبيّن.19409- حدثنا ابن وكيع قال ، حدثنا ابن نمير ، عن ورقاء ، عن ابن أبي نجيح ، عن مجاهد ، مثله .19410- حدثنا الحسن بن محمد قال ، حدثنا شبابة قال ، حدثنا ورقاء ، عن ابن أبي نجيح ، عن مجاهد ، مثله .19411- حدثني المثنى قال ، حدثنا إسحاق قال ، حدثنا عبد الله بن أبي جعفر ، عن ورقاء ، عن ابن أبي نجيح ، عن مجاهد ، مثله .19412 - حدثنا بشر قال ، حدثنا يزيد قال ، حدثنا سعيد ، عن قتادة: (الآن حصحص الحق)، الآن تبين الحق.19413- حدثنا القاسم قال ، حدثنا الحسين قال ، حدثني حجاج ، عن ابن جريج ، عن مجاهد ، مثله .19414- حدثنا الحسن بن يحيى قال ،أخبرنا عبد الرزاق قال ،أخبرنا معمر ، عن قتادة: (الآن حصحص الحق)، قال: تبيّن.19415- حدثنا الحسن بن محمد قال ،حدثنا عمرو بن محمد قال ، حدثنا أسباط ، عن السدي: (الآن حصحص الحق) قال: تبين.19416- حدثنا ابن وكيع قال ، حدثنا عمرو بن محمد ، عن أسباط ، عن السدي ، مثله .19417- حدثنا القاسم قال ، حدثنا الحسين قال ، حدثنا هشيم قال ،أخبرنا جويبر ، عن الضحاك ، مثله .19418- حدثنا ابن حميد قال ، حدثنا سلمة ، عن ابن إسحاق قال: قالت راعيل امرأة إطفير العزيز: (الآن حصحص الحق) ، أي: الآن برز الحق وتبيَّن ، (أنا راودته عن نفسه وإنه لمن الصادقين)، فيما كان قال يوسف مما ادّعَت عليه.19419- حدثنا ابن وكيع قال ، حدثنا عمرو، عن أسباط، عن السدي قال: قال الملك: ائتوني بهن! فقال: (ما خطبكن إذ راودتن يوسف عن نفسه قلن حاش لله ما علمنا عليه من سوء) ، ولكن امرأة العزيز أخبرتنا أنها راودته عن نفسه ، ودخل معها البيت وحلّ سراويله، ثم شدَّه بعد ذلك، ، فلا تدري ما بدا له .فقالت امرأة العزيز: (الآن حصحص الحق).19420 - حدثني يونس قال ،أخبرنا ابن وهب قال ،قال ابن زيد ، في قوله: (الآن حصحص الحق)، تبين.* * *وأصل حَصحص: " حصَّ"، ولكن قيل: " حصحص " ، كما قيل: فَكُبْكِبُوا ، [ سورة الشعراء : 94 ]، في" كبوا " ، وقيل: " كفكف " في" كف " ، و " ذرذر " في" ذرّ" . (34) وأصل " الحص ": استئصال الشيء ، يقال منه: " حَصَّ شعره " ، إذا استأصله جزًّا . وإنما أريد في هذا الموضع بقوله: ( حصحص الحق )، (35) ذهب الباطل والكذب فانقطع ، وتبين الحق فظهر .* * *----------------------الهوامش:(32) انظر تفسير" المراودة" فيما سلف ص : 86 ، تعليق : 1 ، والمراجع هناك .(33) انظر تفسير" حاش الله" فيما سلف ص : 81 - 84 .(34) في المخطوطة :" وردرد" ، في : رد ، وكأن الصواب ما في المطبوعة . و" الذرذرة" ، تفريقك الشيء وتبديدك إياه . و" ذر الشيء" ، بدده .(35) في المطبوعة : أسقط قوله :" بقوله" .

( قال ) لهن ( ما خطبكن ) ما شأنكن وأمركن ( إذ راودتن يوسف عن نفسه ) خاطبهن ، والمراد امرأة العزيز وقيل : إن امرأة العزيز راودته عن نفسه وسائر النسوة أمرنه بطاعتها فلذلك خاطبهن .( قلن حاش لله ) معاذ الله ( ما علمنا عليه من سوء ) خيانة .( قالت امرأة العزيز الآن حصحص الحق ) ظهر وتبين . وقيل : إن النسوة أقبلن على امرأة العزيز فقررنها [ فأقرت ] ، وقيل : خافت أن يشهدن عليها فأقرت . ( أنا راودته عن نفسه وإنه لمن الصادقين ) في قوله : هي راودتني عن نفسي ، فلما سمع ذلك يوسف قال :

جملة { قال ما خطبكن } مستأنفة استئنافاً بيانياً لأن الجمل التي سبقتها تثير سؤالاً في نفس السامع عما حصل من المَلِك لَمّا أُبلغ إليه اقتراح يوسف عليه السّلام مع شدة تشوقه إلى حضوره بين يديه ، أي قال الملك للنسوة .ووقوع هذا بعد جملة { ارجع إلى ربك } [ سورة يوسف : 50 ] إلى آخرها مؤذن بكلام محذوف ، تقديره : فرجع فأخبر الملك فأحضر الملكُ النسوة اللائي كانت جمعتْهن امرأةُ العزيز لمّا أعتدت لهنّ مُتّكَأ فقال لهن : ما خطبكن } إلى آخره .واسندت المراودة إلى ضمير النسوة لوقوعها من بعضهن غير معين ، أو لأن القالة التي شاعت في المدينة كانت مخلوطة ظَنا أن المراودة وقعت في مجلس المتّكأ .والخطب : الشأن المهم من حالة أو حادثة . قيل : سمي خطباً لأنه يقتضي أن يخاطِب المرء صاحبه بالتساؤل عنه . وقيل : هو مأخوذ من الخُطبة ، أي يُخطب فيه ، وإنما تكون الخطبة في أمر عظيم ، فأصله مصدر بمعنى المفعول ، أي مخطوب فيه .وجملة { قلن } مفصولة لأجل كونها حكاية جواب عن كلام الملك أي قالت النسوة عدا امرأة العزيز ، بقرينة قوله بعد : { قالت امرأة العزيز }.و { حاش لله } مبالغة في النفي والتنزيه . والمقصود : التبرؤ مما نسب إليهن من المراودة . وقد تقدم تفسيرها آنفاً واختلاف القراء فيها .وجملة { ما علمنا عليه من سوء } مبينة لإجمال النفي الذي في { حاش لله }. وهي جامعة لنفي مراودتهن إياه ومراودته إياهن لأن الحالتين من أحوال السوء .ونفي علمهن ذلك كناية عن نفي دعوتهن إياه إلى السوء ونفي دعوته إياهن إليه لأن ذلك لو وقع لكان معلوماً عندهن ، ثم إنهن لم يزدن في الشهادة على ما يتعلق بسؤال الملك فلم يتعرضن لإقرار امرأة العزيز في مجلسهن بأنها راودته عن نفسه فاستعصم ، خشيةً منها ، أو مودّةً لها ، فاقتصرن على جواب ما سُئلن عنه .وهذا يدل على كلام محذوف وهو أن امرأة العزيز كانت من جملة النسوة اللاتي أحضرهن الملك . ولم يشملها قول يوسف عليه السّلام : { ما بال النسوة اللاتي قطعن أيديهن } [ سورة يوسف : 5 ] لأنها لم تقطّعْ يدها معهن ، ولكن شملها كلام الملك إذ قال : إذ راودتن يوسف عن نفسه } فإن المراودة إنما وقعت من امرأة العزيز دون النسوة اللاتي أعدّت لهن متكئاً ، ففي الكلام إيجاز حذف .وجملة { قالت امرأة العزيز } مفصولة لأنها حكاية جواب عن سؤال الملك .والآن : ظرف للزمان الحاضر ، وقد تقدم عند قوله تعالى : { الآن خفف الله عنكم } في سورة الأنفال ( 66 ).و { حصحص } : ثبت واستقر .و { الحق } : هو براءة يوسف عليه السّلام مما رمته به امرأة العزيز ، وإنما ثبت حينئذٍ لأنه كان محل قيل وقال وشك ، فزال ذلك باعترافها بما وقع .والتعبير بالماضي مع أنه لم يثبت إلا من إقرارها الذي لم يسبق لأنه قريب الوقوع فهو لتقريب زمن الحال من المضي .ويجوز أن يكون المراد ثبوت الحق بقول النسوة { ما علمنا عليه من سوء } فيكون الماضي على حقيقته . وتقديم اسم الزمان للدلالة على الاختصاص ، أي الآن لا قبله للدلالة على أن ما قبل ذلك الزمان كان زمنَ باطل وهو زمن تهمة يوسف عليه السّلام بالمراودة ، فالقصر قصر تعيين إذ كان الملك لا يدري أي الوقتين وقتُ الصدق أهو وقت اعتراف النسوة بنزاهة يوسف عليه السّلام أم هو وقت رمي امرأة العزيز إياه بالمراودة .وتقديم المسند إليه على المسند الفعلي في جملة { أنا راودته } للقصر ، لإبطال أن يكون النسوة راودنه . فهذا إقرار منها على نفسها ، وشهادة لغيرها بالبراءة ، وزادت فأكدت صدقه ب ( إن ) واللام .وصيغة { من الصادقين } كما تقدم في نظائرها ، منها قوله تعالى : { قل لا أتبع أهواءكم قد ضللت إذاً وما أنا من المهتدين } في سورة الأنعام ( 56 ).

فأحضرهن الملك، وقال: { مَا خَطْبُكُنَّ } أي: شأنكن { إِذْ رَاوَدْتُنَّ يُوسُفَ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ } فهل رأيتن منه ما يريب؟ فبرَّأنه و { قُلْنَ حَاشَ لِلَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ سُوءٍ } أي: لا قليل ولا كثير، فحينئذ زال السبب الذي تنبني عليه التهمة، ولم يبق إلا ما عند امرأة العزيز، فـ { قَالَتِ امْرَأَةُ الْعَزِيزِ الْآنَ حَصْحَصَ الْحَقُّ } أي: تمحض وتبين، بعد ما كنا ندخل معه من السوء والتهمة، ما أوجب له السجن { أَنَا رَاوَدْتُهُ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ } في أقواله وبراءته.

قال ابن عباس : فأرسل الملك إلى النسوة وإلى امرأة العزيز - وكان قد مات العزيز فدعاهن ف قال ما خطبكن أي ما شأنكن إذ راودتن يوسف عن نفسه وذلك أن كل واحدة منهن كلمت يوسف في حق نفسها ، على ما تقدم ، أو أراد قول كل واحدة قد ظلمت امرأة العزيز ، فكان ذلك مراودة منهن . قلن حاش لله أي معاذ الله ، ما علمنا عليه من سوء أي زنا .قالت امرأة العزيز الآن حصحص الحق لما رأت إقرارهن ببراءة يوسف ، وخافت أن يشهدن عليها إن أنكرت أقرت هي أيضا ; وكان ذلك [ ص: 182 ] لطفا من الله بيوسف . و حصحص الحق أي تبين وظهر ; وأصله حصص ، فقيل : حصحص ; كما قال : كبكبوا في كببوا ، وكفكف في كفف ; قال الزجاج وغيره : وأصل الحص استئصال الشيء ; يقال : حص شعره إذا استأصله جزا ; قال أبو القيس بن الأسلت :قد حصت البيضة رأسي فما أطعم نوما غير تهجاعوسنة حصاء أي جرداء لا خير فيها ، قال جرير :يأوي إليكم بلا من ولا جحد من ساقه السنة الحصاء والذيبكأنه أراد أن يقول : والضبع ، وهي السنة المجدبة ; فوضع الذئب موضعه لأجل القافية ; فمعنى حصحص الحق أي انقطع عن الباطل ، بظهوره وثباته ; قال :ألا مبلغ عني خداشا فإنه كذوب إذا ما حصحص الحق ظالموقيل : هو مشتق من الحصة ; فالمعنى : بانت حصة الحق من حصة الباطل . وقال مجاهد وقتادة : وأصله مأخوذ من قولهم : حص شعره إذا استأصل قطعه ; ومنه الحصة من الأرض إذا قطعت منها . والحصحص بالكسر التراب والحجارة ; ذكره الجوهري .أنا راودته عن نفسه وإنه لمن الصادقين وهذا القول منها - وإن لم يكن سأل عنه - إظهار لتوبتها وتحقيق لصدق يوسف وكرامته ; لأن إقرار المقر على نفسه أقوى من الشهادة عليه ; فجمع الله تعالى ليوسف لإظهار صدقه الشهادة والإقرار ، حتى لا يخامر نفسا ظن ، ولا يخالطها شك . وشددت النون في " خطبكن " و " راودتن " لأنها بمنزلة الميم والواو في المذكر .

After his release from prison, Joseph had to play a role at the national level. So it was necessary that his personality should become well-known country-wide. This was achieved through the incident of the king’s dream. The king was so anxious to know the interpretation of his peculiar dream that he made a public announcement and gathered all the scholars; the priests and wise people of the country assembled in his court to give their interpretation of this dream. But they all failed to do so. In this way the incident of the dream became a matter of general fame. As soon as Joseph gave the interpretation of the dream, and it was liked by the king, he suddenly came to be known by the whole populace. After hearing the whole history of Joseph’s imprisonment, the king made inquiries of the concerned women. All of them unanimously declared him to be innocent. The wife of the nobleman of Egypt (Zulaykha) did not spare herself in the admission of truth. She declared in clear terms that her friends were telling the truth. She said that she had been entirely to blame in this matter and that Joseph was totally innocent. This admission on the part of the wife of the nobleman was such a noble action that it would not have been surprising if she had been guided towards the true faith thereafter.

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 on His prophets a perfect faith, He also gives them matching intelligence and insight into matters and conditions they have to face. From the tenor of the royal message, Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) had deduced that the king of Egypt was going to confer some honour on him after his release from the prison. At that time, wisdom demanded that the reality of the misconduct for which he was blamed and because of which he was confined into the prison must become fully clear before everyone concerned and no one remains in doubt about his innocence. If this was not done, the outcome would be that people would stop talking for a while because of the royal honour bestowed on him, but these doubts would keep ticking in their hearts making them think that he was the person who had violated the honour of his master. That such conditions could emerge in royal courts and the king becomes influenced by such popular thoughts is not a possibility too far out. Therefore, he considered it necessary that this matter should be straightened out and cleaned up before his release. A gist of this appears in verse قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُنَّ إِذْ رَ‌اوَدتُّنَّ يُوسُفَ عَن نَّفْسِهِ that is, the king called for the women who had cut their hands and asked them: ` What was your case, 0 women, when you seduced ~suf?' This question of the king tells us that he, on his part, had become certain that the party at fault was not Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) . He took those women to be at fault, therefore, he said: ` when you seduced Yusuf (علیہ السلام) .' After that, the answer given by the women appears as follows: قُلْنَ حَاشَ لِلَّـهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِن سُوءٍ ۚ قَالَتِ امْرَ‌أَتُ الْعَزِيزِ الْآنَ حَصْحَصَ الْحَقُّ أَنَا رَ‌اوَدتُّهُ عَن نَّفْسِهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ ﴿51﴾ They said, 'God forbid, we know of no evil in him.' The governor's wife (also present there) said, 'Now, the truth has come to light. I did seduce him, and he is of the truthful.' Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) had not named the wife of the governor, the ` Aziz of Misr, as part of the investigations, but that is how things happen when Allah jalla thana'uh decides to honour someone - people would rise and speak up, come forward and tell the truth, without let or hindrance or demur. So it was on this occasion. The wife of the governor found the courage. She herself proclaimed the truth. Upto this point, in what you have heard about Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) ، there is good guidance for our lives and solutions of many problems as well. Eight of such rulings have appeared under our comments on Verses 36-42. An additional six which come out from the present verses are being given below. Rulings: 9. Allah Ta ala Himself manages things for His favoured servants by releasing unseen arrangements which help them achieve their objectives - for He does not like them to become indebted to anyone else created by Him. This was the reason why the message of Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) given to the prisoner-to-be-released in which he was asked to mention him to the king was made to be forgotten. Later, in its place, a very special arrangement was made through the workings of the unseen which was designed to serve two objectives at the same time, that Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) would not become indebted to anyone's favour to start with, and that the main purpose of his release from the prison would stand achieved with full honour and dignity waiting for him. To set this unseen plan in motion, the king of Egypt was made to see a disturbing dream, the interpretation of which proved to be beyond the abilities of the experts he had at his court. So, driven by need, recourse had to be made to Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) . (Ibn Kathir) 10. Prophetic conduct is a mirror of high morals. Consider the behaviour of the prisoner who was released. Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) had simply asked him to mention his name to the king. But he was unable to do even this much for him. As a result of his neglect, he had to spend seven more years in the prison. Now the same prisoner returns to him after seven years carrying a job of his own, that of finding out the interpretation of the same king's dream, the king to whom he had been asked to mention Sayyidna Yusuf's name and which he did not. In a situation like that, it was natural that he should have admonished him, even become angry at him for not having done something so insignificant. But, Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) acted in accord with his prophetic morals when he, not to say much about an admonition, did not even mention the episode itself. (Ibn Kathir Qurtubi) 11. Anbiya and ` Ulama' have a dual duty. They should naturally be concerned about the attitude of people towards their 'Akhirah. They have to help them out with good counsel in this crucial matter by shielding them from deeds which will become their punishment in the 'Akhirah. Then, along with it, they should also keep a constant watch on the economic condition of Muslims so that they do not suffer - as was done by Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) . On this occasion, he did not consider it sufficient to simply give the interpretation of the dream. Instead, he gave a wise and well-meaning advice as well. He suggested to them that they should leave the entire wheat crop in the ears only taking out what was needed so that the grain so stored would not go bad in later years. 12. An ` Alim whose guidance is relied upon by Muslims should also watch out that he is not suspected by people - even though such a suspicion be totally unfounded. Efforts should be made to stay safe from this too - because suspicion, whether from ignorance or misunderstanding, does interfere with the work of da'wah and teaching they carry out, and goes on to lighten the effect of what is said. (Qurtubi) The Holy Prophet ﷺ has said: Stay away even from places and occasions of blame. It means that one should try to stay away from places and occasions where and when someone gets an opportunity to put a blame on the next person. This rule applies to Muslims generally. Those who are prominent among them, the ` Ulama' particularly, they have to observe twice as much precaution. The example of the Holy Prophet is before us. He was Divinely protected from all defects and sins. He too made a point to observe this precaution. Once, when one of his blessed wives was passing by a small side-street of Madinah with him, some Companion appeared before them. While he was still some distance away from them, the Holy Prophet told him that such and such wife of his was with him. He did this so that the onlooker does not fall into some doubt that the lady going there was a stranger. In the present situation, Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) ، despite orders for his release and the invitation to see the king, tried well before his release that any doubts people may have should be removed. 13. If someone is obligated to a person, because of his rights on him and is, as such, deserving of respect, then, should there come a situation in which, under inevitable circumstances, some sort of action has to be taken against that person, in that case too, giving due consideration to the right and respect of that person, to the best of one's ability, is the duty of a thorough gentleman. This is as it was done by Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) to secure his absolvement from the blame. It will be recalled that while referring his matter for investigations, he had not named either the ` Aziz of Misr, or his wife. He had simply mentioned the women who had cut their hands. (Qurtubi) - because, he could still achieve his objective. Taught here are the highest and noblest traits of character. We can see that Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) had suffered the loss of his freedom for seven or twelve years in the prison but, when he was released, the taking of revenge was a far cry, he did not even bear by the idea that some-one would be put to the least inconvenience on his account - as particularly taken into consideration in the verse: لِيَعْلَمَ أَنِّي لَمْ أَخُنْهُ بِالْغَيْبِ (so that he may know that I did not betray him in his absence - 52).

The messenger went back and informed the king who summoned the four women: the wife of his cupbearer, the wife of his chief cook, the wife of the master of his stable and the wife of the Chief Official. These four women were the most powerful personalities after the king. (He (the king) (then sent for those women and) said: What happened when ye asked an evil act of Joseph? They answered: Allah Blameless!) God forbid! (We know) we saw (no evil of him. Said the wife of the ruler: Now the Truth is out) in favour of Joseph; it is also said that this means: now is the time to tell the truth. (I asked of him an evil act) I offered myself to him, (and he is surely of the Truthful) that he did not ask an evil act of me.