Surah Yusuf ayat 31 Tafsir Quran 12:31

﴿فَلَمَّا سَمِعَتْ بِمَكْرِهِنَّ أَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَعْتَدَتْ لَهُنَّ مُتَّكَأً وَآتَتْ كُلَّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِّنْهُنَّ سِكِّينًا وَقَالَتِ اخْرُجْ عَلَيْهِنَّ ۖ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْنَهُ أَكْبَرْنَهُ وَقَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ وَقُلْنَ حَاشَ لِلَّهِ مَا هَٰذَا بَشَرًا إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا مَلَكٌ كَرِيمٌ﴾
[ يوسف: 31]

12:31 So when she heard of their scheming, she sent for them and prepared for them a banquet and gave each one of them a knife and said [to Joseph], "Come out before them." And when they saw him, they greatly admired him and cut their hands and said, "Perfect is Allah! This is not a man; this is none but a noble angel."

And when she heard of their machinations their backbiting of her she sent for them and prepared for them a repast muttaka’ is food that requires cutting with a knife since one leans upon it ittikā’ this repast was utruj ‘citron’. She then gave each one of them a knife and said to Joseph ‘Come out before them!’ And when they saw him they were in awe of they exalted him and cut their hands with the knives without feeling any pain because their hearts were so engrossed by Joseph and they exclaimed ‘God preserve us! — in exaltation of him — This namely Joseph is no human being this is but a noble angel!’ on account of his all-encompassing beauty which is a characteristic not usually found among humankind. In the Sahīh of al-Bukhārī it is reported that one half of all beauty was given to him.

When she heard of their evil intent aggravating her guilt, she invited them to her house and gave them a banquet. The seats were propped up with cushions, the table was set with delightful food and table knives were put in place, one for each. When they were served with the course whereat they use the knives, she ordered him –Yusuf- to come into the room. When the women saw him they were overwhelmed with wonder and they marvelled at his exceptional good looks with profound admiration to the extent that they missed the fruit and wounded their hands. They exclaimed Allah forbid this is not a mortal; he is none other than a highly impressive, stately and distinguished angel

The News reaches Women in the City, Who also plot against Yusuf Allah states that the news of what happened between the wife of the `Aziz and Yusuf spread in the city, that is, Egypt, and people talked about it, وَقَالَ نِسْوَةٌ فِى الْمَدِينَةِ ( And women in the city said... ), such as women of chiefs and princes said, while admonishing and criticizing the wife of the `Aziz, امْرَأَتُ الْعَزِيزِ تُرَاوِدُ فَتَـهَا عَن نَّفْسِهِ ( The wife of the `Aziz is seeking to seduce her (slave ) young man,), she is luring her servant to have sex with her, قَدْ شَغَفَهَا حُبًّا ( indeed she loves him violently; ), her love for him filled her heart and engulfed it, إِنَّا لَنَرَاهَا فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ ( verily, we see her in plain error. ), by loving him and trying to seduce him. فَلَمَّا سَمِعَتْ بِمَكْرِهِنَّ ( So when she heard of their accusation, ) especially their statement, "indeed she loves him violently." Muhammad bin Ishaq commented, "They heard of Yusuf's beauty and wanted to see him, so they said these words in order to get a look at him.
" This is when, أَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِنَّ ( she sent for them ), invited them to her house, وَأَعْتَدَتْ لَهُنَّ مُتَّكَئًا ( and prepared a banquet for them. ) Ibn `Abbas, Sa'id bin Jubayr, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, As-Suddi and several others commented that she prepared a sitting room which had couches, pillows to recline on and food that requires knives to cut, such as citron.
This is why Allah said next, وَءَاتَتْ كُلَّ وَاحِدَةٍ مَّنْهُنَّ سِكِّينًا ( and she gave each one of them a knife ), as a part of her plan of revenge for their plot to see Yusuf, وَقَالَتِ اخْرُجْ عَلَيْهِنَّ ( and she said to Yusuf: "Come out before them." ), for she had asked him to stay somewhere else in the house, فَلَمَّآ ( Then, when ) he went out and, رَأَيْنَهُ أَكْبَرْنَهُ ( they saw him, they exalted him ) they thought highly of him and were astonished at what they saw.
They started cutting their hands in amazement at his beauty, while thinking that they were cutting the citron with their knives.
Therefore, they injured their hands with the knives they were holding, according to several reports of Tafsir.
Others said that after they ate and felt comfortable, and after having placed citron in front of them, giving each one of them a knife, the wife of the `Aziz asked them, "Would you like to see Yusuf" They said, "Yes." So she sent for him to come in front of them and when they saw him, they started cutting their hands.
She ordered him to keep coming and going, so that they saw him from all sides, and he went back in while they were still cutting their hands.
When they felt the pain, they started screaming and she said to them, "You did all this from one look at him, so how can I be blamed وَقُلْنَ حَاشَ للَّهِ مَا هَـذَا بَشَرًا إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ مَلَكٌ كَرِيمٌ ( They said: "How perfect is Allah! No man is this! This is none other than a noble angel!" ) They said to her, "We do not blame you anymore after the sight that we saw." They never saw anyone like Yusuf before, for he, peace be upon him, was given half of all beauty.
An authentic Hadith stated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by Prophet Yusuf, during the Night of Isra' in the third heaven and commented,
«فَإِذَا هُوَ قَدْ أُعْطِيَ شَطْرَ الْحُسْن»
( He was given a half of all beauty. ) Mujahid and others said they said: "We seek refuge from Allah," مَا هَـذَا بَشَرًا ( No man is this! ) They said next, إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ مَلَكٌ كَرِيمٌقَالَتْ فَذلِكُنَّ الَّذِى لُمْتُنَّنِى فِيهِ ( "This is none other than a noble angel!" She said: "This is he (the young man ) about whom you did blame me...") She said these words to them so that they excuse her behavior, for a man who looks this beautiful and perfect, is worthy of being loved, she thought.
She said, وَلَقَدْ رَاوَدتُّهُ عَن نَّفْسِهِ فَاسَتَعْصَمَ ( and I did seek to seduce him, but he refused ) to obey me.
Some scholars said that when the women saw Yusuf's beauty, she told them about his inner beauty that they did not know of, being chaste and beautiful from the inside and outside.
She then threatened him, وَلَئِن لَّمْ يَفْعَلْ مَآ ءَامُرُهُ لَيُسْجَنَنَّ وَلَيَكُونًا مِّن الصَّـغِرِينَ ( And now if he refuses to obey my order, he shall certainly be cast into prison, and will be one of those who are disgraced. ) This is when Prophet Yusuf sought refuge with Allah from their evil and wicked plots, قَالَ رَبِّ السِّجْنُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا يَدْعُونَنِى إِلَيْهِ ( He said: "O my Lord! Prison is dearer to me than that to which they invite me..." ) illegal sexual acts, وَإِلاَّ تَصْرِفْ عَنِّى كَيْدَهُنَّ أَصْبُ إِلَيْهِنَّ ( Unless You turn away their plot from me, I will feel inclined towards them ) Yusuf invoked Allah: If You abandon me and I am reliant on myself, then I have no power over myself, nor can I bring harm or benefit to myself, except with Your power and will.
Verily, You are sought for each and everything, and our total reliance is on You Alone for each and everything.
Please, do not abandon me and leave me to rely on myself, for then, أَصْبُ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَكُن منَ الْجَـهِلِينَفَاسْتَجَابَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ ( "I will feel inclined towards them and be one of the ignorant." So his Lord answered his invocation ) Yusuf, peace be upon him, was immune from error by Allah's will, and He saved him from accepting the advances of the wife of the `Aziz'.
He preferred prison, rather than accept her illicit call.
This indicates the best and most perfect grade in this case, for Yusuf was youthful, beautiful and full of manhood.
His master's wife was calling him to herself, and she was the wife of the `Aziz of Egypt.
She was also very beautiful and wealthy, as well as having a great social rank.
He refused all this and preferred prison, for he feared Allah and hoped to earn His reward.
It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«سَبْعَةٌ يُظِلُّهُمُ اللهُ فِي ظِلِّهِ يَوْمَ لَا ظِلَّ إِلَّا ظِلُّهُ: إِمَامٌ عَادِلٌ، وَشَابٌّ نَشَأَ فِي عِبَادَةِ اللهِ، وَرَجُلٌ قَلْبُهُ مُعَلَّقٌ بِالْمَسْجِدِ إِذَا خَرَجَ مِنْهُ حَتَّى يَعُودَ إِلَيْهِ، وَرَجُلَانِ تَحَابَّا فِي اللهِ، اجْتَمَعَا عَلَيْهِ وَتَفَرَّقَا عَلَيْهِ، وَرَجُلٌ تَصَدَّقَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَأَخْفَاهَا حَتَّى لَا تَعْلَمَ شِمَالُهُ مَا أَنْفَقَتْ يَمِينُهُ، وَرَجُلٌ دَعَتْهُ امْرَأةٌ ذَاتُ مَنْصِبٍ وَجَمَالٍ فَقَالَ: إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللهَ، وَرَجُلٌ ذَكَرَ اللهَ خَالِيًا فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاه»
( Allah will give shade to seven, on the Day when there will be no shade but His: A just ruler, a youth who has been brought up in the worship of Allah, a man whose heart is attached to the Masjid, from the time he goes out of the Masjid until he gets back to it, two persons who love each other only for Allah's sake and they meet and part in Allah's cause only, a man who gives charitable gifts so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given, a man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for illicit intercourse with her and says: "I am afraid of Allah, and a person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes are then flooded with tears." )

(12:31) When she heard about their cunning talk, she invited them to a banquet at her house and got ready pillows for the party *26 and placed before each of them a knife. Then, (when they were engaged in cutting fruit) she made a sign to Joseph. as if to say, "Come out before them. " When they caught sight of him, they were so amazed that they cut their hands, and exclaimed spontaneously, "Good God! He is no man; he is a noble angel!"

So when she heard of their scheming, meaning

*26) The ancient Egyptians used to place pillows and cushions in such feasts for the guests to recline.
And this is confirmed by the archaeological remains in Egypt.

There is no mention at all of this banquet in the Bible but it has been described in the Talmud in a way quite different from that of the Qur'an.
Needless to say that while this narrative in the Qur'an is natural, life-like and teaches moral lessons, the one in the Talmud lacks all these things.

 

The News reaches Women in the City, Who also plot against Yusuf Allah states that the news of what happened between the wife of the `Aziz and Yusuf spread in the city, that is, Egypt, and people talked about it, وَقَالَ نِسْوَةٌ فِى الْمَدِينَةِ ( And women in the city said... ), such as women of chiefs and princes said, while admonishing and criticizing the wife of the `Aziz, امْرَأَتُ الْعَزِيزِ تُرَاوِدُ فَتَـهَا عَن نَّفْسِهِ ( The wife of the `Aziz is seeking to seduce her (slave ) young man,), she is luring her servant to have sex with her, قَدْ شَغَفَهَا حُبًّا ( indeed she loves him violently; ), her love for him filled her heart and engulfed it, إِنَّا لَنَرَاهَا فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ ( verily, we see her in plain error. ), by loving him and trying to seduce him. فَلَمَّا سَمِعَتْ بِمَكْرِهِنَّ ( So when she heard of their accusation, ) especially their statement, "indeed she loves him violently." Muhammad bin Ishaq commented, "They heard of Yusuf's beauty and wanted to see him, so they said these words in order to get a look at him.
" This is when, أَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِنَّ ( she sent for them ), invited them to her house, وَأَعْتَدَتْ لَهُنَّ مُتَّكَئًا ( and prepared a banquet for them. ) Ibn `Abbas, Sa'id bin Jubayr, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, As-Suddi and several others commented that she prepared a sitting room which had couches, pillows to recline on and food that requires knives to cut, such as citron.
This is why Allah said next, وَءَاتَتْ كُلَّ وَاحِدَةٍ مَّنْهُنَّ سِكِّينًا ( and she gave each one of them a knife ), as a part of her plan of revenge for their plot to see Yusuf, وَقَالَتِ اخْرُجْ عَلَيْهِنَّ ( and she said to Yusuf: "Come out before them." ), for she had asked him to stay somewhere else in the house, فَلَمَّآ ( Then, when ) he went out and, رَأَيْنَهُ أَكْبَرْنَهُ ( they saw him, they exalted him ) they thought highly of him and were astonished at what they saw.
They started cutting their hands in amazement at his beauty, while thinking that they were cutting the citron with their knives.
Therefore, they injured their hands with the knives they were holding, according to several reports of Tafsir.
Others said that after they ate and felt comfortable, and after having placed citron in front of them, giving each one of them a knife, the wife of the `Aziz asked them, "Would you like to see Yusuf" They said, "Yes." So she sent for him to come in front of them and when they saw him, they started cutting their hands.
She ordered him to keep coming and going, so that they saw him from all sides, and he went back in while they were still cutting their hands.
When they felt the pain, they started screaming and she said to them, "You did all this from one look at him, so how can I be blamed وَقُلْنَ حَاشَ للَّهِ مَا هَـذَا بَشَرًا إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ مَلَكٌ كَرِيمٌ ( They said: "How perfect is Allah! No man is this! This is none other than a noble angel!" ) They said to her, "We do not blame you anymore after the sight that we saw." They never saw anyone like Yusuf before, for he, peace be upon him, was given half of all beauty.
An authentic Hadith stated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by Prophet Yusuf, during the Night of Isra' in the third heaven and commented, «فَإِذَا هُوَ قَدْ أُعْطِيَ شَطْرَ الْحُسْن» ( He was given a half of all beauty. ) Mujahid and others said they said: "We seek refuge from Allah," مَا هَـذَا بَشَرًا ( No man is this! ) They said next, إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ مَلَكٌ كَرِيمٌقَالَتْ فَذلِكُنَّ الَّذِى لُمْتُنَّنِى فِيهِ ( "This is none other than a noble angel!" She said: "This is he (the young man ) about whom you did blame me...") She said these words to them so that they excuse her behavior, for a man who looks this beautiful and perfect, is worthy of being loved, she thought.
She said, وَلَقَدْ رَاوَدتُّهُ عَن نَّفْسِهِ فَاسَتَعْصَمَ ( and I did seek to seduce him, but he refused ) to obey me.
Some scholars said that when the women saw Yusuf's beauty, she told them about his inner beauty that they did not know of, being chaste and beautiful from the inside and outside.
She then threatened him, وَلَئِن لَّمْ يَفْعَلْ مَآ ءَامُرُهُ لَيُسْجَنَنَّ وَلَيَكُونًا مِّن الصَّـغِرِينَ ( And now if he refuses to obey my order, he shall certainly be cast into prison, and will be one of those who are disgraced. ) This is when Prophet Yusuf sought refuge with Allah from their evil and wicked plots, قَالَ رَبِّ السِّجْنُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا يَدْعُونَنِى إِلَيْهِ ( He said: "O my Lord! Prison is dearer to me than that to which they invite me..." ) illegal sexual acts, وَإِلاَّ تَصْرِفْ عَنِّى كَيْدَهُنَّ أَصْبُ إِلَيْهِنَّ ( Unless You turn away their plot from me, I will feel inclined towards them ) Yusuf invoked Allah: If You abandon me and I am reliant on myself, then I have no power over myself, nor can I bring harm or benefit to myself, except with Your power and will.
Verily, You are sought for each and everything, and our total reliance is on You Alone for each and everything.
Please, do not abandon me and leave me to rely on myself, for then, أَصْبُ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَكُن منَ الْجَـهِلِينَفَاسْتَجَابَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ ( "I will feel inclined towards them and be one of the ignorant." So his Lord answered his invocation ) Yusuf, peace be upon him, was immune from error by Allah's will, and He saved him from accepting the advances of the wife of the `Aziz'.
He preferred prison, rather than accept her illicit call.
This indicates the best and most perfect grade in this case, for Yusuf was youthful, beautiful and full of manhood.
His master's wife was calling him to herself, and she was the wife of the `Aziz of Egypt.
She was also very beautiful and wealthy, as well as having a great social rank.
He refused all this and preferred prison, for he feared Allah and hoped to earn His reward.
It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «سَبْعَةٌ يُظِلُّهُمُ اللهُ فِي ظِلِّهِ يَوْمَ لَا ظِلَّ إِلَّا ظِلُّهُ: إِمَامٌ عَادِلٌ، وَشَابٌّ نَشَأَ فِي عِبَادَةِ اللهِ، وَرَجُلٌ قَلْبُهُ مُعَلَّقٌ بِالْمَسْجِدِ إِذَا خَرَجَ مِنْهُ حَتَّى يَعُودَ إِلَيْهِ، وَرَجُلَانِ تَحَابَّا فِي اللهِ، اجْتَمَعَا عَلَيْهِ وَتَفَرَّقَا عَلَيْهِ، وَرَجُلٌ تَصَدَّقَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَأَخْفَاهَا حَتَّى لَا تَعْلَمَ شِمَالُهُ مَا أَنْفَقَتْ يَمِينُهُ، وَرَجُلٌ دَعَتْهُ امْرَأةٌ ذَاتُ مَنْصِبٍ وَجَمَالٍ فَقَالَ: إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللهَ، وَرَجُلٌ ذَكَرَ اللهَ خَالِيًا فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاه» ( Allah will give shade to seven, on the Day when there will be no shade but His: A just ruler, a youth who has been brought up in the worship of Allah, a man whose heart is attached to the Masjid, from the time he goes out of the Masjid until he gets back to it, two persons who love each other only for Allah's sake and they meet and part in Allah's cause only, a man who gives charitable gifts so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given, a man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for illicit intercourse with her and says: "I am afraid of Allah, and a person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes are then flooded with tears." )

( And when she heard of their sly talk, she sent to them ) an invitation ( and prepared for them a cushioned couch ) to lie on and then she had meat and bread brought to them ( and gave to every one of them a knife ) for they did not eat of meat except that which they could cut with their knives ( and said ) Zelicha said to Joseph: ( Come out unto them! ) O Joseph! ( And when they saw him they exalted him and cut their hands, exclaiming: Allah Blameless! ) Allah forbid! ( This is not a human being. This is no other than some gracious angel ) gracious in the sight of his Lord.

So when she heard of their accusation, she sent for them and prepared a banquet for them; she gave each one of them a knife (to cut the foodstuff with), and she said [(to Yusuf (Joseph)]: "Come out before them." Then, when they saw him, they exalted him (at his beauty) and (in their astonishment) cut their hands. They said: "How perfect is Allah (or Allah forbid)! No man is this! This is none other than a noble angel!"

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