Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Yusuf in Egypt Allah mentions the favors that He granted Yusuf, peace be on him, by which He made the man from Egypt who bought him, take care of him and provide him with a comfortable life. He also ordered his wife to be kind to Yusuf and had good hopes for his future, because of his firm righteous behavior. He said to his wife, أَكْرِمِى مَثْوَاهُ عَسَى أَن يَنفَعَنَآ أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَدًا (Make his stay comfortable, maybe he will profit us or we shall adopt him as a son.) The man who bought Yusuf was the minister of Egypt at the time, and his title was `Aziz'. Abu Ishaq narrated that Abu `Ubaydah said that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "Three had the most insight: the `Aziz of Egypt, who said to his wife, أَكْرِمِى مَثْوَاهُ (Make his stay comfortable...), the woman who said to her father, يأَبَتِ اسْتَـْجِرْهُ (O my father! Hire him...), 28:26 and Abu Bakr As-Siddiq when he appointed `Umar bin Al-Khattab to be the Khalifah after him, may Allah be pleased with them both." Allah said next that just as He saved Yusuf from his brothers, كَذَلِكَمَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ (Thus did We establish Yusuf in the land), in reference to Egypt, وَلِنُعَلِّمَهُ مِن تَأْوِيلِ الاٌّحَادِيثِ (that We might teach him the interpretation of events.) the interpretation of dreams, according to Mujahid and As-Suddi. Allah said next, وَاللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِهِ (And Allah has full power and control over His affairs,) if He wills something, then there is no averting His decision, nor can it ever be stopped or contradicted. Rather, Allah has full power over everything and everyone else. Sa`id bin Jubayr said while commenting on Allah's statement, وَاللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِهِ (And Allah has full power and control over His affairs,) "He does what ever He wills." Allah said, وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (but most of men know not.) meaning, have no knowledge of Allah's wisdom with regards to His creation, compassion and doing what He wills. Allah said next, وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ (And when he attained), in reference to Prophet Yusuf, peace be upon him, أَشُدَّهُ (his full manhood), sound in mind and perfect in body, آتَيْنَاهُ حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا (We gave him wisdom and knowledge), which is the prophethood that Allah sent him with for the people he lived among, وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الْمُحْسِنِينَ (thus We reward the doers of good.) because Yusuf used to do good in the obedience of Allah the Exalted.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Yusuf in Egypt Allah mentions the favors that He granted Yusuf, peace be on him, by which He made the man from Egypt who bought him, take care of him and provide him with a comfortable life. He also ordered his wife to be kind to Yusuf and had good hopes for his future, because of his firm righteous behavior. He said to his wife, أَكْرِمِى مَثْوَاهُ عَسَى أَن يَنفَعَنَآ أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَدًا (Make his stay comfortable, maybe he will profit us or we shall adopt him as a son.) The man who bought Yusuf was the minister of Egypt at the time, and his title was `Aziz'. Abu Ishaq narrated that Abu `Ubaydah said that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "Three had the most insight: the `Aziz of Egypt, who said to his wife, أَكْرِمِى مَثْوَاهُ (Make his stay comfortable...), the woman who said to her father, يأَبَتِ اسْتَـْجِرْهُ (O my father! Hire him...), 28:26 and Abu Bakr As-Siddiq when he appointed `Umar bin Al-Khattab to be the Khalifah after him, may Allah be pleased with them both." Allah said next that just as He saved Yusuf from his brothers, كَذَلِكَمَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ (Thus did We establish Yusuf in the land), in reference to Egypt, وَلِنُعَلِّمَهُ مِن تَأْوِيلِ الاٌّحَادِيثِ (that We might teach him the interpretation of events.) the interpretation of dreams, according to Mujahid and As-Suddi. Allah said next, وَاللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِهِ (And Allah has full power and control over His affairs,) if He wills something, then there is no averting His decision, nor can it ever be stopped or contradicted. Rather, Allah has full power over everything and everyone else. Sa`id bin Jubayr said while commenting on Allah's statement, وَاللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِهِ (And Allah has full power and control over His affairs,) "He does what ever He wills." Allah said, وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (but most of men know not.) meaning, have no knowledge of Allah's wisdom with regards to His creation, compassion and doing what He wills. Allah said next, وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ (And when he attained), in reference to Prophet Yusuf, peace be upon him, أَشُدَّهُ (his full manhood), sound in mind and perfect in body, آتَيْنَاهُ حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا (We gave him wisdom and knowledge), which is the prophethood that Allah sent him with for the people he lived among, وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الْمُحْسِنِينَ (thus We reward the doers of good.) because Yusuf used to do good in the obedience of Allah the Exalted.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Wife of the `Aziz loves Yusuf and plots against Him Allah states that the wife of the `Aziz of Egypt, in whose house Yusuf resided and whose husband recommended that she takes care of him and be generous to him, tried to seduce Yusuf! She called him to do an evil act with her, because she loved him very much. Yusuf was very handsome, filled with manhood and beauty. She beautified herself for him, closed the doors and called him, وَقَالَتْ هَيْتَ لَكَ (and (she) said: "Come on, O you.") But he categorically refused her call, قَالَ مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ رَبِّى أَحْسَنَ مَثْوَاىَّ (He said: "I seek refuge in Allah! Truly, he is my Rabb! He made my living in a great comfort!") as they used to call the chief and master a `Rabb', Yusuf said to her, `your husband is my master who provided me with comfortable living and was kind to me, so I will never betray him by committing immoral sins with his wife,' إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الظَّـلِمُونَ (Verily, the wrongdoers will never be successful.) This was said by Mujahid, As-Suddi, Muhammad bin Ishaq and several others. The scholars differ in their recitation of, هَيْتَ لَكَ (Hayta Laka), whereby Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and several other scholars said that it means that she was calling him to herself. Al-Bukhari said; "Ikrimah said that, هَيْتَ لَكَ (Hayta Laka') means, `come on, O you', in the Aramaic language." Al-Bukhari collected this statement from `Ikrimah without a chain of narration. Other scholars read it with the meaning, `I am ready for you'. Ibn `Abbas, Abu `Abdur-Rahman As-Sulami, Abu Wa'il, `Ikrimah and Qatadah were reported to have read this part of the Ayah this way and explained it in the manner we mentioned, as `I am ready for you'.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

«يَقُولُ اللهُ تَعَالَى: إِذَا هَمَّ عَبْدِي بِحَسَنَةٍ فَاكْتُبُوهَا لَهُ حَسَنَةً، فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا لَهُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا، وَإِنْ هَمَّ بِسَيِّئَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا حَسَنَةً، فَإِنَّمَا تَرَكَهَا مِنْ جَرّائِي، فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا بِمِثْلِهَا» (Allah the Exalted said, `If my slave intends to perform a good deed, then record it for him as one good deed; if he performs it, then record it for him multiplied ten folds. If he intends to commit an evil act but did not commit it, then record it for him as one good deed, if he left it for My sake. But if he commits it, then write it as one evil deed.') This Hadith was also collected in the Two Sahihs using various wording, this is one of them. It was also reported that the Ayah means that Yusuf was about to beat her. As for the evidence that Yusuf saw at that moment, there are conflicting opinions to what it was. Ibn Jarir At-Tabari said, "The correct opinion is that we should say that he saw an Ayah from among Allah's Ayat that repelled the thought that crossed his mind. This evidence might have been the image of Ya`qub, or the image of an angel, or a divine statement that forbade him from doing that evil sin, etc. There are no clear proofs to support any of these statements in specific, so it should be left vague, as Allah left it. Allah's statement next, كَذَلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ السُّوءَ وَالْفَحْشَآءَ (Thus it was, that We might turn away from him evil and immoral sins.) means, `Just as We showed him the evidence that turned him away from that sin, We save him from all types of evil and illegal sexual activity in all his affairs,' because, إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُخْلَصِينَ (Surely, he was one of Our Mukhlasin servants. ) meaning, chosen, purified, designated, appointed and righte- ous. May Allah's peace and blessings be on him." وَاسُتَبَقَا الْبَابَ وَقَدَّتْ قَمِيصَهُ مِن دُبُرٍ وَأَلْفَيَا سَيِّدَهَا لَدَى الْبَابِ قَالَتْ مَا جَزَآءُ مَنْ أَرَادَ بِأَهْلِكَ سُوءًا إِلاَ أَن يُسْجَنَ أَوْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ - قَالَ هِىَ رَاوَدَتْنِى عَن نَّفْسِى وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَآ إِن كَانَ قَمِيصُهُ قُدَّ مِن قُبُلٍ فَصَدَقَتْ وَهُوَ مِنَ الكَـذِبِينَ - وَإِنْ كَانَ قَمِيصُهُ قُدَّ مِن دُبُرٍ فَكَذَبَتْ وَهُوَ مِن الصَّـدِقِينَ - فَلَمَّا رَأَى قَمِيصَهُ قُدَّ مِن دُبُرٍ قَالَ إِنَّهُ مِن كَيْدِكُنَّ إِنَّ كَيْدَكُنَّ عَظِيمٌ

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

مَا جَزَآءُ مَنْ أَرَادَ بِأَهْلِكَ سُوءًا (What is the recompense (punishment) for him who intended an evil design against your wife...), in reference to illegal sexual intercourse, إِلاَ أَن يُسْجَنَ (except that he be put in prison) أَوْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (or a painful torment) tormented severely with painful beating. Yusuf did not stand idle, but he declared the truth and exonerated himself from the betrayal she accused him of, قَالَ (He Yusuf said), in truth and honesty, هِىَ رَاوَدَتْنِى عَن نَّفْسِى (It was she that sought to seduce me), and mentioned that she pursued him and pulled him towards her until she tore his shirt. وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَآ إِن كَانَ قَمِيصُهُ قُدَّ مِن قُبُلٍ (And a witness of her household bore witness (saying): "If it be that his shirt is torn from the front..."), not from the back, فَصَدَقَتْ (then her tale is true) that he tried to commit an illegal sexual act with her. Had he called her to have sex with him and she refused, she would have pushed him away from her and tore his shirt from the front, وَإِنْ كَانَ قَمِيصُهُ قُدَّ مِن دُبُرٍ فَكَذَبَتْ وَهُوَ مِن الصَّـدِقِينَ (But if it be that his shirt is torn from the back, then she has told a lie and he is speaking the truth!) Had Yusuf run away from her, and this is what truly happened, and she set in his pursuit, she would have held to his shirt from the back to bring him back to her, thus tearing his shirt from the back. There is a difference of opinion over the age and gender of the witness mentioned here. `Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that, وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَآ (and a witness of her household bore witness) "was a bearded man," meaning an adult male. Ath-Thawri reported that Jabir said that Ibn Abi Mulaykah said that Ibn `Abbas said, "He was from the king's entourage." Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi, Muhammad bin Ishaq and others also said that the witness was an adult male. Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said about Allah's statement, وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَآ (and a witness of her household bore witness) "He was a babe in the cradle. " Similar was reported from Abu Hurayrah, Hilal bin Yasaf, Al-Hasan, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim, that the witness was a young boy who lived in the `Aziz's house. Ibn Jarir At-Tabari preferred this view. Allah's statement, فَلَمَّا رَأَى قَمِيصَهُ قُدَّ مِن دُبُرٍ (So when he saw his Yusuf's shirt torn at the back,) indicates that when her husband became certain that Yusuf was telling the truth and that his wife was lying when she heralded the accusation of betrayal at Yusuf, قَالَ إِنَّهُ مِن كَيْدِكُنَّ (he said: "Surely, it is a plot of you women!...") He said, `This false accusation and staining the young man's reputation is but a plot of many that you, women, have,' إِنَّ كَيْدَكُنَّ عَظِيمٌ (Certainly mighty is your plot!) The `Aziz ordered Yusuf, peace be upon him, to be discrete about what happened, يُوسُفُ أَعْرِضْ عَنْ هَـذَا (O Yusuf ! Turn away from this!), do not mention to anyone what has happened, وَاسْتَغْفِرِى لِذَنبِكِ (And ask forgiveness for your sin, ) addressing his wife. The `Aziz was an easy man, or gave excuse to his wife because she saw in Yusuf an appeal she could not resist. He said to her, `Ask forgiveness for your sin, the evil desire that you wanted to satisfy with this young man, and then inventing false accusations about him,' إِنَّكِ كُنتِ مِنَ الْخَـطِئِينَ (verily, you were of the sinful.)