\nhis\nis the most detailed and fascinating story in the Quran, involving\nboth human weaknesses such as jealousy, hatred, pride, passion,\ndeception, intrigue, cruelty, and terror as well as noble qualities\nsuch as patience, loyalty, bravery, nobility, and compassion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nIt\nis related that among the reasons for its revelation is that the Jews\nasked the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to tell them about Joseph (pbuh)\nwho was one of their old prophets. His story had been distorted in\nparts and marred in others with interpolation and exclusions.\nTherefore it was revealed in the Book of Allah (Quran), complete in\nits minute and careful details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nAllah\nthe Almighty declared: We\nrelate unto you (Muhammad) the best of stories through Our\nRevelations unto you, of this Quran. And before this (i.e. before the\ncoming of Divine Inspiration to you), you were among those who knew\nnothing about it (the Quran).<\/em>\n( Ch 12:3 Quran)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAlmighty\nAllah also decreed:\nthus We relate to you (O Muhammad) some information of what happened\nbefore, And indeed We have give you from Us a Reminder (this Quran).\nWhoever turns away from it (this Quran–i.e. does not believe in it,\nnor acts on its orders), verily they will bear a heavy burden (of\nsins) on the Day of Resurrection. They will abide in that (state in\nthe Fire of Hell), and evil indeed will it be that load for them on\nthe Day of Resurrection<\/em>.(Ch\n20:99-101)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nstory of Joseph (pbuh) moves in a stream from beginning to end; its\nsubstance and form are equally coherent. It inspires you with a\nfeeling for the depth of Allah’s power and supremacy and the\nexecution of His rulings despite the challenge of human intervention.\nAnd Allah has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of\nmen know not. (Ch 12:21)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThis\nis what the story of Joseph (pbuh), confirms categorically, for it\nends with comfort and marvels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nJoseph\nlived all his life confronting schemes made by the people closest to\nhim. His brothers plotted to kill him, but they amended it to exiling\nhim. This happened to him while he was a boy. He was sold into the\nslave market in Egypt, where he was bought for a nominal sum. Then he\nfell victim to the attempted seduction by a great man’s wife who,\nwhen her wish was foiled, sent him to prison, where he remained for\nsome time. In spite of all of this, he at length approached close to\nthe Egyptian throne and became the king’s chief minister. He then\nbegan his call to Allah from the position of the ruling authority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAllah’s\nplans were carried out, and the matter ended. This is the substance\n(theme) of the story. As for the form (style) in which it is\npresented, it is a landmark of wonder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nstory is presented in a sequence of episodes. It gives you scene\nafter scene and the transition is inspiring, informative, and\nstirring to the imagination. There are also artistic loopholes, which\nleave it to the imagination of the reader to complete the sense, as\nwell as the depth of the picture, the like of which no human artist\ncan bring forth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nstory begins with a dream and ends with its interpretation. As the\nsun appeared over the horizon, bathing the earth in its morning\nglory, Joseph (pbuh), son of the Prophet Jacob (pbuh) awoke from his\nsleep, delighted by a pleasant dream he had had. Filled with\nexcitement he ran to his father and related it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n“O\nmy father! Verily, I saw (in a dream) eleven stars and the sun and\nthe moon, I saw them prostrating themselves to me.”<\/em>\n(Ch 12:4)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHis\nfather’s face lit up. He foresaw that Joseph would be one through\nwhom the prophecy of his grandfather, Prophet Abraham (pbuh), would\nbe fulfilled, in that his offspring would keep the light of Abraham’s\nhouse alive and spread Allah’s message to mankind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nTherefore,\nit was narrated that Allah’s Messenger Muhammad (pbuh) was asked:\n“Who is the most honorable amongst the people?” He replied:\n“The most God-fearing.” The people said: “We do not\nwant to ask you about this.” He said: “The most honorable\nperson is Joseph Allah’s prophet, the son of Allah’s prophet, the son\nof the faithful friend of Allah (Abraham).” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHowever,\nthe father was well aware of the jealousy of Joseph’s brothers, so he\nwarned him against telling his dream to his brothers.\n“O my son! Relate not your vision to your brothers, lest they\narrange a plot against you. Verily! Satan is to man an open enemy!\nThus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of\ndreams (an other things) and perfect His Favor on you and on the\noffspring of Jacob, as He perfected it on your fathers, Abraham, and\nIsaac aforetime! Verily! your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise<\/em>.”\n(Ch 12:5-6)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nJoseph\nheeded his father’s warning. He did not tell his brothers what he had\nseen. It is well known that they hatred him so much that it was\ndifficult for him to feel secure telling them what was in his heart\nand in his dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nJoseph\nwas eighteen years old, very handsome and robust, with a gentle\ntemperament. He was respectful, kind and considerate. His brother\nBenjamin was equally pleasant. Both were from one mother, Rachel.\nBecause of their refined qualities, the father loved the two more\nthan his other children, and would not let them out of his sight. To\nprotect them, he kept them busy with work in the house garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nscene of Jacob and his son closes. Another opens on Joseph’s brothers\nplotting against him.\n“Truly, Joseph and his brother (Benjamin) are loved more by our\nfather than we, but we are Usbah (a strong group). Really our father\nis in a plain error. Kill Joseph or cast him out to some other land,\nso that the favor of your father may be give to you alone, and after\nthat you will be righteous folk (by intending repentance before\ncommitting the sin).”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nOne\nfrom among them said: “Kill not Joseph, but if you must do\nsomething, throw him down to the bottom of a well, he will be picked\nup by some caravan of travelers.”>> (Ch 12:8-10)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\npages of the Old Testament say that Joseph told them his dream,\nwhereas the Quran does not say that happened. Had it been so, the\nbrothers would have said so themselves. The Old Testament claims they\nhad lost their own rights by him, and so they would kill him. Indeed\nJoseph kept his father’s order and did not tell his brothers about\nhis vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nIn\nspite of this, his brothers sat down to conspire against him. One of\nthem asked: “Why does our father love Joseph more than us?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAnother\nanswered: “Perhaps because of his beauty.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nA\nthird said: “Joseph and his brother occupied our father’s\nheart.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nfirst complained: “Our father has gone all astray.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nOne\nof them suggested a solution to the matter; kill Joseph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n“Where\nshould we kill him?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n“We\nshould banish him away from these grounds.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n“We\nwill send him to a distant land.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n“Why\nshould we not kill him and have rest so that the favor of your father\nmay be give to you alone?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHowever,\nJudah (Yahudh), the eldest and most intelligent among them, said:\n“There is no need to kill him when all you want is to get rid of\nhim. Look here, let us throw him into a well and he will be picked up\nby a passing caravan. T hey will take him with them to a distant\nland. He will disappear from your father’s sight and our purpose will\nbe served with his exile. Then after that we shall repent for our\ncrime and become good people once again.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\ndiscussion continued on the idea of dropping Joseph into a well, as\nit was seen as the safest solution. The plan to kill him was\ndefeated; kidnap into a distant land was approved. It was the\ncleverest of ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nTheir\nnext movement opened the scene between them and their father Jacob\n(pbuh): They\nsaid: “O our father! Why do you not trust us with Joseph, when\nwe are indeed his well wishers? Send him with us tomorrow to enjoy\nhimself and play, and verily we will take care of him.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHe\n(Jacob) said: “Truly, it saddens me that you should take him\naway. I fear lest a wolf should devour him, while you are careless of\nhim.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThey\nsaid: “If a wolf devours him, while we are Usbah (a strong\ngroup) (to guard him), then surely we are the losers.”>>\n(Ch 12:11-14)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nJacob\nsuggested a point, which had not occurred to them in their\ndiscussion: he feared that desert wolves would eat him! ithe wolves\nwithin them, or did he mean the wild wolves? No one but Allah knows.\nThey coaxed their father to send Joseph with them; he agreed under\ntheir pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThey\nwere excited that they could now get rid of Joseph for after this\nthey could stand a better chance of receiving their father’s\naffection. On leaving home, they went directly to the well, as they\nhad planned, on the pretext of drinking water. One of them put his\narms around Joseph and held him tightly. Startled by this unusual\nbehavior, Joseph struggled to free himself. More brothers rushed to\nhold him. One of them removed his shirt. Some more joined in to lift\nJoseph up and cast him into the deep well. Joseph’s piteous pleas\nmade no difference to their cruel hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThen\nAllah revealed to Joseph that he was safe and should not fear, for he\nwould meet them again some day to remind them of what they had done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThere\nwas water in the well, which buoyed Joseph’s body, so he was not\nharmed. He sat lonely in the water, then clung to a rock ledge\noverheard and climbed on top of it. his brothers left him in this\ndesolate place. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThen\nthey killed a sheep and soaked Joseph’s shirt in its blood. One\nbrother said that they should swear to keep their deed a close\nsecret. All of them took the oath.\nAnd they came to their father in the early part of the night weeping.\n(Ch 12:16)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nscene here is dark night, broken by the crying of ten men. The father\nis sitting in his house when the sons enter, the darkness of night\ncovering the darkness of their hearts and the darkness of their lies\nstruggling to come out. Jacob wondered aloud: “Why this weeping?\nHas anything happened to our flock?” They answered crying:\n“O our father! We went racing with one another, and left Joseph\nby our belongings and a wolf devoured him; but you will never believe\nus even when we speak the truth. (Ch 12:17)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \n“We\nwere surprised after returning from the race that Joseph was in the\nbelly of the wolf.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n“We\ndid not see him!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n“You\nwill not believe us even though we are truthful! we are telling you\nwhat happened!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n“The\nwolf has eaten Joseph!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n“This\nis Joseph’s shirt. We foiled it soiled with blood, and did not find\nJoseph!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThey\nbrought his shirt stained with false blood.<\/em>\n(Ch 12:18)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nDeep\ndown in the heart Jacob knew that his beloved son was still alive and\nthat his other sons were lying. He held the blood stained in his\nhands, spread it out and remarked: “What a merciful wolf! he ate\nup my beloved son without tearing his shirt!” Their faces turned\nred when he demanded more information, but each swore by Allah that\nhe was telling the truth. The brokenhearted father burst into tears:\n“Nay!\nBut your ownselves have made up a tale. So for me patience is more\nfitting. It is Allah Alone whose Help can be sought against that\nwhich you assert.” (Ch 12:18)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nfather acted wisely by praying for mighty patience, which is free of\ndoubt, and by trusting in Allah for help against what they had\nplotted against him and his son. This scene dims, and the scene opens\nin the well with which Joseph had been thrown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nIn\nthe dark well Joseph managed to find a stone ledge to hold onto.\nAround him was total darkness and an eerie silence. Fearful thoughts\nentered his mind: what would happen to him? Where would he find food?\nWhy had his own brothers turned against him? Would his father know of\nhis plight? His father’s smile flashed before him recalling the love\nand affection he had always shown him. Joseph began to pray\nearnestly, pleading to Allah for salvation. Gradually his fear began\nto subside. His Creator was testing the young man with a great\nmisfortune in order to infuse in him a spirit of patience and\ncourage. Joseph, surrended himself to the will of his Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nnext scene shows the wide desert. At the horizon is a long line of\ncamels, horses, and men; a caravan on its way to Egypt. The caravan\nof merchants halted at this famous well for water. A man lowered in\nhis bucket. Joseph was startled by the bucket hurtling down and\ngrabbed hold of it before it could land in the water. As the man\nbegan to haul he felt the load unusually heavy, so he peeped into the\nwell. What he saw shocked him; a man was clinging to the rope! He\nheld the rope tightly and shouted to his friends: “Better give\nme a hand fellows! Looks like I found real treasure in the well!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHis\ncompanions rushed to the well and helped him to pull out the stranger\nholding onto the rope. Standing before them was a healthy, handsome\nyouth, beaming with an angelic smile. They saw in him a handsome\nprize, for money was all that mattered to them. Immediately, they\nclapped iron shackles on his feet and took him along to Egypt, far\naway from his beloved homeland of Canaan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAll\nover the Egyptian city the news spread that an unusually handsome,\nrobust young slave was on sale. People gathered by the hundreds at\nthe slave market. some were spectators, others were bidders the elite\nand the rich, each one craning his neck to view the handsome\nspecimen. the auctioneer had a field day as the bidding went wild,\neach buyer trying to outbid the other. Eventually, the Aziz, the\nchief minister of Egypt, outbid all the others and took Joseph to his\nmansion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nQuran describes this scene as follows: And there came a caravan of\ntravelers; they sent their water drawer, and he let down his bucket\ninto the well. He said: “What a good news! Here is a boy.”\nSo they hid him as merchandise (a slave). And Allah was the All\nKnower of what they did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThey\nsold him for a low price, for a few Dhirhams (for a few silver\ncoins). They were of those who regarded him insignificant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nhe\n(the man) from Egypt who bought him said to his wife: “Make his\nstay comfortable, may be he will profit us or we shall ado[t him as a\nson.”\nThus did We establish Joseph in the land, that We might teach him the\ninterpretation of events. (Ch 12:19-21)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nSee\nhow Allah the Almighty reveals the substance of this long story from\nits beginning: And\nAllah has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men\nknow not. (Ch 12:21)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nchains of slavery have closed on Joseph. He was cast into the well,\ndeprived of his father, picked from the well, made a slave, sold at\nthe market, and made the property of this man, the Aziz, the chief\nminister. The hazards followed in quick succession, leaving Joseph\nhelpless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nWhat\nwe see as hazards and slander is the first step of the ladder on\nJoseph’s way to greatness. Allah is decisive in His action. His plan\nis carried out despite the plans of others and while theirs are still\nbeing made. So He spoils their plan, and Allah’s promise is realized.\nAllah has promise Joseph prophethood. Love for Joseph was thrust into\nthe heart of the man who bought him, and he was a man of no mean\nposition. He was an important personage, one of the ruling class of\nEgypt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nTherefore,\nJoseph was pleasantly surprised when the chief minister of Egypt\nordered his men to remove the heavy shackles from his swollen feet.\nHe was also surprised when he told Joseph not to betray his trust; he\nwould not be ill-treated if he behaved himself. Joseph smiled at his\nbenefactor, thanked him, and promised to be loyal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nJoseph\nfelt at ease, for at last he was sheltered and would be well cared\nfor. He thanked Allah over and over and wondered at the mysterious of\nlife. Not so long ago he had been cast into a deep, dark well with no\nhope of ever coming out alive. Next he was rescued, then enslaved in\niron shackles, and now he was moving freely in a luxurious mansion\nwith enough food to enjoy. However, his heart ached with longing for\nhis parents and brother Benjamin, and he shed tears daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nJoseph\nwas made the personal attendant of the chief minister’s wife. He was\nobedient and ever-obliging. With his pleasant manners and charming\nbehavior, he won everybody’s heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nJoseph’s\nhandsomeness became the talk of the town. People referred to him as\nthe most attractive man they had ever seen and wrote poetry about\nhim. His face carried immaculate beauty. The purity of his inner soul\nand his heart showed in his face, increasing his beauty. People from\nafar came to the city to have a glimpse of him. The prettiest of\nmaidens and the richest of ladiesnursthe to possess him, but not once\ndid he show haughtiness or conceit. he was always humble and polite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\ndays passed and Joseph grew. Almighty Allah said: And\nwhen he (Joseph) attained his full manhood, We gave him wisdom and\nknowledge (the Prophethood), thus We reward the doers of good. (Ch\n12:22)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHe\nwas given wisdom in affairs and knowledge of life and its conditions.\nHe as given the art of conversation, captivating those who heard him.\nHe was given nobility and self restraint, which made him an\nirresistible personality. His master soon knew that Allah had graced\nhim with Joseph. He understood that Joseph was the most honest,\nstraightforward and noble person he had met in his life. Therefore,\nhe put Joseph in charge of his household, honored him, and treated\nhim as a son.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nwife of the chief minister, Zulaikha, watched Joseph from day to day.\nShe at with him, talked with him, listened to him, and her wonder\nincreased over the passion of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nJoseph\nwas soon confronted (with his second trial). The chief minister’s\nwife, Zulaikha could not resist the handsome Joseph, and her\nobsession with him caused her sleepless nights. She fell in love with\nhim, and it was painful for her to be so close to a man, yet be\nunable to hold him. Yet, she was not a wayward woman, for in her\nposition she could get any man she desired. By all accounts, she must\nhave been a very pretty and intelligent lady, or why would the chief\nminister have chosen her of all the pretty women in the kingdom?\nAlthough she bore him no child, he would not take another wife, as he\nloved her passionately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nQuran raises the curtain on the scene of this fierce and devouring\nlove on the part of the lady. Allah the Almighty told us: And\nshe, in whose house he was, sought to seduce him (to do an evil act),\nshe closed the doors and said: “come on, O you.” He said:\n“I seek refuge in Allah (or Allah forbid)! Truly he (your\nhusband) is my master! He made my stay agreeable! (So I will never\nbetray him). Verily, the Zalimun (wrong, evildoers) will never be\nsuccessful.” Indeed she did desire him and he would have\ninclined to her desire had he not seen the evidence of his Lord. Thus\nit was, that We might turn away from evil and illegal sexual\nintercourse. Surely, he was one of Our chosen, guided slaves. (Ch\n12:23-24)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nCommentators\nare unanimous about her intention of disobedience but disagree about\nhis own intention. There are those who say that she tempted him and\nhe tempted her to sin, although he did not follow through with his\nintent. Others say that she merely wanted him to kiss her, and he\nattempted to strike her. Yet others say that this anxiety had been\nthere before this incident. There was a psychological disturbance in\nJoseph when he reached adolescence, which Almighty Allah rid him of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nsafest commentary for us is that there is temptation and resistance\nin the verse, for He Most High stated: And\nindeed she did desire him and he would have inclined to her desire…\n(Ch 12:24)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAbu\nUbaidah said that this is a temptation and resistance meaning that\nshe had tried to seduce him; had he not seen the proof of Allah, he\nwould have been seduced. This is in keeping with the infallibility of\nprophets, as it suits the words, which immediately follow:\nThus it was that We might turn away from him evil and illegal sexual\nintercourse. surely, he was one of Our chosen, guided slaves. (Ch\n12:24)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThis\nverse proves that Joseph was an upright worshipper of Allah; it also\ntestifies to his rescue from the authority of Satan. The Almighty\nsaid to the devil (Iblis) on the Day of Creation, “Certainly,\nyou shall no authority over My slaves, except those who follow you of\nthe Ghawin (Mushrikeen, and those who go astray, criminals,\npolytheists, and evildoers, etc)”<\/em>\n(Ch 15:42)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nJoseph’s\nrefusal only heightened her passion. As he moved to the door to\nescape, she ran after him and caught hold of his shirt, like a\ndrowning person clinging to the boat. In her tugging she tore his\nshirt and held the torn piece in her hand. They reached the door\ntogether. It opened suddenly, there stood her husband and a relative\nof hers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAlmighty\nAllah said:\nSo they raced with one another to the door, and she tore his shirt\nfrom the back. They both found her lord (her husband) at the door<\/em>.\n(Ch 12:25)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAs\nhe opened the door, he saw her husband standing in front of him. The\nsly woman immediately changed her tone to anger, and, showing the\ntorn piece of the shirt in her hand, asked her husband: “What\nis the recompense (punishment) for him who intended an evil design\nagainst your wife, except that he be put in prison or a painful\ntorment?”<\/em>\n(Ch 12:25)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nShe\nwas now accusing Joseph of molesting her, to give the impression that\nshe was innocent and a victim of Joseph’s sexual desire. Though\nbewildered Joseph denied it: “it\nwas she that sought to seduce me.” (Ch 12:26)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nshirt was passed from hand to hand, while she watched. The witness\n(her cousin) looked at it and found that it was torn at the back. The\nevidence showed that she was guilty. The disappointed husband\nremarked to his wife:\n“Surely, it is a plot of you women! Certainly mighty is you\nplot!” (Ch 12:28)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nwise and just Aziz apologized to Joseph for his wife’s indecency. He\nalso instructed her to beg Joseph’s forgiveness for accusing him\nfalsely. Allah the Almighty narrated this incident thus: He\n(Joseph) said: “It was she that sought to seduce me,” and a\nwitness of her household bore witness saying: “If it be that his\nshirt is torn from the front, then her tale is true, and he is a\nliar! but if it be that his shirt is torn from the back, then she has\ntold a lie and he is speaking the truth!”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nSo\nwhen he (the husband) saw his (Joseph’s) shirt was torn at the back;\n(her husband) said: “Surely, it is a plot of you women!\ncertainly mighty is your plot! O Joseph! turn away from this! (O\nwoman)! Ask forgiveness for your sin. Verily, you were of the\nsinful.”(Ch 12:26-29 Quran).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAn\nincident like this cannot remain a secret in a house filled with\nservants, and the story spread. Women began to see her behavior as\nscandalous. They remarked: “The\nwife of Al-Aziz is seeking to seduce her (slave) young man, indeed\nshe loves him violently; verily, we see her in plain error.” (Ch\n12:30)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nNaturally\ntheir gossip distressed Zulaikha. She honestly believed that it was\nnot easy for any women to resist a man as handsome as Joseph. To\nprove her helplessness, she planned to subject the women to the same\ntemptation she faced. She invited them to a lavish banquet. No one so\ninvited would want to miss the honor of dining with the chief\nminister’s wife; besides, they secretly harbored the desire to meet\nthe handsome Joseph face to face. Some of her close friends jokingly\nsaid they would come only if she introduced them to Joseph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\ninvitation was restricted to ladies. The banquet began, laughter and\nmirth abounded. Etiquette dictated that the ladies not mention the\ntopic of Joseph. They were shocked, therefore, when Zulaikha opened\nthe topic. “I have heard of those who say I have fallen in love\nwith the young Hebrew man, Joseph.” Silence fell upon the\nbanquet. At once all the guests hands stopped, and all eyes fell on\nthe chief minister’s wife. She said, while giving orders for the\nfruit to be served: “I admit that he is charming fellow. I do\nnot deny that I love him. I have loved him for a long time.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nconfession of the chief minister’s wife removed the tension among the\nladies. After finishing their dinner, the guests began cutting their\nfruit. At that very moment she summoned Joseph to make his\nappearance. He entered the hall gracefully, his gaze lowered.\nZulaikha called him by his name and he raised his head. The guests\nwere astonished and dumbfounded. His face was shining and full of\nmand angelic beauty. It reflected complete innocence, so much so that\none could feel the peace of mind in the depth of his soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThey\nexclaimed in astonishment while continuing to cut the fruit. All\ntheir eyes were on Joseph. So it was that the women began to cut\ntheir palms absent mindly without feeling that they had cut them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\npresence of Joseph at the scene of drama was so effective that\nblflowedwithouttheir feeling pain. One of the ladies gasped: “Good\ngracious!” Another whispered: “This is not a mortal being!”\nAnother stammered, patting her hair: “This is but a noble\nangel.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThen\nthe chief minister’s wife stood up and announced: “This is the\none for whom I have been blamed. I do not deny that I tempted him.\nYou have been enchanted by Joseph, and see what has happened to your\nhands. I have tempted him, and if he does not do what I want of him\nhe shall be imprisoned.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAlmighty\nAllah related the scene of the banquet in His words: So\nwhen she heard of their accusation, she sent for them and prepared a\nbanquet for them; she gave each one of them a knife (to cut the\nfoodstuff with), and she said (to Joseph): “Come out before\nthem.” Then, when they saw him, they exalted him (at his beauty)\nand (in their astonishment) cut their hands. They said: “how\nperfect is Allah (or Allah forbid)! No man is this! This is none\nother than a noble angel!”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nShe\nsaid: “This is he (the young man) about whom you did blame me\n(for his love) and I did seek to seduce him, but he refused. And now\nif he refuses to obey my order, he shall certainly be cast into\nprison, and will be one of those who are disgraced.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHe\nsaid: “O my Lord! Prison is more to my liking than that to which\nthey invite me. Unless You turn away their plot from me, I will feel\ninclined towards them and be one of those who commit sin and deserve\nblame or those who do deeds of the ignorants.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nSo\nhis Lord answered his inovocation and turned away from him their\nplot. Verily he is the All Hearer, the All Knower. (Ch 12:31-34)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThat\nevening, Zulaikha convinced her husband that the only way to save her\nhonor was to put Joseph in prison; otherwise she would not be able to\ncontrol herself or to safeguard his prestige. The chief minister knew\nJoseph was absolutely innocent, that he was a young man of honor, a\nloyal servant, and he loved him for these reasons. It was not an easy\ndecision for him to put an innocent man behind bars. However, he was\nleft with no choice. He reasoned that Joseph’s honor would also be\nsafeguarded if he was kept out of Zulaikha’s sight. That night, with\na heavy heart, the chief minister sent Joseph to prison.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" his is the most detailed and fascinating story in the Quran, involving both human weaknesses such as jealousy, hatred, pride, passion, deception, intrigue, cruelty, and terror as well as noble qualities such as patience, loyalty, bravery, nobility, and compassion. It is related that among the reasons for its revelation is that the Jews asked the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[84],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-prophets"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1899"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1899\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1900,"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1899\/revisions\/1900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}