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Yusuf
– 4A:
In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate,
the Most Merciful. We praise Allah, thank Him, and seek
His help, guidance and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil in
our souls and the sinfulness of our deeds. "He whom Allah guides, he is
the rightly guided; but he whom He sends astray, for him you will find no
guiding advocate".
(Story
of Yusuf continued)
“And she, in whose house he was, sought to seduce him,
and she closed the doors and said: "Come on, O you." He said: "I
seek refuge in Allâh! Truly, he (your husband) is my master! He made my living
in great comfort! (So I will never betray him). Verily, the Zâlimûn (wrong and
evil-doers) will never be successful." (TMQ, 12:23).
These
two ayahs are extremely important since the main reasons nowadays that
lead to displeasing Allah (SWT) and entering Hell stem from the
temptations posed by women to men and vice versa. These temptations are the
main reasons behind committing Kaba’ir (major sins) and the refusal of
women and girls to wear Hijab (head cover) or to abide by Islamic
teachings. The Prophet (PBUH) knew this and talked about it 1400 years
ago. You should never presume that Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) words and
teachings are outdated because he knew your problems better than any other man
and his teachings and words are applicable until the Day of Judgment. The
Prophet (PBUH) said, "After me I have not left any affliction more
harmful to men than women."
Unfortunately,
this problem not only faces single young people but also married couples. We
hear of many disastrous affairs occurring in international companies where the
atmosphere allows employees of both genders to easily and constantly socialize
and interact. Therefore, these temptations require the need to listen and
understand the story of prophet Yusuf (PBUH), the need to train yourself
to resist sins and to strengthen your faith, the need to make a lot of du’aa
(supplication) and the need to constantly strengthen your bond with Allah.
Divorce
rates have tremendously increased in Islamic societies, whether they are
secular or extremely conservative.
Back to ayah
23. Let us consider the temptation
factors mentioned in this ayah, and at the same time question
ourselves about whether we could face all these temptations and yet resist as
Prophet Yusuf (PBUH) did:
Prophet Yusuf (PBUH) was;
1)
A young man.
2)
He had reached
his 30s and was still a bachelor.
3)
He was a servant,
i.e. the punishment he would receive if he was caught would be half of that of
a person in a higher social class because such acts were expected from servants
but not from other people with higher social status.
4)
He was a
foreigner in the country he resided in, and his family could not see him. (Nowadays there are people who travel
overseas to commit sins thinking no one is watching.)
5)
He was a very
handsome man
6)
He was a strong
man “And when he [Yûsuf] attained his full manhood…” (TMQ, 12:22).
Al-Aziz’s wife:
- She was a
beautiful woman…. (It’s highly doubted that the Al-Aziz would marry
an average looking woman).
- She came from a high social
background…(there are some people whose hearts beat with lust from a mere
glimpse of any woman riding a stunning car, regardless of her appearance)
- She had been trying to seduce Yusuf
(PBUH) for a long time. (It was not a short time—half an hour or so—but it was around 7-10
years; in other words, since Yusuf (PBUH) became a young man up
until the moment she told him "Come
on, O you.". Remember, he
was raised in Al-Aziz’s house and lived there for 20 years so her
seduction was gradual. The word rawadathu
(sought to seduce him) implies this as well and also indicates that
she is a woman who knows how to deal well with men.
- They were both in her house;
therefore committing the sin was very easy (some young men cannot commit
sins because there is no place available for them to do so, whereas in
this situation this obstacle did not exist).
No young
man can face such temptation with all those coexisting factors. So those young
men and women who say there are too many temptations around us (satellite
channels or the Internet) should take these facts into consideration and resist
such temptations. You must firmly believe that you can resist and that Allah
will judge you for your ability to resist. When you watch those satellite
channels that broadcast prohibited programs or when you browse through
pornographic websites, you gradually think that this is how all societies are,
and that the real world is lead by lust. Moreover, you will think that all
women are as depicted in these programs or sites. Therefore, you begin to
change your views and your values and eventually you become the real loser.
Just
imagine how many sins your eyes commit everyday! I say to those who do not have
the opportunity of watching satellite channels and the internet you should
thank Allah that He has protected you from such temptations and sins.
The
commitment of such a sin is truly tragic and greatly displeases Allah,
therefore you must resist. Reading Surat Yusuf helps you do that. Had prophet
Yusuf (PBUH) done this sin, he would
have been safe from any scandal because the doors were securely locked. What would you have done if you were in his
place? I know some youth who were
exposed to similar temptations and successfully resisted:
- A young man, barely 21 years old and
from a well-off family was studying German in a foreign language education
institute. A young lady studying
with him offered herself to him, just like Al-Aziz’s wife did to
the prophet Yusuf (PBUH). All he said to her was, “Go away! Go away! I seek refuge
in Allah from the evil Satan”. She got scared and left, disbelieving that
a young man could reject her.
- A modest carpenter went to a
client’s apartment to do a job there. The lady of in the apartment was
like Al-Aziz’s wife and since he was strong and handsome, she tried
to seduce him. He refused, so she pulled out a knife and threatened to
kill him. He closed his eyes and recited Al Shahada (declaration of
faith). When he did that she screamed and threw him out of the apartment.
Women
can lose their minds when facing similar situations, which is also what
happened to Al-Aziz’s wife when she tore prophet Yusuf’s (PBUH) shirt, as we will see later on.
There are many other people who faced the same temptations as prophet Yusuf (PBUH)
and were rewarded similarly for their good deeds. So would you like to be
joined with prophet Yusuf (PBUH) on the Day of Judgment and with those
people who resisted such temptations?
How
could a young girl call a young man on the phone to arrange a date? Would you
then say “I seek Allah’s refuge”, just like Yusuf (PBUH) did? Would
people say that when watching illicit programs on satellite channels? How about
the young girls who marry without their parents’ knowledge or consent? Or how
about those who walk in the street holding hands with their boyfriend, or allow
them to put their arms around them? Don’t they realize how much they have
degraded themselves? Can such ladies relate themselves to Omar or Abu-Bakr or consider
themselves the descendants of Khadijah or Aisha?
When we
previously analyzed the reasons that lead Al-Aziz’s wife to seduce prophet
Yusuf (PBUH), we came up with two main reasons:
1-
She had too much
spare time since she did nothing [such as work inside or outside her home].
2-
Daily exposure
and contact with prophet Yusuf (PBUH) gave her frequent the opportunity
to commit the sin.
Hence, I
would also like to stress an important issue; I would like to warn married
couples from the consequences of spending time on the phone or at work talking
to colleagues of the opposite sex discussing matters not related to work. Some
people even get annoyed and wonder why their partners question them or get
jealous from such behavior. This does not mean the prohibition of interaction
between males and females. Islam permits such interaction since the prophets
and sahaba did so; however, this is allowed within certain conditions.
For example:
1-
Between
workmates, conversation is permitted about work but no more than that.
2-
Between
colleagues at a university, the interaction is also permitted because
occasionally there are group assignments that entail the interaction of both
sexes. However, instances such as a male borrowing study notes from a female
when those notes are with other males are not acceptable since the interaction
is not necessary.
3-
A visiting female
relative is another case where conversation is permitted but in a decent and
respectful manner.
Therefore,
interaction is allowed, but it must be within in a specific framework and only
when necessary. Without these two aspects, it is not permissible. A girl cannot
relate to a boy on the presumption that he is like a brother and so they share
a friendship. Allah says in the Qur’an what can be translated as, "Fair in the eyes of men is the love of
things they covet: Women and sons…" (TMQ, 3:14) Therefore, such relationships will definitely
mean emotions will develop within at least one of the two people involved. Most
young people say their emotions developed after such presumptions. However,
Allah knows all, He (SWT) says what can be translated as, "Not
taking paramours" (TMQ, 4:25).
Therefore, it is not permitted to have a friend from the opposite sex. These
words apply to workingwomen even more than to female students.
The
Prophet (PBUH) conversed with women and he asked for a tent to be set up
for female nurses to cure the injured sahaba during battles. For
example, this happened when he ordered a tent to be built for the nurse Rofaida
to treat the injured sahabi (companion of the Prophet) Saad Ibn-Mo’az
during the battle of Al-Khandaq (the trench). Another example of the correct
behavior when conversing with the opposite sex is in the story of Prophet Musa
(PBUH) with the two girls waiting at the well for water, keeping their
distance from the gathered men. Remember he was a prophet; a noble and
honorable man. He approached the two ladies and asked, "…He said: ‘What is the matter with you?’
They said: ‘We cannot water (our flocks) until the shepherds take back (their
flocks): And our father is a very old man.’ " (TMQ, 28:23). As can be seen very few words were said
(without getting into details about who they were, their names etc.). He then
got the water and, because his presence was no longer necessary, he left. “So he watered (their flocks) for them,
then he turned back to shade” (TMQ, 28:24). Therefore, you can talk to
a woman but within limits because women are more emotional and are easily
affected by talk than men. Many stable families are lost because of needless
interaction with the opposite sex. I am not saying to walk into your office
without greeting your colleagues, but make your conversation closer to deen
(religion) and absolutely necessary while keeping your manners and good conduct
in tact.
Another point to stress is when the “in-laws”
visit the wife during the husband’s absence, is also undesirable. Narrated
'Uqba Ibn-Amir: “Allah's Apostle said, "Beware of entering [into rooms]
upon the ladies." A man from the Ansar said, "Allah's Apostle! What about
Al-Hamu (the in-laws of the wife)?" The Prophet replied: The
in-laws of the wife are death itself.”
He used the word death to imply the harm such interaction causes to families
and homes. This does not mean we easily distrust people but following the
Prophet’s (PBUH) instructions will prevent many problems. He eliminated
any embarrassment this matter may cause by addressing it clearly and directly.
The same is also applicable for in-laws visiting the husband during the wife’s
absence. I hope that people pay attention to this point because excess
interaction causes many problems.
As for
the issue of premarital relationships, sometimes a young lady starts becoming
more religious so she wears hijab but still has a boyfriend. I say to
such girls, either the boyfriend should propose so he can get married or such a
relationship should end immediately until he can do so. It is common to find
youth involved in such relationships for many years and claim they cannot end
it because of the strength of the relationship. Such people must resist in the
same way the prophet Yusuf (PBUH) resisted and his case was much more
difficult. However, statistics show that only 5% of premarital relationships
end up in marriage. The rest result in nothing and so young girls are heartbroken
and fall into depression. Allah (SWT) cares for you young ladies and
wishes to protect your tender hearts so He (SWT) says what can be
translated as, “They should be chaste,
not lustful, nor taking paramours: …” (TMQ, 4:25).
If we
were to consider the case of a very nice premarital relationship without any
obligations that lasted for three years and ended up with no marriage, the
young lady then gets married to another person for 1 ½ years and starts
comparing (whether consciously or unconsciously) between her old boyfriend and
her husband she will see, most of the time, that her former relationship was
much better because it involved no obligations. Recent statistics show that 75%
of divorce cases resulted directly or indirectly because of premarital
relationships. I beg of you, say no to such relationships. As for married
couples’ affairs, results are even worse. A married women’s affair leads to
much more wrath from Allah than premarital relationships.
Continuing
on with the ayah, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as,
"He said: ‘(Allah) forbid!
Truly (thy husband) is my lord! he made my sojourn agreeable!" (TMQ, 12:23). Who is meant here
by “my lord”, is it Allah or Al-Aziz? Both explanations are possible and
applicable although most Tafseer (exegesis of the Holy Qur'an) suggest
it is Al-Aziz. Why was this issue left ambiguous? The answer is to
perfect the story telling technique and encourage the reader to think. The more
competent an author, the greater his ability to make the reader use his mind
and contemplate about the written text. So glory be to Allah who is able to
make all interpretations of the ayah applicable.
But why
did prophet Yusuf (PBUH) mention Al-Aziz in his reply to Al-Aziz’s
wife?
The
reason is, sometimes reminding of Allah is not enough to stop a person from
committing a sin. So he also reminded her of her husband, i.e. he included both
a religious factor (Allah’s power to protect him) and a worldly factor (her
husband). This teaches us a lesson when discussing issues with people; we need
to mention both the religious and worldly factors involved. For example,
premarital relationships are not permitted because it brings Allah’s wrath
(religion) and it destroys homes (worldly factor).
Meanwhile,
prophet Yusuf (PBUH) did not forget Al-Aziz’s generosity and said
what can be translated as, “truly
(thy husband) is my lord! He made my sojourn agreeable” (TMQ, 12:23). Basically meaning if you want to
betray your husband, I would not betray him who was generous to me. Therefore,
he did not forget the favor that Al-Aziz did for prophet Yusuf (PBUH)
when he was young and found him in the well. “The man in Egypt
who bought him, said to his wife: "Make his stay (among us) honorable:
maybe he will bring us much good, or we shall adopt him as a son." (TMQ,
12:21). Therefore, prophet Yusuf (PBUH) used
the same word (agreeable) to emphasize that he had not forgotten the favor.
Again,
prophet Yusuf’s life (PBUH) is disrupted and yet he remains steadfast in
his morals and faith and does not change. So do not be affected by the fact
that sins are being committed everywhere. If you find all your friends with
girlfriends, do not copy them. Even if all of your friends, dear sister, are
without a hijab, hold onto it because that is what is right. Even if
weddings are done in manners different from Islamic teachings, do not follow
them; hold onto your principles because they are the right ones. Do not
compromise the main principles and beliefs, but you can negotiate when it comes
to less important matters that hold up more than one opinion. Throughout
Yusuf’s story the characters change their morals while prophet Yusuf’s (PBUH)
personality remains unchanged:
- In the well, prophet Yusuf (PBUH)
was steadfast praying to Allah
- In Al-Aziz’s house, he was always
connected to Allah
- In prison, he preached about Allah
- He held the position of a minister
in Egypt and yet he was generous to the people
Therefore, he remained unaffected. What’s
more, he is so loyal that he does not forget the favors of the one who “made
his stay honorable” from the time he was 12 until he reached his 30’s. Do you
remember your teachers? Are you loyal to your parents or to others who did you
favors in the past? Why don’t you visit your teachers to acknowledge their
favors and to feel the real meaning of loyalty?
Continuing with the next ayah, Allah says what can be translated as, "And (with passion) did she desire
him, and he would have desired her, but that he saw the evidence of his
Lord…." (TMQ, 12:24). Here
the word al-hamm in Arabic can mean either to want or to contemplate.
Therefore, saying hammat means she wanted him, as for the word ham, in
his case, there were several interpretations. One of the interpretations is
that it meant he also wanted her, however this is not possible since prophet
Yusuf (PBUH) is a prophet and all prophets are infallible. Furthermore, this would contradict the
previous ayah (TMQ, 12:23) where he said, “Allah forbid!” and with the rest of this ayah (TMQ,
12:24) where Allah says what can be translated as, “he has confined
himself”. Therefore, the interpretation of “willingness” is out of the
question in his case. Another interpretation claims that hamm means he wanted to hit her but
there is no proof of that. Therefore, the closest meaning of the word al- hamm
with regards to Yusuf (PBUH) is “to contemplate”. To elaborate this point, when fasting in Ramadan
it is common that you get hungry and thirsty, so when you smell the aroma of
nice food and you see a cup of water you contemplate that you wish to break
your fast to eat or drink. But would you actually break your fast? Impossible!
It is only a wish or a whim. Moreover, since the word lawlaa (but that) came
after ham “he would have desired her,
but that…” (TMQ, 21:24). Then it is
as if the ayah is
saying he was going to contemplate about it but he didn’t even
contemplate because something else happened (he saw the evidence of the lord).
For example if I say ,“I was going to fall if it had not been for Amr’s help”,
meaning I did not actually fall and so prophet Yusuf (PBUH) did not even
contemplate the thought of sinning.
But why
was this meaning phrased in such a complex manner? If Allah (SWT) simply
said “with passion she desired him but he did not desire her” people may have
interpreted that prophet Yusuf (PBUH) had a physical handicap which
hindered him from approaching women in general. However, Allah (SWT)
wanted to actually show that prophet Yusuf (PBUH) was in a perfect
physical condition but something else happened that prevented him from even the
thought of sinning. The word istasama (he
has confined himself) also indicates that al-hamm
did not happen and at the end of the ayah Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “…thus (did We order) that We might turn away from him (all) evil and
shameful deeds; for he was one of Our servants, sincere and purified"
(TMQ, 12:24), so how is it possible that Allah praised him so much if he
thought of committing the sin?
We now
move to the part of “but that he saw the
evidence of his Lord” in the ayah. Some interpretations say that “the evidence of
his lord” was a picture of Prophet Jacob (PBUH) he saw on the wall.
Others suggest that he heard the angel Jibril (AS) (Gabriel) saying “do
not disobey Allah” but there is no evidence for both claims. Moreover, some say
that he saw the ayah “ Nor come
nigh to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to
other evils)” (TMQ, 17:32) but there is no evidence of such a claim
either. Here the meaning of "the evidence of his lord” is the fact that he
remembered Allah’s blessings on him and that he remembered Paradise.
“The evidence of his lord” is what Allah (SWT) sent as emotions,
feelings, thoughts, etc. that kept him steadfast in his faith with Allah. So if
you are on the verge of committing a sin, ask Allah to send His evidence and
help you to remain resolute against temptations. So he remembered Paradise, he
remembered Hell, he remembered Allah’s favors (so how could he displease him
despite the blessings he bestowed upon him), he remembered the embarrassment if
the sin was found out, he remembered that whatever he did could reflect on his
family, he remembered that if he did this sin he could be downgraded a level in
Paradise and would not be able to regain it, or he may have remembered that he
would be asked about this on the Day of Judgment. Therefore, those of you who
are committing such a sin, remember Allah’s evidence!
Can Allah’s evidence come as revelations to any human being and how?
The answer is yes it can. It can happen if you obey Allah (SWT)
when you are in a period of ease and comfort and not exposed to temptations so
when temptations come, Allah’s evidence will be sent to you. (May Allah
strengthen our faith and open our hearts to His evidence.) Strengthen the presence of Allah’s evidence
in your heart by obeying Him regularly. Obey Allah by doing Dhikr
(mentioning Allah’s names and attributes) regularly, by doing Qiyam
(voluntary night prayer), by following his instructions, and pray that Allah
will not to expose us to sinful temptations. Go for Umrah (minor
pilgrimage), pay Sadaqa (charity), be good to your parents and visit your relatives.
Allah says what can be translated as, “thus (did We order) that We might turn
away from him (all) evil and shameful deeds: for he was one of Our servants,
sincere and purified” (TMQ, 12:24).
So Allah promised prophet Yusuf (PBUH) to help him to be firm in
his faith. If you are also exposed to too many temptations, have faith that
Allah will not leave you astray. However, you need to prove to Him your sincerity. The
faith was strengthened in prophet Yusuf (PBUH) because he was “one of
Our servants, sincere and purified”. This is the best description that can
be said about a person because it implies that prophet Yusuf (PBUH) is
loyal to Allah only, in other words, Allah (SWT) is the most important
factor in prophet Yusuf ‘s (PBUH)
life and that his obedience to Allah is his ultimate goal. Thus if you
devote your life to Allah, you won’t be sorry. Allah will be with you; you
won’t ever go astray. Can you be purely devoted to Allah without any faults,
like the milk described in “ …. From
what is within their bodies between excretions and blood, We produce, for your
drink, milk, pure and agreeable to those who drink it” (TMQ, 16:66).
Get yourself away from the temptations in life and promise yourself that you
will be loyal to Allah and you will always please Him in everything you do: in
the way you perform your work, in the way you raise your kids, all for the sake
of Allah. Only then will you be saved from committing sins.
We now
move on to the next ayah: “So they raced with one another to the
door, and she tore his shirt from the back. They both found her lord (i.e. her
husband) at the door. She said: "What is the recompense (punishment) for
him who intended an evil design against your wife, except that he be put in
prison or a painful torment?" (TMQ, 12:25). There is a
beautiful poem recited in relation to this ayah which may not
necessarily be true. It was the moment before they raced to the doors.
The wife of Al-Aziz said," Yusuf, O Yusuf, how beautiful
is your face".
He replied: "in the womb Allah gave me my appearance".
She said: "O Yusuf, O Yusuf, how beautiful is your hair".
He replied: "It is the first thing that decays in my grave".
She said: "O Yusuf, O Yusuf, how beautiful are your eyes".
He replied: "With them I will look at my Creator so I will not
use them to displease Him".
She then said: "O Yusuf, look at me, look up!"
He replied: "I fear blindness on the Day of Judgment".
Here I
say to those who do not lower their gaze, remember the ayah as Allah says what can be translated as, “Verily,
from (the Light of) their Lord, that Day, will they be veiled”
(TMQ, 83:15). Fear that you might miss the opportunity of looking at
the most beautiful sight in existence because of the sins your eyes committed,
the moment of looking at the face of Allah (SWT).
Then she said “Yusuf, I want you to come near me and you are moving
away!”
He replied, "If I come near you, it will keep me far from my
Creator. I want to be near my Creator by keeping my distance from you."
So “they both raced each other to the door”.
Subhan Allah, he said, “ Verily, (the
ends) ye strive for are diverse” (TMQ, 92:4), they both raced to
the door each having different purposes. If we consider the ayah “and she fastened the doors” (TMQ,
23:12), this means they passed through all the doors and yet she insisted
on following him. When a woman loses her modesty and religious sense, she
becomes a true disgrace. Consider the difference between the honor in obeying
Allah and the shame in sinning. Look at how she degraded herself, and do not
ever degrade yourself like that!
But who
won the race; was the virtue stronger or the sinful temptation?
Prophet
Yusuf (PBUH) won the race “and
she tore his shirt from the back”.
What is
stronger within you: virtue or sin? “So
they both raced each other to the door, and she tore his shirt from the
back…" (TMQ, 12:25),
the extent of disgrace within her enabled her, the weak woman, to tear his
shirt even when he had “attained his
full manhood”.
Now
let's concentrate on the graceful style of the Qur’an: a style that is found
enjoyable by both the average person, who enjoys the beauty of a story in the
Qur’an, and the intellectuals who reflect on deeper meanings of the words used,
such as the word a- hamm. The word qammisahu (his shirt) is mentioned 3 times, each in a different
situation:
1-
"They stained his shirt with false blood".
(TMQ, 12:18)
2-
"So they both raced each other to the door, and
she tore his shirt from the back." (TMQ, 12:25)
3-
"Go with this my shirt, and cast it over the face
of my father: he will come to see (clearly)." (TMQ, 12:93)
The reason it was mentioned that way is to
create suspense, excitement and to increase the readers’ focus when reading the
story. This technique has only recently been used by
authors, but Allah (SWT) used it 1400 years ago. Here I stress that
creative writing and arts are not prohibited in Islam. It is allowed and the
proof is in Allah’s expression, that the stories of the Qur’an are the best
ever and in the fact that His careful choice of words in creating the stories’
depth, characters and plot makes the art of narrative in the Qur’an of an
exceptional level.
In this ayah, Allah says
what can be translated as, “So
they both raced each other to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back:
they both found her lord near the door…” (TMQ, 12:25). They raced to the doors until prophet Yusuf (PBUH)
had opened all the doors and reached the last one. She then tore his shirt from
behind while opening the last door to find sayidaha
(her master) or Al-Aziz at the door. Ancient Egyptians used to use
this term (sayidaha) when referring
to a husband as a matter of honor and respect. Here, I wish to remind women of
the importance of respecting their husbands. Families are torn apart because of
the disrespect a woman shows her husband and her insistence on being on equal
terms with him. I also warn her of the danger of disrespecting her husband in
public or when she consistently criticizes her husband whether for making
mistakes or for no reason at all. In such a case the husband starts to feel he
is losing his manhood, and he starts looking for another woman who listens to
him without constant criticism. Make your husband feel that you treasure him,
satisfy his ego and do not insult him.
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