Volume 10 Surah 12 - 15 - Enjoy Islam

Yūsuf (Joseph) | FACING UP TO TRIAL
lasted just for a brief moment. When he saw a sign from his Lord shining in his heart
and conscience, he resumed his resistance to all temptation.
“Thus We averted from him evil and indecency. He was truly one of Our faithful
servants.” (Verse 24) When he came to himself, he wanted to rush away while she
went after him, excited, out of control: “And they both rushed to the door.” (Verse 25) As
she tried to pull him away from the door, “she tore his shirt from behind.” (Verse 25) At
this moment, a totally unexpected surprise awaited them: “And at the door they met her
husband.” (Verse 25) The mature woman who is in control of the situation emerges
here. An answer to the question raised by the husband to the very suspicious scene is
readily given. An unhesitating accusation of Joseph being the offender is
immediately stated. However, she still loves him and does not want him to collect a
very severe punishment, so she suggests a safe one:: “She said: ‘What ought to be the
punishment of someone who has evil designs on your wife other than that he should be
thrown in prison or some grievous punishment?’” (Verse 25) But Joseph would not accept
this false accusation, so he speaks out in reply: “It was she who sought to seduce me.”
(Verse 26)
The sūrah states here that someone from her household came forward as a witness
to put an end to the dispute. “One of her own household testified: If his shirt has been torn
from the front, then she is speaking the truth and he is lying. But if it has been torn from
behind, then she is lying, and he is speaking the truth.’“ (Verses 26-27) Where and when
did this witness give his testimony? Did he arrive with the husband and witness the
event? Or was he called in by her husband for consultation as people sometimes call
in a respectable person of the wife’s family? This may fit well with the practices of
the aristocracy which is often devoid of moral values.
Both alternatives are possible. Neither affects the outcome. His view is described
as a testimony because it provides a way for establishing the truth, considering that
the woman’s word is set against Joseph’s. Joseph’s shirt was to be examined: if it was
torn from the front, then she must have torn it as she ‘tried to repel his assault’. On
the other hand, if his shirt was torn from behind, then he was trying to move away
from her as she chased him towards the door. In this case, she would be the one who
was lying while he stated the truth. The first possibility is stated first because it
would mean that she was right. After all, she was the mistress and he was the slave.
It was only proper that this possibility be given prominence.
“When [her husband] saw that Joseph’s shirt was torn from behind,” he realized, both
logically and practically, that it was the woman who tried to seduce the man, and
then made her accusations against him. Here we see a picture of the high class in
ignorant, or jāhiliyyah society. Although this picture was drawn several thousand
years ago, it is still applicable today. There is clear complacency when faced with sex
scandals, followed by attempts to suppress them. Such suppression is the overriding
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