Volume 10 Surah 12 - 15 - Enjoy Islam

Yūsuf (Joseph) | FACING UP TO TRIAL
had bought. Or perhaps they were merely commenting on the fact that she had
become the centre of a scandal. It is not the offence itself that is reproachable, but of
being found out doing it. If it remains concealed, no blame is attached.
Again we see something that happens only amongst the higher classes. We are
shown a scene of that bold woman’s further engineering: “When she heard of their
malicious talk, she sent for them, and prepared for them a sumptuous repast, and handed each
one of them a knife and said (to Joseph]: ‘Come out and present yourself to them.’ When they
saw him, they were amazed at him, and they cut their hands, exclaiming: ‘God preserve us!
This is no mortal man! This is none other than a noble angel.’ Said she: ‘This is he on whose
account you have been blaming me! Indeed I have tried to seduce him, but he guarded his
chastity. Now, however, if he does not do what I bid him, he shall certainly be thrown in
prison, and shall indeed be humiliated.’ (Verses 31-32)
She arranged for a banquet in her own palace, which suggests that the women so
invited also belonged to the same milieu. It is women in such a class that are invited
to a palace banquet. They are the ones who love such gentle appearances. It seems
that as they ate, they reclined on cushions and couches, as was the custom in eastern
countries. Hence, she prepared this repast, and gave a knife to each one of her guests.
This also suggests that material civilization had attained a high standard in Egypt at
the time. Luxurious life was at a high standard. The use of knives with a meal several
thousand years ago is indicative of the level of luxury that obtained. But as they were
engaged with cutting meat or peeling fruit, the hostess surprised her guests with
Joseph’s appearance. She instructed him to: “Come out and present yourself to them.”
(Verse 31) So what was their reaction? “When they saw him, they were amazed at him.”
They were taken by surprise. “They cut their hands.” (Verse 31) In their surprise, they
cut their hands. They uttered a word that is normally used to express amazement at
God’s wonderful creation. “God preserve us! This is no mortal man! This is none other
than a noble angel.” (Verse 31) These words also indicate that there were traces of the
divine faith, based on God’s oneness, in their community.
At this point she felt that she had scored her point and gained a victory over the
women of her class. They could not stop their surprised admiration of Joseph.
Victorious as she felt, she saw no need for modesty in front of these other women.
Indeed she could boast that he was under her command. If he resisted her at one
point, he could not do so forever. Hence, her statement: “This is he on whose account
you have been blaming me.” (Verse 32) You can see how handsome and manly he is, so
much so that you cannot help admiring him: “Indeed I have tried to seduce him, but he
guarded his chastity.” (Verse 32)
She goes on to press the point that she was his mistress and that he would have to
do as he was told. In that society, a woman in her position could afford to be boastful
and arrogant. She could declare publicly in front of other women the sexual urge she
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