Volume 10 Surah 12 - 15 - Enjoy Islam

Yūsuf (Joseph) | FACING UP TO TRIAL
felt: “Now, however, if he does not do what I bid him, he shall certainly be thrown in prison,
and shall indeed be humiliated.” (Verse 32)
What a mixture of temptation, persistence and threat. And this is coupled with a
new phase of temptation hidden under a mask of warning.
What could Joseph do when he heard this said openly in a social gathering of
women who were undoubtedly revealing their beauty and expressing their
admiration of him. What was his attitude on hearing his mistress openly declare her
intention to carry on attempting to seduce him? He simply turns to his Lord with this
appeal: “My Lord, I would sooner be put in prison than comply with what they are inviting
me to do.” (Verse 33)
We note here that Joseph did not say, ‘what she is inviting me to do’. They were all
part of the seduction attempt, either by word, look or movement. He felt that the
only way for him to evade their tricks was to appeal to his Lord. That would be the
only way he would not yield to their temptation. Hence, he declares: “Unless You
turn away their guile from me, I may yield to them and lapse into folly.” (Verse 33) This is a
declaration by one who knows his own human weakness. He prays for more of
God’s care and protection, because that is the best way to resist all temptation.
“His Lord answered his prayer and warded off their guile from him. It is He alone who
hears all and knows all.” (Verse 34) This might have taken the form of making them
despair of him ever yielding to their approaches and persuasion, or might have been
in the shape of stronger resistance to their temptation.
“It is He alone who hears all and knows all.” (Verse 33) He hears their scheming, and
Joseph’s prayers. He knows the intention behind the scheming and the purpose of
the prayer.
Thus Joseph was able to stand firm through this second trial. He had to rely on
God’s grace and good care to do so, and through this managed to avoid falling into
sin. With this, the second episode in Joseph’s story is over.
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