سورة یُوسُف
Surah Yûsuf 12:24
Joseph · Verse 24 of 111
وَلَقَدْ هَمَّتْ بِهِ ۖ وَهَمَّ بِهَا لَوْلَا أَنْ رَأَىٰ بُرْهَانَ رَبِّهِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ السُّوءَ وَالْفَحْشَاءَ ۚ إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُخْلَصِينَ
Abdul Mannan Omar
And she made up her mind with regard to him, and he made up his mind with regard to her (and would have fallen into her snares as the temptations were so strong) if he had not seen the manifest evidence of his Lord. (It happened thus) so that We might turn away from him every evil and indecency. Surely, he was one of Our purified servants.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
And (with passion) did she desire him, and he would have desired her, but that he saw the evidence of his Lord: 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.
Ahmed Ali
But the woman desired him, and he would have desired her but for the indication he received from his Lord. This was so that We may avert both evil and lechery from him, for he was one of Our chosen devotees.
12 more translations
Ali Unal
Certainly, she was burning with desire for him; and he would have desired her had it not been that he had already seen the argument and proof of his Lord (concerning chastity and good conduct, and so was anxious only about how to escape her). We did it in that way (We showed to him Our argument and proof) so that We might avert from him an evil and indecency. For he was one of Our servants endowed with perfect sincerity and purity of intention in faith and practicing the Religion.
Daryabadi
And assuredly she besought him, and he would have besoughther were it not that he had seen the argument of his Lord. Thus We did, in order that We might avert from him all evil and indecency; verily he was of our bondmen single-hearted.
Faridul Haque
And indeed the woman desired him; and he too would have desired her were he not to witness the sign of his Lord *; this is what We did, to turn away evil and lewdness from him; indeed He is one of Our chosen bondmen. (* Allah saved him and he never desired this immorality.)
Maulana Muhammad Ali
And certainly she desired him, and he would have desired her, were it not he had seen the manifest evidence of his Lord. Thus (it was) that We might turn away from him evil and indecency. Surely he was one of Our chosen servants.
Maulvi Sher Ali
And she made up her mind with regard to him, to seduce him, and he made up his mind with regard to her, to resist her. If he had not seen manifest Sign of his Lord, he could not have shown such determination. Thus did it come about that WE might turn away from him all evil and indecency. Surely, he was one of Our chosen servants.
Muhammad Asad
And, indeed, she desired him, and he desired her; [and he would have succumbed] had he not seen [in this temptation] an evidence of his Sustainer's truth thus [We willed it to be] in order that We might avert from him all evil and all deeds of abomination - for, behold, he was truly one of Our servants.
Muhammad Musin Khan
And indeed she did desire him and he would have inclined to her desire, had he not seen the evidence of his Lord. Thus it was, that We might turn away from him evil and illegal sexual intercourse. Surely, he was one of Our chosen, guided slaves.
Muhammad Pickthall
She verily desired him, and he would have desired her if it had not been that he saw the argument of his Lord. Thus it was, that We might ward off from him evil and lewdness. Lo! he was of Our chosen slaves.
Muhammad Sarwar
She was determined to have him and were it not for his faith in God, he would certainly have yielded to her. Thus did We protect him from evil and indecency. He was certainly one of Our sincere servants.
Muhammed ali Shakir
And certainly she made for him, and he would have made for her, were it not that he had seen the manifest evidence of his Lord; thus (it was) that We might turn away from him evil and indecency, surely he was one of Our sincere servants.
Rashad Khalifa
She almost succumbed to him, and he almost succumbed to her, if it were not that he saw a proof from his Lord. We thus diverted evil and sin away from him, for he was one of our devoted servants.
Shabbir Ahmed
She desired him, and he would have desired her if he had not known the clear moral values from his Lord, ("Go not near adultery” 17:32.) Obeying Our command saved him from evil and lewdness. He was among Our sincere servants.
Commentary 12:24 “He would have made up his mind with regard to her...” does not signify that Joseph had any desire for the Egyptians wife, but that the temptation was so…
وَلَقَدْ هَمَّتْ بِهِ ۖ وَهَمَّ بِهَا لَوْلَا أَن رَّأَىٰ بُرْهَانَ رَبِّهِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ السُّوءَ وَالْفَحْشَاءَ ۚ إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُخْلَصِينَ
12:24 “He would have made up his mind with regard to her...” does not signify that Joseph had any desire for the Egyptians wife, but that the temptation was so strong that if he had not already seen manifest signs from his Lord, he could not have shown such determination and he would have inclined towards her. He was not cast into prison for being guilty of having committed a sinful act with the wife of Al-‘Azîz.
There is a similarity between this incident and the life of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Just as an attempt was made to tempt Joseph away from the path of piety and truth, similarly, the chiefs of Makkah made an unsuccessful attempt to lure the Holy Prophet (pbuh) to give up his mission by offering to make him their king or to collect great wealth for him, or to give him the most beautiful women in marriage. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) rejected the offer with the historic words: “If you place the sun on my right hand and the moon on my left hand, even then I will not leave my right path”.