وَراوَدَتهُ الَّتي هُوَ في بَيتِها عَن نَفسِهِ وَغَلَّقَتِ الأَبوابَ وَقالَت هَيتَ لَكَ ۚ قالَ مَعاذَ اللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُ رَبّي أَحسَنَ مَثوايَ ۖ إِنَّهُ لا يُفلِحُ الظّالِمونَ
The woman in whose house he was solicited him. She closed the doors and said: ‘Come!’ He said: ‘God forbid! Indeed, He is my Lord; He has given me a good abode. Indeed, the wrongdoers are not felicitous.’
EXEGESIS
Rāwadat (she solicited) is the feminine past tense verb derived from the root rawada, which originally signifies ‘to desire something and seek to attain it through gentle and subtle means’. Its form six derivative (murāwadah) conveys the idea of negotiation or persuasion in disagreement – where one party seeks something different from the other. This semantic nuance helps clarify its usage in the following verses in the surah: It was she who solicited me (rāwadatnī, verse 26); The governor’s wife solicits (turāwidu) her slave boy (verse 30); Certainly I did solicit him (rāwadtuhu) (verse 32); We will solicit him (nurāwidu) from his father (verse 61).[1] In all these instances the term implies a persistent yet subtle effort to sway someone toward one’s own desires.
Ghallaqat (she closed) is the emphatic form of ghalaqa and means that she firmly closed all the doors.[2]
Hayta laka (come!) is an Arabic idiomatic expression functionally equivalent to halumma, meaning ‘come hither’.[3] The addition of laka (for you) serves to specify the addressee (similar to constructions like shukran laka, ‘thanks to you’), and to emphasise readiness. Thus, the full phrase hayta laka carries a tone of invitation, meaning ‘come (and receive) what is prepared for you’.[4]
Some have suggested that hayta is originally a Coptic or Syriac expression,[5] or that it is from Hebrew.[6] Another claim is that it is the dialect of the Arabs in Ḥawrān,[7] which was adopted by the Arabs in Hijaz.[8] Abū Ḥayyān says that it is likely the word is a shared one amongst the aforementioned languages.[9]
Maʿādh allāh (God forbid) derives from the root ʿawadha, which conveys seeking refuge or protection by attaching oneself to another.[10] In this context, the phrase carries the meaning: ‘I seek refuge with God from what you are inviting me to do,’ implying a strong expression of moral repudiation and divine protection.[11] This distinctive phrase appears only in Sūrat Yūsuf, used twice by Prophet Joseph (a): first in this verse (rejecting the advance of the governor’s wife), and again in verse 79 (refusing to detain Benjamin unjustly).
Its exclusive usage in this surah highlights its thematic connection to temptation, moral resistance, and divine guardianship.
Mathwā (abode) was discussed under verse 21.
EXPOSITION
The reader is now thrown directly into the next big drama that engulfed the life of Prophet Joseph (a). He had grown up to be an extremely handsome young man, of great mental acuity and fortitude of character and piety.
The woman in whose house he was solicited him: when Prophet Joseph (a) was first brought to their household, the wife of Joseph’s (a) master was instructed by her husband to treat him with exceptional care, as if he were family, and even as a potential heir to the governor. Yet as the years went by and Joseph (a) grew up to be a man, she took a different notice of him, no longer seeing him as a ward, but with an entirely different, forbidden interest.
The expression in whose house he was emphasises the power disparity that existed between the two. She was using her position as the mistress of the house to take him for herself, against his will, indicated by the word rāwadat that we explained earlier.
This was the quandary that faced Prophet Joseph (a) and the cause of his later misfortunes. In reality, his denial of her advances represented his struggle on two fronts. On the one hand it was a sign of his purity and his struggle against lustful desires. On the other it was a sign of his asceticism, for by denying her he was giving up the worldly comforts that he was enjoying in the palace. Furthermore, it was a sign of true certainty in the hereafter, for by denying her he was also risking his life and it was well within the realm of possibility that she should, when so scorned, seek to have him killed (as her later allegations may very well have been the cause for his execution, had his innocence not been shown).
She closed the doors and said: ‘Come!’: in her attempt to seduce him, she took Prophet Joseph (a) to a private portion of the governor’s estate, away from the prying eyes of any of the other servants and attendees, and closed the doors and securely fastened them so that no one would accidentally happen upon them. Prophet Joseph (a) may have been surprised and wondered what she was planning, but he did not have to wonder for long, when she suddenly commanded him to come to her embrace.
Again, the expressions are conveying the power disparity and imbalance between the governor’s wife and Prophet Joseph (a). Her actions are not that of tenderness, and her words betray any veneer of true affection. She was a woman used to ordering others around and getting what she wanted. While some exegetes have spoken of her burning love for Prophet Joseph (a), it would seem wrong to describe her actions as that of love, especially considering how she parades him in front of her friends in verse 31 and then declares: and if he does not do what I bid him, surely he shall be imprisoned and be among the abased (verse 32).[12] Those are not the actions of someone in love – one in love would never wish to see their beloved waste away in prison – but of a woman who is used to getting what she desires, and giving into petty anger when refused. Note especially the statement and if he does not do what I bid him, which is distinctly the haughty command of a person overcome by base desires.
The imagery of all the doors being closed is a potent one, which conveys the idea that all options were seemingly closed to Prophet Joseph (a) and he had no recourse but to submit to her demands. Indeed, in such a situation, many lesser men might feel justified in giving into sin, simply because they felt they had no other choice – let alone the less pious ones who would give in to their lust. It is unfortunate indeed how often many believers may choose to engage in sinful acts and forbidden things, simply because they felt they had no choice, whilst in reality it was merely a matter of convenience and comfort. Such is the false conjecture of those who perceive things short-sightedly. Those who rely on God and act on the basis of piety, know that God will make a new door for them when all other doors are seemingly closed: And whoever is wary of Allah, He shall make a way out for him (65:2). Indeed, a short-sighted person in such a situation could easily have been swayed by not only their lust, but the promise of favour with their mistress and rise to prominence and position.[13]
He said: ‘God forbid!’: this is reminiscent of what Lady Mary said to Gabriel when she had not yet recognised him to be an angel: She said: ‘I seek the protection (aʿūdhu) of the All-Beneficent from you, should you be God-wary!’ (19:18).
Indeed, He is my Lord; He has given me a good abode: the pronoun He in this verse carries two possible interpretations: it may refer to God, or to the master of the house. If it is a reference to God, then it means that ‘God is my Lord, He has given me a great station and immense blessing, so how could I ever disobey Him?’[14] If it refers to the master of the house, it highlights Prophet Joseph’s (a) loyalty to his benefactor while subtly contrasting earthly and divine lordship. In this case, abode (mathwā) would be a reference to what his master had said earlier: Give him an honourable place (mathwā).[15] The verse in that case should be translated as ‘he is my master and has given me a good place (in his household)’. Both readings are textually possible, with the first emphasising spiritual devotion and the second underscoring social reciprocity towards his master. The dual possibility enriches the verse’s layered rhetoric.
The word rabb in Arabic, though most often associated with Allah (as in rabb al-ʿālamīn, Lord of the worlds), is also linguistically permissible for human masters or caretakers. This reflects the term’s semantic root (r-b-b), which denotes sustenance, ownership, and nurturing authority, whether divine or temporal. The instances of temporal usage include rabb al-bayt or rabbat al-bayt, meaning the male or the female head of a household, and rabb al-ibil, the owner or caretaker of camels, as is cited in the famous statement of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib: ana rabb al-ibil wa lil-bayt rabbun (I am the master of the camels and the House [of God] has its own master).
Indeed, the wrongdoers are not felicitous: as the theme of the surah is the knowledge (taʾwīl) of the divine plan and the final manifestation of things,[16] the statement here highlights how the final outcome of sin and wrongdoing is never success. If one truly wishes to achieve good things, they should tread the path of obedience and submission to God.
Paying careful attention to the verse, we notice that each of the three actions of the governor’s wife is met with a response from Prophet Joseph (a).[17] When she solicited him, he sought refuge with God, saying God forbid. When She closed the doors, seemingly leaving him no other option, he relied on God to help him find a way out, saying Indeed, He is my Lord; He has given me a good abode. When she told him Come, he reminded her what would result if he answered her call and went towards such a path, Indeed, the wrongdoers are not felicitous.
Finally, the verse is a great reminder for anyone who is being tempted by sin to seek refuge with God (God forbid), to remind themselves of how God has blessed them (He has given me a good abode),[18] and how engaging in sin is inviting ruin to oneself (Indeed, the wrongdoers are not felicitous).
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Rāzī argues that the statement maʿādh allāh (God forbid) is proof of the Asharite doctrine regarding predestination. He asserts that Prophet Joseph (a) is beseeching God that He should save him from such an action. In other words, he is asking that God should create in his heart the desire to not go towards such a sinful action.[19] This is naturally a classic example of how Quranic verses are sometimes interpreted to fit a conception that has been previously formed. On its own, the verse does not suggest at all what Rāzī is claiming, but rather that Prophet Joseph (a) is seeking refuge with God that he should ever commit such an action.
The name of the governor’s wife is given in various exegetical and historical works as Raʿīl[20] or Rāḥīl,[21] which seem to be a confusion with Prophet Joseph’s (a) mother, who is generally named as Rachel. Certainly, an Egyptian governor’s wife would not have had a Hebrew name. Zulaykhā is mentioned as well,[22] and is often given in many exegetical works, without any source.[23] Some exegetes have said Rāʿīl was her name and Zulaykhā was her nickname.[24] The name Zulaykhā appears to be an Arabised form of an unknown original, likely derived from a non-Arab source, though its exact etymology remains uncertain.[25]
INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS
- Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, ‘Come to bed with me!’ But he refused. ‘With me in charge,’ he told her, ‘my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?’ And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, ‘Come to bed with me!’ But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.[26]
Note: The Bible does not mention the name of the wife of Potiphar (the governor), but in some Midrash literature she is named Zulycah,[27] although this is a post-Islamic writing and might very well have been influenced by Islamic sources.
[1] Mizan, 11/119.
[2] Tantawi, 7/338.
[3] Tibyan, 6/118; Raghib, p. 847, h-y-t.
[4] Tantawi, 7/339; Munyah, 14/161. The specification is said to be needed because hayta does not change according to who is addressed. Therefore, if for example several people are intended, one would say hayta lakum. See Bahrayn, 2/229, h-y-t.
[5] Related in Thalabi, 5/209; Qurtubi, 9/164; Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī, al-Itqān fī ʿUlūm al-Qurʾān (Beirut: Dār al-Fikr, 1996), 1/406. This opinion is attributed to Ibn Abbas and Hasan al-Baṣrī.
[6] Related in Razi, 18/438; Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī, al-Itqān fī ʿUlūm al-Qurʾān (Beirut: Dār al-Fikr, 1996), 1/406.
[7] The area between the south of Damascus and north of Amman. See Badr al-Dīn al-ʿAynī, ʿUmdat al-Qārī (Beirut: Dār Iḥyāʾ al-Turāth al-ʿArabī, n.d.), 18/305.
[8] Related in Thalabi, 5/209; Baghawi, 2/483; Razi, 18/438; Qurtubi, 9/164; Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī, al-Itqān fī ʿUlūm al-Qurʾān (Beirut: Dār al-Fikr, 1996), 1/406. See also Bukhari, 5/217. This opinion is attributed to Kisāʾī and ʿIkramah. Lane adopts this view as the authentic one, although he also relates the view that it could be of Hebrew origin (Lane, p. 2910, h-y-t).
[9] Muhit, 6/256.
[10] Raghib, p. 594, ʿ-w-dh.
[11] Tabrisi, 5/341; Tabari, 12/116.
[12] Ṭabrisī also points to her threat What is to be the requital of him who has evil intentions for your wife except imprisonment or a painful punishment (verse 25) as evidence of her feelings being lust, not love (Tabrisi, 5/347). Other exegetes have also pointed out that she was not in fact in love with Prophet Joseph (a). See for example Qurtubi, 9/172; Qaraati, 4/187.
[13] See Mizan, 11/126.
[14] Muhit, 6/257; Mizan, 11/123-124; related in Tabrisi, 5/341; Thalabi, 5/209; Baghawi, 2/483.
[15] Tabrisi, 5/341; Tabari, 12/108; Thalabi, 5/209; Razi, 18/435, 438; Alusi, 6/402; Nemuneh, 9/368-370. This is the meaning that essentially mirrors what the Torah has said.
[16] See the Introduction.
[17] Tantawi, 7/340.
[18] Nemuneh, 9/375-376.
[19] Razi, 18/438-439.
[20] Tabari, 12/104; Muhit, 6/254-255; Tarikh, 1/236; Abū al-Hasan Ibn al-Athīr, al-Kāmil fī al-Taʾrīkh (Beirut: Dār Bayrūt, 1965), 1/141; Bidayah, 1/232. Some sources add Bint Raʿāyīl.
[21] Thalabi, 5/205.
[22] Ilal, 1/55.
[23] See for example Tabrisi, 5/371; Thalabi, 5/205; Muhit, 6/254-255. Some sources add Bint Tamlīkhā, or Bint Mūsā.
[24] Bidayah, 1/232.
[25] In Arabic, zalkh is the act of lifting up one’s hand to throw an arrow as far as one can (Lisan, 3/21, z-l-kh; Ayn, 4/208, z-l-kh).
[26] Genesis 39:6-12.
[27] See for example Sefer HaYashar on Genesis 39:7, accessed at:
https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.39.7?lang=bi&with=Sefer%20HaYashar%20(midrash)&lang2=en.