وَلَقَدْ هَمَّتْ بِهِۦ ۖ وَهَمَّ بِهَا لَوْلَآ أَن رَّءَا بُرْهَـٰنَ رَبِّهِۦ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ ٱلسُّوٓءَ وَٱلْفَحْشَآءَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا ٱلْمُخْلَصِينَ 24
Translations
And she certainly determined [to seduce] him, and he would have inclined to her had he not seen the proof [i.e., sign] of his Lord. And thus [it was] that We should avert from him evil and immorality. Indeed, he was of Our chosen servants.
Transliteration
Wa-laqad hamma-t bihi wa-hamma biha law-la an ra'a burhan rabbihi. Kadhalika li-nasrifa 'anhu as-su'a wa-al-fahsha'. Innahu min 'ibadina al-mukhlisin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how Zulaikha (Potiphar's wife) desired Yusuf and he was inclined towards her, but he was saved by witnessing a sign from his Lord that prevented him from committing the sin. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that Allah explicitly states Yusuf saw a 'burhan' (clear proof/sign), which scholars have interpreted as either a vision of his father Yaqub (Jacob), a reminder of Allah's presence, or divine inspiration. The ayah demonstrates that Allah turns away evil and indecency from His chosen servants, and Yusuf is described as one of the 'mukhlasin' (the sincere/dedicated ones), highlighting his elevated spiritual status.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the detailed narrative of Surah Yusuf, which recounts Yusuf's trials and tribulations. The surah was revealed during the Meccan period to comfort Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) during his persecution. This particular verse is part of the most famous incident in Yusuf's life—his test in the house of Al-Aziz—which serves as a powerful example of maintaining chastity and righteousness despite overwhelming temptation.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim record that 'Aishah reported: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that Yusuf was given half of all beauty. Additionally, various hadith collections mention the virtue of guarding one's gaze and chastity, which directly relates to this ayah's message of resisting temptation through remembrance of Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
Even in moments of intense human desire and weakness, conscious remembrance of Allah and awareness of His presence can be a transformative force that guides us away from sin. Yusuf's example teaches that true honor and success come not from succumbing to temptation, but from steadfast faith and maintaining one's integrity, trusting that Allah protects those who sincerely turn to Him.
Related Ayahs
أَفَأَمِنُوٓا۟ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ غَـٰشِيَةٌ مِّنْ عَذَابِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْ تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
Then do they feel secure that there will not come to them an overwhelming [aspect] of the punishment of Allāh or that the Hour will not come upon them suddenly while they do not perceive?
إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّى رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِى سَـٰجِدِينَ
[Of these stories mention] when Joseph said to his father, "O my father, indeed I have seen [in a dream] eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me."
فَلَمَّا دَخَلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِ قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْعَزِيزُ مَسَّنَا وَأَهْلَنَا ٱلضُّرُّ وَجِئْنَا بِبِضَـٰعَةٍ مُّزْجَىٰةٍ فَأَوْفِ لَنَا ٱلْكَيْلَ وَتَصَدَّقْ عَلَيْنَآ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَجْزِى ٱلْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ
So when they entered upon him [i.e., Joseph], they said, "O ʿAzeez, adversity has touched us and our family, and we have come with goods poor in quality, but give us full measure and be charitable to us. Indeed, Allāh rewards the charitable."
وَلَمَّا فَتَحُوا۟ مَتَـٰعَهُمْ وَجَدُوا۟ بِضَـٰعَتَهُمْ رُدَّتْ إِلَيْهِمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَا مَا نَبْغِى ۖ هَـٰذِهِۦ بِضَـٰعَتُنَا رُدَّتْ إِلَيْنَا ۖ وَنَمِيرُ أَهْلَنَا وَنَحْفَظُ أَخَانَا وَنَزْدَادُ كَيْلَ بَعِيرٍ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ كَيْلٌ يَسِيرٌ
And when they opened their baggage, they found their merchandise returned to them. They said, "O our father, what [more] could we desire? This is our merchandise returned to us. And we will obtain supplies [i.e., food] for our family and protect our brother and obtain an increase of a camel's load; that is an easy measurement."