Yusuf · Makki · ayah 52 of 111

Yusuf 12:52

ذَٰلِكَ لِيَعْلَمَ أَنِّى لَمْ أَخُنْهُ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى كَيْدَ ٱلْخَآئِنِينَ

“That is so he [i.e., al-ʿAzeez] will know that I did not betray him in [his] absence and that Allāh does not guide the plan of betrayers.”

Saheeh International

Essence

Whoever is speaking here, Yusuf or the woman who wronged him, the claim is the same: I did not betray him behind his back.

A reflection

Two voices, one sentence

Most readers assume they know who is speaking here. Translations often add a name in brackets, and the reader moves on. But this is one of the places where the great scholars genuinely differ.

One reading hears Yusuf. The messenger has brought back news of the inquiry, and Yusuf explains why he refused to come out. I did that so al-ʿAzīz would know I did not betray him behind his back. Many of the early authorities read it this way. Several major commentaries follow it, and one calls it the view of most.

The other reading hears the woman, still speaking after her confession. I said this so he would know I did not betray him in his absence. A major later commentary calls this the better known reading and the one that best fits the flow. Its argument is simple. Yusuf was not in the room. He was brought before the king only afterwards.

Arabic allows this kind of seamless join. One commentary points to another ayah where a queen speaks, and then Allah's own comment follows, with no marker in between. The listener knows by sense who is speaking.

So do not rush to settle it. Each reading opens a different door. On one, a servant guards his master's honour when no one is looking. On the other, a woman who once lied finally refuses to lie about an absent man.

Both are about the same thing: what you do when the other person is not there.

The full entry has 6 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.