۞ وَقَالَ نِسْوَةٌ فِى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ٱمْرَأَتُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ تُرَٰوِدُ فَتَىٰهَا عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۖ قَدْ شَغَفَهَا حُبًّا ۖ إِنَّا لَنَرَىٰهَا فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ 30
Translations
And women in the city said, "The wife of al-ʿAzeez is seeking to seduce her slave boy; he has impassioned her with love. Indeed, we see her [to be] in clear error."
Transliteration
Wa qāla niswa'un fil-madīnati imra'atu al-'azīzi turāwidu fatāhu 'an nafsih, qad shagafaha hubban, innā lanarayāha fī dalālin mubīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Women of the city began spreading rumors about the wife of the 'Azīz (chief minister), saying she was trying to seduce her young servant (Yusuf). The exegetes, including Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, explain that 'shagafaha hubban' (love had pierced her heart) describes the intensity of her infatuation, which had clouded her reason and judgment, leading her into manifest error. This verse demonstrates how unchecked desires and passions can override a person's intellect and moral compass, while also showing how gossip and public scandal spread in society.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Surah Yusuf, which details Yusuf's trials in Egypt. The context is immediately after Yusuf's refusal of the 'Azīz's wife's advances and his call to Allah (12:23-29). When the women of the city learned of her attempted seduction, they began to ridicule and gossip about her, which is recorded in this verse. This forms part of the thematic progression showing how virtue is tested and how society responds to such trials.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly addresses this specific ayah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said in Sahih Bukhari: 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or keep silent,' which relates to the women's gossip condemned implicitly in this verse. Additionally, hadiths on the danger of unlawful desires and maintaining chastity (as exemplified by Yusuf) are thematically connected, such as in Sunan Ibn Majah regarding guarding the eyes and heart.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that intense desire can cloud human judgment and lead one into clear error, reminding us to safeguard our hearts through conscious awareness of Allah and rational self-control. It also warns against participating in gossip and spreading rumors about others, as such behavior perpetuates harm and reflects a lack of wisdom and faith.