وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱئْتُونِى بِهِۦ ۖ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُ ٱلرَّسُولُ قَالَ ٱرْجِعْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَسْـَٔلْهُ مَا بَالُ ٱلنِّسْوَةِ ٱلَّـٰتِى قَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى بِكَيْدِهِنَّ عَلِيمٌ 50
Translations
And the king said, "Bring him to me." But when the messenger came to him, [Joseph] said, "Return to your master and ask him what is the case of the women who cut their hands. Indeed, my Lord is Knowing of their plan."
Transliteration
Wa qala al-maliku itu ni bi hi, fa lamma ja'a hu ar-rasulu qala irji' ila rabbi ka fa sal hu ma balu an-niswa tu al-lati qatta' na aydi ya hunna, inna rabbi bi kaydi hin 'alim.
Tafsir (Explanation)
The king commands that Yusuf be brought before him, but when the messenger arrives, Yusuf asks him to return and inquire of the king about the incident of the women who cut their hands, demonstrating Yusuf's wisdom and desire to clear his name completely before entering the king's service. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, Yusuf's request shows his prudence in seeking to establish his innocence through official testimony rather than rely solely on the king's favor, as the truth of the matter (the women's deception and their admission of his innocence) was crucial to his honor and reputation.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Yusuf's eventual ascension to power in Egypt. The broader context involves Yusuf's years of imprisonment and his interpretation of the king's dream, which led to his summons from prison. The reference to the women cutting their hands alludes to the incident with Potiphar's wife (Zulaikha) and the women of Egypt who witnessed her false accusation against Yusuf (mentioned in 12:31).
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly addresses this specific incident, the principle relates to Hadith Qudsi about truth and innocence: 'Verily, Allah does not judge between people based on assumptions, but rather on clear evidence.' This reflects the Islamic principle of establishing innocence through testimony rather than assumption.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers the importance of actively seeking to clear one's name through legitimate means and truth rather than passively accepting favor—Yusuf's insistence on having the truth established demonstrates that integrity and honor are worth more than immediate advancement. It also reminds us that Allah knows all hidden schemes and deceptions, so truthfulness ultimately serves us better than any compromise with falsehood.
Related Ayahs
يَـٰصَـٰحِبَىِ ٱلسِّجْنِ ءَأَرْبَابٌ مُّتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْوَٰحِدُ ٱلْقَهَّارُ
O [my] two companions of prison, are separate lords better or Allāh, the One, the Prevailing?
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَا مَا لَكَ لَا تَأْمَ۫نَّا عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَنَـٰصِحُونَ
They said, "O our father, why do you not entrust us with Joseph while indeed, we are to him sincere counselors?
قُلْ هَـٰذِهِۦ سَبِيلِىٓ أَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا۠ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِى ۖ وَسُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Say, "This is my way; I invite to Allāh with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allāh; and I am not of those who associate others with Him."
قَالَ لَا يَأْتِيكُمَا طَعَامٌ تُرْزَقَانِهِۦٓ إِلَّا نَبَّأْتُكُمَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِۦ قَبْلَ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمَا ۚ ذَٰلِكُمَا مِمَّا عَلَّمَنِى رَبِّىٓ ۚ إِنِّى تَرَكْتُ مِلَّةَ قَوْمٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَهُم بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ هُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ
He said, "You will not receive food that is provided to you except that I will inform you of its interpretation before it comes to you. That is from what my Lord has taught me. Indeed, I have left the religion of a people who do not believe in Allāh, and they, in the Hereafter, are disbelievers.