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Yusuf ( - Peace Be Upon Him) in the Prison

This month's story is a continuation of the story of Yusuf , who was abandoned in a deep pit by his brothers, found by a passing caravan, and sold into slavery in Egypt.

The Egyptian who bought Yusuf from the caravan gave him a position of responsibility in his household. As Yusuf grew to full manhood he became extremely handsome and the wife of his master fell hopelessly in love with him. One day, when she was alone in a room with him, she approached him with sinful intentions. As he attempted to flee from the room to avoid her advances, she grabbed his shirt from behind and tore it. At the door of the room they ran into the master of the household, who demanded to know what was happening. The wife accused Yusuf of chasing her and Yusuf denied it. One of the members of the household suggested a way to determine who was telling the truth. If Yusuf's shirt was torn in the front, then the wife had been resisting Yusuf . But if the shirt were torn in the back, then the wife had been pursuing Yusuf . Since the shirt had been torn from behind, Yusuf was shown to be telling the truth. The master told him to take no further notice of the matter, and he reprimanded his wife for having done something wrong.

Despite the husband's attempt to hush up the whole affair, gossip was soon spreading throughout the city that the wife had fallen in love with her servant. When she heard the malicious talk, the wife invited all the women of the town to a meal and gave each of them a knife to use. She then called Yusuf into the room. All the women were so overcome by the sight of the handsome young man that they cut their hands with the knives which they held. In this way the mistress of the house showed them why she had sought Yusuf and she vowed that if he did not yield to her wishes she would have him imprisoned.

Yusuf was an upright young man, and with the help of Allah he had been able to resist the advances of any woman. But he realized the weakness of his human nature and he knew that if so many women were pursuing him, he might very well yield to temptation. And so he prayed to Allah that he would rather be imprisoned than accept any of their invitations, but he needed Allah's help to turn away their attentions. And Allah heard his plea and turned their attentions from him.

But the men of the city, although acknowledging Yusuf's innocence, feared the commotion which his presence caused, and thus decided to have him imprisoned. There Yusuf remained for several years.

Insha Allah in the next issue of Iqraa we shall relate how Yusuf was cleared of the charges against him, and how he was raised to a position of eminence in the land of Egypt.

 

Published: May 1992