The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 228
CH. 12 YUSUF say, ч, i. e. he leaned upon his hands or arms. 86, means, he set up for him a thing upon which to recline. means, he sat leaning upon one of his sides; he leaned or rested his back or his side against a thing; he leaned or reclined upon a thing; he reclined upon a cushion. They say i. e. we ate a repast with such a one. means, a place in which one reclines: a chamber or sitting room; that upon which one leans or reclines in eating, drinking or talking; food or repast, so called because high people used to recline when they sat to eat (Lane & Aqrab). PT. 12 in such a manner as to show that they sought to exculpate her. So in order to remove their suspicions, she invited them to a feast. Tables were laid and a knife was provided for each of them. When all the guests were assembled, she asked Joseph to come out and serve them, but hardly had they cast a glance over his face when his innocent look and angelic appearance made them convinced of the purity of his conduct and all their suspicions so far as Joseph was concerned were dissipated. The expression, cut their hands, is may mean that when the women حاش Allah be glorified) حاش لله derived from which means, he breathed short or he panted for breath ,means حاشاه منهم or was out of breath he set him aside as excluded from the description of the company or party; he excluded him from them, i. e. made looked at Joseph, they were so struck with his saintly appearance that in a state of forgetfulness some of them happened to cut their hands with the knives they had. Or the sentence may be taken as figuratively expressing their wonder and amazement. The biting the) عض الانامل Arabic expression حاش لك. an exception in regard to him means, far art thou from being included among those of whom I speak. means, I ascribe unto God remoteness from every imperfection or freedom therefrom; generally implying wonder or admiration. The expression may be rendered as "How far or how free is God from every imperfection!" It is also used in the sense of a i. e. I seek protection by God (Lane). Commentary: The verse purports to say that when Potiphar's wife heard of what the women in the city were saying about her infatuation for Joseph, she thought they really believed her to be guilty though outwardly they talked finger ends) is also used to express surprise, and, as sometimes the whole is used for a part, therefore the word "hands" may be said to have been here used for "finger-ends. " According to the Talmud, oranges were served to the guests and the women inadvertently cut their hands owing to their being engrossed in looking at Joseph (Jew. Enc. & Talmud). 1436 Incidentally, the verse shows that the word "angel" can also be used for a righteous and holy man. The verse also throws interesting light on the social customs of those days—the laying of cushioned seats and the use of knives, etc.