The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 240
CH. 12 YUSUF 53. Joseph said, 'I asked for that enquiry to be made so that he (the 'Aziz) might know that I was not unfaithful to him in his absence and that Allah suffers not the device of the unfaithful to succeed. 1556 54. And I do not hold my own PT. 13 ULRICUS اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي كَيْدَ الْخَاسِنِينَ وَمَا أُبَرِئُ نَفْسِي إِنَّ النَّفْسَ self to be free from weaknes لَأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّي اِنَّ رَبِّي غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ for, the soul is surely prone to enjoin evil, save that whereon my Lord has mercy. Surely, my Lord is Most Forgiving, Merciful. '1557 this to escape the greater shame of being condemned out of the mouth of others and perhaps also to win some credit for speaking the truth without being questioned. 1556. Commentary: The words of this and the following verses were uttered by Joseph and not by the seducing woman as supposed by some commentators. The pronoun "him" in the clause as J (I was not unfaithful to him) refers to Potiphar. The verse shows Joseph as stating the object for which he had caused this enquiry to be held, which was to clear himself of the possible charge that he had behaved faithlessly towards his master, Potiphar. The words "the unfaithful" here refer to those who had plotted against Joseph. As Joseph was a Prophet of God, the plotters against him could not succeed, and hence God caused their plot to be exposed and defeated. 1448 1557. Commentary: As stated in the preceding verse, the words I do not hold my own self etc. , were uttered by Joseph. The verse thus constitutes a striking commentary on the purity and nobility of mind of God's Prophets and His Elect. Joseph, as stated above, had demanded an enquiry to be held about the imputation made against him. In this verse he disclaims any intention to establish his own purity or attribute any good to himself by that enquiry. His object, he says, is to show by this means that God does not allow the machinations of dishonest people to succeed against His Prophets and also that no one can tempt into sin those to whom God gives His protection. Joseph declares that he had caused this inquiry to be made, not to make a show of his own purity but to indicate that nobody can lead astray the man