O
Surah Yusuf 29Yusuf ! Overlook this matter; and you, (O my wife), ask forgiveness for your sin, for surely you are of the wrong-doers.
Tafseer:
“Yusuf, turn away from this…”
This means: don’t tell anybody, ignore it, imagine that this never happened. “There were only four people, and it is a small thing, and I know I’m not going to tell anybody what happened, and I know my wife is not going to tell anybody, and I trust this man because he is a part of her family, and he would not bring dishonor to his own family.” The only person left is Yusuf.
“As for you, ask forgiveness for your sin. Make up for this sin. You were of those who committed a major sin.”
The question arises, why did the husband basically let her off with a tap on the wrist? This is a serious crime here. May Allah protect all of us. If any man, Muslim or non-Muslim, found even a fraction or even a portion of this from his own wife, you can imagine what would happen.
Why did this man overlook all of this?
Allah ‘azza wa jall knows best – and it makes complete sense from what we know about human psychology is that the reason why he wanted to keep this affair and matter secret was because it harmed his own reputation.
He had his own ego and prestige in society. Scholars point out the dangers of one’s ego and the dangers of one’s prestige that you are willing to allow filth to corrupt your own household as long as it is private.
This is, I think, a very logical reason why we can say that the husband ‘Aziz undertook no action. The main point that comes to his mind is: “What will people say? What will people think? It is going to destroy my reputation and my honor, so I cannot let this continue.” He simply said, “Yusuf, turn away from here.”
Another interesting point here is that ‘Aziz and his wife are not Muslim, yet he tells her, “Istaghfiri lidhanbiki. (Seek forgiveness for the sin you have committed).” He wants her to seek forgiveness from his gods and not from him. He knows that infidelity is a sin despite the fact that they don’t believe in our Shari‘ah.
Some Explanations:
- The ‘Aziz of Egypt wanted to cover up the incident, but the people of the world in all centuries came to know about it in order for Yusuf’s innocence to be maintained.
- The ‘Aziz, typical for those among the affluent classes, had a lenient attitude towards matters regarding
chastity, and refrained from seriously chastising his wife. - Non-godly leaders are usually not able to take a decisive stand towards their own impure wives.
A woman’s sexual relationship with any man other than her husband is illegitimate and indecent.
Authentic Tauheed :
In Islam if you did something haraam, and you didn’t know it was haraam, the Shariah court cannot touch you >> Umar did not stone the woman to death who slept with her servant boy, she was jahil
>> this shows you the mercy of Islam
–but if daar ul harb, or kufr, the kuffar have no mercy, they say ignorance is not an excuse
–and they will punish you-
Reflections
The weakness of al-Aziz in dealing with the situation.
• He just let go, and didn’t take further steps
‣ The rulings of Ad-Dayyuth.
- It’s someone who doesn’t take responsibility
of his women (wife or daughter or mother or sister) - It’s a person that doesn’t care when the women of his family don’t take care of themselves or protect themselves
- The prophet
said “The person who is ad-dayyuth does not enterjennah .”
Lesson
This husband was supporting his wife by letting the issue slide easily. It seems he cared more for his reputation than justice. This is later on evidenced when Yusuf was sent to jail for committing no crime. This was done to limit the effect of the Do not cover up the truth, act fairly.