Did the woman who tried to seduce Prophet Yusuf become Muslim? [Surah Yusuf 12: 51-53]

Asalaamu alaykum waRahmatullah waBarakaatuh

Did the woman who tried to seduce Prophet Yusuf become Muslim?  [Surah Yusuf 12: 51-53]


We know that after Prophet Yusuf had been imprisoned, he interpreted a dream of the king of Egypt and asked that he be released only after his innocence had been proven.



So the King of Egypt called the women who tried to seduce Prophet Yusuf and asked them about what happened, and this is what Allah narrates to us in the Qur'an;

قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُنَّ إِذْ رَاوَدتُّنَّ يُوسُفَ عَن نَّفْسِهِ ۚ قُلْنَ حَاشَ لِلَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِن سُوءٍ ۚ قَالَتِ امْرَأَتُ الْعَزِيزِ الْآنَ حَصْحَصَ الْحَقُّ أَنَا رَاوَدتُّهُ عَن نَّفْسِهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ

(The King) said (to the women): "What was your affair when you did seek to seduce Yusuf (Joseph)?" The women said: "Allah forbid! No evil know we against him!" The wife of Al-'Aziz said: "Now the truth is manifest (to all), it was I who sought to seduce him, and he is surely of the truthful."  [Yusuf 12:51]


ذَٰلِكَ لِيَعْلَمَ أَنِّي لَمْ أَخُنْهُ بِالْغَيْبِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي كَيْدَ الْخَائِنِينَ

[Then Yusuf (Joseph) said: "I asked for this enquiry] in order that he (Al-'Aziz) may know that I betrayed him not in secret. And, verily! Allah guides not the plot of the betrayers. [12:52]


وَمَا أُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِي ۚ إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّي ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

"And I free not myself (from the blame). Verily, the (human) self is inclined to evil, except when my Lord bestows His Mercy (upon whom He wills). Verily, my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." [12:53]

Now we notice one thing which stands out - the brackets in the above translations [which are Tafseer]. If we however, were to remove the brackets, we see the following message;

He said - "What was your affair when you did seek to seduce Yusuf. The women said: "Allah forbid! No evil know we against him!" The wife of Al-'Aziz said: "Now the truth is manifest it was I who sought to seduce him, and he is surely of the truthful."  [12:51]

In order that he may know that I betrayed him not in secret. And, verily! Allah guides not the plot of the betrayers. [12:52]

"And I free not myself/ Verily, the self is inclined to evil, except when my Lord bestows His Mercy. Verily, my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." [12:53]

Now this is a minority, yet legitimate opinion (because it makes sense linguistically) held by some scholars of Tafseer. They hold the view that this whole passage of ' wanting to betray' discussion is the statement of the woman who tried to seduce Prophet Yusuf.



Syed Qutb mentions in his Tafseer:

At this point, the woman who loved Joseph and could not rid herself of such love, despite her despair of him ever succumbing to her guile, comes forward to confess all in a very frank statement: “The Chief Minister’s wife said: Now has the truth come to light. It was I who tried to seduce him. He has indeed told the truth.’“ (Verse 51) It is a full confession admitting her guilt and his commitment to telling the truth.

She goes even further to reveal that she still has a soft spot for him, hoping that she will gain his respect after all that time. There is a further hint that his faith had found its way into her heart and that she believed in it: “From this he will know that I did not betray him behind his back, and that God does not bless with His guidance the schemes of those who betray their trust.”1 (Verse 52)

Her confession and what comes after is described here in highly charged but refined words which tell us much about the feelings behind it. “It was I who tried to seduce him. He has indeed told the truth.” (Verse 51) This is a full testimony of his innocence and his having always said the truth. The woman does not mind what happens to her as a result of her confession. Was it then only the truth that she knew which prompted her to deliver that full confession in the presence of the King and nobles of the state?

The text of the sūrah implies a different motive. It suggests she was keen to win the respect of a man who is full of faith, and who paid no attention to her physical beauty. She now wanted that he respect her for her faith and honesty in giving a true account of his personality in his absence: “From this he will know that I did not betray him behind his back.” (Verse 52) She carries on with a moral statement of the type Joseph loves and appreciates: “God does not bless with His guidance the schemes of those who betray their trust.” (Verse 52)

She even goes a step further to express her new virtuous feelings: “And yet, I am not trying to claim to be free of sin. Indeed man’s soul does incite him to evil, except for those upon whom God has bestowed His mercy. My Lord is Much-Forgiving, Merciful.” (Verse 53) She was a woman in love. She was several years his senior. Her hopes depended largely on a word from him or a feeling of pleasure that she might feel he entertained.


- [Fi Dhilal al Qur'an Vol.10 p74 (Syed Qutb) - explanation of surah Yusuf]

In simple words; Allah said these aayaat amazingly in a way which could imply that these quoted words are either; the words of Prophet Yusuf, or the woman herself.  She might have said these words to show that she has become a believer now, and that she is regretful of her past. And perhaps Prophet Yusuf will feel happy with her and be willing to forgive her due to her regretful attitude.



End Note:

I remember hearing stories from my parents when I was younger, that Prophet Yusuf got the position of al 'Azeez [the financial minister] and married his wife, who surprisingly was this same woman (called Zulaykha)! Maybe this was mentioned in the Isra'eeliyaat [Biblical references]? Allah knows best!