Submission (Islam in Arabic), like all the previous religions of
God, strongly condemns sexual misconduct and considers it a gross offense.
See 17:32, 27:54
Submission (Islam) does not only condemn sexual misconduct but it also
condemns the false accusations of people with such an offense and creating
and/or spreading rumors about such accusations.
God, the Most Merciful, knows that accusing innocent people with such a crime
is detrimental to the society and to the spirit of the people living in such
a society.
Accusations of people with sexual misconduct is as old as the history
of the human race. In many societies, the law of the land is that
the word of the accuser is accepted against the word of the accused.
In the USA, for example, if no proof can be established in favor
of either parties, it is usually the word of the accuser against
the word of the accused, while in some other societies, if the accused is
of a higher social class, his/her word will be accepted instead of the accuser.
God in the Quran does not take but the side of justice and well-being of
the society as a whole. The message that comes out of the Quran is that
accusation of someone with sexual misconduct or spreading rumors with such
accusations is a very serious matter and is not looked upon lightly by God.
God used the strongest language possible to admonish those who commit such
an offense by spreading rumors and repeating accusations of sexual misconduct
for which they did not have a proof. The proof here, is the personal knowledge
of a proof and not just hearing about a proof.
Sura 12 (Joseph-Yousuf) and Sura 24 (Light -Al-Noor)like all the other suras
of the Quran, have great lessons for all of us.
"In their history, there is a LESSON for
those who possess intelligence. This is not a fabricated hadith; this (Quran)
confirms all previous scriptures, and provides the details of everything. It
is a beacon and mercy for those who believe."
12:111
Many of the Muslims (and non-Muslims) today who are reading the history of
previous generations in the Quran are not appreciating what these stories
mean or what lessons they teach. For them these stories only represent "
. . . tales from the past." But God insists on reminding us with the reasons
for telling us the history of previous messengers, prophets, communities
and nations.
".......God thus cites the examples for the people,
that they may take heed."
14:25
Let us take heed and reflect on the Quranic Justice in the case of
false accusations of sexual misconduct and spreading rumors about such
accusations. This issue is so important, that God explained it in detail
in Sura 24 and gave us a great example of it in Sura 12. For those submitters
(Muslims in Arabic), who studied their Quran, they will realize that
this important issue is also treated in such a way to show us in detail "How
to handle the accusations of sexual misconduct in an Islamic society
or community?"
The incident in Sura 24 is in reference to the false accusation of Aysha,
the Prophet's wife with sexual misconduct, for which the prophet Muhammed
was very upset and disturbed. God elaborated on
this incident without mentioning names to teach His true believers
a great lesson. Read these verses and reflect on the implications that God
put in these words and these verses.
24:11-13
"A Gang among you produced a big lie. Do not think
that it was bad for you, in fact it was good for you (as a lesson). Meanwhile,
each one of them has earned his share of guilt. And the one who initiated
the whole incident has incurred a terrible retribution. When you heard it,
the believers should have had better thoughts about themselves, and should
have said, "This is obviously a big lie." You should have
demanded four witnesses. If the
WITNESSES
were NOT
PRODUCED, then they are according to
God,
LIARS."
God demands from His true believers before accusing anyone of sexual misconduct
or spreading rumors about anyone to have a proof, or to produce
four witnesses. Accusations of sexual misconduct that is carried out against
anybody who denies them and without verifiable proofs, are
considered by God a gross sin. The failure to produce four witnesses means
this person or these persons should be considered according to God, LIARS.
"You fabricated it with your own tongues, and the rest
of you repeated it with your mouths without proof. You thought it was
simple, when it was, according to God, gross."
24:15
---YOU THOUGHT IT WAS SIMPLE, WHEN IT WAS, ACCORDING
TO GOD, GROSS.---
What should they do
?
24:16 "When you heard it, you should have said, "We will
not repeat this. Glory be to You. This is a gross falsehood."
Many Muslims missed these lessons but again God reminds them in 24:17 It
is spelled out clearly in this verse
24:17 "GOD ADMONISHES YOU THAT YOU
SHALL NEVER DO THIS
AGAIN, IF YOU ARE REALLY BELIEVERS."
...............SHALL NEVER DO IT
AGAIN..........
This important lesson is usually forgotten, because many of those who
claim to be Muslims fail to uphold the great teachings of
the Quran specially if it inconveniences their plans of scheming
and plotting against someone they do not like. They may have also
looked at these stories in the Quran as "tales from the past."
Stories and history in the Quran are meant to teach us today, for our everyday
life and was never meant only for the previous generations. Our generation,
at this time of our life, needs this guidance and this kind of justice now
as much as the previous generations needed them and even more. Only the true
believers will hear and obey, while the hypocrites and disbelievers will
try to find excuses not to follow the rules and commandments of God. The
Quranic justice is not good enough for them, or in other words, for them,
God is not enough nor His book, the Quran. Even for those who might have
missed 24:17, God gave
us another great lesson in 49:6,
"O you who believe, if a wicked person brings news
to you, you shall first investigate, lest you commit injustice towards some
people out of Ignorance, then become sorry for what you have done."
It is God's Quranic justice system that requires four witnesses to prove
an accusation of sexual misconduct of a man or a woman, See 24:3-9. However,
the utmost justice is represented by the fact that, if you have no witness
then it is the word of the ACCUSED against the word of the ACCUSER and it
is God who will then judge them and condemn the liar. WHEN THERE IS NO WITNESS,
GOD DOES NOT GIVE THE JUDGMENT TO US (Humans), knowing that man is biased
by nature, where hatred, prejudice, ignorance and jealousy may influence
his judgment. The judgment then rests
with the law of God in the Quran. A liar, being the accused or accuser,
will not escape God's justice either in this life or in the Hereafter.
For those who falsely accuse women of sexual misconduct, God specified the
punishment for them in this life, as well as His wrath in the Hereafter.
24:4 "Those who accuse married women of adultery, then
fail to produce four witnesses, you shall whip them eighty lashes, and do
not EVER accept any testimony from them; they are wicked."
24:23 "Surely, those who falsely accuse married women
who are pious believers have incurred condemnation in this life and in the
Hereafter; they have incurred a horrendous retribution."
For the accusations of sexual misconduct that is exchanged between husbands
and wives, God set their rule also in Sura 24.
"As for those who accuse their own spouses, without
any other witnesses, then the testimony may be accepted if he swears by GOD
four times that he is telling the truth. The fifth oath shall be to incur
GOD's condemnation upon him, if he was lying. She shall be considered innocent
if she swears by GOD four times that he is a liar. The fifth oath shall incur
GOD's wrath upon her if he was telling the truth. This is GOD's grace and
mercy towards you. GOD is Redeemer, Most Wise."
24:6-10
God spared no words to tell us that He means every order in these verses
of Sura 24.
" A sura that we reveal, and
DECREE
as a law. We reveal in it
CLEAR
revelations, that you may take heed."
24:1
"We have revealed to you clarifying revelations and
examples from the past generations, and an enlightenment for the righteous."
24:34
ACCUSATIONS OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
AND THE MESSENGER OF GOD: |
The prophets and messengers, being humans like us, had been subjected to
all kinds of crimes that can be committed against a human being. They were
subjected to everything from accusations of sexual misconduct to murder and
anything in-between. The prophet Muhammed was verbally abused, physically
assaulted and emotionally insulted by those who lived around him and could
not accept his message of worshipping God alone. They even insulted his beloved
wife Aysha by falsely accusing her of sexual misconduct and spreading rumors
about it. As we know now these insults and accusations did not represent
the weakness of the prophet Muhammed, but rather the strength of his message.
People with poor issues need not be attacked because their message will fall
apart by itself. People with real strong issues are like a tree full of fruits
at which people throw all kinds of rocks. Nobody throws rocks at a dry fruitless
tree.
History will repeat itself. When the people cannot face the issues, they
try to assail the character - a game one may play in politics, but not with
God. The example given to us in sura 12, is almost a reflection of what some
misguided people can do and are doing these days.
A messenger of God, Joseph, was accused of sexual misconduct with his master's
wife. Although he was innocent, denied the accusations and there were no
witness but the accuser, he was thrown into the prison. According to the
hypocrites and misguided people, Joseph would be labeled a fraud, because
he was accused, convicted and jailed.
Despite that, Joseph was chosen as a messenger of God even before he was
sent to the prison. God could have spared him these false accusations and
the prison, but God wants to teach us a lesson. God makes it a lesson for
all the generations to come, including our generation. What happened to Joseph
did not change the fact that Joseph was a messenger of God and did not change
his message of worshipping God alone. It enforces the fact that , accusing
anyone or even convicting him and putting him in jail is no proof of wrong
doing if there is no proof, no witness and as long as the accused
denies the accusations.
Again, history repeats itself and the
messenger of the covenant
was accused in the same exact way, accusations he adamantly denied
, but the misguided people and the hypocrites disregarded God's commandments
in the Quran (see 24:11-15) and tried to assail his character to revenge
for what he did of exposing their misguidance and the false teachings
they uphold beside the Quran. Today's hypocrites and misguided people
come armed with web sites, HTML files and new technology that
will as much be their witness on the Day that God will ask them why
they did not take heed from the Quran.
Accusations, insults, physical abuses or murders are part of our testing,
we, the human beings. We are put through these tests to have the disbelievers
and the hypocrites exposed and to purify the true believers and advance them
to higher ranks.
"We must test you with some fear, hunger, and loss of
money, lives and crops and give good news to the steadfast."
2:155
More important is the fact that these accusations,
insults or murders of the messengers, the prophets and/or the righteous people
will not change the truth, or the message, because the truth will always
prevail. The message will always be the same,
WORSHIP GOD ALONE.
"They want to put out God's light with their mouths,
but God insists upon perfecting His light, in spite of the disbelievers."
9:32.
The lessons in Sura 12 and Sura 24 cannot be disregarded except by those
who refuse to believe God in His own book, the Quran. For them, to call
themselves Muslims is an insult to Islam (Submission), an insult to GOD of
the book and an insult to the Prophet who brought that same book.
Here, I will reproduce Sura 24 and part of Sura 12, for those who are interested,
from the English Translation of the Quran by Dr. Rashad Khalifa.
Sura 24, Light , Al-Noor (in Arabic)
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
[24:1]
A sura that we have sent down, and we have decreed
as law. We have revealed in it clear revelations, that you may take heed.
[24:2]
The adulteress and the adulterer you shall whip
each of them a hundred lashes. Do not be swayed by pity from carrying out
GOD's law, if you truly believe in GOD and the Last Day. And let a group
of believers witness their penalty.*
*24:2 Social pressure, i.e., public witnessing of the penalty, is the basic
punishment (see also 5:38). The lashes shall be symbolic, not severe.
[24:3]
The adulterer will end up marrying an adulteress
or an idol worshiper, and the adulteress will end up marrying an adulterer
or an idol worshiper. This is prohibited for the believers.
[24:4]
Those who accuse married women of adultery, then
fail to produce four witnesses, you shall whip them eighty lashes, and do
not accept any testimony from them; they are wicked.
[24:5]
If they repent afterwards and reform, then GOD is
Forgiver, Merciful.
[24:6]
As for those who accuse their own spouses, without
any other witnesses, then the testimony may be accepted if he swears by GOD
four times that he is telling the truth.
[24:7]
The fifth oath shall be to incur GOD's condemnation
upon him, if he was lying.
[24:8]
She shall be considered innocent if she swears by
GOD four times that he is a liar.
[24:9]
The fifth oath shall incur GOD's wrath upon her
if he was telling the truth.
[24:10]
This is GOD's grace and mercy towards you. GOD is
Redeemer, Most Wise.
[24:11]
A gang among you produced a big lie.* Do not think
that it was bad for you; instead, it was good for you. Meanwhile, each one
of them has earned his share of the guilt. As for the one who initiated the
whole incident, he has incurred a terrible retribution.
*24:11 This refers to a historical incident where
the Prophet Muhammad's wife Aysha was left in the desert by mistake, and
later found by a young man who helped her catch up with the
Prophet's caravan. This triggered
the famous `Big Lie' against Aysha.
[24:12]
When you heard it, the believing men and the believing
women should have had better thoughts about themselves, and should have said,
"This is obviously a big lie."
[24:13]
Only if they produced four witnesses (you may believe
them). If they fail to produce the witnesses, then they are, according to
GOD, liars.
[24:14]
If it were not for GOD's grace towards you, and
His mercy in this world and in the Hereafter, you would have suffered a great
retribution because of this incident.
[24:15]
You fabricated it with your own tongues, and the
rest of you repeated it with your mouths without proof. You thought it was
simple, when it was, according to GOD, gross.
[24:16]
When you heard it, you should have said, "We will
not repeat this. Glory be to You. This is a gross falsehood."
[24:17]
GOD admonishes you that you shall never do it again,
if you are believers.
[24:18]
GOD thus explains the revelations for you. GOD is
Omniscient, Wise.
[24:19]
Those who love to see immorality spread among the
believers have incurred a painful retribution in this life and in the Hereafter.
GOD knows, while you do not know.
[24:20]
GOD showers you with His grace and mercy. GOD is
Most Kind towards the believers, Most Merciful.
[24:21]
O you who believe, do not follow the steps of Satan.
Anyone who follows the steps of Satan should know that he advocates evil
and vice. If it were not for GOD's grace towards you, and His mercy, none
of you would have been purified. But GOD purifies whomever He wills. GOD
is Hearer, Knower.
[24:22]
Those among you who are blessed with resources and
wealth shall be charitable towards their relatives, the poor, and those who
have immigrated for the sake of GOD. They shall treat them with kindness
and tolerance; do you not love to attain GOD's forgiveness? GOD is Forgiver,
Most Merciful.
[24:23]
Surely, those who falsely accuse married women who
are pious believers have incurred condemnation in this life and in the Hereafter;
they have incurred a horrendous retribution.
[24:24]
The day will come when their own tongues, hands,
and feet will bear witness to everything they had done.
[24:25]
On that day, GOD will requite them fully for their
works, and they will find out that GOD is the Truth.
[24:26]
The bad women for the bad men, and the bad men for
the bad women, and the good women for the good men, and the good men for
the good women. The latter are innocent of such accusations. They have attained
forgiveness and a generous reward.
[24:27]
O you who believe, do not enter homes other than
yours without permission from their inhabitants, and without greeting them.
This is better for you, that you may take heed.
[24:28]
If you find no one in them, do not enter them until
you obtain permission. If you are told, "Go back," you must go back. This
is purer for you. GOD is fully aware of everything you do.
[24:29]
You commit no error by entering uninhabited homes
wherein there is something that belongs to you. GOD knows everything you
reveal, and everything you conceal.
[24:30]
Tell the believing men that they shall subdue their
eyes (and not stare at the women), and to maintain their chastity. This is
purer for them. GOD is fully Cognizant of everything they do.
[24:31]
And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes,
and maintain their chastity. They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies,
except that which is necessary. They shall cover their chests, and shall
not relax this code in the presence of other than their husbands, their fathers,
the fathers of their husbands, their sons, the sons of their husbands, their
brothers, the sons of their brothers, the sons of their sisters, other women,
the male servants or employees whose sexual drive has been nullified, or
the children who have not reached puberty. They shall not strike their feet
when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies.
All of you shall repent to GOD, O you believers, that you may
succeed.*
*24:30-31 Dressing modestly, therefore, is a trait of the believing men and
women. The minimum requirements for a woman's dress is to lengthen her garment
(33:59) and to cover her chest. Tyrannical Arab traditions have given a false
impression that women must be covered from head to toe; Such is not a Quranic
or Islamic dress.
[24:32]
You shall encourage those of you who are single
to get married. They may marry the righteous among your male and female servants,
if they are poor. GOD will enrich them from His grace. GOD is Bounteous,
Knower.
[24:33]
Those who cannot afford to get married shall maintain
morality until GOD provides for them from His grace. Those among your servants
who wish to be freed in order to marry, you shall grant them their wish,
once you realize that they are honest. And give them from GOD's money that
He has bestowed upon you. You shall not force your girls to commit prostitution,
seeking the materials of this world, if they wish to be chaste. If anyone
forces them, then GOD, seeing that they are forced, is Forgiver,
Merciful.
[24:34]
We have revealed to you clarifying revelations,
and examples from the past generations, and an enlightenment for the
righteous.
[24:35]
GOD is the light of the heavens and the earth. The
allegory of His light is that of a concave mirror behind a lamp that is placed
inside a glass container. The glass container is like a bright, pearl-like
star. The fuel thereof is supplied from a blessed oil-producing tree, that
is neither eastern, nor western. Its oil is almost self-radiating; needs
no fire to ignite it. Light upon light. GOD guides to His
light whoever wills (to be guided). GOD thus cites the parables for the people.
GOD is fully aware of all things.
[24:36]
(God's guidance is found) in houses exalted by GOD,
for His name is commemorated therein. Glorifying Him therein, day and night
-
[24:37]
People who are not distracted by business or trade
from commemorating GOD; they observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), and give
the obligatory charity (Zakat), and they are conscious of the day when the
minds and the eyes will be horrified.
[24:38]
GOD will certainly reward them for their good works,
and will shower them with His grace. GOD provides for whomever He wills without
limits.
[24:39]
As for those who disbelieve, their works are like
a mirage in the desert. A thirsty person thinks that it is water. But when
he reaches it, he finds that it is nothing, and he finds GOD there instead,
to requite him fully for his works. GOD is the most efficient
reckoner.
[24:40]
Another allegory is that of being in total darkness
in the midst of a violent ocean, with waves upon waves, in addition to thick
fog. Darkness upon darkness - if he looked at his own hand, he could barely
see it. Whomever GOD deprives of light, will have no light.
[24:41]
Do you not realize that everyone in the heavens
and the earth glorifies GOD, even the birds as they fly in a column? Each
knows its prayer and its glorification. GOD is fully aware of everything
they do.
[24:42]
To GOD belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and
the earth, and to GOD is the final destiny.
[24:43]
Do you not realize that GOD drives the clouds, then
gathers them together, then piles them on each other, then you see the rain
coming out of them? He sends down from the sky loads of snow to cover whomever
He wills, while diverting it from whomever He wills. The brightness of the
snow almost blinds the eyes.
[24:44]
GOD controls the night and day. This should be a
lesson for those who possess eyes.
[24:45]
And GOD created every living creature from water.
Some of them walk on their bellies, some walk on two legs, and some walk
on four. GOD creates whatever He wills. GOD is Omnipotent.
[24:46]
We have sent down to you clarifying revelations,
then GOD guides whoever wills (to be guided) in a straight path.
[24:47]
They say, "We believe in GOD and in the messenger,
and we obey," but then some of them slide back afterwards. These are not
believers.
[24:48]
When they are invited to GOD and His messenger to
judge among them, some of them get upset.
[24:49]
However, if the judgment is in their favor, they
readily accept it!
[24:50]
Is there a disease in their hearts? Are they doubtful?
Are they afraid that GOD and His messenger may treat them unfairly? In fact,
it is they who are unjust.
[24:51]
The only utterance of the believers, whenever invited
to GOD and His messenger to judge in their affairs, is to say, "We hear and
we obey." These are the winners.
[24:52]
Those who obey GOD and His messenger, and reverence
GOD and observe Him, these are the triumphant ones.
[24:53]
They swear by GOD, solemnly, that if you commanded
them to mobilize, they would mobilize. Say, "Do not swear. Obedience is an
obligation. GOD is fully Cognizant of everything you do."
[24:54]
Say, "Obey GOD, and obey the messenger." If they
refuse, then he is responsible for his obligations, and you are responsible
for your obligations. If you obey him, you will be guided. The sole duty
of the messenger is to deliver (the message).
[24:55]
GOD promises those among you who believe and lead
a righteous life, that He will make them sovereigns on earth, as He did for
those before them, and will establish for them the religion He has chosen
for them, and will substitute peace and security for them in place of fear.
All this because they worship Me alone; they never set up any idols beside
Me. Those who disbelieve after this are the truly wicked.
[24:56]
You shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and
give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and obey the messenger, that you may
attain mercy.
[24:57]
Do not think that those who disbelieve will ever
get away with it. Their final abode is Hell; what a miserable
destiny.
[24:58]
O you who believe, permission must be requested
by your servants and the children who have not attained puberty (before entering
your rooms). This is to be done in three instances - before the Dawn Prayer,
at noon when you change your clothes to rest, and after the Night Prayer.
These are three private times for you. At other times, it is not wrong for
you or them to mingle with one another. GOD thus clarifies the revelations
for you. GOD is Omniscient, Most Wise.
[24:59]
Once the children reach puberty, they must ask
permission (before entering) like those who became adults before them have
asked permission (before entering). GOD thus clarifies His revelations for
you. GOD is Omniscient, Most Wise.
[24:60]
The elderly women who do not expect to get married
commit nothing wrong by relaxing their dress code, provided they do not reveal
too much of their bodies. To maintain modesty is better for them. GOD is
Hearer, Knower.
[24:61]
The blind is not to be blamed, the crippled is not
to be blamed, nor is the handicapped to be blamed, just as you are not to
be blamed for eating at your homes, or the homes of your fathers, or the
homes of your mothers, or the homes of your brothers, or the homes of your
sisters, or the homes of your fathers' brothers, or the homes of your fathers'
sisters, or the homes of your mothers' brothers, or the
homes of your mothers' sisters, or the homes that belong to you and you possess
their keys, or the homes of your friends. You commit nothing wrong by eating
together or as individuals. When you enter any home, you shall greet each
other a greeting from GOD that is blessed and good. GOD thus explains the
revelations for you, that you may understand.
[24:62]
The true believers are those who believe in GOD
and His messenger,* and when they are with him in a community meeting, they
do not leave him without permission. Those who ask permission are the ones
who do believe in GOD and His messenger. If they ask your permission, in
order to tend to some of their affairs, you may grant permission to whomever
you wish, and ask GOD to forgive them. GOD is Forgiver, Most
Merciful.
*24:62 This verse refers to God's Messenger of the Covenant; by adding the
gematrical value of "Rashad" (505) plus the value of "Khalifa" (725), plus
the verse number (62), we get 1292, a multiple of 19 (1292=19x68). See Appendix
2.
[24:63]
Do not treat the messenger's requests as you treat
each others' requests. GOD is fully aware of those among you who sneak away
using flimsy excuses. Let them beware - those who disobey his orders - for
a disaster may strike them, or a severe retribution.
[24:64]
Absolutely, to GOD belongs everything in the heavens
and the earth. He fully knows every condition you may be in. The day you
are returned to Him, He will inform them of everything they had done. GOD
is fully aware of all things.
Sura 12, Joseph or Yousuf (in
Arabic)
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most
Merciful
[12:7]
In Joseph and his brothers there are lessons for
the seekers.
[12:8]
They said, "Joseph and his brother are favored by
our father, and we are in the majority. Indeed, our father is far astray.
[12:9]
"Let us kill Joseph, or banish him, that you may
get some attention from your father. Afterwards, you can be righteous people."*
*12:9 We learn from Joseph's dream that he was destined
for a bright future. Thus, while his brothers met to decide his fate, his
fate was already decided by God. Everything is done by God (8:17), and is
already recorded(57:22).
[12:10]
One of them said, "Do not kill Joseph; let us throw
him into the abyss of the well. Perhaps some caravan can pick him up, if
this is what you decide to do."
[12:11]
They said, "Our father, why do you not trust us
with Joseph? We will take good care of him.
[12:12]
"Send him with us tomorrow to run and play. We will
protect him."
[12:13]
He said, "I worry lest you go away with him, then
the wolf may devour him while you are not watching him."
[12:14]
They said, "Indeed, if the wolf devours him, with
so many of us around, then we are really losers."
[12:15]
When they went away with him, and unanimously decided
to throw him into the abyss of the well, we inspired him: "Some day, you
will tell them about all this, while they have no idea."
[12:16]
They came back to their father in the evening, weeping.
[12:17]
They said, "Our father, we went racing with each
other, leaving Joseph with our equipment, and the wolf devoured him. You
will never believe us, even if we were telling the truth."
[12:18]
They produced his shirt with fake blood on it. He
said, "Indeed, you have conspired with each other to commit a certain scheme.
All I can do is resort to a quiet patience. May GOD help me in the face of
your conspiracy."
[12:19]
A caravan passed by, and soon sent their waterer.
He let down his bucket, then said, "How lucky! There is a boy here!" They
took him along as merchandise, and GOD was fully aware of what they did.
[12:20]
They sold him for a cheap price - a few dirhams
- for they did not have any need for him.
[12:21]
The one who bought him in Egypt said to his wife,
"Take good care of him. Maybe he can help us, or maybe we can adopt him."
We thus established Joseph on earth, and we taught him the interpretation
of dreams. GOD's command is always done, but most people do not know.
[12:22]
When he reached maturity, we endowed him with wisdom
and knowledge. We thus reward the righteous.
[12:23]
The lady of the house where he lived tried to seduce
him. She closed the doors and said, "I am all yours." He said, "May GOD protect
me. He is my Lord, who gave me a good home.* The transgressors never succeed."
*12:23 Joseph worded this statement in such a way that
the governor's wife thought that he was talking about her husband, when in
fact he was talking about God.
[12:24]
She almost succumbed to him, and he almost succumbed
to her, if it were not that he saw a proof from his Lord. We thus diverted
evil and sin away from him, for he was one of our devoted servants.
[12:25]
The two of them raced towards the door, and, in
the process, she tore his garment from the back. They found her husband at
the door. She said, "What should be the punishment for one who wanted to
molest your wife, except imprisonment or a painful punishment?"
[12:26]
He said, "She is the one who tried to seduce me."
A witness from her family suggested: "If his garment is torn from the front,
then she is telling the truth and he is a liar.
[12:27]
"And if his garment is torn from the back, then
she lied, and he is telling the truth."
[12:28]
When her husband saw that his garment was torn from
the back, he said, "This is a woman's scheme. Indeed, your scheming is
formidable.
[12:29]
"Joseph, disregard this incident. As for you (my
wife), you should seek forgiveness for your sin. You have committed an error."
[12:30]
Some women in the city gossiped: "The governor's
wife is trying to seduce her servant. She is deeply in love with him. We
see that she has gone astray."
[12:31]
When she heard of their gossip, she invited them,
prepared for them a comfortable place, and gave each of them a knife. She
then said to him, "Enter their room." When they saw him, they so admired
him, that they cut their hands.* They said, "Glory be to GOD, this is not
a human being; this is an honorable angel."
*12:31 This is the same word used in 5:38 regarding
the hand of the thief, and the sum of sura and verse numbers (12+31 and 5+38)
are the same. Therefore, the thief's hand should be marked, not severed as
practiced by the corrupted Islam (see Footnote 5:38).
[12:32]
She said, "This is the one you blamed me for falling
in love with. I did indeed try to seduce him, and he refused. Unless he does
what I command him to do, he will surely go to prison, and will be debased."
[12:33]
He said, "My Lord, the prison is better than giving
in to them. Unless You divert their scheming from me, I may desire them and
behave like the ignorant ones."
[12:34]
His Lord answered his prayer and diverted their
scheming from him. He is the Hearer, the Omniscient.
[12:35]
Later, they saw to it, despite the clear proofs,
that they should imprison him for awhile.
The rest of the
Sura is very beautiful
and should be read also. Let us pray to God to guide us to His
straight path, the path of those He blessed , not the
path of those who deserved wrath.
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