The story of Joseph and the wife of Al-Aziz | Episode (25) and the last | Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful

0:00 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

0:03 The story of Yusuf, peace be upon him,

0:07 with the wife of al-'Aziz.

0:09 “I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.” (12:53)

0:14 The wife of al-'Aziz continued to clarify the truth of what happened to her with Yusuf.

0:19 She said:

0:21 "And I do not acquit myself."

0:23 “I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.” (12:53)

0:27 “I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.” (12:53)

0:29 “I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.” (12:53)

0:32 She says this after having previously said:

0:35 “(Then Joseph said: I asked for) this, that he (my lord) may know that I betrayed him not in secret, and that surely Allah guideth not the snare of the betrayers.” (12:52)

0:39 “(Then Joseph said: I asked for) this, that he (my lord) may know that I betrayed him not in secret, and that surely Allah guideth not the snare of the betrayers.” (12:52)

0:43 Which might be understood as her justifying and praising herself.

0:48 So she said:

0:50 "And I do not acquit myself."

0:52 “I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.” (12:53)

0:56 “I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.” (12:53)

0:58 “I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.” (12:53)

1:01 She acknowledges her error.

1:04 And she admits that her soul prompted her to evil.

1:07 But she repents from that.

1:10 And she hopes for the mercy of the Forgiving, the Merciful, glory be to Him.

1:13 That the occurrence of error,

1:15 and falling into sin,

1:17 is something that can happen to any human being,

1:19 no matter how high their status,

1:21 and no matter how advanced their age or knowledge.

1:24 It does not benefit a person to be arrogant or to justify their soul,

1:28 or to claim that they are always in the right.

1:32 For no one does this except one who is ignorant of the reality of their own soul and is deluded by it.

1:38 The wife of al-'Aziz became certain

1:40 that there was no escape from stating the truth and confessing it,

1:45 because deception does not last,

1:47 and plotting does not endure,

1:49 and evil schemes only recoil upon those who devise them.

1:53 So she returned to the truth and confessed her sin.

1:56 This is the first step for every young woman

2:01 who has fallen into love with a man before marriage and become attached to him,

2:05 and whose actions have led her to what incurs the wrath of Allah upon her.

2:09 The first step in treating this passion and these sins

2:14 is to admit the error of one's soul,

2:17 and that what she has done is an act of disobedience to Allah.

2:20 This step cannot be achieved

2:23 unless the young woman acknowledges that this relationship

2:26 which binds her to this young man

2:28 outside the bounds of marriage

2:31 is a forbidden relationship.

2:33 It is of no use for a young woman to justify herself

2:36 with excuses that are acceptable neither by Sharia nor by reason,

2:40 such as saying that she does not possess her own heart.

2:44 And worse than that,

2:46 is to fabricate lies against Allah and say:

2:50 "It is Allah who cast into her heart

2:53 the love for this young man,"

2:55 because Allah is the One who possesses the hearts of His servants.

2:59 This is something that Satan casts into the hearts

3:02 of those who have fallen into forbidden passion.

3:05 It is exactly what the polytheists argued

3:08 regarding their own heinous deeds.

3:10 Allah the Almighty said concerning them:

3:12 “O Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you as he caused your (first) parents to go forth from the Garden and tore off from them their robe (of innocence) that he might manifest their shame to them. Lo! he seeth you, he and his tribe, from whence ye see him not. Lo! We have made the devils protecting friends for those who believe not.” (7:27)

3:19 "Let not Satan tempt you."

3:22 “O Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you as he caused your (first) parents to go forth from the Garden and tore off from them their robe (of innocence) that he might manifest their shame to them. Lo! he seeth you, he and his tribe, from whence ye see him not. Lo! We have made the devils protecting friends for those who believe not.” (7:27)

3:34 "Stripping them of their clothing

3:39 to show them their private parts."

3:42 “O Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you as he caused your (first) parents to go forth from the Garden and tore off from them their robe (of innocence) that he might manifest their shame to them. Lo! he seeth you, he and his tribe, from whence ye see him not. Lo! We have made the devils protecting friends for those who believe not.” (7:27)

3:46 “O Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you as he caused your (first) parents to go forth from the Garden and tore off from them their robe (of innocence) that he might manifest their shame to them. Lo! he seeth you, he and his tribe, from whence ye see him not. Lo! We have made the devils protecting friends for those who believe not.” (7:27)

3:49 “O Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you as he caused your (first) parents to go forth from the Garden and tore off from them their robe (of innocence) that he might manifest their shame to them. Lo! he seeth you, he and his tribe, from whence ye see him not. Lo! We have made the devils protecting friends for those who believe not.” (7:27)

3:54 "For those who do not believe."

3:57 "And when they commit an immorality,"

4:00 “And when they do some lewdness they say: We found our fathers doing it and Allah hath enjoined it on us. Say: Allah, verily, enjoineth not lewdness. Tell ye concerning Allah that which ye know not?” (7:28)

4:06 "Allah has commanded us to do it."

4:09 “And when they do some lewdness they say: We found our fathers doing it and Allah hath enjoined it on us. Say: Allah, verily, enjoineth not lewdness. Tell ye concerning Allah that which ye know not?” (7:28)

4:16 "Do you say about Allah that which you do not know?"

4:21 "Say, 'My Lord has ordered justice.'"

4:24 “Say: My Lord enjoineth justice. And set your faces upright (toward Him) at every place of worship and call upon Him, making religion pure for Him (only). As He brought you into being, so return ye (unto Him).” (7:29)

4:28 “Say: My Lord enjoineth justice. And set your faces upright (toward Him) at every place of worship and call upon Him, making religion pure for Him (only). As He brought you into being, so return ye (unto Him).” (7:29)

4:32 "As He began your creation, so you will return."

4:35 "A party He guided, and a party deserved to be in error,"

4:40 “A party hath He led aright, while error hath just hold over (another) party, for lo! they choose the devils for protecting supporters instead of Allah and deem that they are rightly guided.” (7:30)

4:45 “A party hath He led aright, while error hath just hold over (another) party, for lo! they choose the devils for protecting supporters instead of Allah and deem that they are rightly guided.” (7:30)

4:49 "and they think that they are guided."

4:54 And He, glory be to Him, said:

4:56 "Those who associated others with Allah will say,"

4:59 “They who are idolaters will say: Had Allah willed, we had not ascribed (unto Him) partners neither had our fathers, nor had we forbidden aught. Thus did those who were before them give the lie (to Allah's messengers) till they tasted of the fear of Us. Say: Have ye any knowledge that ye can adduce for Us? Lo! ye follow naught but an opinion, Lo! ye do but guess.” (6:148)

5:05 "nor our forefathers."

5:13 “They who are idolaters will say: Had Allah willed, we had not ascribed (unto Him) partners neither had our fathers, nor had we forbidden aught. Thus did those who were before them give the lie (to Allah's messengers) till they tasted of the fear of Us. Say: Have ye any knowledge that ye can adduce for Us? Lo! ye follow naught but an opinion, Lo! ye do but guess.” (6:148)

5:17 "Likewise did those before them deny,

5:21 until they tasted Our punishment."

5:24 “They who are idolaters will say: Had Allah willed, we had not ascribed (unto Him) partners neither had our fathers, nor had we forbidden aught. Thus did those who were before them give the lie (to Allah's messengers) till they tasted of the fear of Us. Say: Have ye any knowledge that ye can adduce for Us? Lo! ye follow naught but an opinion, Lo! ye do but guess.” (6:148)

5:28 "And bring it out for us."

5:31 “They who are idolaters will say: Had Allah willed, we had not ascribed (unto Him) partners neither had our fathers, nor had we forbidden aught. Thus did those who were before them give the lie (to Allah's messengers) till they tasted of the fear of Us. Say: Have ye any knowledge that ye can adduce for Us? Lo! ye follow naught but an opinion, Lo! ye do but guess.” (6:148)

5:35 “They who are idolaters will say: Had Allah willed, we had not ascribed (unto Him) partners neither had our fathers, nor had we forbidden aught. Thus did those who were before them give the lie (to Allah's messengers) till they tasted of the fear of Us. Say: Have ye any knowledge that ye can adduce for Us? Lo! ye follow naught but an opinion, Lo! ye do but guess.” (6:148)

5:39 “Say - For Allah's is the final argument - Had He willed He could indeed have guided all of you.” (6:149)

5:43 “Say - For Allah's is the final argument - Had He willed He could indeed have guided all of you.” (6:149)

5:48 This belief is worse than the sin of passion itself.

5:53 For the young woman in love who is aware of her sin,

5:57 there is hope for her repentance and remorse one day.

6:01 As for the one who justifies her situation to herself,

6:05 and attributes her evil deeds to the decrees of Allah for her,

6:10 she has spoken falsehood against Allah.

6:13 And one fears for the ultimate outcome of her affairs.

6:17 Allah the Almighty said:

6:19 “Say: My Lord forbiddeth only indecencies, such of them as are apparent and such as are within, and sin and wrongful oppression, and that ye associate with Allah that for which no warrant hath been revealed, and that ye tell concerning Allah that which ye know not.” (7:33)

6:24 "What is apparent of it and what is concealed,"

6:27 "and sin and oppression without right,"

6:31 "and sin and oppression without right,"

6:34 "and that you associate with Allah,"

6:37 "and that you associate with Allah,"

6:40 "that for which He has not sent down authority,"

6:44 "and that you say about Allah [that which you do not know]."

6:48 The second step indicated by the wife of al-'Aziz

6:53 is knowing the reality of the soul,

6:56 and that it prompts to evil and indecency,

6:59 except that which Allah has mercy upon.

7:01 Whoever knows their soul and what it prompts them to do,

7:04 is able to treat it,

7:06 and to take caution against it and what it calls them toward.

7:10 As for the one who is ignorant of their soul,

7:13 it will lead them according to its whims,

7:16 and cause them to fall into what incurs the wrath of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic.

7:20 As for the third step indicated by the wife of al-'Aziz,

7:25 it is the great door of hope for all sinners,

7:29 and it is in her saying:

7:31 “I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.” (12:53)

7:34 The realization by the young woman and the young man that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful

7:38 protects them from falling into despair and hopelessness regarding the mercy of Allah,

7:44 and drives them to seek forgiveness and mercy from Allah.

7:48 And whoever among them does that,

7:51 attains the forgiveness and mercy of Allah.

7:55 With the end of this scene,

7:57 the story of Yusuf with the wife of al-'Aziz concludes.

8:01 It ends with the honoring of Yusuf, peace be upon him,

8:04 and his release from prison, cherished and honored.

8:08 The King said, "Bring him to me;

8:12 I will appoint him exclusively for myself."

8:15 And when he spoke to him, he said:

8:19 “And the king said: Bring him unto me that I may attach him to my person. And when he had talked with him he said: Lo! thou art to-day in our presence established and trusted.” (12:54)

8:24 He said, "Put me in charge of the storehouses of the land;

8:30 indeed, I am a knowing guardian."

8:34 And thus We established Yusuf in the land.

8:39 “Thus gave We power to Joseph in the land. He was the owner of it where he pleased. We reach with Our mercy whom We will. We lose not the reward of the good.” (12:56)

8:44 “Thus gave We power to Joseph in the land. He was the owner of it where he pleased. We reach with Our mercy whom We will. We lose not the reward of the good.” (12:56)

8:50 “Thus gave We power to Joseph in the land. He was the owner of it where he pleased. We reach with Our mercy whom We will. We lose not the reward of the good.” (12:56)

8:54 “And the reward of the Hereafter is better, for those who believe and ward off (evil).” (12:57)

9:00 And they were mindful of Allah.

9:03 At the end of this scene,

9:05 in which the innocence of Yusuf appears before all witnesses,

9:10 by the confession of all parties to the crime,

9:13 and before the highest authority in the state,

9:16 Allah establishes Yusuf,

9:18 and he attains the position befitting him.

9:22 The end of this scene would not have been completed in this manner

9:26 had it not been for Yusuf's reliance upon Allah,

9:29 his sincerity to Him, and his preference for His obedience,

9:32 and prioritizing the love of Allah over the whims of his own soul,

9:36 even if the price for that was imprisonment for a few years.

9:40 That is the way of Allah for everyone who prefers the pleasure of Allah over their own whims and relies upon Him.

9:47 In this, there is consolation for young men and women,

9:50 to rise above the fever of desires and temptations offered everywhere.

9:56 And let every young man and every young woman know

9:59 that the moments of desire are fleeting,

10:02 while the regrets of falling into them remain for all eternity.

10:06 Whereas if they rely upon Allah,

10:08 and remain chaste against them and against their own souls that prompt to evil,

10:13 then Allah will replace it for them with the sweetness of chastity and the honor of obedience.

10:18 This scene ends,

10:20 to begin other chapters and scenes in the story of Yusuf with his brothers.

10:26 And here this series concludes,

10:29 with the hope of meeting you, if Allah wills, in another series in the coming days,

10:36 if Allah grants life to me and to you.

10:39 And our final prayer is that all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

10:44 The story of Yusuf with the wife of al-'Aziz.

The story of Joseph and the wife of Al-Aziz | Episode (25) and the last | Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful

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