The meaning of 'would have inclined to her desire' with regard to Prophet Yusuf
Q 1: On his return from Egypt after paying a visit to his son, the Imam said that he met some Egyptian scholars who aroused his attention to certain views that he was wrong about. For example, Allah’s saying in Surah Yusuf (Joseph, peace be upon him) [meanings of which are translated as]: And indeed she did desire him, and he would have inclined to her desire He used to think that the Ayah speaks of the natural intention to have sexual desire that is normal between a man and woman. However, the scholars of Egypt explained that the meaning intended does not refer to sexual desire. What is the authenticity of this opinion taking into account that the Ayahs indicate that what is meant is sexual desire, otherwise why would Allah say (what means): "...Had he not seen the evidence of his Lord..."?
A: The soundest opinion among the scholars states that the inclination on the part of Yusuf (peace and blessings be upon him and our Prophet) is the natural sexual desire a human feels when exposed to a sensual stimulant. However, Allah protected him from sin as He says (what means): Thus it was, that We might turn away from him evil and illegal sexual intercourse. Surely, he was one of Our chosen (guided) slaves. It is not permissible to depart from the apparent meaning of the Ayah in preference of a hidden meaning unless there is evidence to support it. As far as we know, there is no evidence necessitating a departure from the apparent meaning of the Ayah. It is well-known that the mere inclination to commit a sin incurs no harm if a Muslim refrains from committing it. (Part No. 4; Page No. 238) In fact, a rewardable good deed will be recorded for the Muslim who avoids doing an unlawful deed for the sake of Allah, as stated by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.
Selling Prophet Yusu...
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