WikiTefsir
Unnamed figure in the Quran

The wife of the Egyptian dignitary

امرأة العزيز

She attempts to seduce Joseph and later confesses the truth.

Identified by relationship; Zulaykha is not named.

Across the surahs

The story through its verses

Read continuously: every passage is already open and arranged in narrative order.

01

The locked doors

She attempts to seduce Joseph, who seeks refuge.

Yusuf 12:23

وَرَٰوَدَتْهُ ٱلَّتِى هُوَ فِى بَيْتِهَا عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ وَغَلَّقَتِ ٱلْأَبْوَٰبَ وَقَالَتْ هَيْتَ لَكَ ۚ قَالَ مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ رَبِّىٓ أَحْسَنَ مَثْوَاىَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ

But the woman[11] in whose house he was living tried to seduce him. She bolted the doors and said, “Come here to me!” He said, “I seek refuge with Allah! My master has made my stay good. Indeed, the wrongdoers will never succeed.”

Yusuf 12:25

وَٱسْتَبَقَا ٱلْبَابَ وَقَدَّتْ قَمِيصَهُۥ مِن دُبُرٍ وَأَلْفَيَا سَيِّدَهَا لَدَا ٱلْبَابِ ۚ قَالَتْ مَا جَزَآءُ مَنْ أَرَادَ بِأَهْلِكَ سُوٓءًا إِلَّآ أَن يُسْجَنَ أَوْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

They both rushed to the door and she tore his shirt from behind, and they found her husband at the door. She said, “What is the punishment for someone who tried to dishonor your wife, except to be imprisoned or a painful punishment?”

02

The city women

She invites the gossiping women and calls Joseph before them.

Yusuf 12:30

وَقَالَ نِسْوَةٌ فِى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ٱمْرَأَتُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ تُرَٰوِدُ فَتَىٰهَا عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۖ قَدْ شَغَفَهَا حُبًّا ۖ إِنَّا لَنَرَىٰهَا فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ

Some women in the city said, “The chief minister’s wife is trying to seduce her slave-boy; his love has overwhelmed her heart. We see that she is clearly mistaken.”

Yusuf 12:31

فَلَمَّا سَمِعَتْ بِمَكْرِهِنَّ أَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَعْتَدَتْ لَهُنَّ مُتَّكَـًٔا وَءَاتَتْ كُلَّ وَٰحِدَةٍ مِّنْهُنَّ سِكِّينًا وَقَالَتِ ٱخْرُجْ عَلَيْهِنَّ ۖ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْنَهُۥٓ أَكْبَرْنَهُۥ وَقَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ وَقُلْنَ حَـٰشَ لِلَّهِ مَا هَـٰذَا بَشَرًا إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا مَلَكٌ كَرِيمٌ

When she heard of their gossip, she invited them and arranged for them a banquet, gave each one of them a knife, and said [to Joseph], “Come out before them.” When they saw him, they were so stunned[12] that they cut their hands, and said, “Great God! This cannot be human; this must be a noble angel.”

Yusuf 12:32

قَالَتْ فَذَٰلِكُنَّ ٱلَّذِى لُمْتُنَّنِى فِيهِ ۖ وَلَقَدْ رَٰوَدتُّهُۥ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ فَٱسْتَعْصَمَ ۖ وَلَئِن لَّمْ يَفْعَلْ مَآ ءَامُرُهُۥ لَيُسْجَنَنَّ وَلَيَكُونًا مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰغِرِينَ

She said, “This is the one for whose love you reproached me. I did try to seduce him but he abstained. If he does not follow my order, he will surely be imprisoned and will be fully humiliated.”

03

Truth acknowledged

She confesses that Joseph told the truth.

Yusuf 12:51

قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُنَّ إِذْ رَٰوَدتُّنَّ يُوسُفَ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ قُلْنَ حَـٰشَ لِلَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِن سُوٓءٍ ۚ قَالَتِ ٱمْرَأَتُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْـَٔـٰنَ حَصْحَصَ ٱلْحَقُّ أَنَا۠ رَٰوَدتُّهُۥ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ

The king said, “What happened when you [O women] tried to seduce Joseph?” They said, “Allah forbid; we know nothing bad about him.” The chief minister’s wife said, “Now the truth has come to light. It was I who tried to seduce him, and he is surely the truthful.

Zulaykha is not a name stated in the Quran.