Yusuf (PBUH) was in a high-class society, in the house of the governor of Egypt who honored and loved him greatly for his honesty, morals, integrity, and chastity. Years passed, and Yusuf (PBUH) reached the prime of his youth.
( وَرَاوَدَتْهُ الَّتِي هُوَ فِي بَيْتِهَا عَن نَّفْسِهِ…) (And she, in whose house he was, sought to seduce him…): This woman was Zulaikha, as mentioned in the narratives. Yusuf (PBUH) grew up in her house, and she saw in him a beauty she had never seen in anyone else. The Prophet (saws) said in his narration of the Night Journey and Ascension:
“Then I was taken to the third heaven and Gabriel asked for the opening (of the door). He was asked: Who are you? He replied: Gabriel. He was (again) asked: Who is with you? He replied Muhammad (ﷺ). It was said: Has he been sent for? He replied He has indeed been sent for. (The gate) was opened for us and I saw Yusuf (peace of Allah be upon him) who had been given half of (world) beauty.”[1]
That is, he was full of beauty and grace. This woman saw Yusuf’s beauty, strength, dignity, and high morals, so she fell deeply in love with him. This marked the beginning of the second trial, which was the trial of seduction, one of the most severe trials that Allah (swt) tested him (PBUH) with. The Prophet Muhammad (saws) said:
“The people who are tried most severely are the Prophets, then those nearest to them, then those nearest to them.”[2]
Here the Quran does not said: ‘The wife of the Aziz seduced him,’ for she had no value; she was mentioned because Yusuf (PBUH) was in her house, which is an honor for him (PBUH).
(… وَغَلَّقَتِ الْأَبْوَابَ…) (… She closed the doors…): It is just one door, but rather “the doors”; that is, she tightly shut the doors so that no one would see what was going to happen.
(… وَقَالَتْ هَيْتَ لَكَ…) (… and said, “Come, you.”…): Meaning, ‘I have prepared myself for you,’ and she was revealing her charms. At this point, she moved from the stage of seduction to the stage of explicitly requesting the act.
(… قَالَ مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ…) (… .” He said, “[I seek] the refuge of Allah…): Yusuf (PBUH) with his high and noble morals, when faced with temptation and seduction, said: ‘I seek refuge of Allah.’ A woman with such beauty, wealth, and she is the wife of the governor, asking him to commit a sin, yet he sought refuge in Allah (swt). He held fast and sought protection with Him, for in deed, whoever does not seek refuge with Allah (swt) will fall into the traps of sin, regardless of what that sin may be.
(… إِنَّهُ رَبِّي أَحْسَنَ مَثْوَايَ…) (… Indeed, he is my master, who has made good my residence.…): Meaning, the governor who raised him, the master of the house who treated him kindly. As a matter of fact, it is not right to repay kindness in this way; should not respond to good with evil.
(... إِنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الظَّالِمُونَ ) (… Indeed, wrongdoers will not succeed): The greatest injustice is for a person to wrong themselves by committing sins. This is a profound lesson in these verses.
[1] Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith, The night journey on which the messenger of Allah (saws) was taken up into the heavens and the prayers were enjoined, Hadith No. 7482.
[2] Sunan al-Nasa’I al-Kubra: The Book on Medicine, Chapter of whom of people are the most tried, Hadith No. 7482.