THE STORY OF THE PROPHET JOSEPH - Joseph's Good Looks Make Zulaikha Guests Fascinated

The incident when Zulaikha seduced Joseph to commit immorality was a shame and a disgrace. The event was kept as secret as possible so that no one else knew it. But after a long time the embarrassing news spread to people in the city. The women gossiped about Zulaikha. They denounce Zulaikha for doing something inappropriate.

Surah Yusuf verse 30:

۞وَقَالَ نِسۡوَةٞ فِي ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ ٱمۡرَأَتُ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ تُرَٰوِدُ فَتَىٰهَا عَن نَّفۡسِهِۦۖ قَدۡ شَغَفَهَا حُبًّاۖ إِنَّا لَنَرَىٰهَا فِي ضَلَٰلٖ مُّبِينٖ  ٣٠

30.  And women in the city said, "The wife of al-'Azeez is seeking to seduce her slave boy; he has impassioned her with love. Indeed, we see her [to be] in clear error."

Hearing her being denounced, Zulaikha felt embarrassed. Zulaikha doesn't like it when she is gossiped about. "For a moment they just say that. They don't know how handsome Joseph is. Try if they see him in person, they will be fascinated."

One day, Zulaikha invited the women who gossiped about her to her house. The female guests entered Zulaikha's house and were welcomed. Delicious dishes like fruits have been served for them. Each guest was given a knife to cut the banquet. The guests were happy with the dishes and started cutting them. It was then that Zulaikha called Joseph to reveal himself to the guests. The guests saw Joseph's appearance and they were amazed and fascinated by Joseph who was handsome and cool. They were stunned and became self-forgetful. They had never seen Joseph as handsome. The female guests were unaware that they had injured their own hands due to a knife, blood flowing, so they were shocked.

Surah Yusuf verse 31:

فَلَمَّا سَمِعَتۡ بِمَكۡرِهِنَّ أَرۡسَلَتۡ إِلَيۡهِنَّ وَأَعۡتَدَتۡ لَهُنَّ مُتَّكَ‍ٔٗا وَءَاتَتۡ كُلَّ وَٰحِدَةٖ مِّنۡهُنَّ سِكِّينٗا وَقَالَتِ ٱخۡرُجۡ عَلَيۡهِنَّۖ فَلَمَّا رَأَيۡنَهُۥٓ أَكۡبَرۡنَهُۥ وَقَطَّعۡنَ أَيۡدِيَهُنَّ وَقُلۡنَ حَٰشَ لِلَّهِ مَا هَٰذَا بَشَرًا إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا مَلَكٞ كَرِيمٞ  ٣١

31.  So when she heard of their scheming, she sent for them and prepared for them a banquet and gave each one of them a knife and said [to Joseph], "Come out before them." And when they saw him, they greatly admired him and cut their hands and said, "Perfect is Allah! This is not a man; this is none but a noble angel."

Zulaikha was happy and satisfied with the occurence. Zulaikha can prove Joseph's good looks and reply to the female guests' gossip. Zulaikha also said that at that time Joseph apparently did not want to obey her orders. Zulaikha would not tempt Joseph if only Joseph was not a handsome man. Then the guests with amazement returned to their homes. Joseph felt uncomfortable with the incident. Joseph thinks that he is better off in prison than experiencing things that are not good. That was Joseph's intention, he wanted to be closer to Allah SWT and avoid potential disobedience. Allah SWT granted Joseph's prayer.

Surah Yusuf verses 32-34:

قَالَتۡ فَذَٰلِكُنَّ ٱلَّذِي لُمۡتُنَّنِي فِيهِۖ وَلَقَدۡ رَٰوَدتُّهُۥ عَن نَّفۡسِهِۦ فَٱسۡتَعۡصَمَۖ وَلَئِن لَّمۡ يَفۡعَلۡ مَآ ءَامُرُهُۥ لَيُسۡجَنَنَّ وَلَيَكُونٗا مِّنَ ٱلصَّٰغِرِينَ  ٣٢ قَالَ رَبِّ ٱلسِّجۡنُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا يَدۡعُونَنِيٓ إِلَيۡهِۖ وَإِلَّا تَصۡرِفۡ عَنِّي كَيۡدَهُنَّ أَصۡبُ إِلَيۡهِنَّ وَأَكُن مِّنَ ٱلۡجَٰهِلِينَ  ٣٣ فَٱسۡتَجَابَ لَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥ فَصَرَفَ عَنۡهُ كَيۡدَهُنَّۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ  ٣٤

32.  She said, "That is the one about whom you blamed me. And I certainly sought to seduce him, but he firmly refused; and if he will not do what I order him, he will surely be imprisoned and will be of those debased."

33.  He said, "My Lord, prison is more to my liking than that to which they invite me. And if You do not avert from me their plan, I might incline toward them and [thus] be of the ignorant."

34.  So his Lord responded to him and averted from him their plan. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

The news about Zulaikha and Joseph is still being discussed in the city. The women are still gossiping about it. Qitfir and Zulaikha don't want their good names to be bad. Qitfir and Zulaikha wanted to cover up their shame by entering Joseph into prison for some time, even though it was actually that Joseph was right and Zulaikha was guilty. This is the will of Allah SWT.

Surah Yusuf verse 35:

ثُمَّ بَدَا لَهُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا رَأَوُاْ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لَيَسۡجُنُنَّهُۥ حَتَّىٰ حِينٖ  ٣٥

35.  Then it appeared to them after they had seen the signs that al-'Azeez should surely imprison him for a time.