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Women Of Egypt Cutting Their Hands
The women of the city began gossiping [with one another]: “The wife of ‘Aziz is trying to tempt her servant. She is infatuated by his love. In our opinion, she is very foolish.40 [Perhaps she does not know that such people are enticed through deception.”] So, when that woman heard of their deception, she sent for them [that they too may test their skills41 and arranged a gathering for them42 and gave a knife to each of them43 and asked Joseph: “Come before them.” So, when the women saw him, they were wonderstruck by his majesty44 and [to force him to accept their demand] they inflicted a cut on their hands at various places45 [but did not succeed and ultimately] cried out: “Hashalillah,”46 this is not a human being; this is a noble angel.”47 She said: “Now you know; it is he about whom you were censuring me? Indeed, I tried to tempt him but he could not be lured. Yet if he does not comply with what I am asking him to do, he will surely be imprisoned and humiliated.”48 At this, Joseph prayed: “The prison is dearer to me than what they are inviting me to. If you now do not drive away their intrigue from me, I will be inclined towards them and will become among those who are overwhelmed with emotions.”49 So, his Lord accepted this prayer of his and warded off their intrigue from him. Indeed, He hears and knows all. (30-34)
43. It is evident from the succeeding part that the knives were given at the request of the women for the scheme they had contrived to lure Joseph (sws).
The women gossiped that the wife of Aziz was not able to seduce her slave. So the wife of Aziz calls them to a gathering and gives them knives. And they cut their hands to try and lure yusuf عليه السلام .
But why did the wife of Aziz give them knives? As Ghamidi sahab writes in footnote 43 it was because of their own request. But this doesn’t seem to be right as they had not even seen yusuf عليه السلام yet much less made a plan to lure him; they still thought badly of the wife of Aziz.
And even if they had knives how would they have all planned to cut their hands after seeing yusuf عليه السلام ?
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10 Replies
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Women Of Egypt Cutting Their Hands
updated 2 years, 10 months ago
4 Members
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10
Replies
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Historical events mentioned in Quran are not an ‘exhaustive narrative’ of history, rather, the underlying purpose of mentioning of such events is completely different. Therefore, the exact timeline of events and the exhaustiveness of their details cannot in every case be inferred with perfection.
There could also be a possibility that some related discussion between the wife of Aziz and other women has been skipped (discussion related to the event, not to the underlying purpose of mentioning it in Quran), or, it could’ve to do to do with the customs of those times. Those women must’ve heard of Yousaf(AS) beauty but hadn’t seen him, so wife of Aziz could’ve challenged those women according to customs of that time, since they made a claim that it was so easy to lure a slave, how about they do it and prove it in accordance with the prevalent knife custom.
Again! the possibilities are endless.
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But it should at least mention enough parts to make it coherent. This makes it seem like a hole in the story.
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What do you think? Why should we make these assumptions when it seems the story is has a hole?
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There seems to be a missing scene between the ladies insulting and gossiping about zuleikha- then zuleikha inviting them to prove them wrong- and them trying to seduce yusuf ﴾ﷺ﴿
How did they plan out this scheme before they even saw yusuf عليه السلام – they didn’t know how beautiful he was- they just thought zuleikha had some problems- and they wanted to see for more gossip that what could possibly be the reason.
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The missing scene would be between the last two scenes
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I think 12:31-32 makes it clear that it was out of astonishment. 12:50 mentions treachery which would be rumours I think
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Scratch that. I still think 12:31-32 implies it was out of astonishment. But then 12:51 mentions seduction. It seems a bit weird that either you have to interprets 12:31-32 as it is which makes it seem as though they cut their hands out of astonishment but then 12:51 mentions seduction
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Unless you take the second half of 51 to mean that the women didn’t seduce him and it was just the wife who did it in that gathering. But then why does yusuf صلى الله عليه وسلم say their scheme?
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