As for His words:

“I do not absolve myself. Indeed, the soul persistently commands evil, except those upon whom my Lord has mercy.”

These are the words of the governor’s wife, as the Quran indicates so clearly that anyone who reflects upon it can have no doubt. Allah Most High says:

“The king said, ‘Bring him to me.’ But when the messenger came to him, Joseph said, ‘Return to your master and ask him about the women who cut their hands. Indeed, my Lord knows their scheming well.’”

“He said, ‘What was the matter with you when you sought to seduce Joseph?’ They said, ‘Allah forbid! We know of no evil on his part.’ The governor’s wife said, ‘Now the truth has come to light. It was I who sought to seduce him, and he is indeed telling the truth.’”

“‘That is so he may know that I did not betray him in his absence, and that Allah does not guide the schemes of the treacherous.’”

“‘I do not absolve myself. Indeed, the soul persistently commands evil, except those upon whom my Lord has mercy. Indeed, my Lord is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’”

All of this was spoken by the governor’s wife. Joseph was still in prison at that time: he had not yet come before the king, heard him speak, or seen him. But once his innocence had become evident in his absence—as the governor’s wife said:

“That is so he may know that I did not betray him in his absence,”

meaning, “I did not betray him while he was absent from me, although I did seek to seduce him when he was present”—only then:

“The king said, ‘Bring him to me; I will appoint him exclusively to my service.’ Then, when he had spoken with him, he said, ‘Today you hold a position of authority and trust with us.’”

Many Quran commentators have said that these were Joseph’s words, and some mention no other interpretation. Yet this interpretation is utterly unsound and has no evidence to support it. Rather, the evidence points to the contrary, and