had he not seen the proof of his Lord.” Allah Most High says:

“Thus it was, so that We might avert from him evil and immorality. Indeed, he was one of Our chosen servants.”

Joseph also said:

“My Lord, prison is dearer to me than what they are calling me to. Unless You turn their plotting away from me, I may incline towards them and become one of the ignorant.”

“So his Lord answered him and turned their plotting away from him. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.”

This shows that his fear of Allah was sufficient to restrain him from the indecent deed, even if people approved of it. He had also prayed to his Lord, Almighty and Majestic, to turn their plotting away from him.

His words, “Prison is dearer to me than what they are calling me to,” use the masculine plural, whereas “their plotting” uses the feminine plural. He did not use the feminine plural in “what they are calling me to.” This indicates a distinction between the two: among those urging him, alongside the women, to commit the indecent deed with that woman was a man. The only such man there was her husband. Her husband had little or no protective jealousy; he loved his wife and did her bidding. Thus, when he discovered her attempt to seduce Joseph, he said:

“Joseph, disregard this. And you, seek forgiveness for your sin; indeed, you have been one of the sinners.”

He neither punished her nor separated her from Joseph to prevent her from attempting to seduce him. Out of love for his wife, he instructed Joseph not to tell anyone what had happened. Had he possessed any protective jealousy, he would have punished her.

Nevertheless, the story spread, and people learned of it from someone other than Joseph. Eventually, the women in the city were discussing it, saying that she was attempting to seduce her young servant. Despite this:

“She sent for them, prepared a place for them to recline, and gave