abandoning something he has never ceased to maintain is true (1). If that is permissible, then this is all the more so. If there is benefit in that, there are also immense benefits in this. Were there not benefits for His servants in these matters and in knowing of them, He would not have recounted them in more than one place in His Book.

Glorified is He, and to Him belongs all praise. Whenever He mentions a sin committed by any prophet, He also mentions his repentance, thereby exonerating him from deficiency and fault and showing that his standing rose, his rank became exalted, his good deeds became great, and Allah drew him near to Himself through the repentance, seeking of forgiveness, and righteous deeds that Allah graciously enabled him to perform thereafter. This also provides an example, until the Day of Resurrection, for those who follow the prophets and take them as their models.

Accordingly, the fact that no repentance of Joseph is mentioned in the account of the dignitary’s wife demonstrates that Joseph committed no sin whatsoever in that episode—contrary to those who recount things from which Allah exonerated him in His words:

{Thus We turned evil and immorality away from him. Indeed, he was one of Our chosen servants.}

[Sūrat Yūsuf: 24]

He, Exalted is He, also said:

{She certainly desired him, and he felt an inclination toward her, had he not seen the proof of his Lord.}

[Sūrat Yūsuf: 24]

Intention, as Imam Ahmad—may Allah be pleased with him—said, is of two kinds: a passing thought and a settled resolve. It is established in the two Sahih collections that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“Allah Most High says: ‘If My servant intends a good deed, record it for him as one complete good deed. If he performs it, record it for him as ten good deeds, up to seven hundred times as much. If he intends an evil deed, do not record it against him. If he abandons it, record it for him as a good deed, for he abandoned it only for My sake.’” (2).