Tafsir

Yusuf is imprisoned without Justification

Allah says, `Then it occurred to them that it would be in their interest to imprison Yusuf for a time, even after they were convinced of his innocence and saw the proofs of his truth, honesty and chastity.' It appears, and Allah knows best, that they imprisoned him after the news of what happened spread. They wanted to pretend that Yusuf was the one who tried to seduce the `Aziz's wife and that they punished him with imprisonment. This is why when the Pharaoh asked Yusuf to leave jail a long time afterwards, he refused to leave until his innocence was acertained and the allegation of his betrayal was refuted. When this was successfully achieved, Yusuf left the prison with his honor intact, peace be upon him.

So, said at the end of the verse (35) was:ثُمَّ بَدَا لَهُم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا رَ‌أَوُا الْآيَاتِ لَيَسْجُنُنَّهُ حَتَّىٰ حِينٍLater on, even after having seen the signs, they [ the ` Aziz of Misr and his advisers ] deemed it proper [ or expedient ] to imprison him for a time.

Thus, to the prison he was sent.

ثم ظهر للعزيز وأصحابه -من بعد ما رأوا الأدلة على براءة يوسف وعفته- أن يسجنوه إلى زمن يطول أو يقصر; منعًا للفضيحة.

يقول تعالى : ثم ظهر لهم من المصلحة فيما رأوه أنهم يسجنونه إلى حين ، أي : إلى مدة ، وذلك بعد ما عرفوا براءته ، وظهرت الآيات - وهي الأدلة - على صدقه في عفته ونزاهته . فكأنهم - والله أعلم - إنما سجنوه لما شاع الحديث إيهاما أن هذا راودها عن نفسها ، وأنهم سجنوه على ذلك . ولهذا لما طلبه الملك الكبير في آخر المدة ، امتنع من الخروج حتى تتبين براءته مما نسب إليه من الخيانة ، فلما تقرر ذلك خرج وهو نقي العرض ، صلوات الله عليه وسلامه .وذكر السدي : أنهم إنما سجنوه لئلا يشيع ما كان منها في حقه ، ويبرأ عرضه فيفضحها .