Al-Qur'an Surah Yusuf Verse 25

Mufti Taqi Usmani

They raced towards the door, and she ripped his shirt from behind, and they found her master by the door. She said, “What could be the punishment of him who intended evil with your wife, except that he be imprisoned or (given) a painful chastisement?”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

They raced for the door and she tore his shirt from the back, only to find her husband at the door. She cried, “What is the penalty for someone who tried to violate your wife, except imprisonment or a painful punishment?”

Ruwwad Translation Center

They both rushed to the door and she tore his shirt from behind, and they found her husband at the door. She said, “What is the punishment for someone who tried to dishonor your wife, except to be imprisoned or a painful punishment?”

A. J. Arberry

They raced to the door; and she tore his shirt from behind. They encountered her master by the door. She said, 'What is the recompense of him who purposes evil against thy folk, but that he should be imprisoned, or a painful chastisement?'

Abdul Haleem

They raced for the door- she tore his shirt from behind- and at the door they met her husband. She said, ‘What, other than prison or painful punishment, should be the reward of someone who tried to dishonour your wife?’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And the twain raced to the door, and she rent his shirt from behind, And the twain met her master at the door. She said: What is the meed of him who intended evil toward thy house hold except that he be imprisoned, or a torment afflictive?

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

So they both raced each other to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back; they both found her lord near the door. She said; "What is the (fitting) punishment for one who formed an evil design against thy wife, but prison or a grievous chastisement?"

Abul Ala Maududi

Then both of them rushed to the door, each seeking to get ahead of the other, and she tore Joseph's shirt from behind. Then both of them found the husband of the lady at the door. Seeing him she said: "What should be the punishment of him who has foul designs on your wife except that he should be imprisoned or subjected to painful chastisement?"

Ahmed Ali

Both of them raced to the door, and she (grabbed and) rent his shirt from behind. They met her lord outside the door. "There is no other penalty for a man," said she, "who wanted to outrage your wife but imprisonment or grievous punishment."

Ahmed Raza Khan

And they both raced towards the door, and the woman tore his shirt from behind, and they both found her husband at the door; she said, “What is the punishment of the one who sought evil with your wife, other than prison or a painful torture?”

Ali Quli Qarai

They raced to the door, and she tore his shirt from behind, and they ran into her husband at the door. She said, ‘What is to be the requital of him who has evil intentions for your wife except imprisonment or a painful punishment?’

Ali Ünal

So they raced to the door and she tore his shirt from the back, and they met her master (husband) by the door. She cried: "What should be the recompense for him who purposes evil against your household – except imprisonment or a grievous punishment?"

Amatul Rahman Omar

And both of them ran for the door, one trying to outdo the other. And (in the struggle) she tore his shirt from behind. They encountered her husband (all of a sudden) by the door. She said, `There can be no punishment less than imprisonment or some other painful torture for the man who intended evil with your wife.´

English Literal

And they (B) raced each other (to) the door/entrance, and she ripped/cut his shirt/dress from (the) back/end and they (B) found her master/ruler/leader at/by/near the door/entrance she said: "What (is the) reward/reimbursement (of) who willed/wanted bad/evil/harm with your family/people except that he be imprisoned or painful torture?"

Faridul Haque

And they both raced towards the door, and the woman tore his shirt from behind, and they both found her husband at the door; she said, "What is the punishment of the one who sought evil with your wife, other than prison or a painful torture?"

Hamid S. Aziz

And she desired (lusted after) him, and he would have desired her, had it not been that he saw the argument (or evidence) of his Lord; thus did We ordain that We might turn away evil and lewdness from him; for verily, he was one of our servants, sincere and purified.

Hilali & Khan

So they raced with one another to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back. They both found her lord (i.e. her husband) at the door. She said: "What is the recompense (punishment) for him who intended an evil design against your wife, except that he be put in prison or a painful torment?"

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And certainly she desired him, and he would have desired her, were it not he had seen the manifest evidence of his Lord. Thus (it was) that We might turn away from him evil and indecency. Surely he was one of Our chosen servants.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And they both hastened to the door, and she rent his shirt from behind and they met her husband at the door. She said: What is the punishment of him who intends evil to your wife except imprisonment or a painful chastisement?

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And they raced with one another to the door, and she tore his shirt from behind, and they met her lord and master at the door. She said: What shall be his reward, who wisheth evil to thy folk, save prison or a painful doom?

Muhammad Sarwar

She chased him to the door, grabbed him from behind, and tore off his shirt. Suddenly, they were face to face with her husband. (Looking accusingly at Joseph) she asked her husband, "What punishment is more fitting for those who have evil desires towards your household other than imprisonment and painful torment?"

Qaribullah & Darwish

They raced to the door and she tore his shirt from behind. And by the door, they met her husband whereupon she said: 'What is the recompense of one whose intent is evil against your people other than being imprisoned, or sternly punished'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

So they raced with one another to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back. They both found her master (i.e. her husband) at the door. She said: "What is the recompense (punishment) for him who intended an evil design against your wife, except that he be put in prison or a painful torment"

Wahiduddin Khan

They both ran to the door and, in the struggle, she tore his shirt at the back. They found her husband at the door. She cried, "Shall not the man who wished to violate your wife be thrown into prison or sternly punished?"

Talal Itani

As they raced towards the door, she tore his shirt from behind. At the door, they ran into her husband. She said, “What is the penalty for him who desired to dishonor your wife, except imprisonment or a painful punishment?”

Tafsir jalalayn

And they raced to the door; Joseph making for it in order to escape, while she, in order to grab hold of him, caught hold of his garment and pulled him towards her, and she tore his shirt from behind, whereupon they encountered her master, her husband, at the door. She, composed herself and then, said, `What is to be the requital of him who intends evil, [who intends] fornication, against your folk, but that he should be imprisoned, locked up in a jail, or [suffer] a painful chastisement?', by having him beaten.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Allah tells;

وَاسُتَبَقَا الْبَابَ وَقَدَّتْ قَمِيصَهُ مِن دُبُرٍ وَأَلْفَيَا سَيِّدَهَا لَدَى الْبَابِ

So they raced with one another to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back. They both found her master (i.e. her husband) at the door.

Allah says that Yusuf and the wife of the Aziz raced to the door, Yusuf running away from her and her running after him to bring him back to the room. She caught up with him and held on to his shirt from the back, tearing it so terribly that it fell off Yusuf's back. Yusuf continued running from her, with her in pursuit. However, they found her master, her husband, at the front door. This is when she responded by deceit and evil plots, trying to exonerate herself and implicate him,

قَالَتْ مَا جَزَاء مَنْ أَرَادَ بِأَهْلِكَ سُوَءًا

She said;"What is the recompense (punishment) for him who intended an evil design against your wife...,

in reference to illegal sexual intercourse,

إِلاَّ أَن يُسْجَنَ

except that he be put in prison,

أَوْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ



or a painful torment.

tormented severely with painful beating.

Yusuf did not stand idle, but he declared the truth and exonerated himself from the betrayal she accused him of