Surah Yusuf Verse 31 - English Translation by Shabbir Ahmed
Surah Yusufفَلَمَّا سَمِعَتۡ بِمَكۡرِهِنَّ أَرۡسَلَتۡ إِلَيۡهِنَّ وَأَعۡتَدَتۡ لَهُنَّ مُتَّكَـٔٗا وَءَاتَتۡ كُلَّ وَٰحِدَةٖ مِّنۡهُنَّ سِكِّينٗا وَقَالَتِ ٱخۡرُجۡ عَلَيۡهِنَّۖ فَلَمَّا رَأَيۡنَهُۥٓ أَكۡبَرۡنَهُۥ وَقَطَّعۡنَ أَيۡدِيَهُنَّ وَقُلۡنَ حَٰشَ لِلَّهِ مَا هَٰذَا بَشَرًا إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا مَلَكٞ كَرِيمٞ
When she heard their gossip, she invited them, and prepared comfortable couches for them, and they schemed. She gave a knife to each of the women. Then, she called Joseph, "Come out unto them!" And when they saw him they flattered him and 'cut their hands'. They exclaimed in their flattery, "Good Lord! This is no mortal man! This is but an angel!" (The governor's wife and her friends had planned to incriminate Joseph, and they were just buying time. They made marks on their hands to feign self-defense. There is absolutely no mention of the supposed "beauty' of Joseph, a fabrication adopted by most commentators from the Bible! Secondly, the root word QAT'A in this verse is of very special significance. Did these women chop off their hands? Must the thieves get their hands chopped off? Please see)