After reading the translation and commentary of Surah Yusuf, I have been very curious about why Muslims girls are named Zulaikha (after the wife of the ?Aziz). By trying to seduce the overwhelmingly handsome Prophet Yusuf (a.s), Zulaikha exhibits a weakness which is only human, and for which she cannot be blamed, for any woman in her situation would have done the same. But the commentary rightly points to the fact that Zulaikha’s love for Prophet Yusuf (a.s) was a selfish love. If a woman truly loves a man, not only will she wish that no harm comes to him, but she will also gladly choose to endure his portion of suffering. The proof of her selfish love is the fact that she got Prophet Yusuf (a.s) a heavy prison sentence to save her reputation and perhaps her marriage. I asked a Sheikh-ul-Hadith about this, and he said that ?this very weakness of Zulaikha is in fact the element that people admire about her and the beauty of the name Zulaikha is signified by this.? If a woman does today, what Zulaikha did then, what would her position be in society? I don’t begrudge Zulaikha the respect that is due to any woman who sins and repents, but elevating her status to the point of naming one’s daughter after her is still way beyond my understanding.
Zulaikha means beautiful.
The name Zulaikah is generally kept because of the meaning being conducive
to a girl. It is not because of Zulaikha being the wife of the Aziz of Misr.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai