Question:
Did Yusuf (a.s.) have sexual desires for Zulaykha?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.
Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa says in the Quran: ‘And surely she desired him and he would have desired her, were it not that he had seen the argument of his Lord. Thus we did, in order that we might avert from him all evil and indecency. Verily Yusuf was a single-hearted bondsman of ours. (12:24)
1) Imam Qurtubi Rahmatullahi Alaihi narrates in the Tafseer of the above ayat that Abu Haatim says, ‘I was reading the book Ghareeb ul-Quran with Abu Ubaydah. Upon reaching this ayat, he said: ‘Yusuf never had any sexual desire for her because he saw evidence from his Lord.’ Ibn Katheer narrates from Ibn Abbas, Saeed Ibn Musayyib, Mujahid, Saeed Ibn Jubair, Muhammad Ibn Seereen, Hasan Basri and many others that Yusuf Alaihis Salaam saw a picture of his father Yaqub Alaihis Salaam biting his fingertips with his teeth. And, in another narration, Yaqub Alaihis Salaam struck him on his chest.
Maulana Idris Kandhalwi Rahmatullahi Alaihi writes that Yusuf Alaihi Salaam is a prophet and prophets are Masoom When an obedient servant of Allah would not intend for such a sin, then how can a prophet of Allah develop such desires.
2) Some Mufassireen say that Yusuf Alaihis Salaam might have inclined towards Zuleikha but this is due to the human nature because human beings have desires for food, drink and the opposite gender. They also have anger. The Malaa’ikah are free of these. When a human being has control over himself, suppresses his anger and controls his desires then he surpasses the angels. However, when he lets himself loose, then he goes lower than the animals because they also have the above but they will not be questioned on The Day of Qiyaamah whereas the human being will be held to account.
Now, Yusuf Alaihis Salaam is a human being. He might have got a thought but he abstained just as a person fasting on a hot day would love to have a chilled drink, but he abstains and is rewarded by Allah. Similarly, Yusuf Alaihis Salaam abstained and ran towards the doors and, thus, Allah helped him by breaking the locks and opening the doors.
Imam Qurtubi Rahmatullahi Alaihi has narrated some quotes here with regards to the sexual desire. However, Mufassir Abu Hayyaan writes in Al-Bahr ul-Muheet that they are fabrications and israa’eeliyaat. The Arabic language also confirms the first tafseer as you will understand from the translation taken from Marmaduke Pickthall’s work.