HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

"Yusuf and Zulaikha" (the English transliteration of both names varies greatly) refers to a medieval Islamic version of the story of the prophet
Yusuf Yusuf ( ar, يوسف ') is a male name of Arabic origin meaning "God increases" (in piety, power and influence).From the Hebrew יהוה להוסיף ''YHWH Lhosif'' meaning "YHWH will increase/add". It is the Arabic equivalent of the Hebrew name ...
and
Potiphar's wife Potiphar's wife is a figure in the Hebrew Bible and the Quran. She was the wife of Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard in the time of Jacob and his twelve sons. According to the Book of Genesis, she falsely accused Joseph of attempted ...
which has been for centuries in the
Muslim world The terms Muslim world and Islamic world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is practiced. In ...
, and is found in many languages such as
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walte ...
,
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
, Bengali, Turkish and
Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''
Jami Nūr ad-Dīn 'Abd ar-Rahmān Jāmī ( fa, نورالدین عبدالرحمن جامی; 7 November 1414 – 9 November 1492), also known as Mawlanā Nūr al-Dīn 'Abd al-Rahmān or Abd-Al-Rahmān Nur-Al-Din Muhammad Dashti, or simply as J ...
(1414–1492), in his ''
Haft Awrang ''Haft Awrang'' ( fa, هفت اورنگ, meaning "Seven Thrones") by the Persian poet Jami is a classic of Persian literature composed some time between 1468 and 1485. Jami completed the work as seven books following a masnavi format: * "Sel ...
'' ("Seven Thrones").


In The Qur'an

The story of Yusuf and Zulaikha takes place in the twelfth chapter of the Qur’an, titled "Yusuf." The story plays a primary role within the chapter, and begins after Yusuf, son of Yaqub ibn Ishaq ibn Ibrahim, is abandoned and subsequently sold to an Egyptian royal guard. After reaching maturity, Yusuf becomes so beautiful that his master's wife, later called Zulaikha in the Islamic faith, falls in love with him. Blinded by her desire, she locks him in a room with her and attempts to seduce him. Through his great wisdom and power, Yusuf resists her and turns around to open the door. Upset, Zulaikha attempts to stop him, and in the process, rips the back of his shirt. At this moment, Zulaikha's husband (the lord of the house and Yusuf's master) catches Zulaikha and Yusuf struggling at the door and calls for an explanation. Deflecting the blame, Zulaikha tells her husband that Yusuf attempted to seduce her. Yusuf contradicts this and tells the lord that Zulaikha wanted to seduce him. Unsure who is guilty, a servant of the household tells the lord that the placement of the rip on Yusuf's shirt will tell the truth about what happened. According to the servant, if Yusuf's shirt was ripped at the front, he must have been going toward Zulaikha, attempting to seduce her. On the other hand, if Yusuf's shirt was ripped from the back, he was trying to get away from Zulaikha; therefore, Zulaikha was guilty. After examining Yusuf's shirt and seeing the rip on the back, Yusuf's master determines his wife is the guilty party., and angrily tells her to ask forgiveness for her sin.Later, Zulaikha overhears a group of women speaking about the incident, verbally shaming Zulaikha for what she did. Zulaikha, angered by this, gives each woman a knife and calls for Yusuf. Upon his arrival, the women cut themselves with their knives, shocked by his beauty. Zulaikha, boosted by proving to the women that any woman would fall for Yusuf, proudly claims that Yusuf must accept her advances, or he will be imprisoned. Disturbed by Zulaikha's claim, Yusuf prays to Allah, begging Allah to make them imprison him, as Yusuf would rather go to jail than do the bidding of Zulaikha and the other women. Allah, listening to Yusuf's request, makes the chief in power believe Yusuf should go to prison for some time, and so Yusuf does.


In Poetry


Jami

In 1483 AD, the renowned poet,
Jami Nūr ad-Dīn 'Abd ar-Rahmān Jāmī ( fa, نورالدین عبدالرحمن جامی; 7 November 1414 – 9 November 1492), also known as Mawlanā Nūr al-Dīn 'Abd al-Rahmān or Abd-Al-Rahmān Nur-Al-Din Muhammad Dashti, or simply as J ...
, wrote his interpretation of the allegorical romance and religious texts of Yusuf and Zulaikha. It became a classical example and the most famous version of
Sufi Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...
interpretation of Qur’anic narrative material. Jami’s example shows how a religious community takes a story from a sacred text and appropriate it in a religious-socio-cultural setting that is different from the original version. Therefore, it is known as a masterpiece of Sufi mystical poetry. Jami opens the poem with a prayer. In the narrative, Yusuf is an incredibly handsome young man. Due to his beauty, he became a victim of his brothers’ jealousy because Yusuf was so beautiful he had an influence on everyone that met him. The brothers take him to be sold to the in a slave market in
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
. Jami shows that Yusuf’s brothers’ greed is not how to live a Sufi life. Yusuf is put up for sale and astounds everyone with his beauty. This causes a commotion in the market and the crowd starts bidding for him. Zulaikha, the rich and beautiful wife of Potiphar, sees him and is struck by Yusuf’s beauty. She outbids everyone and buys him. For years, Zulaikha suppressed her desire for Yusuf until she could not resist it any longer. She ends up attempting to seduce Yusuf. When Potiphar found out, he sent Yusuf to prison causing Zulaikha to live with extreme guilt. One day while in prison, Yusuf was able to interpret the Pharaoh’s dream, and thus, the Pharaoh made Yusuf chief of all his treasures. Because of this, Yusuf was able to meet with Zulaikha. He saw that she still had love for him and was miserable. He took her in her arms and prayed to God. The prayer and the love Yusuf and Zulaikha had for each other attracted a blessing from God. Restoring youth and beauty to Zulaikha. They got married and lived happily. What the audience learns from this story is that God’s beauty appears in many forms and that Zulaikha’s pursuit of love from Yusuf is, in fact, the love and pursuit of God. In Jami’s version, Zulaikha is the main character and even more important thematically and narratively than Yusuf. Yusuf, on the other hand, is a two-dimensional character. Another difference in Jami’s version is that the overwhelming majority of the story is unrelated to the Qur’an. Finally, Jami claims that his inspiration to write this version of the story comes from love.


Shah Muhammad Sagir

As Islam continued to spread, authors across the Asian continent resonated with the story of Yusuf and Zulaikha. Jami’s adaptation of the famous tale served as the model for many South Asian writers. Bengali author
Shah Muhammad Sagir Shah Muhammad Sagir ( bn, শাহ মুহম্মদ সগীর) was one of the earliest Bengali Muslim poets, if not the first. Life Shah Muhammad Sagir was a poet of the 14/15th century, during the reign of the Sultan of Bengal Ghiyasud ...
also published his own reinterpretation. Though little information is available about his life and the sources from which he drew, it is assumed to have been written between 1389 and 1409. Through this work, he set the precedent for romance in
Bengali literature Bengali literature ( bn, বাংলা সাহিত্য, Bangla Sahityô) denotes the body of writings in the Bengali language and which covers Old Bengali, Middle- Bengali and Modern Bengali with the changes through the passage of time ...
. One of the unique attributes of Sagir’s version is the change of setting, as his poem takes place in
Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
. A prime example of syncretism, it blends elements of
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
culture with the classic Islamic tale, which in turn encourages readers to coexist with other faiths. It is also testament to Islamic influence on the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India ...
. It is known for its detailed descriptions of Yusuf and Zulaikha’s physical beauty, and begins with the two protagonists’ childhoods, which then unravels into a tale full of passion and pursuit. Sagir's ''Yusuf-Zulekha'' also keeps in touch with the Islamic values found in the original story and echoes the Sufi belief that to love on earth is to love
Allah Allah (; ar, الله, translit=Allāh, ) is the common Arabic word for God. In the English language, the word generally refers to God in Islam. The word is thought to be derived by contraction from '' al- ilāh'', which means "the god", a ...
. Although Sagir intended his poem not to be read as a translation of the Quranic version nor as sourced from the Persians before him, he did borrow
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
linguistic traditions in order to write it. Following the introduction of Sagir’s poem, other Bengali writers throughout the centuries took inspiration and created their own versions of Yusuf and Zulaikha, including
Abdul Hakim Abdul Hakim ( ar, عبد الحكيم, translit=ʻAbd al-Ḥakīm) is a Muslim male given name, and in modern usage, first name or surname. It is built from the Arabic words '' Abd'', '' al-'' and ''Hakim''. The name means "servant of the All-wise ...
and Shah Garibullah. Hakim took his inspiration directly from Jami, while Garibullah chose to write something more unique.


Other Versions

There also exists a Punjabi version of Yusuf and Zulaikha, composed by Hafiz Barkhurdar, that contains around 1200 pairs of rhyming verses. He, too, was inspired by Jami, while incorporating his own stylistic choices. In Barkhurdar’s version, Yusuf is reunited with his father, Yaqub at the end. This is an example of a written '' qissa'', or a Punjabi style of storytelling that emphasizes folkloric tradition. Barkhurdar’s rendition was not published until the nineteenth century, and by then it was considered too antiquated for mainstream reading. In fact, many versions of Yusuf and Zulaikha have been lost to time. However, the popularity of the story can be used to measure the impact of Persianization on South Asia. This is evident in Maulvi Abd al-Hakim’s interpretation of Yusuf and Zulaikha, which directly imitates Jami as well as other features of the Persian language. Nevertheless, these stories contributed to the development of the ‘qissa’ as a genre.


In Art

The international recognition of the tale of Yusuf and Zulaikha resulted in many artistic renditions of the poem. Substantial periods of conquest and dissolution of Islam throughout Asia and North Africa led to a flurry of diverse artistic interpretations of Yusuf and Zulaikha.


Central Asia

Within one of the wealthiest trading centers along the
Silk Road The Silk Road () was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and rel ...
in Bukhara,
Uzbekistan Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбекистан), officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( uz, Ozbekiston Respublikasi, italic=yes / ; russian: Республика Узбекистан), is a doubly landlocked co ...
, the manuscript of ''Bustan of Sa’di'' would be found. The status of Bukhara as a wealthy Islamic trading hub led to a flourishing of art and culture in the city. From such an economic boom the ''Bustan of Sa’di'' created in 1257 C.E portrays many scenes from the poems of Yusuf and Zulaikha. In a frequently reproduced scene, Yusuf leaves the home of Zulaikha after refusing her romantic advances. The scene demonstrated visually a prominent theme from the poem in which we see Yusuf’s powerful faith in God overcome his own physical desires. As depicted in the artwork, the locked doors unexpectedly spring open, offering Yusuf a path from Zulaikha's home. In crafting this piece the materials used fall in line with the conventional methods used at the time and were a mixture of oil paints, gold and watercolors.


Persia

From Persia we see what is considered to be, by some experts, the most recognized Illustration of Jami’s poem Yusuf and Zulaikha. The artist Kamāl al-Dīn Behzād under the direction of Sultan Husayn Bayqara of the Timurid Empire) constructed a manuscript illustrating the tale of Yusuf and Zulaikha. Behzād has often been credited with initiating a high point of Islamic miniature painting. His artistic style of blending the traditional geometric shape with open spaces to create a central view of his characters was a new idea evident in many of his works. One of Behzhad’s most notable works had been his interpretation of the ''Seduction of Yusuf,'' where his distinctive style of painting is on display. The painting depicts dynamic movement, with Yusuf and Zulaikha both painted while in motion amidst a backdrop of a stretched out flat background to bring attention to the characters central to the painting.


South Asia

In a work originating from the Kashmir region of India, we see how under the Islamic
Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
the renowned poem of Yusuf and Zulaikha continued to flourish in art. The continued interest in illustrating the renowned tale of Yusuf and Zulaikha can be found in a manuscript from Muhhamid Murak dating back to the year 1776. The manuscript offers over 30 paintings styling different scenes from Jami’s poem of Yusuf and Zulaikha. Within the manuscript, the unique style of the Mughal painting that had combined Indian and Persian artistic style is demonstrated.Titley, Norah M., ''Persian Miniature Painting, and its Influence on the Art of Turkey and India'' (Austin : University of Texas Press, 1984). There is more emphasis upon realism in Mughal painting and this focus may be seen within Murak’s manuscript. The illustration of Zulaikha and her maids offers the viewer a detail oriented scope into the author's imagining of the tale. The historically accurate dress and photorealistic design differ from prior interpretations of the tale which had been more fantastical in nature.


References


Bibliography

* Abu Musa Mohammad Arif Billah. ''Influence of Persian Literature on Shah Muhammad Sagir’s Yusuf Zulaikha and Alaol’s Padmavati''. 2014. * Beutel, David. “Jami's Yusuf and Zulaikha:  A Study in the Method of  Appropriation of Sacred Text.” Beutel. Accessed November 18, 2022. http://beutel.narod.ru/write/yusuf.htm. * Christopher Shackle. “Between Scripture and Romance: The Yusuf-Zulaikha Story in Panjabi.” South Asia Research 15, no. 2 (1995). * Griffith, Ralph T.H., ''Yúsuf And Zulaikha: A Poem by Jámi, London: Routledge'', 2000. * Titley, Norah M.. ''Persian Miniature Painting, and its Influence on the Art of Turkey and India''. Austin : University of Texas Press, 1984. * Roxburgh, David J. “Kamal Al-Din Bihzad and Authorship in Persianate Painting.” ''Muqarnas'' 17 (2000). https://doi.org/10.2307/1523294. * “Yusuf and Zulaikha’, Folio 51r from a Bustan of Sa`Di.” Metmuseum.org. Accessed November 17, 2022. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/452672. * “Zulaykha in the Company of Her Maids: The Walters Art Museum.” Online Collection of the Walters Art Museum, August 1, 2022. https://art.thewalters.org/detail/83831/zulaykha-in-the-company-of-her-maids/.


More Information

* {{small, (138 
KiB The byte is a unit of digital information that most commonly consists of eight bits. Historically, the byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the smallest addressable unit ...
) *
Women Writers, Islam, and the Ghost of Zulaikha
', by Elif Shafak

in the collection of Museums für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (MKG 1916.35)
Jāmī in Regional Contexts: The Reception of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Jāmī’s Works in the Islamicate World
ca. 9th/15th-14th/20th Century Series: Handbook of Oriental Studies. Section 1 The Near and Middle East, Volume: 128 Editors: Thibaut d'Hubert and Alexandre Papas, with five chapters on the Yusuf and Zuleykha story: * Foundational Maḥabbat-nāmas: Jāmī's Yūsuf u Zulaykhā in Bengal (ca. 16th–19th AD) By: Thibaut d’Hubert Pages: 649–691 * Love's New Pavilions: Śāhā Mohāmmad Chagīr's Retelling of Yūsuf va Zulaykhā in Early Modern Bengal By: Ayesha A. Irani Pages: 692–751 * Śrīvara's Kathākautuka: Cosmology, Translation, and the Life of a Text in Sultanate Kashmir By: Luther Obrock Pages: 752–776 * A Bounty of Gems: Yūsuf u Zulaykhā in Pashto By: C. Ryan Perkins Pages: 777–797 * Sweetening the Heavy Georgian Tongue Jāmī in the Georgian-Persianate World By: Rebecca Ruth Gould Pages: 798–828 Islamic mythology Persian poems Sufi literature Islamic literature Literary duos Joseph (Genesis)