It secondly was the duty that he and she owed to AZIZ for...

It secondly was the duty that he and she owed to AZIZ for his kindness and the respect with which he treated both of them. It therefore seemed inevitable for Joseph to repel her and abstain himself, though it is said that; no one can resist beauty.

And how could he and she with hold, when Joseph was a young man like any other, and Zulaikhah's blind love and awful beauty had placed a great trial and test in his path!:ِ ``And she made for him, and he too would have made for her, had he not seen the reason of his Lord.'' Joseph could see with his spiritual eyes what Zulaikhah could not see.

For example; she thought no one could see them as far as the doors were closed and locked, but Joseph had a deep faith in God who is everywhere and can see everything. So his faith gave him a proof [ 249 ] against the Satanic Temptations of sex affairs. Our poetical tradition says that; in that critical instance of love decision, Zulaikha covered the face of an idol she had in a niche in the room! Joseph saw it and asked her why did she do that?

She said:ِ ``I don't want my god to see us in the state of guilt!'' Her assertion reminded Joseph of his Lord God who was watching them, and at once he escaped towards the door that he knew it was locked!

Later on when Joseph was asked:ِ ``Knowing that the door was locked, why did you escape towards it?'' In answer to this question, Joseph said:ِ ``I found my duty to run away towards the door, and I knew that God had the power of opening all locks, and he did so.'' FIGHT WITH THE CARNAL SOUL The greatest of wars is that which is waged against the low desires of our carnal soulِso has our prophet said.

No true victory can be attained over the external enemies, before we have not vanquished our internal foes. These are the carnal desires and passions of our soul. Here Joseph's fight with his unlawful intention, and low carnal desires is a clear example of such strives and fights. His fight against his unlawful wishes, and his life of piety and purity, promoted him from the bottom of the well, up to the top of the throne of power and true respect!

This is a good lesson to be taken by those who want to tread the path of spiritual and physical evolution and development. THE REWARD OF PIETY Joseph was a pious and sincere servant of God, and for that, Allah turned away from him the evil and indecency:ِ ``....