حَتَّىٰ حِينٍ

Commentary:

The imprisonment of Joseph, as is generally understood, was not the result of the acceptance of his prayer mentioned in the preceding verse. The acceptance of the prayer resulted in the guiles of the women being defeated. The idea of imprisoning Joseph was an afterthought. It had nothing to do with his prayer. It appears that as the ill fame of Potiphar’s wife spread in wider circles, her people thought that the best way to put a stop to this scandal-mongering was to imprison Joseph so that public opinion might come to regard him as the offender and the blame might be shifted from that guilty woman to this innocent man. The seeing of "signs" seems to refer to the incident of the garment and to the fact that the name of Potiphar’s wife began increasingly to come into greater disgrace.

54:10.

Commentary:

In this and the preceding verse Noah’s opponents are represented as having brought forward six objections to reject his message: First, that he was only a man like themselves. Secondly, that he sought to impose his leadership on them. Thirdly, that no angel had descended from heaven to testify to his truth. Fourthly, that his teaching was opposed to the time-honoured beliefs of their forebears. Fifthly, that he was stricken with madness, and sixthly, that sooner or later he was sure to come to grief. These objections have always been raised against every Prophet and Divine Reformer in every age.

70:43; 73:12.

Commentary:

When the truth of a Prophet of God becomes established beyond all doubt and disbelievers are left with no plea or pretext to reject his Message and yet persist in rejecting it, the Prophet is told to leave them alone to be judged by God and treated by Him as He, in His infallible wisdom, may think fit.

Commentary:

The repetition of this and the next verse signifies that Divine punishment is almost at the doors of the disbelievers.

11:66.

Commentary:

For a detailed note on Thamud see 11:62 and 26:142.