And he indicated by the letter 'fa' that their words were conveyed to her quickly. He said: "So when she heard" meaning the wife of the minister, "of their plotting." It is as if they intended by this saying to affect what the wife of the minister had done to show him. Therefore, he called it plotting. "She sent to them" to show them what would excuse her because of it, so that their saying would calm down. "And she prepared" meaning she made ready and brought forth "for them a couch" meaning what they could recline upon from soft bedding and luxurious cushions. So they came to her, and she seated them on what she had prepared for them. "And she gave each one" in general "of them a knife" to cut with it what they needed to cut from the food that was present in this gathering. Abu Hayyan said: It was said that it was meat, and they did not bite into the meat; rather, they ate it by slicing with the knives. And Al-Rummani said: To cut the fruit that was presented to them - this is the apparent reason for their coming, and its underlying reason is to establish proof against them with what they would not find an excuse for, from what would affect them from that. "And she said to Yusuf" blessings and peace be upon him, "Come out to them." He complied with what she commanded him, as was his habit with her in all that did not involve disobedience, and he hastened to come out to them. "So when they saw him" meaning the women, "they exalted him" meaning they greatly admired Yusuf blessings and peace be upon him, as one would exalt their lord. "And they cut" meaning they inflicted many wounds "their hands." And their blame returned as an excuse, and the weakening indicates an abundance. It is as if the knife was falling upon the hand of one of them, cutting her, so she would raise it from her hand by its nature. Then amazement would overwhelm her, and she would fall upon another place, and so on. "And they said, 'Glory be to Allah'" meaning a great exaltation indeed "the Most High" meaning the supreme king who possesses the attributes of perfection with which He created something like this.

And when the intended meaning of this exaltation was to glorify Him, they clarified it by their saying: "This is not a human" because he surpassed humanity in beauty greatly, and he turned away from desire without any apparent reason that we see as a hindrance for him, for he is at the peak of strength and masculinity. It is as if it was said: So what is he? They said: "Indeed" meaning what "this" meaning in this beauty and charm, and they prepared the pointing gesture to prevent any possibility of error. "Except a noble angel" and that is when he was established in the nature of every meaning that is superior to the angels in beauty, chastity, and others, even if they were not visible, as he established in it a relationship contrary to that with the jinn and devils.