And His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "And I do not absolve myself. Indeed, the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil, except for that which my Lord has mercy upon. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful." This is also disputed whether it is from the words of Yusuf or from the words of the woman, according to the one who accepted it.

So whoever said: "It is from the words of Yusuf," narrated in this regard from Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said: "When Yusuf said: 'Indeed, I did not betray him in secret' [Yusuf: 52], Gabriel said to him: 'And what about when you intended and removed your trousers?!'" And Ibn Abbas, Ibn Jubair, Ikrimah, and Al-Dahhak said something similar. It was narrated that the woman said this to him, as reported by Al-Suddi. It was also narrated that Yusuf remembered from his own self what he had intended, so he said: "And I do not absolve myself. Indeed, the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil," as Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, also said.

And whoever said: "The woman said: 'And I do not absolve myself,'" the meaning of her words is an excuse for her falling into what humans fall into of desires. As if she said: 'And this is neither a novelty nor is that a denial of humanity, so I do not absolve myself from it. The souls are persistent enjoiners of evil, inclined towards it.'

And "persistent enjoiner" is a form of exaggeration. And the "except" in His saying: "except for that which my Lord has mercy upon" is a source, this is the opinion of the majority regarding it, and it is - on this - an exception that is disconnected, meaning: except for the mercy of my Lord. And it is permissible that it could mean "whoever," this is on the condition that "the soul" refers to the souls; since the soul is described as that of one who has reason, like the eye and the hearing. Abu Ali said this, so the meaning of the verse is: except for the souls which Allah has mercy upon.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: And if "the soul" is a generic term, then it is correct that "what" could take the place of "who" since it is likewise in the attributes of those who have reason and in their kinds. This is a text in the words of Al-Mubarrid, and it is - in my view - the meaning of the words of Sibawayh, and it is the doctrine of Abu Ali, which he mentioned in the "Baghdadiyyāt."

And it is permissible that "what" is an adverbial, meaning: Indeed, the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil except during the period of Allah's mercy to the servant and his departure from desiring sins.

Then he expressed hope at the end of the verse with His saying: "Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful."