وَرَٰوَدَتْهُ ٱلَّتِى هُوَ فِى بَيْتِهَا عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ وَغَلَّقَتِ ٱلْأَبْوَٰبَ وَقَالَتْ هَيْتَ لَكَ قَالَ مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّهُۥ رَبِّىٓ أَحْسَنَ مَثْوَاىَ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ
“And she, in whose house he was, asked of him an evil act. She bolted the doors and said: Come! He said: I seek refuge in Allah! Lo! he is my lord, who hath treated me honourably. Lo! wrong-doers never prosper.” — M. M. Pickthall
Taberî9-10. c.✓ Citation verified
In this text, Taberî addresses the variant readings and meaning of the phrase 'heyt lak' in Surat Yusuf; he conveys that the phrase means 'come, approach,' and that it is also a fixed formula in which singular-plural-masculine-feminine distinctions are not made. Furthermore, he states that the word 'rabbi' in the phrase 'innahu rabbi' means 'my master/my lord' (the woman's husband, al-Aziz) and that Yusuf expressed that he would not betray him. Additionally, he explains that the phrase 'muaz allahu' is formed according to the rule in the language where the infinitive is used in the accusative case instead of the verb.
فقرأته عامة قراء الكوفة والبصرة: {هيت لك} بفتح الهاء والتاء، بمعنى: هلم لك وادن وتقرب
Zemahşerî12. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Zamakhshari, the phrase 'akrama muswa'hu' refers to treating Yusuf with kindness and receiving him well, making him feel comfortable and at ease in their company. Furthermore, he explains the different readings of the phrase 'heyt laka' and its linguistic structure (heyt, hi't, hay'a such readings) to mean 'be ready/come here.' He notes that through the word 'rabbi' in the woman's speech, her intention was her husband (Qitfir), that he had told her to 'treat him well,' and therefore he emphasizes the impropriety of repaying him with harm and betrayal.
والمراد تفقديه بالإحسان وتعهديه بحسن الملكة ، حتى تكون نفسه طيبة في صحبتنا ، ساكنة في كنفنا . ويقال للرجل : كيف أبو مثواك وأم مثواك لمن ينزل به من رجل أو امرأة
Fahreddin er-Râzî12-13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to this exegete, Yusuf's response to the woman contains three matters: that his master had shown him kindness, and therefore it is contrary to reason and morality to repay this kindness with betrayal; the necessity of avoiding self-harm; and the reality that following this forbidden pleasure will bring disgrace in this world and severe punishment in the hereafter. Furthermore, Yusuf's words 'I seek refuge in Allah' mean that he is asking Allah to create in him the motivation for obedience and to remove the motivation for sin from his heart, for Allah has already done everything He is capable of doing in terms of power, reason, and removing obstacles.
والدليل على أن المراد ما ذكرناه ما نقل أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لما وقع بصره على زينب قال : ( يا مقلب القلوب ثبت قلبي على دينك ) وكان المراد منه تقوية داعية الطاعة ، وإزالة داعية المعصية فكذا ههنا
İbn Kesîr14. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Ibn Kathir, Yusuf strongly avoided Zulaykha's invitation and justified his resistance with the phrase 'my master (rabbi).' Here, it is noted that the word 'rabb' is also used in the Arabic language for a master and an important person; that is, it means 'your husband is my master.' Yusuf expresses that he cannot betray his master, who has provided him with a fine residence and kindness, by committing immorality in his house.
وكانوا يطلقون الرب على السيد والكبير أي إن بعلك ربي أحسن مثواي أي منزلي وأحسن إلي فلا أقابله بالفاحشة في أهله
Beydâvî13. c.✓ Citation verified
Baydawi explains in this section that the emphasis on multiplicity or locking in the phrase 'wa ghalaqat al-abwab' expresses insistence, that the phrase 'heyt laka' with different readings means 'come/be ready,' and that the phrase 'muaz Allah' carries the meaning of seeking refuge with Allah. He reports two views regarding the word 'rabb' in the phrase 'rabbi ahsan muswa'ya': that it is his master (Qutfir) or that it is Allah; according to the second view, Yusuf means that he will not rebel against the blessing Allah has given him. Finally, he presents two interpretations of the phrase 'la yuflihu al-zalimun': either that it encompasses those who commit injustice or specifically those who commit adultery.
وقيل الضمير لله تعالى أي إنه خالقي أحسن منزلتي بأن عطف على قلبه فلا أعصيه. إنه لا يفلح الظالمون المجازون الحسن بالسيئ. وقيل الزناة فإن الزنا ظلم على الزاني والمزني بأهله.
Kurtubî13. c.✓ Citation verified
Qurtubi explains linguistically the root and meaning of the word 'al-murawadat'; he notes that this word means asking for or requesting something with softness and delicacy. Furthermore, he conveys the numerous variant readings in the phrase 'heyt lak' (with fatha, kasra, hamza, damma, and the like) and how these are interpreted differently by linguists; he reports that according to some scholars, this word is an invitational phrase meaning 'come,' which has passed into Arabic from Syriac, Coptic, or the Hawran dialect. He also conveys the view that the phrase 'innahu rabbi' means that Yusuf was referring to his master and that he would not betray him.
وأصل المراودة الإرادة والطلب برفق ولين
Comparison
Common ground
All exegetes accept that the phrase 'heyt laka' has variant readings and means 'come/be ready'; furthermore, there is consensus that the phrase 'rabbi' primarily refers to Yusuf's master (Qitfir/al-Aziz) and that Yusuf emphasized that he would not betray the master who had shown him kindness. They all employ linguistic and rhetorical analysis as their fundamental method.
Differences
While Taberî and Qurtubi address variant readings in greater detail through chains of transmission and linguistic origin discussions (such as Syriac, Coptic), Zamakhshari emphasizes syntactic-semantic analysis. Baydawi presents an Allah interpretation for the phrase 'rabbi' as an alternative, which remains more in the background in the others. Razi, on the other hand, adds a theological dimension by connecting the phrase 'muaz Allah' to the discussion of divine decree and predestination; this is an approach specific to his school that is not seen in other exegetes. Ibn Kathir, meanwhile, presents the matter in a simpler, more straightforward ethical framework.
Historical context
From the early exegete Taberî onward, the linguistic and transmission-based method has remained constant; subsequent exegetes (Zamakhshari, Razi, Baydawi, Qurtubi) have preserved this foundation while adding layers of rhetorical refinement, theological discussion, or pluralized interpretations on top of it. In other words, linguistic analysis has become enriched over time, and theological and interpretive diversity have been incorporated into exegetical methodology, but the fundamental line of meaning has not changed.