An Analysis of the Modes of Recitation of the word „kudhibu‟ in Verse 110 of Surah Yusu

The first part of verse 110 of Surah Yusuf, that is the phrase: “Until when the messengers despaired and they thought that they had been told lies…” has, from the earliest times, attracted the special attention of scholars and exegetes of the Holy Qurʾān, and has been a bone of contention between them with many differing opinions. These differences are rooted more in the different modes of reading of the word “kudhibū” (lit. being lied to) and identification of the references of its pronouns. On the other hand, due to the reasons that will be mentioned in this research, this issue is also related to the theological question associated with the belief in infallibility of Prophets and this only adds to the importance of the subject. In this article, we show how difference of opinion regarding the referents of the pronouns is, for the most part, due to differences in the principles of one of the modes of recitation. On this basis, with the aim of finding the best solution, the opinions and views that exist regarding the specific part of the verse have been investigated and analyzed. Important arguments such as the principle of reference of the pronoun to the nearest explicitly mentioned noun, semantic consistency in the verse, the system of collocation of the words and the context of similar verses, and the diversity of the various other recitations, lead us to conclude that another reading is preferable over the current reading of “kudhibū”.