Tafsir of Yusuf 12:86

(He said, "I only complain of my anguish...")

Al-bath (anguish) in its origin signifies the stirring up and scattering of something, like the wind scattering dust. It has been used for grief that its bearer cannot endure—as if it has become a weight upon him that he cannot bear alone, so he scatters it upon those who might assist him. It is an infinitive used in the sense of the passive participle, and it contains an explicit metaphor (isti'arah tasrihiyyah). It is also permissible that it is in the sense of the active participle—that is, the grief that spreads thoughts and scatters them. Regardless, it is apparent that the people said what they said by way of consolation and seeking to relieve his complaint, so he said in reply to them: "I do not complain of what I suffer to you, nor to anyone else, so that you might attempt to console me; rather, I complain of my grief and my sorrow to Allah (Exalted is He), seeking refuge in His presence, supplicating at His door for its removal, for He alone is capable of that." In a report from Ibn Umar, he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Among the treasures of righteousness are concealing charity, and hiding calamities and illnesses. Whoever broadcasts them has not endured."

Al-Hasan and 'Isa read huzni (sorrow) with two fathas (fat-hatayn), and Qatadah read it with two dhammas (dhammatayn).

("And I know from Allah what you do not know.")

That is, from His kindness and mercy, "what you do not know," so I hope that He will have mercy on me, be kind to me, and not disappoint my hope. The speech entails the omission of a genitive (mudaf), and the word "from" (min) is explanatory (bayaniyyah), placed before the object being explained, which the grammarians have permitted. It is also permitted that it be initial (ibtidaiyyah), meaning: "I know—by way of revelation, inspiration, or through some means of knowledge from His side (Exalted is He)—what you do not know regarding the life of Yusuf (peace be upon him)."

It has been said that he (peace be upon him) knew that from the vision, as previously mentioned. It has also been said that he saw the Angel of Death in a dream, and he informed him that Yusuf was alive. This has been mentioned by more than one, though they did not mention a chain of narration for it. It is narrated from Ibn Abi Hatim on the authority of al-Nadr that he said: "It reached me that Ya'qub (peace be upon him) remained for twenty-four years not knowing whether Yusuf (peace be upon him) was alive or dead, until the Angel of Death (peace be upon him) appeared to him. He asked him, 'Who are you?' He replied, 'I am the Angel of Death.' He then said, 'I adjure you by the God of Ya'qub, have you taken the soul of Yusuf?' He said, 'No.' It was then that he (peace be upon him) said..."