Tafsir of Yusuf 12:86

"He said, 'I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah...'"

Al-Bathth (Suffering): The most severe form of distress that one cannot endure, so he yabuththuhu (spreads/discloses it) to people. From this comes the phrase: "He disclosed his affair to him," and "He revealed it to him."

The meaning of "I only complain": I do not complain to any of you or to anyone else; I only complain to my Lord, calling upon Him and seeking refuge in Him. So, leave me and my complaint. This is the meaning of his turning away from them—that is, he turned away from them toward Allah, complaining only to Him.

It is said: A neighbor visited Ya‘qub and said, "O Ya‘qub, you have become frail and withered, and you have reached an age that your father did not reach." He replied, "What has withered and consumed me is the distress of Yusuf with which Allah has tested me." Then Allah revealed to him: "O Ya‘qub, do you complain about Me to My creation?" He said, "O Lord, it was a mistake I made, so forgive me." He was forgiven, and thereafter, whenever he was asked, he would say, "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah."

It is narrated: It was revealed to Ya‘qub: "I am only displeased with you because you slaughtered a sheep, and a poor person stood at your door, but you did not feed him. Indeed, the most beloved of My creation to Me are the prophets, then the poor. So, prepare food and invite the poor to it."

It is also said: He had bought a slave woman along with her child, then sold the child, and she wept until she went blind.

"And I know from Allah that which you do not know": That is, I know of His handiwork, His mercy, and my good opinion of Him, that He will bring me relief from where I do not expect.

It is narrated: He saw the Angel of Death in his dream and asked him, "Have you taken the soul of Yusuf?" He replied, "No, by Allah, he is alive; seek him."

Qira'at (Readings):

• Wa-hazani (with two fathas): Al-Hasan.
• Wa-huzni (with two dammas): Qatadah.

"O my sons, go and find out about Yusuf and his brother and despair not of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of the mercy of Allah except the disbelieving people."