قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَشْكُوا۟ بَثِّى وَحُزْنِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ 86
Translations
He said, "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allāh, and I know from Allāh that which you do not know.
Transliteration
Qala innama ashkoo bathee wa huzni ilallah wa a'alamu minallahi ma la ta'lamun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Prophet Yaqub (Jacob) responds to his sons' suggestion to send his youngest son Benjamin with them by stating that he complains only to Allah about his distress and sorrow, and that he possesses knowledge from Allah that they do not possess. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as Yaqub's affirmation of his trust in Allah's wisdom while maintaining his fatherly concern, and his knowledge of divine matters through prophecy. This demonstrates the balance between human emotion and divine trust—acknowledging grief while maintaining submission to Allah's will.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Yaqub's family seeking to travel to Egypt for provisions during famine. His sons urge him to let Benjamin accompany them, but Yaqub refuses, citing his fear of losing him as he lost Yusuf. This reflects the broader surah's theme of patience, divine wisdom, and the unfolding of Allah's plan through trials.
Related Hadiths
The hadith 'None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself' (Sahih Bukhari) relates thematically to the family dynamics. Also relevant is the hadith about sabr (patience): 'The greatest reward is with Allah for those who are patient' (Sahih Muslim), reflecting Yaqub's model of patient endurance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that expressing our pain and sorrow to Allah alone—through prayer and supplication—is the path to spiritual strength, and that true knowledge and understanding come from our relationship with Allah. We may experience human emotion and concern, but our ultimate trust and complaints should be directed solely to Allah, who knows what we do not.
Related Ayahs
۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُدَٰفِعُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ خَوَّانٍ كَفُورٍ
Indeed, Allāh defends those who have believed. Indeed, Allāh does not like everyone treacherous and ungrateful.
قُلْ هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ وَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا ۖ فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ هُوَ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ
Say, "He is the Most Merciful; we have believed in Him, and upon Him we have relied. And you will [come to] know who it is that is in clear error."
وَمَا جَعَلَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بُشْرَىٰ لَكُمْ وَلِتَطْمَئِنَّ قُلُوبُكُم بِهِۦ ۗ وَمَا ٱلنَّصْرُ إِلَّا مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ
And Allāh made it not except as [a sign of] good tidings for you and to reassure your hearts thereby. And victory is not except from Allāh, the Exalted in Might, the Wise -
فَعَسَىٰ رَبِّىٓ أَن يُؤْتِيَنِ خَيْرًا مِّن جَنَّتِكَ وَيُرْسِلَ عَلَيْهَا حُسْبَانًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتُصْبِحَ صَعِيدًا زَلَقًا
It may be that my Lord will give me [something] better than your garden and will send upon it a [disastrous] penalty from the sky, and it will become a smooth, dusty ground,