سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ
Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 86
قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَشْكُوا۟ بَثِّى وَحُزْنِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿86﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He said: "I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allâh, and I know from Allâh that which you know not.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالَ
qāla
He said
إِنَّمَآ
innamā
Only
أَشْكُوا۟
ashkū
I complain
بَثِّى
bathī
(of) my suffering
وَحُزْنِىٓ
waḥuz'nī
and my grief
إِلَى
ilā
to
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
وَأَعْلَمُ
wa-aʿlamu
and I know
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
مَا
mā
what
لَا
lā
not
تَعْلَمُونَ
taʿlamūna
you know
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah86) ➊ The literal meaning of { قَالَ اِنَّمَاۤ اَشْكُوْا بَثِّيْ …:’’ بَثَّ يَبُثُّ‘‘} is to spread. It is said: «{ وَ بَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيْرًا وَّ نِسَآءً }» [النساء : ۱ ] “And from both of them, He spread many men and women.” {’’بَثَّ الرِّيْحُ التُّرَابَ‘‘} “The wind scattered the dust.” When a person faces hardships, the sorrow that he can hide is called huzn, and that which he cannot hide is called {’’بَثٌّ‘‘}. Regarding this verse, Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “Do you want to teach me patience? The impatient one is he who complains about the Creator to the creation. I only speak to the One who gave the pain, and I also know that I am being tested, let me see to what extent it will go.” (Mawaddih)
The reality is that the state of Yaqub (peace be upon him)’s grief, as described by Allah Almighty, is such that just by reading and hearing it, the heart becomes deeply saddened; then what would have been his own state? Abdullah bin Shaddad says that I heard Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) weeping loudly, even though I was at the end of the rows, and he was reciting: «{ اِنَّمَاۤ اَشْكُوْا بَثِّيْ وَ حُزْنِيْۤ اِلَى اللّٰهِ }» [ بخاري، الأذان، باب إذا بکی الإمام فی الصلاۃ، قبل ح : ۷۱۶ ]
➋ { وَ اَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللّٰهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُوْنَ:} That is, Yusuf is alive, and a day will come when the dream he saw of you and me prostrating will come true; I am fully certain of this, and Allah Almighty will fulfill my hope. Despite so much time passing and so much grief, in which even the hope of Yusuf (peace be upon him)’s life does not seem possible, to still hope for their meeting is the result of Yaqub (peace be upon him)’s perfect faith.
The reality is that the state of Yaqub (peace be upon him)’s grief, as described by Allah Almighty, is such that just by reading and hearing it, the heart becomes deeply saddened; then what would have been his own state? Abdullah bin Shaddad says that I heard Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) weeping loudly, even though I was at the end of the rows, and he was reciting: «{ اِنَّمَاۤ اَشْكُوْا بَثِّيْ وَ حُزْنِيْۤ اِلَى اللّٰهِ }» [ بخاري، الأذان، باب إذا بکی الإمام فی الصلاۃ، قبل ح : ۷۱۶ ]
➋ { وَ اَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللّٰهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُوْنَ:} That is, Yusuf is alive, and a day will come when the dream he saw of you and me prostrating will come true; I am fully certain of this, and Allah Almighty will fulfill my hope. Despite so much time passing and so much grief, in which even the hope of Yusuf (peace be upon him)’s life does not seem possible, to still hope for their meeting is the result of Yaqub (peace be upon him)’s perfect faith.
