يَـٰبَنِىَّ ٱذْهَبُوا۟ فَتَحَسَّسُوا۟ مِن يُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ وَلَا تَا۟يْـَٔسُوا۟ مِن رَّوْحِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يَا۟يْـَٔسُ مِن رَّوْحِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ 87
Translations
O my sons, go and find out about Joseph and his brother and despair not of relief from Allāh. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allāh except the disbelieving people."
Transliteration
Ya baniyya ithhabu fatahassu min Yusufa wa akheeh wa la tay'asu min roohil-lah innahu la yay'asu min roohil-lah illal-qawmul-kafirun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Yaʿqub (Jacob), speaking to his sons, commands them to search for news of Yusuf (Joseph) and his brother Benjamin, while emphasizing that they must not despair of Allah's mercy and relief. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that this represents a profound teaching on balancing proactive effort with unwavering hope in Divine mercy, as Yaʿqub had lost his sight from grief over Joseph's separation yet maintained his faith that Allah's compassion would ultimately restore them.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs in the latter portion of Surah Yusuf, after Joseph had risen to prominence in Egypt and his brothers came seeking provisions during famine. Yaʿqub speaks these words having endured years of separation from his beloved son, demonstrating how patient believers maintain hope despite overwhelming sorrow. The context emphasizes the emotional climax of the narrative where resolution is drawing near.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'None of you should wish for death because of a calamity befalling him; but if he must wish for death, he should say: O Allah, keep me alive as long as life is good for me, and let me die if death is better for me' (Sahih Bukhari). This reflects the spirit of not despairing of Allah's mercy mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that despair of Allah's mercy is a characteristic of the disbelievers, while hope and active effort—even in the face of seeming impossibility—reflect true faith. Modern readers should understand that maintaining optimism about Divine assistance while simultaneously taking practical steps to address their concerns is both spiritually sound and psychologically healthy.
Related Ayahs
فَلَمَّا دَخَلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِ قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْعَزِيزُ مَسَّنَا وَأَهْلَنَا ٱلضُّرُّ وَجِئْنَا بِبِضَـٰعَةٍ مُّزْجَىٰةٍ فَأَوْفِ لَنَا ٱلْكَيْلَ وَتَصَدَّقْ عَلَيْنَآ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَجْزِى ٱلْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ
So when they entered upon him [i.e., Joseph], they said, "O ʿAzeez, adversity has touched us and our family, and we have come with goods poor in quality, but give us full measure and be charitable to us. Indeed, Allāh rewards the charitable."
قَالُوا۟ جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥ مَن وُجِدَ فِى رَحْلِهِۦ فَهُوَ جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
[The brothers] said, "Its recompense is that he in whose bag it is found - he [himself] will be its recompense. Thus do we recompense the wrongdoers."
ٱرْجِعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَبِيكُمْ فَقُولُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَآ إِنَّ ٱبْنَكَ سَرَقَ وَمَا شَهِدْنَآ إِلَّا بِمَا عَلِمْنَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِلْغَيْبِ حَـٰفِظِينَ
Return to your father and say, 'O our father, indeed your son has stolen, and we did not testify except to what we knew. And we were not witnesses of the unseen.
۞ لَّقَدْ كَانَ فِى يُوسُفَ وَإِخْوَتِهِۦٓ ءَايَـٰتٌ لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ
Certainly were there in Joseph and his brothers signs for those who ask, [such as]