245 Page Notes

12 Surah Yusuf (continued)

Page 245 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

12:79

12:80

12:81

12:82

12:83

12:84

12:85

12:86

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 245 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 245 of the Quran contains Surah Yusuf (Chapter 12), Verses 79 through 86.

In this section, the narrative reaches an intense emotional peak. Yusuf firmly refuses the brothers' pleas to substitute one of them for Benjamin, stating it would be unjust to seize anyone except the person found with the property. Realizing their failure, the eldest brother refuses to leave Egypt, choosing to stay behind out of sheer shame because of the solemn oath they broke to their father. The remaining brothers return to Canaan and break the news to Prophet Ya'qub, claiming Benjamin committed theft. Devastated by this second loss—coupled with the eldest son staying behind—Ya'qub’s grief completely overflows. He weeps until his eyes turn white with blindness, famously crying out, "Oh, my sorrow over Yusuf!" When his sons criticize his continuous mourning, he delivers one of the most iconic lines in the Quran: "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah."

The prophetic Sunnah and classical Ahadith directly connect to these verses, establishing profound rules regarding the judicial prohibition of punishing the innocent, the physical biology of grief-induced blindness, and the proper framework for venting emotional sorrow.

1. Legal Justice: The Absolute Prohibition of Vicarious Punishment

Quranic Context (Verse 79): "[Yusuf] said, '[I seek] the refuge of Allah that we should take except him with whom we found our possession. Indeed, we would then be unjust.'"

When the brothers begged Yusuf to arrest one of them instead of Benjamin, Yusuf declared that punishing an innocent bystander in place of the accused is an act of absolute tyranny (dhulm). This forms a foundational axiom in Islamic law (Sharia): criminal liability is strictly personal and non-transferable.

• The Sunnah Standard: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ forcefully echoed Yusuf's declaration during his Farewell Pilgrimage, permanently eradicating the pre-Islamic tribal custom of executing relatives for crimes committed by a family member.
  The Prophet ﷺ said: "An independent criminal does not bring a crime upon anyone except himself. A father does not bring a crime upon his son, nor does a son bring a crime upon his father."
  — Jami` at-Tirmidhi (2159) & Sunan Ibn Majah (2669)

• The Ultimate Quranic Principle: This matches the overarching rule repeated across multiple chapters: "And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another" (Surah Al-An'am, 6:164).

2. Venting Sorrow and Grief Solely to Allah

Quranic Context (Verse 86): "He said, 'I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you do not know.'"

Ya'qub’s response serves as the absolute psychological guide for a believer navigating severe emotional trauma. The Sunnah uses this verse to demonstrate that Sabrun Jameel (beautiful patience) does not mean pretending pain doesn't exist; it means focusing your vulnerability, crying, and begging entirely toward the Creator rather than complaining about your destiny to creation (Al-Ghazali, n.d.).

• The Prophetic Practice at Ta'if: When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was brutally stoned and rejected by the people of Ta'if, bleeding and physically broken, he did not curse the townspeople. Instead, he modeled Ya'qub’s exact framework by retreating to a garden and reciting his famous supplication:
  "O Allah! To You alone I complain of my weakness, my lack of resources, and my humiliation before the people..."
  — Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani (Classified as a foundational prophetic standard of supplication)

• The Supplication for Relieving Grief: The Sunnah teaches specific prayers to read when life's burdens match the crushing weight experienced by Ya'qub on this page:
  "O Allah, I am Your servant, son of Your servant... I ask You by every name belonging to You... to make the Quran the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the banisher of my sadness, and the reliever of my distress."
  — Musnad Ahmad (3712; Verified Sahih by Al-Arna'ut)

3. The Biology of Grief and Weeping (Al-Buka')

Quranic Context (Verse 84): "And he turned away from them and said, 'Oh, my sorrow over Yusuf,' and his eyes became white from grief, for he was [suppressing] a bitter anger."

This verse proves that intense, long-term psychological sorrow can physically alter the human body, specifically causing cataract-like conditions or psychosomatic blindness (amaurosis). Sibling pressure pushed Ya'qub to hold in his bitter frustration (kadhīm), which caused his sorrow to destroy his eyesight. The Sunnah actively validates weeping as a natural, healthy, and deeply merciful human reaction to tragedy.

• Weeping is Mercy, Not Sin: When the Prophet’s ﷺ young grandson was dying, the Prophet began to weep silently. His companion Sa'd was confused, thinking patience meant remaining stone-faced.
  The Prophet ﷺ corrected him, saying: "This is a mercy that Allah has placed in the hearts of His servants. And Allah only shows mercy to those of His servants who are themselves merciful."
  — Sahih al-Bukhari (1284) & Sahih Muslim (923)

References

• Ahmad ibn Hanbal. (2001). Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Mu'assasat al-Risalah.

• Al-Bukhari, M. I. (1997). Sahih al-Bukhari. Darussalam Publishers.

• Al-Ghazali, A. H. (n.d.). Ihya 'Ulum al-Din [The Revival of the Religious Sciences].

• Al-Naysaburi, M. H. (2007). Sahih Muslim. Darussalam Publishers.

• Al-Tabarani, S. A. (1995). Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir. Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi.

• At-Tirmidhi, M. I. (2007). Jami` at-Tirmidhi. Darussalam Publishers.

• Ibn Majah, M. (2007). Sunan Ibn Majah. Darussalam Publishers.