“O you who have believed, upon you is [responsibility for] yourselves. Those who have gone astray will not harm you when you have been guided. To Allah is your return all together; then He will inform you of what you used to do.”
إِنَّمَا أَشْكُو بَثِّي وَحُزْنِي إِلَى اللَّهِ
Innamaaa ashkoo bassee wa huzneee ilal laahi
“I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah”
Key Takeaways (Yaqub (as))
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Yaqub (as) comforted himself by resolving to be patient, saying, “But it is best to be patient: may God bring all of them back to me – He alone is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise”. Throughout those years, he remained dutiful to Allah and never lost faith in His plan.
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The du’a he offered here exemplifies the most beautiful form of patience—one where he consistently turned to Allah (swt) for help in resolving his hardships.
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We cannot fathom Allah’s plan for us. If He closes a door for you, it may be because the fifth or sixth door holds far greater blessings. Did your first marriage not work out? Perhaps this experience was necessary, as Allah has prepared a more loving partner for you in a subsequent marriage.
Toward the end of Prophet Yusuf (as)’s story, we learn of his encounter with his brothers, who came to the storehouse to procure rations amid a famine. Recall that his brothers (with the exception of Binyamin) had betrayed him: they pushed him into a well and left him to be captured by a caravan, which then sold him into slavery.
Yusuf (as) devised a plan to frame Binyamin with the king’s golden cup, ensuring Binyamin would be arrested for theft and detained by the guards. This was the Prophet’s strategy to lure his father to the city, allowing the family to be reunited. Though he had forgiven his brothers, he was uncertain how they would react to learning he was still alive. In his judgment, the best way to reunite the family was through a mediator—their father.
For a moment, imagine yourself in Prophet Yaqub (as)’s shoes. He had already lost one child, and now faced the possibility of losing his youngest, Binyamin.
We are told that the brothers returned home and informed their father that his youngest son was being held captive for theft. The following account describes the profound emotional anguish he felt upon hearing this news: “[Jacob] said, ‘Rather, your souls have enticed you to something, so patience is most fitting. Perhaps Allah will bring them to me all together. Indeed, it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise.’ And he turned away from them and said, ‘Oh, my sorrow over Joseph [Yusuf],’ and his eyes became white from grief, for he was [of that] a suppressor. They said, ‘By Allah, you will not cease remembering Joseph [Yusuf] until you become fatally ill or become of those who perish.’”
Here, we see Yaqub (as) urging himself to be patient. He tried to hold back his tears, but his grief was so overwhelming that he could no longer contain it. His eyes clouded over, impairing his vision. The prospect of losing Binyamin revived the pain of losing Yusuf (as), compounding his suffering.
His other brothers questioned him—likely out of love and compassion—saying, “By Allah, you will not cease remembering Joseph until you become fatally ill or become of those who perish.”
It was at this moment in the story that Yaqub (as) offered this du’a: “Innamaaa ashkoo bassee wa huzneee ilal laahi,” meaning, “I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah.”
This is a testament to Prophet Yaqub (as)’s unwavering resolve and faith; he refused to give up on seeking Allah’s mercy. It shows that he directed all his complaints of suffering and grief to Allah, continually imploring Him for help. As he had said earlier, “But it is best to be patient: may God bring all of them back to me – He alone is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” Throughout those years, he remained dutiful to Allah, never losing faith in His plan and persisting with steadfastness.
We cannot fathom Allah’s plan for us. If Allah closes a door for you, it may be because the fifth or sixth door holds far greater blessings. A failed first business venture may equip you with the lessons needed to succeed in your next endeavor.
It is acceptable to feel discouraged, but never acceptable to quit.
There is only one path in life: to move forward with faith and conviction.
If you view your life as a book, there are still unwritten chapters. Your story does not end in this moment. We must emulate Prophet Yaqub (as) by looking ahead, striving to envision a better future. Ask yourself: What will the end of your book say? Will it tell of someone who quit at the first obstacle, or of someone who stumbled but rose again and again?
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