Yusuf · Makki · ayah 84 of 111

Yusuf 12:84

وَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَـٰٓأَسَفَىٰ عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ وَٱبْيَضَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ مِنَ ٱلْحُزْنِ فَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ

“And he turned away from them and said, "Oh, my sorrow over Joseph," and his eyes became white[614] from grief, for he was [of that] a suppressor.[615]”

Saheeh International

Essence

A new loss reopens the oldest one: Yaqub turns away, cries out for Yusuf, weeps until his eyes whiten, and holds the rest inside.

A reflection

A prophet who wept until his eyes turned white

Some people feel uneasy at this ayah. A prophet, a man of certain faith, weeping until his eyes turn white? Surely strong faith should master grief more than that.

The commentators met this unease directly. One classical commentary records three answers given to it, and calls the third the clearest. Grief is not forbidden. What is forbidden is wailing, tearing clothes, and saying what should not be said.

And it points to the Prophet himself. Sahih Muslim records the death of his infant son Ibrahim. The Prophet held the child as he was dying, and his eyes filled with tears. He said: the eye weeps and the heart grieves, and we say only what pleases our Lord. By Allah, Ibrahim, we are grieved for you.

Sahih al-Bukhari records another scene. A grandchild of his was dying in his lap, and tears ran from his eyes. A Companion asked what this was. He said: this is mercy, which Allah has placed in the hearts of His servants.

So tears are not a failure of faith. They are mercy, placed there by Allah.

The commentaries also preserve a saying of an early scholar who wept for a lost child. When people remarked on it, he said: I have not seen Allah make grief a shame for Yaqub.

A grandfather who has led the prayers in his mosque for forty years weeps at his grandson's funeral prayer. His voice breaks on the second takbir. Afterwards a young man tells him he had expected him to be stronger.

The old man answers: the eye weeps and the heart grieves. Strength is in what my tongue says next.

The full entry has 6 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.