Yacub and solace with Allah during loss

This article was updated on 23 December.

Surat Yusuf is known as the chapter of solace. While the protagonist in this story is Yusuf (as), and we learn so much through his steadfastness, Yacūb teaches us solace with and through Allah in times of sadness and loss. When he loses Yusuf, who was the dearest to him, he practices ‘beautiful patience’ (12:18) and throughout, we are shown what this means:

1- You can be content with the decree of Allah and still be in pain over your loss:

وَتَوَلَّى عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا أَسَفَى عَلَى يُوسُفَ وَابْيَضَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْحُزْنِ فَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ

“and he turned away from them, saying, ‘Alas for Joseph!’ His eyes went white with grief and he was filled with sorrow.” (12.84)

2- You can recognize that He is the All-Knowing and Most Wise and that there is therefore purpose in this test, and still feel and express your grief to him:

قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَشْكُو بَثِّي وَحُزْنِي إِلَى اللَّهِ

“He said, "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allāh…” (12:86)

3- You can accept what happened and still have hope that Allah can turn things around completely, according to His wisdom and knowledge:

عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَأْتِيَنِي بِهِمْ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ

“… Perhaps Allāh will bring them to me all together. Indeed, it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise.” (12:83)

4- You can know that things will turn out the way Allah wills them to regardless, and still take the means. Both are signs of your trust in Him, since He is the One who made the means available and is the dispenser of His own grace:

وَقَالَ يَا بَنِيَّ لَا تَدْخُلُوا مِن بَابٍ وَاحِدٍ وَادْخُلُوا مِنْ أَبْوَابٍ مُّتَفَرِّقَةٍ ۖ وَمَا أُغْنِي عَنكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ ۖ إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَعَلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ

He then instructed ˹them˺, “O my sons! Do not enter ˹the city˺ all through one gate, but through separate gates. I cannot help you against ˹what is destined by˺ Allah in the least. It is only Allah Who decides. In Him I put my trust. And in Him let the faithful put their trust.” (12:67)

5- You can recognize that your previous efforts did not yield the results you desired for a wisdom He knows, and continue to have certainty in relief from Allah:

يَا بَنِيَّ اذْهَبُواْ فَتَحَسَّسُواْ مِن يُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ وَلاَ تَيْأَسُواْ مِن رَّوْحِ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لاَ يَيْأَسُ مِن رَّوْحِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ الْقَوْمُ الْكَافِرُونَ

“… O  my sons! Go and search for Joseph and his brother. And despair not of relief from Allāh. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allāh except the disbelieving people." (12:87)

6- And perhaps He shows you things you would otherwise not have without turning to Him throughout this test:

وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ

“… and I know from Allāh that which you do not know.” (12:86)

And if you do all of that, if you allow the test to turn you to Allah, practice beautiful patience, and combine between acceptance and hope, contentment and vulnerability, you gain through your loss the most valuable thing you can ever have: closeness to Him.