12. Surah Yusuf (Joseph)

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

يَا بَنِيَّ اذْهَبُواْ فَتَحَسَّسُواْ مِن يُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ...   

12: 87.  "O my sons! go ye and enquire about Joseph and his brother,

...وَلاَ تَيْأَسُواْ مِن رَّوْحِ اللّهِ...

and never give up hope of Allah's Soothing Mercy:

...إِنَّهُ لاَ يَيْأَسُ مِن رَّوْحِ اللّهِ إِلاَّ الْقَوْمُ الْكَافِرُونَ ﴿٨٧﴾

truly no one despairs of Allah's Soothing Mercy, except those who have no faith."

Other Versions:

12: 87

Asad “………..verily, none but people who deny the truth can ever lose hope of God’s life-giving mercy.”

Pickthall Go, O my sons, and ascertain concerning Joseph and his brother, and despair not of the Spirit of Allah. Lo! none despaireth of the Spirit of Allah save disbelieving folk

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Ali’s notes:

C1762. The word is rauh, not ruh as some translators have mistakenly construed it.

Rauh includes the idea of a Mercy that stills or calms our distracted state, and is particularly appropriate here in the mouth of Jacob.

C1763. Jacob ignores and forgives the sting and malice in the speech of his sons, and like a true Prophet of Allah, still wishes them well, gives them sound advice, and sends them on an errand which is to open their eyes to the wonderful ways of Providence as much as it will bring consolation to his own distressed soul.

He asks them to go again in search of Joseph and Benjamin. Perhaps by now he had an idea that they might be together in Egypt. In any case their stock of grain is again low, and they must seek its replenishment in Egypt. (R).]