What is meant by the following verse: “never give up hope of Allah’s Mercy. Certainly, no one despairs of Allah’s Mercy, except the people who disbelieve.” Yusuf: 87

Answer

Praise Be to Allah and Peace Be Upon His Messenger.

This noble verse calls people to be hopeful and optimistic and to stick to this at all times. Muslim should not surrender to despair or griefs as being despaired is considered a sin which may lead the termination of wishes, hopes and ambitions.

What is meant by the part of the verse (never give up hope of Allah’s Mercy) is do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy and relief. Al-Mawardi says in his interpretation said that there are two interpretations of this part. The first, do not lose hope in Allah’s Relief or Bless. The other one is do not lose hope in Allah’s Mercy. In addition, al-Zamakhshari said do not lose hope in Allah’s Mercy by which He will be Merciful to his slaves.

Furthermore, this verse proclaimed that being despaired of Allah’s Mercy is a characteristic of the disbelievers. Abu Hayyan justified this as people who do not believe in Allah’s Mercy are more likely ignorant in Allah’s Names and Characteristics as well as they disbelieve in His Deism.

The majority of Muslim scholars agree that being despaired is a major sin not a disbelief as the one who loses hope adopts a characteristic of the disbelievers.

Thus, when Jacob, in the above mentioned verse, asked his children to go and look for their brothers, he wanted to urge them to seriously do that and not to lose hope in finding them is losing hope is the doing of the disbelievers, and he does not want them to be like them.