وَلَمّا دَخَلوا مِن حَيثُ أَمَرَهُم أَبوهُم ما كانَ يُغني عَنهُم مِنَ اللَّهِ مِن شَيءٍ إِلّا حاجَةً في نَفسِ يَعقوبَ قَضاها ۚ وَإِنَّهُ لَذو عِلمٍ لِما عَلَّمناهُ وَلٰكِنَّ أَكثَرَ النّاسِ لا يَعلَمونَ

When they entered whence their father had bidden them, it did not avail them anything against Allah, but only fulfilled a wish in Jacob’s heart. Indeed, he had the knowledge of what We had taught him, but most people do not know.

EXEGESIS

Ḥājah (a wish) denotes a pressing need.[1] The verse does not specify what pressing desire was fulfilled through Prophet Jacob’s (a) action, leaving it purposefully unexplained.

Nafs (heart) is a person’s self or soul. Here it means Prophet Jacob’s (a) soul, although in English we would refer to it as his heart when utilised in the context of emotions.

Qaḍāhā (fulfilled) is the combination of the verb qaḍā and the pronoun hā which refers back to the wish of Prophet Jacob (a). So, the literal translation of the Arabic is ‘but a wish in Jacob’s heart which he fulfilled’. The root verb qaḍā fundamentally signifies the completion, termination, and decisive execution of matters, whether in speech, action, or divine decree. It conveys the idea of bringing something to its inevitable conclusion, as seen in the divine qaḍāʾ as well as human judgement that resolves disputes conclusively. Derivatives like qaḍāʾ al-ḥājah (fulfilling a need) and qaḍāʾ al-ṣalāh (making up missed prayers) emphasise finality and completion, while qaḍāʾ al-dayn (repaying a debt) underscores the discharge of obligations. In sum, qaḍāʾ focuses on absolute termination – whether divine fate, judicial rulings, or ritual fulfilment.[2]

The li in limā ʿallamnāhu (what We had taught him) can have the meaning of ‘because of’, to give the meaning: he had that knowledge because We taught him.[3] Or it can have the meaning of ‘about’, to give the meaning: he had knowledge of what We had taught him.[4]

EXPOSITION

When they entered whence their father had bidden them: upon once again arriving in Egypt, they did as their father had commanded them and separated in order to enter through different gates.

It did not avail them anything against Allah, but only fulfilled a wish in Jacob’s heart: Prophet Jacob’s (a) sons entered the city through separate gates as instructed, however, their precaution failed to alter God’s decree that Benjamin would be detained. This is a moment rich with spiritual insight. Commentators like Ibn Kathīr[5] and Qurṭubī[6] emphasise that while Prophet Jacob’s (a) advice was prudent (reflecting legitimate means (asbāb)), it ultimately could not override divine will, though it eased his paternal anxiety. Tabatabai[7] and Ṭabrisī[8] frame Prophet Jacob’s (a) action as resulting from divinely granted wisdom, balancing practical precaution with awareness of God’s plan. Benjamin’s detention became a hidden mercy to expose his brothers’ past guilt, facilitating their repentance, and helping the family’s reunion. The verse teaches the supremacy of the divine decree, while affirming the necessity of effort (tadbīr) and spiritual protections against the evil eye or any other undesirable event. Believers must strive with earnest responsibility yet remain conscious that their choices and deeds are woven into a grander design and divine plan which unfolds by a wisdom (ḥikmah) that far surpasses human understanding.

In fact, by instructing his sons to enter Egypt through separate gates, Prophet Jacob (a) exhausted every humanly possible avenue of protection against harm, whether from the evil eye, social envy, or immediate danger. This action demonstrated his comprehensive understanding of asbāb (material means), fulfilling his paternal and prophetic duty to shield his family. However, he was also aware that no precaution can override divine decree. 

As discussed in the exegeses, the phrase qaḍāhā constitutes a complete sentence that comprises of a verb, subject, and object, and translates literally as, ‘he fulfilled it’. The pronoun hā (the object) refers to the wish (ḥājah) within Prophet Jacob’s (a) heart. However, the subject implicit in the verb qaḍā remains ambiguous: it could denote Prophet Jacob (a) himself (that he fulfilled it) or could denote God (that He fulfilled it), rendering the matter even more profound and mysterious. When considered alongside the next sentence in the verse, he had the knowledge of what We had taught him, this latter interpretation (where God is the subject of the verb) seems more fitting and hints at a far deeper theological dimension.

Indeed, he had the knowledge of what We had taught him: he had great knowledge of both the apparent and the transcendent, knowledge of the asbāb (causes) and of what overrides the asbāb. That is why God has left the pressing need (ḥājah) in his heart unexplained, probably because it pertains to a reality beyond ordinary human comprehension. He knew that while we do have free will and our choices hold weight, they are ultimately encompassed within a greater divine plan – one that accounts for all possibilities and contingencies. Albeit, the reality of this matter is fully appreciated only by those possessed of deep knowledge. This is another aspect of God’s praise of Prophet Jacob (a): Indeed, he had the knowledge of what We had taught him.

For most people though, this is a hard concept to grasp, so God then finishes by saying: but most people do not know. This has been understood in several ways, of which we may mention three here. These three aspects are not mutually exclusive, and offer us different insights to the profound realities stated in this verse.

Firstly, that most people do not know the status of Prophet Jacob (a) and the knowledge he possessed.[9] This should be considered in light of what we said earlier.

The second way to understand it is that Prophet Jacob (a) was possessed of divinely gifted knowledge, which is fundamentally different from acquired knowledge. Most people only have access to this latter form of knowledge and do not know any more than that.[10]

A third suggestion is that most people do not know that relying on apparent causes cannot avail one unless God wills it.[11] As we pointed out, this is perhaps the most outstanding understanding of them all and should be understood in comparison to the earlier verse which mentioned the same fact, Allah has [full] command of His affairs, but most people do not know (verse 21). For most people it is difficult to truly grasp that apparent causes are just that, and the true and real cause of all things is God, the most exalted, and His plan will always be fulfilled no matter what we may plan or want or act.

[1] Raghib, p. 263, ḥ-w-j.
[2] Tahqiq, 9/315-316, q-ḍ-y.
[3] Tabrisi, 5/381.
[4] Tibyan, 6/168. Related in Tabrisi, 5/381.
[5] Ibn Kathir, 4/367.
[6] Qurtubi, 9/214.
[7] Mizan, 11/178.
[8] Tabrisi, 5/357.
[9] Tibyan, 6/168; Tabrisi, 5/381; Thalabi, 5/237.
[10] Mizan, 11/220. This similar opinion seems to be adopted in Tabari, 13/10; Baghawi, 2/503.
[11] Tantawi, 7/393. See also Sharawi, p. 7019.