وَقالَ يا بَنِيَّ لا تَدخُلوا مِن بابٍ واحِدٍ وَادخُلوا مِن أَبوابٍ مُتَفَرِّقَةٍ ۖ وَما أُغني عَنكُم مِنَ اللَّهِ مِن شَيءٍ ۖ إِنِ الحُكمُ إِلّا لِلَّهِ ۖ عَلَيهِ تَوَكَّلتُ ۖ وَعَلَيهِ فَليَتَوَكَّلِ المُتَوَكِّلونَ

And he said: ‘My sons, do not enter by one gate, but enter by separate gates, though I cannot avail you anything against Allah. Sovereignty belongs only to Allah. In Him I have put my trust; and in Him let all the trusting put their trust.’

EXEGESIS

Ughnī (I avail) derives from the root ghaniya, which fundamentally denotes self-sufficiency (ghināʾ),[1] whether material (wealth that fulfills all needs) or transcendent (absolute independence from all want, a perfection reserved for God alone).[2] Here it means that Prophet Jacob (a) cannot decree or decide their affairs for them, but it is only God that can decree.

Ḥukm (sovereignty) derives from the root ḥakama, which fundamentally signifies the exercise of authoritative judgement, decisive command, and wisdom-based governance. In its primary sense, ḥukm refers to a binding decree or ruling issued with certainty. This may be either divinely ordained, such as in God’s absolute sovereignty over creation and legislation (6:57), or it can be humanly administered, such as in judicial verdicts. Ḥikmah, in turn, represents the profound wisdom that synthesises knowledge with righteous application, often granted to prophets and believers (2:269).

EXPOSITION

And he said: the repetition of he said, even though the speaker has not changed since the last verse and is still Prophet Jacob (a), is probably to indicate that a long time had passed between this and the conversation of the previous verse. We may assume that roughly a year had passed since that conversation, which took place when the brothers had returned from Egypt. With the passing of a year, their supplies were depleted by the continuing drought and it was time once again to go to Egypt to buy provisions for another year. We may assume this conversation took place when they were preparing to leave and Prophet Jacob (a) was saying his farewells to them.

Perhaps at that moment, when he saw his eleven sons together in a sight so dear to him, a feeling of worry overcame him,[3] so he said: My sons, do not enter by one gate, but enter by separate gates. While the Quran and Biblical narratives identify Egypt as the destination, the precise city (likely a regional capital or administrative centre) remains indeterminate.

It seems the plan was that by not moving as a single group the sons would not draw undue attention to themselves, seeing as they already stood out because they were Canaanites. This was especially important considering the tensions that are said to have existed between Egypt and Canaan at the time. Prophet Jacob (a) was worried that they would encounter hostility. It is common that in times of difficulty, decline in quality of life, and scarcity, xenophobia is heightened and outsiders are blamed for troubles. In this case, it was quite a reasonable assumption that a large group of Canaanites might arouse feelings of hostility amongst the Egyptians about ‘foreigners who have come to take away our resources and hard-earned stores of provisions’, much like many countries today might react to large groups of immigrants arriving in times of economic uncertainty or difficulty. His hope was that if they moved in smaller groups they would not stand out as much.

The moment of entry into the city seems to have been Prophet Jacob’s (a) main concern, because it is that moment which would have the greatest effect of distinguishing them as foreigners. Once inside the city, they could be presumed to be part of the population living there. This is similar to how migrants often face the most hostility when trying to cross the border into a country.

As for why Prophet Jacob (a) gave such advice this time (as opposed to when they first visited Egypt), there are two different possibilities that come to mind. Firstly, another year had passed and the difficulty of the drought had made the economic woes even more dire, so he feared increased hostility. Secondly, perhaps in their account of their previous trip to Egypt, his sons had described to him some xenophobia and suspicion that they had faced when trying to enter or while there, which made Prophet Jacob (a) apprehensive of their return to Egypt.

Other opinions have been mentioned as to why Prophet Jacob (a) ordered his sons to enter by separate gates. Most commonly, that he was afraid that the ‘evil eye (al-ʿayn)’ would strike them.[4]

Though I cannot avail you anything against Allah: he wished to clarify the generality of his previous statement, so that they should not think that if they followed his advice then their safety would be guaranteed.[5] This was a reminder that if God has decreed that harm befalls a person, no amount of planning, preparation, or precaution can save one from the divine decree.[6] At the same time, it is a reminder that while that is true, it does not mean we should not plan, prepare, or take precaution, for that is exactly what the prophets of God did as well, whilst also fully relying on God.

Sovereignty (ḥukm) belongs only to Allah: this statement is a repetition of what was stated by Prophet Joseph (a) earlier: Sovereignty (ḥukm) belongs only to Allah. He has commanded you to worship none except Him (verse 40). Ḥukm of God may either be cosmological (takwīnī) or legislative (tashrīʿī). In the latter case it means that God has prescribed that we must do something, which is the sense that it was used in verse 40. In the case of this verse, it is referring to the cosmological aspect of ḥukm, whereby nothing happens except by the leave of God.[7]

In Him I have put my trust; and in Him let all the trusting put their trust: by understanding that all things come from God and nothing happens except by His will, whether beneficial or harmful, one will realise that there is no one but Him that one may rely on.[8]

This profound declaration encapsulates the essence of complete reliance on God. Nothing occurs in existence except by God’s permission (64:11), and every event manifests through His perfect wisdom (ḥikmah), even when its purpose eludes human comprehension. It also echoes the spiritual station of the prophets, namely Prophet Jacob (a) in this context.  

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

The exegetes have suggested various reasons as to why Prophet Jacob’s (a) sons would have been subject to evil eye, such as because they were all handsome and good-looking,[9] or because their clothing made them stand out, and that people knew them for the great honour that the governor, Joseph (a), had bestowed upon them last time.[10]

The evil eye is a well-established phenomenon in Islamic tradition, recognised by both Sunni and Shia narrations as a real spiritual harm that can afflict individuals, possessions, or even relationships. The concept underscores the power of envious or admiring gazes when left unchecked, while ultimately affirming that all harm occurs by God’s decree. For a discussion on the ‘evil eye’ see the commentary on verse 68:51.

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. Their father Israel said to them, ‘If it must be so, do this. Take some of the best fruits in the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man: a little balm and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. Take double the money with you, along with the money that was brought back in the mouths of your sacks. Carry it with you again. Perhaps it was a mistake. Also, take your brother and arise, return to the man. And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, so that he may send away your other brother, along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.’[11]

[1] Tabrisi, 5/380.
[2] Raghib, p. 615, gh-n-y.
[3] Mizan, 11/218.
[4] Thalabi, 5/237; Zamakhshari, 2/488; Baghawi, 2/502; Ahkam, 3/1092; Qurtubi, 9/226; Alusi, 7/16; Tabrisi, 5/380; Tantawi, 7/391. This opinion is attributed to Ibn Abbas, al-Ḍaḥḥāk, Qatādah, and others (Tibyan, 6/167; Tabari, 13/9-10).
[5] Munyah, 14/195.
[6] See also Tibyan, 6/167; Tabari, 13/10.
[7] See Munyah, 14/195.
[8] See the lengthier discussion in Razi, 18/483-484.
[9] Tabrisi, 5/380.
[10] Zamakhshari, 2/488.
[11] Genesis 43:11-14.