Tafseer of Joseph · Yusuf · 12:68
And when they entered from where their father had ordered them, it did not avail them against Allah at all except [it was] a need within the soul of Jacob, which he satisfied. And indeed, he was a possessor of knowledge because of what We had taught him, but most of the people do not know.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the words of Allah the Exalted: وَلَمَّا دَخَلُوا مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَهُمْ أَبُوهُمْ مَا كَانَ يُغْنِي عَنْهُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِلا حَاجَةً فِي نَفْسِ يَعْقُوبَ قَضَاهَا وَإِنَّهُ لَذُو عِلْمٍ لِمَا عَلَّمْنَاهُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لا يَعْلَمُونَ (68)
Abū Jaʿfar said: Allah the Exalted says: When the sons of Yaʿqūb entered in the manner their father had commanded them — that is, their entry into Egypt through separate gates — مَا كَانَ يُغْنِي — their entering in this way — عَنْهُمْ from the decree of Allah which He had passed and fixed concerning them — مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِلا حَاجَةً فِي نَفْسِ يَعْقُوبَ قَضَاهَا — except that, by not entering by a single road out of fear of the evil eye, they fulfilled a wish of Yaʿqūb; so that his heart was set at rest that nothing had befallen them, nor had anything evil befallen them thereby. Thus:
19495 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: Shabāba related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: إِلا حَاجَةً فِي نَفْسِ يَعْقُوبَ قَضَاهَا — fear of the evil eye upon his sons.
19496 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid — the same.
19497 — He said: Isḥāq informed us, saying: ʿAbdullāh related to us, on the authority of Warqāʾ, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid — the same.
19498 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Ibn Numayr related to us, on the authority of Warqāʾ, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: إِلا حَاجَةً فِي نَفْسِ يَعْقُوبَ قَضَاهَا — he said: fear of the evil eye upon them.
19499 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq, concerning the words إِلا حَاجَةً فِي نَفْسِ يَعْقُوبَ قَضَاهَا : he said: his anxiety for his sons because of the eyes of the people on account of their appearance and their number.
His words وَإِنَّهُ لَذُو عِلْمٍ لِمَا عَلَّمْنَاهُ — Allah the Exalted says: Yaʿqūb is truly one possessed of knowledge because of the instruction We had given him.
It is also said: the meaning is — he is one who guards that knowledge which We had entrusted to his heart.
Concerning Qatāda, two differing opinions were transmitted:
19500 — Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning the words وَإِنَّهُ لَذُو عِلْمٍ لِمَا عَلَّمْنَاهُ : that is to say: because of what We had taught him.
19501 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Zubayr related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ibn Abī ʿArūba, on the authority of Qatāda: وَإِنَّهُ لَذُو عِلْمٍ لِمَا عَلَّمْنَاهُ — he said: he acts in accordance with what he knows.
19502 — He said: al-Muthannā said: Isḥāq said: ʿAbdullāh said: Sufyān said: إِنَّهُ لَذُو عِلْمٍ — because of what We had taught him. And he said: whoever does not act is not a knower.
وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لا يَعْلَمُونَ — Allah — exalted is His praise — says: but most of mankind, who are not like Yaʿqūb, do not know what he knows, for We have withheld that from them and have not taught it to them.
