“And when they entered in the manner their father had enjoined them, it availed them nothing against Allah; but (it was) a need in Yaqoob s soul which he so satisfied; and verily he was possessed of a knowledge for that We had taught him, but most people do not know.”
Tafseer
Last week, we had begun the second portion of the story of Ya‘qub’s re-entering into the scene, and the brothers tell Ya‘qub they have to bring Binyamin into Egypt into Memphis in order to get more grain. Ya‘qub has them make a solemn oath to Allah (
Ya‘qub tells them to enter from different gates because he wanted to protect them from two things:
1) a natural jealousy
2)a natural fear
He wanted to protect them from the evil eye, from the ‘ayn. Allah (subhanahu wata’ala) then said,
“And when they entered how their father told them to enter…”
This means that the sons obeyed their father.
Even though their father is far away, they have a sense of iman and oath.
It shows that they have good in them, and they are not completely evil.
Their father is not there, and now they are coming into the city, and they follow their father’s orders.
**Point for us*
Are we as obey to our parents as them?
They obeyed their father, but Allah comments,
“It didn’t help them against the decree of Allah.”
Allah had decreed that a calamity was going to happen right now, as we are going to find out.
Allah had decreed something would happen, so Allah is saying,
“It did not help them against Allah (subhanahu wata’ala) except for a haajah (desire).”
Except for a will that Ya‘qub had that he felt calm that his children obeyed him.
It was a psychological desire that did not change the decree of Allah, but Ya‘qub still told them to do it, and Allah approved of the action.
The whole point of all of this is tawakkul in Allah means that you do what you can to get to the end,
but you realize it is not going to help you in the end result.
If Allah has willed it, He has willed it, and if Allah has not willed it, it will not happen.
“And indeed, Ya‘qub has the knowledge of what We taught him.”
This phrase has a number of interpretations to it.
The first of them:
1) He has knowledge because We taught him the knowledge.”
This means he has the ‘ilm because Allah gave him the ‘ilm,
2) Ya‘qub understood the knowledge that Allah taught him, so it’s one thing to have knowledge,
and it is another to understand it.
Allah is praising Ya‘qub that he understood the knowledge.
3) this is the interpretation of Ibn Abbas, is that Ya‘qub acted upon the knowledge that Allah gave him because having knowledge is one thing, and acting upon it is something else.
4) is that this phrase is relevant to the whole story, and that Ya‘qub understood that he could not protect his sons from the decree of Allah, but he still did what he could to facilitate matters.
We already mentioned a number of things:
he took reasonable precautions,
1)he told the children to enter from different doors,
2) he took a solemn oath from Allah (subhanahu wata’ala) that they would take care of him.
He did all the precautions, so he acted upon the knowledge, but he knew that in the end it was up to Allah (subhanahu wata’ala).
“But most of mankind, they do not know.”
They don’t have this knowledge or they don’t act upon this knowledge or they have it and they don’t understand it.
Depending on the interpretation of the previous phrase, Allah is saying, “Most of mankind don’t have what Ya‘qub had.”
*Explanation*
1. Bitter experiences educate man, and as a result, he is more inclined to take the words of great men seriously.
2. Even correct calculations and planning are only effective if they are in accordance with the Divine will, once they run contrary to the will of Allah they cannot come into effect.
3. Ya‘qub was aware of some secrets and subjects which he did not deem fit to disclose.
4. The prayers of the men of Allah are always accepted and their needs fulfilled.
5. The knowledge of the prophets has its origin in the Divine knowledge.
6. Most people are only aware of the means and the causes of events and are ignorant of Allah’s authority and the need for putting all their hopes and trust in Him.
*Lesson*
1) If you want to put your trust in someone or something then put your trust on the One with Whom the command lies.
The One with Whom the decision of every single matter lies. In the end, everything is decided by Allah.
The final outcome of all things will be decided by Him. So put your trust in Allah and have the greatest of hopes in Him.
Realize the Majesty and Sublimity of Him (swt). Once you realize this how then will you ever be disappointed?
So take every precaution. Do your best. But in the end, put your trust in Allah and know that He (swt) is the One for all those who would trust to trust in.
2)There is neither might nor power except with Allah (swt). Do not think that things happen because of the efforts that you put into them.
Rather know that everything happens because Allah (swt) wills it to happen.
3) Always listen to your parents.