Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 67

(Ayah67) ➊ { وَ قَالَ يٰبَنِيَّ لَا تَدْخُلُوْا …:} Neither is there any clarification in the words of the verse, nor is it known from any authentic hadith as to why Yaqub (peace be upon him) instructed his sons not to enter through one gate but rather through separate gates. The reason could be that eleven robust young men, raised in the desert, passing together through a single gate would attract more scrutiny. They could be mistaken for a gang of bandits, and if arrested out of suspicion or jealousy, not even one would reach the Aziz of Egypt, and then who would strive for the release of the detainees in a foreign land? In short, there could be several reasons, but most commentators have written that Yaqub (peace be upon him) feared the evil eye upon his healthy, strong, young, and handsome sons entering together. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “This is a method shown to avoid the evil eye, and reliance was placed upon Allah. The evil eye is not impossible, and taking precautions against it is correct.” (Mawaddih) It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ اَلْعَيْنُ حَقٌّ وَلَوْ كَانَ شَيْءٌ سَابَقَ الْقَدَرَ سَبَقَتْهُ الْعَيْنُ وَإِذَا اسْتُغْسِلْتُمْ فَاغْسِلُوْا ] [ مسلم، السلام، باب الطب والمرض والرقي : ۲۱۸۸ ] “The effect of the evil eye is a reality, and if anything could overtake destiny, the evil eye would overtake it. And when you are asked to perform ghusl (ritual washing), then do so.”

It is established that many people in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were harmed by the evil eye. In reality, a ray with a certain effect emanates from the eye of the one who casts the evil eye, which harms the one targeted, just as now even stones can be broken with a laser (ray). This can be due to jealousy, and it can also affect one’s loved ones; some people’s eyes have more effect, some less. It affects children more. In this regard, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave this guidance: when something pleases you, pray for blessing for it, for example: [تَبَارَكَ اللّٰهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِيْنَ، اَللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ فِيْهِ ] or say in your own language, “O Allah! Bless it.” It is established from the Qur’an that when someone enters his beautiful garden, he should say: «{ مَا شَآءَ اللّٰهُ لَا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ }» [ الکھف : ۳۹ ] From this verse, there is encouragement to recite these words over every beloved thing, so that it remains safe from the evil eye. If the evil eye does strike, two methods to remove it are established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): one is that if it is known whose eye caused it, have that person perform ghusl, and the water is poured over the afflicted person, as mentioned above in the authentic hadith of Muslim, or at least wash his face, both hands, both elbows, both knees, toes, and the part under the waistcloth in a vessel, and that water is poured over the patient (and he will be cured). [ الموطأ، العین، باب الوضوء من العین : ۲ ] The second method is ruqyah based on tawheed. Awf bin Malik narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ لَا بَأْسَ بِالرُّقٰي مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيْهِ شِرْكٌ ] [ مسلم، السلام، باب لا بأس بالرقٰی … : ۲۲۰۰ ] “There is nothing wrong with ruqyah as long as it does not involve shirk.” Instead of going to polytheist Sufis and shrine-keepers, perform the prescribed ruqyah yourself; here are a few prescribed ruqyahs for necessity and benefit: (1) Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to seek refuge (perform ruqyah) for Hasan and Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them) and would say: “Your father (Ibrahim, peace be upon him) used to seek refuge (perform ruqyah) for Ismail and Ishaq (peace be upon them) with these words: [أَعُوْذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللّٰهِ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لَامَّةٍ ] [ بخاری، أحادیث الأنبیاء، باب : ۳۳۷۱ ] ‘I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from every devil and poisonous creature and from every evil eye.’” In Abu Dawood (4737) and Tirmidhi (2060), the initial words are: [ أُعِيْذُكُمَا بِكَلِمَاتِ اللّٰهِ التَّامَّةِ ] meaning, “I perform ruqyah for you both.” If performing ruqyah for one, say {’’ أُعِيْذُكَ ‘‘}. (2) Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Jibreel (peace be upon him) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, “O Muhammad! Have you fallen ill?” He said, “Yes!” So he said: [ بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ أَرْقِيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ يُؤْذِيْكَ، مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ نَفْسٍ أَوْ عَيْنٍ حَاسِدٍ، اَللّٰهُ يَشْفِيْكَ بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ أَرْقِيْكَ ] [ مسلم، باب الطب والمرض والرقٰی : ۲۱۸۶ ] “In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah for you from everything that harms you and from the evil of every soul or envious eye. May Allah cure you. In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah for you.” In Musnad Ahmad (5/323, Hadith: 22826), it is narrated from Ubadah bin Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had a fever, and in the last part of the night, Jibreel (peace be upon him) performed ruqyah, and in the evening, he was in the best condition. (3) Among all the books revealed from the heavens, Surah Al-Fatihah is the greatest surah. In Sahih Bukhari, it is mentioned that the chief of a tribe (who had refused to host the caravan of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them) was bitten by a snake, and Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) recited Surah Al-Fatihah as ruqyah, and he was completely cured, so the Companions received the agreed thirty sheep from them. [بخاری، الإجارۃ، باب ما یعطی في الرقیۃ علی أحیاء العرب… : ۲۲۷۶] In Abu Dawood, it is mentioned that the uncle of Kharijah bin Salat came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and became Muslim. On his return, he passed by a people where a madman was chained with iron. They requested him to perform ruqyah, so he recited only Surah Al-Fatihah as ruqyah. Morning and evening for three days, he recited Surah Al-Fatihah and spat the collected saliva on him, and he was cured as if he had been released from ropes, so they gave him a hundred sheep. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ كُلْ فَلَعَمْرِيْ مَنْ أَكَلَ بِرُقْيَةِ بَاطِلٍ لَقَدْ أَكَلْتَ بِرُقْيَةِ حَقٍّ ] [أبوداوٗد، الطب، باب کیف الرقی : ۳۹۰۱ ] “Eat (from it), by my life! People eat with false ruqyah, and you have eaten with true ruqyah.” Therefore, for every illness, whether it is the evil eye or something else, when such a great ruqyah as Surah Al-Fatihah is available, it is regrettable if someone goes to the polytheists and innovators. (4) Regarding Surah Al-Falaq and Surah An-Naas, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Uqbah bin Amir (may Allah be pleased with him): [ يَا عُقْبَةُ ! تَعَوَّذْ بِهِمَا فَمَا تَعَوَّذَ مُتَعَوِّذٌ بِمِثْلِهِمَا ] [ أبوداوٗد، الوتر، باب فی المعوذتین : ۱۴۶۳ ] “O Uqbah! Seek refuge with these two, for no one seeking refuge has sought refuge with anything like them.” There are other ruqyahs in the books of hadith, which are found in Hisn al-Muslim and other books of supplications and remembrances.

➋ {وَ مَاۤ اُغْنِيْ عَنْكُمْ … :} And I cannot avert from you anything that comes from Allah, but whatever He has written in your destiny will surely happen. However, it is a person’s duty to take precautions against harm as much as possible, even though the real reliance should not be on the precaution but on Allah’s protection, because means only work when Allah wills. So, taking precautions is in fact seeking help from Allah. “Enter through separate gates” is precaution, and “I cannot avert from you anything from Allah” is faith in destiny, the result of which is reliance upon Him.

➌ {اِنِ الْحُكْمُ اِلَّا لِلّٰهِ … :} Here, the command refers to the universal and decreed command by which this universe operates; the servant has no choice in this. {’’ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ‘‘} That is, just as it is obligatory for me, it is also obligatory for you and for all people to rely only on Him, and not to be proud of your own planning. Although obeying the legal command of Allah is also obligatory, in this Allah has given the servant some choice as a test, for which he will be questioned.

➍ The first time, Yaqub (peace be upon him) did not instruct them to enter through different gates; perhaps the reason was that at that time, due to famine, all the brothers were not in good health. Now they were in the best of health, and moreover, they were taking their younger brother with them, who, after Yusuf (peace be upon him), was the dearest to Yaqub (peace be upon him) and was from the same mother as Yusuf (peace be upon him).

67. 1. When, along with Binyamin, the eleven brothers were about to go to Egypt, this instruction was given, because the eleven sons of the same father, who are also distinguished in stature and appearance, when gathered together in one place or pass somewhere together, people usually look at them with wonder or envy, and this is what causes the evil eye. Therefore, as a precaution to protect them from the evil eye, this order was given. The evil eye is real, as is established from Sahih ahadith from the Noble Prophet ﷺ, for example: "اَ لْعَیْنُ حَق" — "The evil eye is real." (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim) And the Prophet ﷺ also taught his ummah supplicatory words for protection from the evil eye, for example, he said: "When something pleases you, say 'Barak Allah'." (Muwatta Imam Malik) The one whose eye causes harm should be told to perform ghusl, and the water from this ghusl should be poured over the head and body of the one afflicted by the evil eye. (Reference as mentioned) Similarly, reciting "Masha Allah la quwwata illa billah" is established from the Quran, Surah Kahf. "Qul a'udhu bi rabbil-falaq" and "Qul a'udhu bi rabbin-nas" should be recited as ruqyah for the evil eye. (Jami' Tirmidhi)

67. 2. That is, this emphasis is as an apparent means, precaution, and measure, which humans have been commanded to adopt; however, this cannot bring any change in the decree and destiny of Allah. Only that will happen which, according to His decree, He has commanded.

67. Then he said, "O my sons! Do not enter (the city) by one gate, but enter by different gates [65]. Yet I cannot avail you against Allah (in anything); the decision rests only with Him. In Him I put my trust, and let all who would trust, put their trust in Him alone."

[65] Then, when the time came for the departure of those eleven brothers, many kinds of apprehensions arose in the heart of Sayyiduna Yaqub (علیہ السلام). Previously, his sons had entered Egypt as foreign travelers and in a state of helplessness. Now, in a sense, they were departing with grandeur on account of a royal invitation. There were eleven brothers, all of them young and handsome. Even the first time, they had not been treated like ordinary people in Egypt; rather, they had been shown great honor and respect, which the people of Egypt knew well. Therefore, at the time of departure, Sayyiduna Yaqub (علیہ السلام) had the greatest concern that they might fall under the evil eye of someone. Thus, as a precautionary measure, he instructed them not to enter Egypt through a single gate, but rather to enter through separate gates. Some people consider the evil eye to be merely a superstition. According to the following hadith, their opinion is invalid: Ibn Abbas (رضی اللہ عنہ) says that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The evil eye is real, and if anything were to overtake destiny, it would be the evil eye." [مسلم، كتاب السلام، باب الطب و المرضيٰ والرقي۔۔]

Along with adopting this precaution, he also informed them that our measures can only be effective if Allah wills, and if Allah does not will, then all measures become useless, and only what Allah wills comes to pass. Therefore, the reality is that placing trust in Allah is even more important than taking precautions.