Overview (Verse 68)

Looking for Unnecessary Details
 
The party moves along and Jacob’s children carry out their father’s instructions: “And when they entered as their father had bidden them, it did not profit them in the least against God. It was but a wish in Jacob’s soul which he had thus fulfilled. He was endowed with knowledge which We had given him. But most people do not know it.” (Verse 68) What was the purpose of Jacob’s instruction? Why does he want them to enter the city from different gates?
 
Reports and commentaries provide different explanations for which there is no need. In fact these explanations are against what the Qur’ānic text wants to impart. Had the Qur’ān wanted to enlighten us about the reason for these instructions, it would have stated it, but it does not mention anything other than saying, “It was but a wish in Jacob’s soul which he had thus fulfilled.” (Verse 68) Commentators should likewise stop at this juncture in order to retain the atmosphere the Qur’ān wants to impart.  That atmosphere suggests that  Jacob feared something for his children, which he felt could be prevented by their entering the city from different gates. At the same time he realizes that he could not avail them anything against God’s will. All judgement belongs to God, and all trust must be placed in Him. It was only in an intuitive sense he gave his children this instruction. God had taught him, and he had learnt, that God’s will is certain to be done: “But most people do not know it.” (Verse 68)
 
What Jacob feared for his children might have been an evil eye, or the King’s jealousy,   should he see their number and strength,   or perhaps he feared highwaymen. Knowledge of that which he feared does not give us anything of substance to add to the subject of the sūrah. It only provides a way for commentators to deviate from the highly effective treatment of the subject in the Qur’ān. On our part, we will leave out the reason for Jacob’s instructions and the whole trip with whatever events it might have witnessed, because the sūrah does not mention any of these. We will look at the next scene when Joseph’s brothers have arrived in Egypt.