And when they were permitted to go out with him, the Most High followed that news with His command to them to be cautious of calamities. This is because they were twelve men, brothers of the people of beauty and stature. They had become somewhat known among the Egyptians due to what transpired between them and Yusuf, blessings and peace be upon him, in the first instance. They were a target for the eyes to gaze upon them and to point at them with fingers, so they could be afflicted by the evil eye. He did not advise them in the first instance because they were unknown, while the people were preoccupied with the drought they were experiencing. He said, narrating from him: "And he said," meaning Yaqub, blessings and peace be upon him, to his sons when they intended to travel: "O my sons," warning them of the evil of envy and the evil eye - "Do not enter" when you arrive in Egypt "from one gate" of its gates; and the one is in general: that which does not divide. As for the restricted one, applied to a description like one gate, it is that which does not divide in the meaning of that described. "And enter from different gates" and take care not to be too close together or very similar. He said: "separate" meaning a great separation. This is the ruling of obligation so that they would not be afflicted by the evil eye - as narrated by Al-Rummani from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, and Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Al-Dhahak, and Al-Suddi. For the evil eye is true, and it is by the decree of Allah. Our Shari'ah has mentioned this, for in the two Sahihs and others from Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, "that the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said: 'The evil eye is true.'" In a narration from Ahmad and Ibn Majah: "The devil and the envy of the son of Adam attend it." And for Muslim, Al-Tirmidhi, and Al-Nasa'i from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, that the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said: "The evil eye is true, and if anything were to precede the decree, the evil eye would precede it. And if you seek to wash it off, then wash it off." And for Abu Nu'aym in Al-Hilyah from Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet said: "Indeed, the evil eye can put a camel into a pot and a man into a grave." And for Abu Dawood from Asma bint Yazid, may Allah be pleased with her, that the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said: "And it is only to catch the horse and throw it down." (p-158) And for Ahmad and Al-Tirmidhi from Asma bint Umays, may Allah be pleased with her, that the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said: "If anything were to precede the decree, the evil eye would precede it." Imam Al-Razi said: The source of the affliction of the evil eye is the wicked soul's assumption of the destruction of the one it afflicts. And the meaning of that has been mentioned in the narration of Ahmad and Ibn Majah from the hadith of Abu Huraira with the addition of the presence of the devil. And this caution is from the aspect of taking the means that are commanded, for they are from the decree, not from the aspect of being wary of the decree. As narrated by Muslim, Ahmad, and Ibn Majah from Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said: "The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, and in every good, strive for what benefits you, and seek help from Allah and do not be incapacitated. And if something afflicts you, do not say: 'If I had done such and such,' but say: 'Allah has decreed, and what He wills, He does.' For indeed, 'if' opens the work of the devil."

Its meaning - and Allah knows best: Do the actions of the strong, and do not do the actions of the weak. This is by looking carefully, reflecting deeply, and being deliberate, until you know the sources and the means. Do not neglect anything that could benefit you in the matter you are approaching, and it will not harm you except for its action. Do not leave a matter that could harm you except that you abandon it and take precautions against it as much as you can. For if you do that, and an affair comes from Allah contrary to your desire, you would be deserving not to say to yourself: 'If only I had done such and such.' For you have not neglected anything. However, if you do the actions of the weak and abandon certainty, you are likely to be struck by the neglect of the means. How close you are to saying what opens the work of Satan from 'if only.'

And when he feared that this matter might lead to some misconceptions, that caution is enough against destiny, he denied that, clarifying that he did not intend anything other than taking the means as Allah commanded. The matter after that is with Him: if He wills, He causes the causes to produce their effects, and if He wills, He nullifies those causes and establishes opposing means from which the feared outcome is affected. He said: "And what will avail you" meaning, I will not suffice or cover or replace "from Allah" meaning, some of the matter of the Greatest King. He generalized the negation and said: "from anything" meaning, if He intends for you, whether you are separated or gathered. This is the ruling of destiny. Then he explained that by saying: "Indeed" meaning, what "is the judgment" which is the separation of the matter by what wisdom calls to, "except Allah" meaning, the One to whom belongs all matters. No one besides Him can escape from anything of His will or flee from anything of His destiny. For this meaning - that no cause is beneficial at all except by Allah - Allah revealed the naming associated with the cause at the beginning of His Book, and commanded it at the beginning of everything. Abu Nu'aym narrated in Al-Hilya in the biography of our Imam Al-Shafi'i with his chain to him and then to Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, that he addressed the people one day and said in his sermon: And the most amazing thing in man is his heart, and it has materials of wisdom and opposites of its contrary. If hope arises, it is preceded by greed. If greed stirs within him, it is the eagerness that destroys him. If despair overcomes him, sorrow kills him. If anger arises, rage intensifies with it. If he is blessed with contentment, he forgets caution. If fear befalls him, sadness occupies him. If a calamity strikes him, despair breaks him. If he gains wealth, affluence corrupts him. If poverty bites him, affliction occupies him. If hunger overwhelms him, weakness sits with him. If he overindulges, gluttony fills him. Every shortcoming in him is harmful, and every excess is corrupting. He said: Then a man from those who witnessed the Battle of Jamal stood up to him and said: O Commander of the Believers, inform us about destiny. He said: It is a deep sea, so do not enter it. He said: O Commander of the Believers, inform us about destiny. He said: It is a dark house, so do not enter it. He said: O Commander of the Believers, inform us about destiny. He said: It is the secret of Allah, so do not burden yourself with it. He said: O Commander of the Believers, inform us about destiny. He said: But if you insist, then it is a matter between two matters, neither compulsion nor delegation. He said: O Commander of the Believers, indeed so-and-so says about ability and he is present with you. He said: Bring him to me! So they brought him. When he saw him, he drew his sword to the length of four fingers and said: Does ability belong to you with Allah or without Allah? And beware of saying either of the two, lest you fall into disbelief and I strike your neck! He said: What should I say, O Commander of the Believers? He said: Say: I possess it by Allah, who if He wills, grants it to me. And it will come, if Allah wills, in Surah Al-Hajj at "Indeed, Allah does what He wills" [Al-Hajj: 18] what is connected to this.

And when all matters were confined to Him, glorified and exalted is He, it became necessary to return every matter to Him. The focus was directed solely to Him. He said, indicating this: "Upon Him" meaning upon Allah alone, to whom judgment belongs. "I have placed my trust" meaning I have made Him my trustee and I am content with all that He does. "And upon Him" meaning alone. "Let those who put their trust put their trust" meaning those who are steadfast in the matter of reliance. For indeed, this is among the greatest obligations. Whoever does it succeeds, and whoever neglects it fails.