'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful' He, the Exalted, said: "He said, 'I will not send him with you until you bring me a binding oath by Allah that you will bring him to me, unless you are surrounded.' So when they brought him their binding oath, he said, 'Allah is the Trustee over what we say.'" And he said, "O my sons, do not enter by one gate, but enter by separate gates. And I cannot avail you against Allah in anything. The judgment is only for Allah. Upon Him I have relied, and upon Him let the reliant rely." Jacob, peace be upon him, intended to secure a pledge from them. The binding oath is a 'Maf'il' from the meaning of security. When they made a pact with him, he called Allah as a witness between him and them by saying, "Allah is the Trustee over what we say." The Trustee is the one who is responsible and protective. Ibn Kathir read: "You will bring me" with a 'ya' in both connection and pause. It was narrated from Nafi' that he connected with a 'ya' and paused before it. The others left the 'ya' in both cases. His saying: "Do not enter by one gate" has been said: He feared for them the evil eye because they were eleven for one man. They were people of beauty and stature, as Ibn Abbas, Al-Dahhak, Qatadah, and others said. The evil eye is true, and the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said: "Indeed, the evil eye can put a man in the grave and a camel in the pot." In his seeking refuge, peace be upon him, he said: "I seek refuge in the complete words of Allah from every devil and poisonous creature, and from every envious eye." It has been said: He feared that they would be suspected due to Yusuf's previous words: "You are spies," and this is weakened by their appearance before in Egypt. It has also been said: He hoped that by their separation, they would hear or learn news of Yusuf, but this is weak, as it is refuted by his saying: "And I cannot avail you against Allah in anything," for that does not align with this intention. His saying: "Unless you are surrounded" is a general term for all forms of defeat and compulsion. The meaning is that defeat will encompass you from all directions until you have no means or way of escape. Mujahid said: The meaning is unless you all perish. Qatadah said: Unless you cannot bear that. The judge Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is supported by the wording of the verse. And look, Jacob, peace be upon him, has secured himself in this story, and he called Allah as a witness, and he advised his sons, and then informed them of his reliance. This is reliance combined with taking means, and it is the reliance of all believers except for those who deviate in rejecting effort and are content with water and wild herbs and the like. This is the ultimate goal of reliance, and some of the prophets, peace be upon them, have been upon it. The legislators among them affirm the permissible means of taking action. What exceeds that in relying solely on one's hands is disputed regarding its permissibility. Some of those who permit it have preferred it, but I do not say that, and the remainder of the verse is clear.