"And he said: O my sons, do not enter by one gate," Qatada said: He feared the 'evil eye' for his sons, as they were of striking appearance and beauty.
"It availed them nothing against Allah, except a need in the soul of Jacob which he satisfied," meaning his saying: "Do not enter by one gate, but enter by separate gates."
Muhammad said: "Except a need" means: but rather a need; he says: If it were decreed that the 'evil eye' should afflict them, it would have afflicted them while they were separated just as it would afflict them while they were together, but it was a need in the soul of Jacob which he satisfied.
﴿وَقَالَ يَا بَنِيَّ لَا تَدْخُلُوا من بَاب وَاحِد﴾ قَالَ قَتَادَةُ: خَشِيَ عَلَى بَنِيهِ الْعَيْنَ، وَكَانُوا ذَوِي صورةٍ وَجَمَالٍ.
﴿مَا كَانَ يُغْنِي عَنْهُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ شيءٍ إِلا حَاجَةً فِي نفس يَعْقُوب قَضَاهَا﴾ يَعْنِي قَوْلَهُ: ﴿لَا تَدْخُلُوا مِنْ بَابٍ وَاحِدٍ وَادْخُلُوا مِنْ أَبْوَابٍ مُتَفَرِّقَة﴾.
قَالَ محمدٌ: (إِلا حَاجَةً) يَعْنِي: لَكِنْ حَاجَةً؛ يَقُولُ: لَوْ قُدِّرَ أَنْ تُصِيبَهُمُ الْعَيْنُ لأَصَابَتْهُمْ وَهُمْ مُفْتَرِقُونَ؛ كَمَا تُصِيبُهُمْ مُجْتَمِعِينَ، لَكِنْ حَاجَةً فِي نَفْسِ يَعْقُوبَ قَضَاهَا.
