This alongside all the other articles on the stories of the prophets has been taken from Ṣaḥīḥ Qiṣaṣ al Anbiyāʾ (Authentic Stories of the Prophets) by Salim ibn ʿId al Hilali who revised Ibn Kathir’s (Qiṣas al Anbiyāʾ) Stories of the Prophets by removing weak, fabricated, repeated reports and unreliable Isra’ili reports, he only kept the Quran verses, sound hadiths and reports from the Salaf.

Summary

The Story of Musa, the One Allah Spoke To

Musa ibn Imran عليه السلام is mentioned in the Qur’an with message, prophethood, sincerity, and nearness to Allah. Allah called him from the right side of the mountain, drew him close for intimate speech, and out of mercy made his brother Harun عليه السلام a prophet.

The Qur’an relates Musa’s life in many places, sometimes in detail and sometimes briefly. The author gathers here his life story from beginning to end using Qur’an verses, authentic hadith, and sound narrations from the Salaf, relying on Allah and trusting in Him.

Pharaoh’s Enslavement of the Children of Israil

Pharaoh rose arrogantly in the land of Egypt and divided its people into factions. He oppressed Bani Israil, who were the descendants of Yaqub ibn Ishaq ibn Ibrahim عليهم السلام, and they were then the best people on earth. Pharaoh enslaved them, forcing them into the lowest types of work, and ordered their sons to be slaughtered while their women were left alive.

He was afraid because of a report among Bani Israil that a boy from the descendants of Ibrahim عليه السلام would appear and by his hand the king of Egypt would be destroyed. This news spread until it reached Pharaoh, so he reacted with extreme fear and cruelty and ordered the killing of the male children. Yet all his precautions could not stop what Allah had decreed.

At the same time, Allah willed to favour the oppressed, to make them leaders and inheritors of the land, and to establish them securely, while showing Pharaoh, Haman, and their armies what they feared most.

Later, Allah caused Bani Israil to inherit not only the blessings of Egypt but also the blessed eastern and western parts of the land. Pharaoh tried to prevent the appearance of Musa عليه السلام by killing newborn boys, even appointing midwives to monitor pregnant women.

Some people of the Book claim this was only to weaken Bani Israil so they could not fight, but this explanation actually better fits the second phase of killing, after Musa’s message, when Pharaoh ordered the killing of the sons of those who believed with him. The first phase, before Musa’s birth, was clearly driven by fear of the promised boy.

When the Copts later complained that the number of Bani Israil was falling because of the killing, and Pharaoh feared that no slaves would remain to do their work, he ordered that the boys be killed one year and spared the next.

They said Harun عليه السلام was born in the year when boys were spared, while Musa عليه السلام was born in the year of killing. Musa’s mother hid her pregnancy and took all possible care, but what Allah had decreed had to occur.

Musa عليه السلام from the River to the House of Pharaoh

Allah inspired the mother of Musa to nurse him, and when she feared for him to cast him into the river without fear or grief, with the promise that Allah would return him to her and make him a messenger.

This inspiration was guidance, not prophethood, like the inspiration Allah gave the bees. She placed him in a small chest, tied it with a rope to the bank of the Nile, and used to pull him back whenever danger passed. One day, in her distress, she let the chest go and forgot to hold the rope, so it drifted down the Nile until it came to the house of Pharaoh.

The family of Pharaoh picked up the chest. The slave girls did not dare open it until they placed it before Pharaoh’s wife, Asiyah bint Muzahim. When she opened it and saw the child, she loved him strongly the moment she looked at him.

When Pharaoh came and saw the infant, he wanted him killed, but Asiyah pleaded, saying that he would be a comfort to her and to Pharaoh and that perhaps he would benefit them or be adopted as a son.

Pharaoh answered that he might be a comfort for her but not for him, yet he agreed not to kill him. They did not realise that by Allah’s decree this child would become their enemy and cause of sorrow, and that Pharaoh would raise in his own palace the very one by whose hand his destruction would come. People of the Book say it was Pharaoh’s daughter who found him, without mention of his wife, but this opposes the Qur’an’s clear wording.

Musa’s Return to His Mother

The heart of Musa’s mother became empty of everything but worry for him. She almost revealed his secret, but Allah strengthened her heart so that she stayed firm in faith. She told his sister to follow and watch him from a distance without being noticed.

When Musa was taken into Pharaoh’s house, they tried to find a wet nurse for him, but Allah had already prevented him from accepting any breast. They searched throughout the city, carrying him around in hope that he would accept milk from someone.

His sister saw them and, without showing that she knew him, suggested a household that would nurse him sincerely and care for him. They followed her to their home, and when his mother offered him her breast, he accepted and nursed immediately.

They rejoiced and informed Asiyah, who offered Musa’s mother to remain in the palace and nurse him while being honoured. She refused and said she had a husband and children and could not stay, unless they sent the child with her. So they agreed, granted her a regular stipend and provision, and returned Musa to her. Allah thus gathered mother and child again, easing her heart, removing her grief, and confirming for her that His promise was true.

Allah later reminded Musa of this favour when He spoke to him at Tuwa, telling him how He had inspired his mother, had him placed in the chest, cast into the river, picked up by an enemy to Allah and an enemy to him, and yet covered him with love and grew him up under His watch.

Musa’s Defence of the Israelite and the Killing of the Copt

When Musa reached full strength and maturity, Allah granted him judgement and knowledge. At this stage, he had honour in Egypt due to his upbringing in Pharaoh’s palace and his connection to Bani Israil as their foster child.

One day he entered the city at a time when people were heedless, either midday or between the two evenings. He found two men fighting, one from Bani Israil and the other from the Copts. The Israelite, who belonged to Musa’s people, called him for help against the Copt.

Musa عليه السلام intervened and struck the Copt with his fist, intending only to push him away and rebuke him, but the man died from that single blow. Musa recognised the seriousness of what had happened and said that this was from the work of Satan, which pushes a person to haste and thoughtless action.

He turned to Allah, confessed his wrong, and asked for forgiveness. Allah forgave him, for He is the All Forgiving, Most Merciful. Musa then vowed that, in gratitude for the favour Allah had given him of strength and position, he would never again be a supporter of criminals.

The Plot of the Copts against Musa

The next morning Musa was in the city, fearful and watchful, worried that news of the killing had reached Pharaoh and his chiefs. Suddenly, the same Israelite who had asked his help the day before cried out again, this time in another fight with another Copt. Musa rebuked him as a man who clearly causes trouble, because he kept falling into disputes and arguments. Musa again moved to help him and approached the Copt to restrain him.

At that moment, the one being confronted said: “Do you want to kill me as you killed a soul yesterday? You only want to be a tyrant in the land, not one who repairs affairs.” Some scholars said that this speaker was the Israelite himself, thinking Musa was now turning on him after the rebuke, and so he blurted out what had happened the previous day.

Others said it was the Copt who, seeing Musa’s defence of the Israelite and knowing of the earlier incident, guessed that Musa was the killer of the previous Copt. In any case, the matter reached Pharaoh, who now knew that Musa had killed a man. He sent men to seize him.

A believing man from the far side of the city, who wished well for Musa, hurried to him and warned that the chiefs were plotting to kill him and advised him to leave immediately. Musa left the city at once, fearful and cautious, asking Allah to save him from the wrongdoing people.

Musa عليه السلام in Midian

Musa travelled in the direction of Midian, asking his Lord to guide him to the right path. Allah guided him until he reached the water of Midian, a well where people watered their flocks. Midian was the town of the people of the thicket, the companions of the lush tree, the people of Shuayb عليه السلام, whose destruction had already occurred according to one strong view.

At the well he found many men watering their animals and, apart from them, two women holding back their flock so they would not mix with the others. He asked them about their situation.

They explained that they could not water their flock until the shepherds finished and moved away, and that their father was an old man who could not perform this task himself.

Musa then went forward, removed the heavy stone that covered the well, and watered for them. It is reported that this stone usually needed several men to move it, but Musa moved it alone. After drawing water for them, he turned aside to the shade and made a humble supplication, admitting his need for any good Allah might send him. He was exhausted from his long journey, hunger, and walking barefoot, to the point that his stomach had become very thin from eating only herbs and leaves.

His Shepherding and Marriage

The two women went back to their father earlier than usual, and he asked them why they had returned so soon. They told him what had happened with Musa. The father, a righteous old man, sent one of them to invite Musa so that he could reward him for his help.

She came to him walking with modesty and explained clearly why her father was calling him, to avoid any suspicion. Musa went with her, told the old man his story and the reason he had fled from Egypt, and was reassured that he had now escaped the oppressive people.

Many scholars said this old man was Shuayb عليه السلام, while others said he was a pious man from Shuayb’s descendants. When the father saw Musa’s character, strength, and honesty, one of his daughters suggested hiring him, saying that the best person to hire is strong and trustworthy.

When asked how she knew this, she answered that he had moved the stone that many men could not move and that he behaved with proper modesty, walking behind her and asking her to guide him by throwing a small stone to show the direction rather than walking in front of him.

The old man then offered Musa marriage to one of his two daughters, on condition that Musa worked for him for eight years, and if he completed ten years that would be from his own choice, without hardship intended.

Musa accepted, saying that whichever of the two terms he fulfilled there would be no blame upon him, and he made Allah witness to this agreement. The scholars said Musa completed the longer term of ten years, which matches his noble nature and the practice of our Prophet ﷺ in perfecting agreements.

You Came at the Appointed Time, O Musa

After Musa had completed the agreed term, he set out with his family towards Egypt, travelling quietly, some said because he longed to see his relatives. It was a dark, cold night, and they lost their way. Musa tried to light a fire but failed. Then he saw a fire on the side of Mount Tur. He told his family to wait while he went to bring news of the way or a burning brand so they could warm themselves.

When he reached the fire, he found it in a green bush that burned without being consumed. He was called from the blessed ground on the right side of the valley Tuwa, near that tree.

Allah told him that He is Allah, the Lord of all creation, commanded him to remove his sandals in that sacred valley, informed him that He had chosen him, and ordered him to listen carefully to what was revealed. Allah declared His oneness, commanded Musa to worship Him and establish the prayer, reminded him of the coming Hour and its hidden time, and warned him not to be turned away from it by those who do not believe and who follow their desires.

Allah then showedd Musa a great sign. He asked Musa what was in his right hand, and Musa answered that it was his staff which he used for support, guiding his sheep and other needs.

Allah told him to throw it down. When he did, it became a living snake moving swiftly. Musa turned away in fear and did not look back, as any human would do when faced with such a sight. Allah called him back, assuring him that he was safe and ordering him to take the snake. When he took it, it returned to being a staff.

Then Allah commanded him to place his hand in his garment at his chest. When he drew it out, it appeared white and shining without any disease. This whiteness was a sign, not an illness. Allah also taught him to place his hand on his chest when he felt fear, to calm his heart.

These were two of the nine clear signs Allah gave Musa عليه السلام as proofs for Pharaoh and his chiefs, who were rebellious and sinful. The other signs included years of drought, shortage of fruits, and the plagues of flood, locusts, lice, frogs, and blood. Allah explained that these were clear signs, yet Pharaoh and his people remained arrogant and sinful.

The Prophethood of Harun عليه السلام

When Musa was commanded to go to Pharaoh, he remembered that he had previously killed a man from Pharaoh’s people and feared that they might kill him. He also knew that he had some difficulty in speech, while his brother Harun عليه السلام was more eloquent.

Musa asked Allah to send Harun with him as a helper and confirmer of his message. Allah granted his request, strengthened him through his brother, and gave them both authority and proof so that their enemies would not be able to harm them. Allah promised that Musa, Harun, and those who followed them would be the ones who prevail.

In Surah Ta Ha, Musa also asked Allah to open his chest, ease his matter, and loosen the knot from his tongue so that people would understand him. The scholars related that his speech difficulty came from when he was a child and had put a live coal in his mouth during a test that Asiyah arranged to save him from Pharaoh’s anger.

Musa only asked that his speech be made clear enough to be understood, not that all trace be removed, and some of that defect remained, which Pharaoh later mocked. Musa then asked Allah to appoint Harun as a minister from his family, to strengthen his back and share his task, so that together they would remember and glorify Allah much. Allah answered that all his requests had been granted.

This is a sign of both his honour with his Lord and his loyalty to his brother. Because of his intercession, Allah granted Harun عليه السلام prophethood. Aisha رضي الله عنها said that the most loyal brother to his brother was Musa ibn Imran, because he asked his Lord to make his brother a prophet with him, and Allah answered him, as in the verse where Allah says that He granted Musa his brother Harun as a prophet out of mercy.

The Call of Musa and Harun عليهما السلام to Pharaoh

Allah commanded Musa to go to the unjust people, Pharaoh’s people, and call them to taqwa. Musa expressed fear that they would deny him, that his chest would become tight, that his tongue would not move freely, and that they had a sin against him because of the earlier killing. Allah rejected his fear with firm reassurance and sent him and Harun with His signs, telling them that He was with them, hearing and seeing.

Musa and Harun came to Pharaoh and conveyed that they were the messenger of the Lord of all creation and that Pharaoh should send Bani Israil with them, freeing them from slavery to worship Allah. Pharaoh reminded Musa that they had raised him as a child and that he had lived many years among them, then mentioned the killing of the Copt and accused him of ingratitude.

Musa answered that he had done that deed when he was astray, before prophethood. He had fled out of fear, then Allah had granted him judgement and prophethood. Then Musa turned Pharaoh’s claimed favour against him, saying that making Bani Israil slaves was no favour, but a great crime, and that any good done to one man from them does not erase the oppression of a whole people.

Pharaoh then turned to another angle and asked: “What is the Lord of all creation?” Musa replied that He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them for those who are sure, then the Lord of Pharaoh and his forefathers, and then the Lord of the east and west and what is between them for those who reason.

These answers showed that the true Lord is the Creator and Owner of everything in the universe, in the horizons and in the souls. Pharaoh, however, remained stubborn and mocked Musa, calling him mad. Allah reminds that Pharaoh and his people inwardly knew the truth of the signs but denied them out of injustice and arrogance.

When Pharaoh’s arguments were cut off by clear proofs, he shifted from debate to threat, saying that if Musa took a god other than him he would make him one of the imprisoned. Musa replied that even if he brought a clear proof, Pharaoh should consider it.

When Pharaoh challenged him to show his proof, Musa threw his staff and it became a clear serpent, and he drew out his hand and it appeared white to the onlookers. Despite this, Pharaoh claimed it was sorcery, called Musa a learned sorcerer, and feared that he would drive them out of their land. He consulted his chiefs, who advised him to delay Musa and Harun and send to the cities to gather all expert sorcerers.

The Day of Adornment

Pharaoh gathered the sorcerers from all regions of Egypt and summoned the people to attend a great public contest. They chose a festival day known as the Day of Adornment, at a time in the forenoon when the sun was high and everything could be seen clearly.

The people came in large numbers, hoping to follow the side that prevailed, and Pharaoh promised the sorcerers reward and closeness if they won.

Before the contest, Musa warned the sorcerers not to forge lies against Allah with false sorcery, or Allah would destroy them with punishment and render their efforts a failure. This speech caused them to dispute among themselves, some sensing that this was the speech of a prophet and not that of a sorcerer.

Yet they still declared outwardly that Musa and Harun were two sorcerers who wanted to drive the people from their land and overthrow their way of life. They encouraged each other to unite their plot and come forward in one line.

The Defeat of the Sorcerers and Their Martyrdom

Facing Musa, the sorcerers asked whether he would throw first or they would throw. He told them to throw. They cast their ropes and staffs, using tricks such as filling them with substances like mercury, so that they shook and slithered, appearing to move like snakes. They succeeded in bewitching the eyes of the people, frightening them and showing a mighty sorcery. Even Musa felt some fear in his heart, not for himself but that the people might be deceived by the illusion.

Allah reassured him, telling him not to fear because he would be the one who prevailed, and commanded him to throw what was in his right hand. Musa threw his staff, which became a huge living serpent that moved swiftly.

It went after their ropes and staffs, swallowing them one after another in front of everyone. The people fled in fear, but the sorcerers, with their knowledge of the limits of their own craft, clearly saw that this was not sorcery, illusion, or trick. What Musa had brought broke every rule they knew. They understood that this could only be from the true Lord.

At once the sorcerers fell in prostration, openly declaring their faith in the Lord of all creation, the Lord of Musa and Harun. Pharaoh raged, accusing them of believing before he had given permission and claiming that Musa was their chief who had taught them sorcery, and that they had plotted together to drive the people out of their city.

He threatened to cut off their hands and feet on opposite sides and crucify them on palm trunks, saying that they would then know whose punishment was more severe and lasting.

The sorcerers, however, were firm. They said they would never prefer Pharaoh over what had come to them of clear proofs and over the One who had created them. They said he could only decide regarding this worldly life. They had chosen to believe in their Lord so that He would forgive their sins and the sorcery Pharaoh had forced them to perform, and they recognised that Allah’s reward is better and more lasting.

They warned Pharaoh that whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal will have Jahannam, where there is neither full life nor death, and that whoever comes as a believer with righteous deeds will have the highest ranks in everlasting Gardens.

They asked Allah to pour patience upon them and to take their souls as Muslims. Most reports and the apparent sense of the verses show that Pharaoh carried out his threats and that they were crucified and became among the righteous martyrs. Ibn Abbas and Ubayd ibn Umayr said they were sorcerers in the morning and righteous martyrs by the evening.

The Incitement of the Chiefs of the Copts to Harm Musa and the Children of Israil

After this clear defeat and the unexpected faith of the sorcerers, Pharaoh and his chiefs only increased in disbelief and stubbornness. The nobles among the Copts stirred Pharaoh further, asking if he would leave Musa and his people free to spread what they called corruption in the land and to abandon him and his gods or his worship. In their upside down understanding, the worship of Allah alone was called corruption, and they pretended to fear that Pharaoh’s religion and rule would be abandoned.

Pharaoh answered that he would renew the policy of killing the sons of those who believed with Musa and sparing their women, claiming that they remained dominant over them. Musa عليه السلام turned to his people, instructing them to seek help from Allah and to be patient.

He reminded them that the earth belongs to Allah and that He gives it in inheritance to whom He wills of His servants, and that the good end is for those who have taqwa. Bani Israil complained that they had been harmed before Musa came to them and after he came to them, pointing to the continuous oppression and especially the renewed killing of their sons. Musa replied with hope that Allah might destroy their enemy, make them successors in the land, and then test how they would act when given power.

Allah also mentions that He sent Musa with His signs and a clear authority to Pharaoh, Haman, and Qarun, who called him a sorcerer and liar. When the truth came, they ordered again the killing of the sons of those who believed with Musa and the sparing of their women. Pharaoh even said: “Leave me to kill Musa and let him call upon his Lord, for I fear that he will change your religion or cause corruption to appear in the land,” showing his twisted fear and the depth of his oppression, up to the point where your excerpt ends.

Full Article

The Story of Musa, the One Allah Spoke To

He is Musa ibn Imran عليه السلام.

Allah the Exalted said:

وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ مُوسَى ۝ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مُخْلَصًا ۝ وَكَانَ رَسُولًا نَّبِيًّا ۝ وَنَادَيْنَاهُ مِنْ جَانِبِ الطُّورِ الْأَيْمَنِ وَقَرَّبْنَاهُ نَجِيًّا ۝ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ مِنْ رَحْمَتِنَا أَخَاهُ هَارُونَ نَبِيًّا

And remember Musa in the Book. He was one who was chosen and purified, and he was a messenger, a prophet. We called him from the right side of the mountain and drew him near in close conversation. And We granted him, out of Our mercy, his brother Harun as a prophet. (Maryam 19:51–53)

Allah mentioned him with the message, the prophethood, sincerity and nearness, and He favoured him by making his brother Harun a prophet.

Allah the Exalted has mentioned him in many different places in the Qur’an, and has mentioned his story in many places in detail, sometimes at length and sometimes briefly.

We have spoken about all of that in its places in the tafsir, and here we will mention his life from its beginning to its end, from the Book and the Sunnah and what has come in the narrations reported from the Salaf and others, if Allah wills, and in Him is trust and upon Him is reliance.

Pharaoh’s Enslavement of the Children of Israel

Allah the Exalted said:

طسم ۝ تِلْكَ آيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ ۝ نَتْلُوا عَلَيْكَ مِنْ نَبَإِ مُوسَى وَفِرْعَوْنَ بِالْحَقِّ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ۝ إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا ۝ يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَائِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ ۝ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ ۝ وَنُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ ۝ وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۝ وَنُرِيَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا مِنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَحْذَرُونَ

Ta Sin Mim. These are the verses of the clear Book. We recite to you some of the story of Musa and Pharaoh in truth, for a people who believe. Indeed Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions.

He oppressed one group among them, slaughtering their sons and letting their women live. He was indeed one of those who spread corruption.

And We wished to show favour to those who had been oppressed in the land, to make them leaders and to make them the inheritors, and to establish them in the land, and to show Pharaoh and Haman and their armies, through them, what they had been fearing. (al Qasas 28:1–6)

Allah the Exalted mentions a summary of the story, then after that He sets it out in detail. He mentioned that He recites to His Prophet the news of Musa and Pharaoh in truth, that is, with the real events, in a way that if the hearer could see them he would be as if he were witnessing and viewing them.

His saying, Exalted be He, that Pharaoh exalted himself in the land means that he was arrogant, tyrannical and went beyond all limits, preferred the life of this world and turned away from obeying the Lord Most High.

His saying that he made its people factions means that he divided his subjects into groups, sections and types. He oppressed one group among them, and they were the people of Bani Israil, who were from the descendants of the Prophet of Allah Yaqub ibn Ishaq ibn Ibrahim, the close friend of Allah.

They were, at that time, the best people on earth. This oppressive, overwhelming, disbelieving, wicked king had been given power over them, so he enslaved them and forced them to do the lowest and most despicable kinds of work and professions, the most base and the lowest.

Along with this he slaughtered their sons and left their women alive. He was indeed one of those who spread corruption.

What drove him to this ugly action was that Bani Israil would study amongst themselves what they transmitted from Ibrahim عليه السلام, that from among his descendants there would appear a boy at whose hands the destruction of the king of Egypt would take place.

This, and Allah knows best, was when what had happened to Sarah, the wife of the close friend, took place with the king of Egypt, when he wanted to reach her for evil and Allah protected her.

This glad tidings became well known among Bani Israil, and the Copts spoke of it amongst themselves, until it reached Pharaoh, and some of his commanders and leaders mentioned it to him when they passed by him.

So he ordered then that the sons of Bani Israil be killed, out of fear that this boy would appear. Yet taking precautions cannot avert what has been decreed.

Because of this Allah the Exalted said:

وَنُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۝ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ ۝ وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ

We wished to show favour to those who had been oppressed in the land, and to make them leaders and to make them the inheritors, and to establish them in the land. (al Qasas 28:5–6)

They were Bani Israil, inheritors to whom the kingdom of Egypt and its lands would pass.

Allah the Exalted also said:

وَأَوْرَثْنَا الْقَوْمَ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يُسْتَضْعَفُونَ مَشَارِقَ الْأَرْضِ وَمَغَارِبَهَا الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا ۖ وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ الْحُسْنَىٰ عَلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ بِمَا صَبَرُوا

We made the people who had been oppressed inherit the eastern parts of the land and its western parts which We had blessed, and the good word of your Lord was fulfilled for Bani Israil because they were patient. (al Araf 7:137)

And He said:

فَأَخْرَجْنَاهُمْ مِنْ جَنَّاتٍ وَعُيُونٍ ۝ وَكُنُوزٍ وَمَقَامٍ كَرِيمٍ ۝ كَذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَأَوْرَثْنَاهَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ

So We brought them out from gardens and springs, and treasures and an honourable place. Thus it was, and We made Bani Israil inherit them. (ash Shuara 26:57–59)

The point is that Pharaoh took all care and left nothing undone in guarding against the existence of Musa, to such an extent that he appointed men and women midwives who would go round to pregnant women and know the time when they were due, so that no woman would give birth to a male child except that those slaughterers would kill him immediately.

According to the People of the Book, he used to order the killing of the boys in order to weaken the strength of Bani Israil so that they would not be able to stand up to them if they opposed them or fought them.

This is open to objection and rather it is false. Rather that applies to the command to kill the boys after the sending of Musa, as Allah the Exalted said:

فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ مِنْ عِنْدِنَا قَالُوا اقْتُلُوا أَبْنَاءَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ وَاسْتَحْيُوا نِسَاءَهُمْ

When he brought them the truth from Us, they said: Kill the sons of those who believe with him, and let their women live. (Ghafir 40:25)

Because of this Bani Israil said to Musa:

قَدْ أُوذِينَا مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تَأْتِيَنَا وَمِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جِئْتَنَا

We have been harmed before you came to us and after you came to us. (al Araf 7:129)

So the correct view is that Pharaoh first ordered the killing of the boys out of fear that this Musa would appear.

Then the decree says to him: O mighty king, deceived by the great number of your soldiers, the strength of your power, and the wide extent of your rule, the Mighty One, whose decree is never overcome or resisted and whose decrees are never opposed, has decreed that this newborn child from whom you are protecting yourself and because of whom you have killed souls beyond counting will have no upbringing except in your own palace, on your own bed, and he will not be nourished except with your own food and drink in your own house.

You will adopt him and raise him and spend on him and never perceive what his matter really is, and then your destruction in this life and the next will be at his hands because you oppose what he brings you of clear truth and you deny what is revealed to him.

This is so that you and all creation may know that the Lord of the heavens and the earth is the One who does whatever He wills, that He is the Strong, the Severe in might, the Possessor of great power and full strength and will, whose decree cannot be turned back.

More than one of the mufassirun mentioned that the Copts complained to Pharaoh of the small number of Bani Israil because their sons were being killed.

He feared that the elders would die off together with the killing of the young, and then the Copts would be the ones who would have to take on the work that Bani Israil used to do.

So Pharaoh ordered that the boys should be killed one year and allowed to live one year. They mentioned that Harun عليه السلام was born in the year when they were excused from killing the sons, and that Musa عليه السلام was born in the year when they were killed.

His mother became worried, and from the first moment of pregnancy she was cautious. No signs of pregnancy appeared on her. When she gave birth, she was inspired to take a little chest for him. She tied it with a rope.

Her house was next to the river Nile. She would nurse him, and if she feared anyone, she would put him in the chest and let it float on the river while holding the end of the rope with her. When they left she would pull him back to herself by it. (In the Old Testament this command to weaken the strength of Bani Israil by killing the boys is mentioned in the Book of Exodus, chapter 1.)

Musa عليه السلام from the River to the House of Pharaoh

Allah the Exalted said:

وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ ۖ فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ ۖ وَلَا تَخَافِي وَلَا تَحْزَنِي ۖ إِنَّا رَادُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ۝ فَالْتَقَطَهُ آلُ فِرْعَوْنَ لِيَكُونَ لَهُمْ عَدُوًّا وَحَزَنًا ۚ إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا كَانُوا خَاطِئِينَ ۝ وَقَالَتِ امْرَأَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ قُرَّتُ عَيْنٍ لِي وَلَكَ ۖ لَا تَقْتُلُوهُ ۖ عَسَىٰ أَنْ يَنْفَعَنَا أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَدًا ۖ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ

We inspired the mother of Musa: Nurse him, and when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear and do not grieve. We will return him to you and make him one of the messengers.

Then the family of Pharaoh picked him up, so that he might become an enemy for them and a cause of grief. Pharaoh, Haman, and their armies were indeed in error. Pharaoh’s wife said: A comfort for the eye for me and for you.

Do not kill him, perhaps he will benefit us or we will take him as a son. They did not perceive. (al Qasas 28:7–9)

This inspiration is the inspiration of guiding and directing, as Allah the Exalted said:

وَأَوْحَىٰ رَبُّكَ إِلَى النَّحْلِ أَنِ اتَّخِذِي مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا وَمِنَ الشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا يَعْرِشُونَ ۝ ثُمَّ كُلِي مِنْ كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ فَاسْلُكِي سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُلُلًا ۚ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٌ مُّخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهُ فِيهِ شِفَاءٌ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Your Lord inspired the bees: Take for yourselves homes in the mountains, in the trees, and in what they build.

Then eat of all kinds of fruits and follow the ways of your Lord made easy. From their bellies comes a drink of different colours, in which there is healing for people. Surely in that is a sign for a people who reflect. (an Nahl 16:68–69)

More than one of the scholars of kalam said that this is the case, and it is not inspiration of prophethood as Ibn Hazm claimed.

The correct view is the first, as Abu al Hasan al Ashari transmitted from Ahl as Sunnah and the Jamaah. (This view is mentioned by Ibn Hazm in al Fisal bayn al Milal wa an Nihal 17/5–18.)

The point is that she was guided to what we have mentioned, and it was cast into her heart and her inner self that she should not fear and not grieve, for if he went away Allah would return him to her, and Allah would make him a prophet who would raise the word of Allah high in this life and the next.

She did what she had been ordered. One day she sent him in the river and forgot, in her distraction, to hold the end of the rope. So he went off in the Nile, until he passed by the house of Pharaoh.

Allah the Exalted said:

فَالْتَقَطَهُ آلُ فِرْعَوْنَ

Then the family of Pharaoh picked him up

and He said:

لِيَكُونَ لَهُمْ عَدُوًّا وَحَزَنًا

so that he might become an enemy for them and a cause of grief

Some said that the lam here is the lam of final outcome, and this is clear if it is attached to His saying that the family of Pharaoh picked him up.

If it is attached to the sense of the entire story, that Allah caused the family of Pharaoh to pick him up so that he would be an enemy and a cause of grief for them, then the lam is the lam of causation like other such expressions, and Allah knows best.

This second meaning is strengthened by His saying:

إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا كَانُوا خَاطِئِينَ

Pharaoh, Haman, and their armies were indeed in error

meaning they were far from the truth and deserved this punishment and regret.

The mufassirun mention that slave girls from the house picked him up from the river in that chest closed upon him, and they did not dare to open it until they placed it in front of Pharaoh’s wife, Asiyah bint Muzahim.

When she opened the chest and removed the cover and saw his face shining with the light of prophethood and the awe of Musa, when her eyes fell on him she loved him with an intense and powerful love.

When Pharaoh came he said: What is this? He ordered that he be slaughtered, but she pleaded for him and defended him and said:

قُرَّتُ عَيْنٍ لِي وَلَكَ ۖ لَا تَقْتُلُوهُ

A comfort for the eye for me and for you. Do not kill him. (al Qasas 28:9)

She said this. Pharaoh replied: For you, yes, but as for me, no. That is, I have no need for him. Calamity is tied to what is spoken.

Her words:

عَسَىٰ أَنْ يَنْفَعَنَا

perhaps he will benefit us

Allah gave her what she hoped for of benefit. In this life He guided her through him, and in the next life He settled her in His Garden because of him.

Her words:

أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَدًا

or we will take him as a son

are because they adopted him, for they had no children.

Allah the Exalted said:

وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ

They did not perceive

meaning they did not know what Allah intended for them, that He had driven them to pick him up as a cause of a great vengeance for Pharaoh and his armies.

According to the People of the Book, the one who picked Musa up and raised him was the daughter of Pharaoh, and there is no mention at all of his wife. This is a mistake against the Book of Allah the Mighty and Majestic. (In their scriptures this is mentioned in the Book of Exodus, chapter 2, where the one who finds him is the daughter of Pharaoh, and there is no mention of his wife.)

Musa’s Return to His Mother

Allah the Exalted said:

وَأَصْبَحَ فُؤَادُ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ فَارِغًا ۖ إِنْ كَادَتْ لَتُبْدِي بِهِ لَوْلَا أَنْ رَبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قَلْبِهَا لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۝ وَقَالَتْ لِأُخْتِهِ قُصِّيهِ ۖ فَبَصُرَتْ بِهِ عَنْ جُنُبٍ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ ۝ وَحَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَرَاضِعَ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۖ فَقَالَتْ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ يَكْفُلُونَهُ لَكُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُ نَاصِحُونَ ۝ فَرَدَدْنَاهُ إِلَىٰ أُمِّهِ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ وَلِتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

The heart of the mother of Musa became empty. She was very close to disclosing him, had We not strengthened her heart so that she would be one of those who believe. She said to his sister: Follow him.

So she watched him from a distance while they did not perceive. We had already forbidden foster mothers for him, so she said: Shall I direct you to a household who will raise him for you and will be sincere towards him?

So We returned him to his mother so that her eye might be comforted and that she might not grieve, and so that she would know that the promise of Allah is true, however most of them do not know. (al Qasas 28:10–13)

Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Ikrimah, Saeed ibn Jubayr, Abu Ubaydah, al Hasan, Qatadah, ad Dahhak and others said that His saying that the heart of the mother of Musa became empty means that it became empty of everything in this life except from concern for Musa.

His saying:

إِنْ كَادَتْ لَتُبْدِي بِهِ

She was very close to disclosing him

means that she almost revealed his affair and asked about him openly.

His saying:

لَوْلَا أَنْ رَبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قَلْبِهَا

had We not strengthened her heart

means that We made her patient and firm so that she would be one of those who believe.

His saying:

وَقَالَتْ لِأُخْتِهِ قُصِّيهِ

She said to his sister: Follow him

means that she said to her older daughter: Follow his trace and find out his news.

Allah said:

فَبَصُرَتْ بِهِ عَنْ جُنُبٍ

So she watched him from a distance

meaning from far away, looking at him while appearing as if she did not want him. Because of this He said:

وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ

while they did not perceive

That is because when Musa عليه السلام settled in the house of Pharaoh and they wanted to feed him by nursing, he would not accept any breast nor any food.

They were perplexed about him and did their best to feed him in every possible way, but he did not.

Allah the Exalted said:

وَحَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَرَاضِعَ مِنْ قَبْلُ

We had already forbidden foster mothers for him

So they took him out along with the midwives and women to the market, hoping to find someone whose nursing he would accept.

While they were standing with him and people gathered around him, his sister saw him. She did not show that she knew him, but said:

هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ يَكْفُلُونَهُ لَكُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُ نَاصِحُونَ

Shall I direct you to a household who will raise him for you and will be sincere towards him (al Qasas 28:12)

Ibn Abbas said that when she said this they said to her: How do you know that they will be sincere and compassionate towards him? She said: Desiring the pleasure of the king and hoping for his reward.

So they released her and followed her to their house. His mother took him. When she offered him her breast he latched on and began to suck and nurse. They rejoiced greatly at that and someone went quickly to Asiyah to inform her.

She sent for Musa’s mother to bring her to her house, and she offered that she stay with her and be honoured, but Musa’s mother refused and said that she had a husband and children and could not manage that, unless they sent him with her.

So they sent him with her and arranged for her a stipend and fixed for her provisions and clothing and gifts. She went back with him, bringing him to her tent, and Allah gathered his situation with hers.

Allah the Exalted said:

فَرَدَدْنَاهُ إِلَىٰ أُمِّهِ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ وَلِتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

That is, just as We promised her that We would return him and make him one of the messengers, We have now returned him, and this return is a proof of the truth of the glad tidings of his future prophethood.

Allah said:

وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

however most of them do not know. (al Qasas 28:13)

Allah also reminded Musa of this favour on the night when He spoke to him. He said to him, among what He said:

وَلَقَدْ مَنَنَّا عَلَيْكَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَىٰ ۝ إِذْ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمِّكَ مَا يُوحَىٰ ۝ أَنِ اقْذِفِيهِ فِي التَّابُوتِ فَاقْذِفِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ فَلْيُلْقِهِ الْيَمُّ بِالسَّاحِلِ يَأْخُذْهُ عَدُوٌّ لِّي وَعَدُوٌّ لَّهُ ۚ وَأَلْقَيْتُ عَلَيْكَ مَحَبَّةً مِنِّي وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلَىٰ عَيْنِي

We have already shown favour to you another time, when We inspired your mother with what was inspired: Cast him into the chest, then cast it into the river.

The river will throw him onto the bank, where an enemy to Me and an enemy to him will pick him up. And I cast on you a love from Me so that you would be brought up under My eye. (Ta Ha 20:37–39)

That is, no one would see him except that he would love him.

His saying:

وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلَىٰ عَيْنِي

so that you would be brought up under My eye

was explained by more than one of the Salaf as meaning that you would be fed, cared for and nurtured with the best food, and clothed with the best clothes, in a way that is all under My sight.

All of this is under My protection and care for you in what I have done with you and for you and what I have decreed for you of matters that no one else can decree.

Allah said:

إِذْ تَمْشِي أُخْتُكَ فَتَقُولُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ مَن يَكْفُلُهُ ۖ فَرَجَعْنَاكَ إِلَىٰ أُمِّكَ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ ۚ وَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا فَنَجَّيْنَاكَ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا

When your sister walked along and said: Shall I direct you to someone who will raise him? Then We returned you to your mother so that her eye might be comforted and that she might not grieve. And you killed a soul, so We saved you from distress and tested you with many tests. (Ta Ha 20:40)

We will mention the hadith about these tests in its place after this, if Allah the Exalted wills, and in Him is trust and upon Him is reliance.

Musa’s Defence of the Israelite and the Killing of the Copt

Allah the Exalted said:

وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَاسْتَوَىٰ آتَيْنَاهُ حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ ۝ وَدَخَلَ الْمَدِينَةَ عَلَىٰ حِينِ غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلَانِ ۖ هَٰذَا مِن شِيعَتِهِ وَهَٰذَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ ۖ فَاسْتَغَاثَهُ الَّذِي مِن شِيعَتِهِ عَلَى الَّذِي مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ فَوَكَزَهُ مُوسَىٰ فَقَضَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ۚ قَالَ هَٰذَا مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۖ إِنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ مُّضِلٌّ مُّبِينٌ ۝ قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي ۖ فَغَفَرَ لَهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ۝ قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ فَلَنْ أَكُونَ ظَهِيرًا لِّلْمُجْرِمِينَ

When he reached his full strength and maturity, We gave him judgement and knowledge. Thus do We reward those who do good. He entered the city at a time when its people were heedless, and he found in it two men fighting, one from his own people and the other from his enemies.

The one from his people sought his help against the one from his enemies, so Musa struck him with his fist and killed him. He said: This is from the work of Satan.

He is an enemy who misleads clearly. He said: My Lord, I have wronged myself, so forgive me. So He forgave him. He is the All Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

He said: My Lord, because of the favour You have given me I will never be a supporter of the criminals. (al Qasas 28:14–17)

After Allah the Exalted mentioned that He had shown favour to his mother by returning him to her, honouring her and favouring her, He began to mention that when he reached his full strength and maturity, which is when a person’s physical build and mind are complete, and which in the view of most is at forty years of age, He gave him judgement and knowledge.

This is the prophethood and message with which Allah had given his mother glad tidings when He said:

إِنَّا رَادُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

We will return him to you and make him one of the messengers. (al Qasas 28:7)

Then He began to mention the reason for his leaving the land of Egypt and his going to the land of Midian and his staying there until the appointed time was fulfilled and the period completed and what then took place of Allah speaking to him and honouring him.

Allah said:

وَدَخَلَ الْمَدِينَةَ عَلَىٰ حِينِ غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا

He entered the city at a time when its people were heedless (al Qasas 28:15)

Ibn Abbas, Saeed ibn Jubayr, Ikrimah, Qatadah and as Suddi said that this was at midday. Ibn Abbas also said that it was between the two evenings, at dusk.

Allah said:

فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلَانِ

He found in it two men fighting (al Qasas 28:15)

meaning each was striking the other and they were grappling.

هَٰذَا مِن شِيعَتِهِ

one from his own people

meaning one from Bani Israil,

وَهَٰذَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ

and the other from his enemies

meaning a Copt.

فَاسْتَغَاثَهُ الَّذِي مِن شِيعَتِهِ عَلَى الَّذِي مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ

The one from his people sought his help against the one from his enemies (al Qasas 28:15)

That is because Musa عليه السلام had prestige in the land of Egypt because of his attribution to Pharaoh’s adoption and his upbringing in his house.

Because Bani Israil had nursed him and they were his foster relatives, they had gained honour and status and their standing had risen.

So when this Israelite asked him for help against that Copt, Musa عليه السلام went towards him.

Allah said:

فَوَكَزَهُ مُوسَىٰ فَقَضَىٰ عَلَيْهِ

so Musa struck him with his fist and killed him (al Qasas 28:15)

Mujahid said that it means he punched him with his fist. Qatadah said he struck him with a stick that was in his hand.

He died from that blow. That Copt was a disbeliever who associated partners with Allah the Mighty. Musa did not intend to kill him completely, but only to rebuke him and repel him. Despite this Musa said:

هَٰذَا مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۖ إِنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ مُّضِلٌّ مُّبِينٌ

This is from the work of Satan. He is an enemy who misleads clearly. (al Qasas 28:15)

That is, this hastiness and striking without thought comes from the incitement of Satan.

Then he turned to Allah and said:

رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي

My Lord, I have wronged myself, so forgive me (al Qasas 28:16)

so Allah forgave him, as He said:

فَغَفَرَ لَهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

So He forgave him. He is the All Forgiving, the Most Merciful. (al Qasas 28:16)

Then Musa said, acknowledging the favour of Allah:

رَبِّ بِمَا أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ فَلَنْ أَكُونَ ظَهِيرًا لِّلْمُجْرِمِينَ

My Lord, because of the favour You have given me I will never be a supporter of the criminals. (al Qasas 28:17)

meaning because You have given me prestige and honour by which I am able to do something like this, I will not use it to support the wrongdoers after this.

The Plot of the Copts against Musa

Allah the Exalted said:

فَأَصْبَحَ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي اسْتَنْصَرَهُ بِالْأَمْسِ يَسْتَصْرِخُهُ ۚ قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَىٰ إِنَّكَ لَغَوِيٌّ مُّبِينٌ ۝ فَلَمَّا أَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَبْطِشَ بِالَّذِي هُوَ عَدُوٌّ لَّهُمَا قَالَ يَا مُوسَىٰ أَتُرِيدُ أَنْ تَقْتُلَنِي كَمَا قَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا بِالْأَمْسِ ۖ إِن تُرِيدُ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ جَبَّارًا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا تُرِيدُ أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُصْلِحِينَ ۝ وَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ يَسْعَىٰ قَالَ يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنَّ الْمَلَأَ يَأْتَمِرُونَ بِكَ لِيَقْتُلُوكَ فَاخْرُجْ ۖ إِنِّي لَكَ مِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ ۝ فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ ۖ قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

So he became, in the city, fearful and watchful, when suddenly the one who had sought his help the day before cried out to him again.

Musa said to him: You are clearly a trouble maker. When he was about to strike the one who was an enemy to both of them, he said: O Musa, do you want to kill me as you killed a soul yesterday?

You only want to be a tyrant in the land, and you do not want to be one of those who put things right. A man came from the farthest part of the city, hurrying.

He said: O Musa, the chiefs are plotting against you to kill you, so leave. I am truly one of those who give you sincere advice. So he left from it, fearful and watchful. He said: My Lord, save me from the wrongdoing people. (al Qasas 28:18–21)

Allah the Exalted tells us that Musa began that morning in the city of Egypt fearful, watching and turning his eyes, afraid that news of that killing would reach Pharaoh and his chiefs, and that they would suspect that Musa was from Bani Israil and that this matter would lead to a grave punishment.

While he was in that state:

فَإِذَا الَّذِي اسْتَنْصَرَهُ بِالْأَمْسِ يَسْتَصْرِخُهُ

the one who had sought his help the day before cried out to him again (al Qasas 28:18)

That is, the same Israelite who had sought his help against the Copt now sought his help again against another Copt. Musa عليه السلام rebuked him because of his many quarrels and fights and said:

إِنَّكَ لَغَوِيٌّ مُّبِينٌ

You are clearly a trouble maker. (al Qasas 28:18)

Then Musa wanted to strike the enemy of both of them in order to drive him away from the Israelite, not in order to kill him.

Allah said:

فَلَمَّا أَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَبْطِشَ بِالَّذِي هُوَ عَدُوٌّ لَّهُمَا قَالَ يَا مُوسَىٰ أَتُرِيدُ أَنْ تَقْتُلَنِي كَمَا قَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا بِالْأَمْسِ

When he was about to strike the one who was an enemy to both of them, he said: O Musa, do you want to kill me as you killed a soul yesterday (al Qasas 28:19)

Some said that the one who said this was the Israelite, thinking that Musa was going to strike him because he had just rebuked him with his words, and he did not realise that Musa was intending the Copt.

So he revealed the matter that had happened the previous day. The Copt then went away to Pharaoh and complained about Musa. Many people mentioned only this.

It is also possible that the one who said this was the Copt, when he saw Musa coming towards him and noticed his protection and defence of the Israelite.

He suspected that he was the one who had killed that man the day before and said this from guess and insight, or he understood it from words implied by the Israelite when he called Musa to help him. Allah knows best.

The point is that the affair reached Pharaoh. He came to know that Musa was the killer of that man, so he sent men to seize him. A man from among the people who wished him well took a shorter route and came to warn him before the men of Pharaoh could reach him.

Allah said:

وَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ يَسْعَىٰ قَالَ يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنَّ الْمَلَأَ يَأْتَمِرُونَ بِكَ لِيَقْتُلُوكَ فَاخْرُجْ ۖ إِنِّي لَكَ مِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ

A man came from the farthest part of the city, hurrying. He said: O Musa, the chiefs are plotting against you to kill you, so leave. I am truly one of those who give you sincere advice. (al Qasas 28:20)

So Musa left the city at once, without delay.

Allah said:

فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ ۖ قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

So he left from it, fearful and watchful. He said: My Lord, save me from the wrongdoing people. (al Qasas 28:21)

Musa عليه السلام in Midian

Allah the Exalted said:

وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَاءَ مَدْيَنَ قَالَ عَسَىٰ رَبِّي أَنْ يَهْدِيَنِي سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ ۝ وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَاءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَأَتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ ۖ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا ۖ قَالَتَا لَا نَسْقِي حَتَّىٰ يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَاءُ وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ ۝ فَسَقَىٰ لَهُمَا ثُمَّ تَوَلَّىٰ إِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

When he turned his face towards Midian, he said: Perhaps my Lord will guide me to the straight way. When he came to the water of Midian, he found there a group of people watering their flocks, and he found, apart from them, two women holding back their flock. He said: What is your situation?

They said: We do not water until the shepherds take their flocks away, and our father is an old man. So he watered for them, then turned back to the shade and said: My Lord, truly I am in need of whatever good You send down to me. (al Qasas 28:22–24)

Allah the Exalted tells us about the departure of His servant, messenger and one whom He spoke to, Musa, from Egypt as a fugitive, fearful and watching, that he turned his face towards the land of Midian and said:

عَسَىٰ رَبِّي أَنْ يَهْدِيَنِي سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ

Perhaps my Lord will guide me to the straight way (al Qasas 28:22)

That is, perhaps this path will lead me to the intended place. That is what happened. It led him to the intended place, and what an intended place it was.

When he reached the water of Midian, which was a well where people used to water their animals, and Midian is the town in which the people of the thicket, the companions of the lush tree, lived, the people whom Allah destroyed. They were the people of Shuayb عليه السلام, and their destruction was before the time of Musa in one of the two views of the scholars.

When he reached that water:

وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَأَتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ

he found there a group of people watering their flocks, and he found, apart from them, two women holding back their flock (al Qasas 28:23)

That is, they were keeping their sheep back so that they would not mix with the flocks of the men.

According to the People of the Book, they were seven daughters. This is also open to objection. It may be that he had seven daughters but only two of them used to water, and the rest would stay at home, and so this can be combined if that report is sound. Otherwise, the apparent meaning is that he only had two daughters.

Musa said to them:

مَا خَطْبُكُمَا

What is your situation (al Qasas 28:23)

They said:

لَا نَسْقِي حَتَّىٰ يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَاءُ وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ

We do not water until the shepherds take their flocks away, and our father is an old man. (al Qasas 28:23)

That is, because of our weakness we cannot go forward to the water until the shepherds have taken their flocks away, and the reason we are doing this work is the weakness and old age of our father, and his inability to do it.

Allah the Exalted said:

فَسَقَىٰ لَهُمَا

So he watered for them (al Qasas 28:24)

The mufassirun said that the shepherds, when they finished giving water to their flocks, would place a large stone over the mouth of the well and go away.

Then these two women would come and water their flock from the remainder of the water in the trough. On that day Musa came and removed that stone by himself, then drew water for them and watered their flock, then returned the stone to its place.

The Commander of the Believers Umar said that ten men would not be able to lift that stone, and he only drew one bucket of water, which was enough for them. (This was narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in al Musannaf 530/11 and the author of the tafsir declared it authentic in Tafsir Ibn Kathir 237/6.)

Allah the Exalted said:

ثُمَّ تَوَلَّىٰ إِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

then turned back to the shade and said: My Lord, truly I am in need of whatever good You send down to me. (al Qasas 28:24)

They said that it was the shade of a samar tree, a tree like the acacia. Ibn Masud said that he later saw that tree and it still had its leaves and its shade. (This is mentioned by Ibn Jarir in Jami al Bayan 56/10.)

Ibn Abbas said that Musa walked from Egypt to Midian and did not eat except green herbs and leaves of trees, and he was barefoot.

The skin of his feet fell off because of going barefoot, and he sat in the shade while he was one whom Allah had chosen from creation, and his belly was attached to his back because of hunger, and the greenness of the herbs could be seen from inside his stomach, and he was in need of half a date. (It is mentioned from Ata ibn as Saib that when he said this supplication the woman heard him.)

His Shepherding and Marriage

Allah the Exalted said:

فَجَاءَتْهُ إِحْدَاهُمَا تَمْشِي عَلَى اسْتِحْيَاءٍ قَالَتْ إِنَّ أَبِي يَدْعُوكَ لِيَجْزِيَكَ أَجْرَ مَا سَقَيْتَ لَنَا ۚ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُ وَقَصَّ عَلَيْهِ الْقَصَصَ قَالَ لَا تَخَفْ ۖ نَجَوْتَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ ۝ قَالَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا يَا أَبَتِ اسْتَأْجِرْهُ ۖ إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ اسْتَأْجَرْتَ الْقَوِيُّ الْأَمِينُ ۝ قَالَ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُنكِحَكَ إِحْدَى ابْنَتَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ عَلَىٰ أَنْ تَأْجُرَنِي ثَمَانِيَ حِجَجٍ ۖ فَإِنْ أَتْمَمْتَ عَشْرًا فَمِنْ عِنْدِكَ ۖ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَيْكَ ۚ سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ ۝ قَالَ ذَٰلِكَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ ۖ أَيَّمَا الْأَجَلَيْنِ قَضَيْتُ فَلَا عُدْوَانَ عَلَيَّ ۖ وَاللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌ

Then one of the two women came to him, walking with modesty. She said: My father calls you so that he may reward you for watering for us. When he came to him and told him the story, he said: Do not fear, you have escaped from the wrongdoing people. One of the two women said: O my father, hire him.

Truly the best of those you can hire is the strong and trustworthy. He said: I want to marry you to one of these two daughters of mine, on condition that you work for me for eight years. If you complete ten, that will be from your own choice, and I do not want to make things hard for you. You will find me, if Allah wills, one of the righteous.

He said: That is between me and you. Whichever of the two terms I complete, there will be no injustice against me, and Allah is a witness over what we say. (al Qasas 28:25–28)

When Musa sat in the shade and said:

رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

My Lord, truly I am in need of whatever good You send down to me. (al Qasas 28:24)

the two women heard him, as it is said, and they went to their father. Some said he was surprised by how quickly they returned and asked them about that. They told him what had happened with Musa عليه السلام. So he sent one of them to invite him.

Allah said:

فَجَاءَتْهُ إِحْدَاهُمَا تَمْشِي عَلَى اسْتِحْيَاءٍ

Then one of the two women came to him, walking with modesty (al Qasas 28:25)

that is, she walked with the modesty of free, chaste women.

She said:

إِنَّ أَبِي يَدْعُوكَ لِيَجْزِيَكَ أَجْرَ مَا سَقَيْتَ لَنَا

My father calls you so that he may reward you for watering for us. (al Qasas 28:25)

She made clear the reason for her father’s invitation so that her words would not suggest anything improper. This is part of her complete modesty and protection of herself.

Allah said:

فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُ وَقَصَّ عَلَيْهِ الْقَصَصَ

When he came to him and told him the story (al Qasas 28:25)

That is, he informed him what had happened to him in Egypt and his fear of Pharaoh and his people.

The old man said:

لَا تَخَفْ ۖ نَجَوْتَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

Do not fear, you have escaped from the wrongdoing people. (al Qasas 28:25)

That is, you have left their land and you are no longer under their authority.

The scholars differed about this old man. Many said that he was Shuayb عليه السلام, and this is the famous view and was adopted by al Hasan al Basri and Malik ibn Anas. This is also mentioned in a hadith, but its chain has some weakness.

Others said he was a righteous man from the descendants of Shuayb, and that there was a long time between Musa and Shuayb. Allah knows best.

When he saw the noble character of Musa and heard his story, and he saw his strength and trustworthiness, one of the two daughters said:

يَا أَبَتِ اسْتَأْجِرْهُ ۖ إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ اسْتَأْجَرْتَ الْقَوِيُّ الْأَمِينُ

O my father, hire him. Truly the best of those you can hire is the strong and trustworthy. (al Qasas 28:26)

Umar, Ibn Abbas, Shurayh the judge, Abu Malik, Qatadah, Muhammad ibn Ishaq and others said that when she said this, he said to her: How do you know that he is strong and trustworthy?

She said: He lifted a stone that only ten men can lift, and when I walked in front of him he said to me: Walk behind me, and if I go the wrong way then throw a small stone in the direction of the path so that I will know where to go.

The old man then said to Musa:

إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُنكِحَكَ إِحْدَى ابْنَتَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ عَلَىٰ أَنْ تَأْجُرَنِي ثَمَانِيَ حِجَجٍ ۖ فَإِنْ أَتْمَمْتَ عَشْرًا فَمِنْ عِنْدِكَ

I want to marry you to one of these two daughters of mine, on condition that you work for me for eight years. If you complete ten, that will be from your own choice. (al Qasas 28:27)

Some of the companions of Abu Hanifah used this to support the view that a sale or contract which mentions that one of two items will be sold, such as saying that he sells one of these two slaves or one of these two garments, is valid, because of the phrase:

إِحْدَى ابْنَتَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ

one of these two daughters of mine. (al Qasas 28:27)

But there is some room for discussion here, because this is a proposal and discussion, not a binding contract clause in the same way. Allah knows best.

The scholars of the school of Ahmad used this to argue that it is valid to hire someone in return for food and clothing, as is the custom among people, and they took support from the hadith that Ibn Majah narrated in his Sunan in the chapter of hiring workers for food.

It is narrated from Utbah ibn an Nadr that he said: We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and we recited Ta Sin Mim until we came to the story of Musa, so he said: Musa عليه السلام hired himself out for eight or ten years in return for protecting his private part and for the food in his stomach. (The hadith is weak. Ibn Majah recorded it 2444 and at Tabarani in al Mu jam al Kabir 17/135–333 with a very weak chain, as al Albani mentioned in Irwa al Ghalil 1488. Another supporting chain has been mentioned but is also weak.)

Then Allah the Exalted said:

قَالَ ذَٰلِكَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ ۖ أَيَّمَا الْأَجَلَيْنِ قَضَيْتُ فَلَا عُدْوَانَ عَلَيَّ ۖ وَاللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌ

He said: That is between me and you. Whichever of the two terms I complete, there will be no injustice against me, and Allah is a witness over what we say. (al Qasas 28:28)

That is, Musa accepted the proposal and said: The matter is as you have said. Whichever of the two terms I complete, eight or ten, there will be no blame on me, and Allah is a witness over what we say and a guardian over our contract.

With all of this Musa only fulfilled the longer and more complete of the two terms, which is ten complete years.

Al Bukhari narrated from Saeed ibn Jubayr that a Jew from al Hirah asked him: Which of the two terms did Musa complete? He said: I do not know until I meet the scholar of the Arabs and ask him. When he came to Ibn Abbas he asked him, and he said: He completed the longer and better of the two terms.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, when he said he would do something, would do it in the most complete way. (This is recorded in Sahih al Bukhari 2684 and in an Nasa i al Kubra 5598 as a statement of Ibn Abbas. Ibn Hajar said in Fath al Bari 289/5 that it has the ruling of being raised to the Prophet because Ibn Abbas would not narrate this kind of detail from the People of the Book.)

You Came at the Appointed Time, O Musa

Allah the Exalted said:

فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ مُوسَى الْأَجَلَ وَسَارَ بِأَهْلِهِ آنَسَ مِنْ جَانِبِ الطُّورِ نَارًا ۖ قَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا لَعَلِّي آتِيكُمْ مِنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ أَوْ جَذْوَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ ۝ فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِيَ مِن شَاطِئِ الْوَادِ الْأَيْمَنِ فِي الْبُقْعَةِ الْمُبَارَكَةِ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ أَنْ يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ ۝ وَأَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۚ فَلَمَّا رَآهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَانٌّ وَلَّىٰ مُدْبِرًا وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ ۚ يَا مُوسَىٰ أَقْبِلْ وَلَا تَخَفْ ۖ إِنَّكَ مِنَ الْآمِنِينَ ۝ اسْلُكْ يَدَكَ فِي جَيْبِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَاءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوءٍ وَاضْمُمْ إِلَيْكَ جَنَاحَكَ مِنَ الرَّهْبِ ۖ فَذَانِكَ بُرْهَانَانِ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ

When Musa completed the term and travelled with his family, he saw a fire on the side of the mountain. He said to his family: Stay here, I have seen a fire. Perhaps I will bring you news from it, or a burning brand from the fire so that you may warm yourselves.

When he came to it, he was called from the right side of the valley, in the blessed place, from the tree: O Musa, I am Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, and: Throw down your staff.

When he saw it writhing as if it were a snake, he turned in flight and did not look back. O Musa, come forward and do not fear, you are indeed one of those who are safe.

Put your hand into your garment; it will come out white, without any harm, and draw your arm close to you to still your fear. Those are two proofs from your Lord to Pharaoh and his chiefs. They are indeed a rebellious people. (al Qasas 28:29–32)

We mentioned before that Musa completed the longer term, ten full years. This is indicated by His saying:

فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ مُوسَى الْأَجَلَ

When Musa completed the term (al Qasas 28:29)

and by other evidences.

He set out with his family from the house of his father in law and travelled in the direction of Egypt. Many mufassirun said that he longed to see his family in Egypt and wanted to visit them, and that he travelled in a concealed way.

He set out with his wife and some of his children and with sheep that he had acquired during his stay. It was a dark, cold night and they lost their way on the road.

He tried to make a fire by striking flint but no fire appeared, and the darkness and cold became intense.

At that moment he saw a fire from the direction of the mountain of Tur, on his right. Allah said here:

آنَسَ مِنْ جَانِبِ الطُّورِ نَارًا

he saw a fire on the side of the mountain (al Qasas 28:29)

He said to his family:

امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا لَعَلِّي آتِيكُمْ مِنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ أَوْ جَذْوَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ

Stay here, I have seen a fire. Perhaps I will bring you news from it, or a burning brand from the fire so that you may warm yourselves. (al Qasas 28:29)

That is, perhaps I will find someone there to show us the road, or at least I will bring you a piece of the fire so that you can warm yourselves.

This shows that they were in intense darkness and cold and had become lost. This is explained in other verses.

Allah said:

وَهَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَىٰ ۝ إِذْ رَأَىٰ نَارًا فَقَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا لَعَلِّي آتِيكُمْ مِنْهَا بِقَبَسٍ أَوْ أَجِدُ عَلَى النَّارِ هُدًى

Has the story of Musa reached you, when he saw a fire and said to his family: Stay here, I have seen a fire. Perhaps I will bring you from it a burning brand, or I will find guidance at the fire. (Ta Ha 20:9–10)

And He said in another place:

إِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِأَهْلِهِ إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا سَآتِيكُمْ مِنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ أَوْ آتِيكُمْ بِشِهَابٍ قَبَسٍ لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ

When Musa said to his family: I have seen a fire. I will bring you from it some news, or I will bring you a flaming brand so that you may warm yourselves. (an Naml 27:7)

He brought them what was much better than that, the greatest news and the greatest guidance. He found at it guidance and light and gained a light that illuminated his path in this life and the next.

Allah the Exalted said:

فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِيَ مِن شَاطِئِ الْوَادِ الْأَيْمَنِ فِي الْبُقْعَةِ الْمُبَارَكَةِ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ أَنْ يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

When he came to it, he was called from the right side of the valley, in the blessed place, from the tree: O Musa, I am Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. (al Qasas 28:30)

And He said:

فَلَمَّا جَاءَهَا نُودِيَ أَنْ بُورِكَ مَن فِي النَّارِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا ۚ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ۝ يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنَّهُ أَنَا اللَّهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

When he came to it, he was called: Blessed is whoever is at the fire and whoever is around it, and glory be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. O Musa, it is I, Allah, the Mighty, the Wise. (an Naml 27:8–9)

And He said:

فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِيَ يَا مُوسَىٰ ۝ إِنِّي أَنَا رَبُّكَ فَاخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ ۖ إِنَّكَ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى ۝ وَأَنَا اخْتَرْتُكَ فَاسْتَمِعْ لِمَا يُوحَىٰ ۝ إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي ۝ إِنَّ السَّاعَةَ آتِيَةٌ أَكَادُ أُخْفِيهَا لِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا تَسْعَىٰ ۝ فَلَا يَصُدَّنَّكَ عَنْهَا مَن لَّا يُؤْمِنُ بِهَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ فَتَرْدَىٰ

When he came to it, he was called: O Musa, I am your Lord, so remove your sandals. You are in the sacred valley of Tuwa. I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed.

Truly I am Allah, there is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish the prayer for My remembrance.

The Hour is coming, I am almost keeping it hidden, so that every soul may be recompensed for what it strives for. So do not let anyone who does not believe in it and follows his desire turn you away from it, or you will perish. (Ta Ha 20:11–16)

Many of the Salaf and those who came after said that when Musa came to the fire he found it in a green bush of ashab or thorn bushes, and the fire was blazing in it while the bush was increasing in greenness.

He stood amazed at that sight. That bush was at the base of a mountain called al Jabal al Ayman, and Musa was in a valley called Tuwa, facing the qiblah, with the tree on his right, towards the west. Allah said:

وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ إِذْ قَضَيْنَا إِلَىٰ مُوسَى الْأَمْرَ وَمَا كُنتَ مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ

You were not on the western side when We decreed the command to Musa, and you were not among the witnesses. (al Qasas 28:44)

Allah commanded him first to remove his sandals, as an honour for that land and that sacred valley in that blessed night. Then Allah spoke to him with what He willed to say to him.

He told him that this life is not a home of settlement, but rather the lasting home is the Day of Resurrection, which must come so that every soul may receive its full recompense for what it has done, of good or evil.

He urged him to work for that home and to avoid those who do not believe in it and who follow their desires.

Then He said to him, teaching him and making him feel at ease, and showing him that He is able to do whatever He wills:

وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يَا مُوسَىٰ

What is that in your right hand, O Musa (Ta Ha 20:17)

He said:

هِيَ عَصَايَ أَتَوَكَّأُ عَلَيْهَا وَأَهُشُّ بِهَا عَلَىٰ غَنَمِي وَلِيَ فِيهَا مَآرِبُ أُخْرَىٰ

It is my staff. I lean on it, and I beat down leaves with it for my sheep, and I have other uses for it. (Ta Ha 20:18)

He said this because he knew it well.

Allah said:

قَالَ أَلْقِهَا يَا مُوسَىٰ ۝ فَأَلْقَاهَا فَإِذَا هِيَ حَيَّةٌ تَسْعَىٰ

He said: Throw it down, O Musa. So he threw it down, and suddenly it was a snake, slithering. (Ta Ha 20:19–20)

This is a great sign and a strong proof that the One who is speaking to him is the One who says to a thing: Be, and it is, and that He is the One who acts with full will.

Allah said in another place:

وَأَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۚ فَلَمَّا رَآهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَانٌّ وَلَّىٰ مُدْبِرًا وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ

and: Throw down your staff. When he saw it writhing as if it were a snake, he turned in flight and did not look back. (al Qasas 28:31)

That is, it became a huge snake, with a massive body and great fangs that clashed together, and yet it moved with the quick movement of a small agile snake, called a jann or jinnan, which is very fast in its movement. So this snake combined great size and very fast motion.

When Musa عليه السلام saw it in that state he fled and did not turn back, because this is what human nature demands.

Allah said:

يَا مُوسَىٰ أَقْبِلْ وَلَا تَخَفْ ۖ إِنَّكَ مِنَ الْآمِنِينَ

O Musa, come forward and do not fear, you are indeed one of those who are safe. (al Qasas 28:31)

When he returned Allah said to him:

خُذْهَا وَلَا تَخَفْ ۖ سَنُعِيدُهَا سِيرَتَهَا الْأُولَىٰ

Take it and do not fear. We will return it to its former state. (Ta Ha 20:21)

They said that he still feared it greatly, so he put his hand into the sleeve of his wool garment, then he reached with his hand into its mouth, and some said that he took it by its tail.

When it became firm in his hand Allah returned it to being a staff as it had been before, with two prongs.

Glory be to the One who is able to do all things, the Lord of the two easts and the two wests.

Then He commanded him to put his hand into his garment and bring it out. Allah said:

اسْلُكْ يَدَكَ فِي جَيْبِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَاءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوءٍ

Put your hand into your garment; it will come out white, without any harm. (al Qasas 28:32)

When he did so it came out shining like the moon, brighter than the sun, without any illness like leprosy or vitiligo. (Vitiligo is a skin condition that makes the skin white all over. The second disease mentioned is a type of patchy white spots on the skin.)

Allah also said:

وَاضْمُمْ إِلَيْكَ جَنَاحَكَ مِنَ الرَّهْبِ

and draw your arm close to you to still your fear. (al Qasas 28:32)

They said that its meaning is that when you become afraid place your hand on your chest and your fear will go away.

Although this was specific to him, there is hope that the blessing of following the example of the prophets will benefit anyone who uses this.

Allah said in another place:

وَأَدْخِلْ يَدَكَ فِي جَيْبِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَاءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوءٍ ۖ فِي تِسْعِ آيَاتٍ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَقَوْمِهِ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ

And put your hand into your garment; it will come out white, without any harm, among nine signs to Pharaoh and his people. They are indeed a rebellious people. (an Naml 27:12)

These two signs, the staff and the hand, are the two proofs referred to in His saying:

فَذَانِكَ بُرْهَانَانِ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ

Those are two proofs from your Lord to Pharaoh and his chiefs. They are indeed a rebellious people. (al Qasas 28:32)

Together with them there were seven other signs, making nine clear signs.

Allah said:

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ تِسْعَ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ فَسْأَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُ فِرْعَوْنُ إِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَا مُوسَىٰ مَسْحُورًا ۝ قَالَ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا أَنزَلَ هَٰؤُلَاءِ إِلَّا رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ بَصَائِرَ ۖ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَا فِرْعَوْنُ مَثْبُورًا

We gave Musa nine clear signs. Ask Bani Israil when he came to them, and Pharaoh said to him: O Musa, I think you are bewitched.

He said: You know that none has sent down these signs except the Lord of the heavens and the earth as clear proofs, and I think you, O Pharaoh, are doomed to destruction. (al Isra 17:101–102)

These nine signs are set out in detail in another place. Allah said:

وَلَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ بِالسِّنِينَ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ ۝ فَإِذَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْحَسَنَةُ قَالُوا لَنَا هَٰذِهِ ۖ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَطَّيَّرُوا بِمُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّمَا طَائِرُهُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ۝ وَقَالُوا مَهْمَا تَأْتِنَا بِهِ مِنْ آيَةٍ لِّتَسْحَرَنَا بِهَا فَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ ۝ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ وَالْجَرَادَ وَالْقُمَّلَ وَالضَّفَادِعَ وَالدَّمَ آيَاتٍ مُّفَصَّلَاتٍ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا مُّجْرِمِينَ

We seized the people of Pharaoh with years of drought and shortage of fruits so that they might take heed.

When good came to them they said: This is due to us, and if evil afflicted them they saw it as a bad omen because of Musa and those with him.

Surely their omens are with Allah, but most of them do not know. They said: Whatever sign you bring us to bewitch us with, we will not believe in you.

So We sent upon them the flood, locusts, lice, frogs and blood, as clear signs, but they were arrogant and were a people who were criminals. (al Araf 7:130–133)

These nine signs are other than the ten words, because the nine are from the decreed commands of Allah that occur in creation, while the ten are from His commands in the Sharia.

We mention this because some narrators became confused and thought that the nine signs mentioned here were the same as the ten words, but the two are different, as we have explained in the tafsir of the end of Surat Bani Israil.

The Prophethood of Harun عليه السلام

When Allah, exalted is He, commanded Musa عليه السلام to go to Pharaoh, Musa said:

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي قَتَلْتُ مِنْهُمْ نَفْسًا فَأَخَافُ أَن يَقْتُلُونِ ۝ وَأَخِي هَارُونُ هُوَ أَفْصَحُ مِنِّي لِسَانًا فَأَرْسِلْهُ مَعِيَ رِدْءًا يُصَدِّقُنِي إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَن يُكَذِّبُونِ ۝ قَالَ سَنَشُدُّ عَضُدَكَ بِأَخِيكَ وَنَجْعَلُ لَكُمَا سُلْطَانًا فَلَا يَصِلُونَ إِلَيْكُمَا بِآيَاتِنَا أَنتُمَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَكُمَا الْغَالِبُونَ

He said: My Lord, I have killed one of them, so I fear that they will kill me. And my brother Harun is more eloquent than me in speech, so send him with me as a helper to confirm what I say, for I fear that they will deny me.

He said: We shall strengthen your arm through your brother, and We shall give you both authority so that they will not reach you. With Our signs, you and whoever follows you will be the ones who prevail.(al Qasas: 33–35)

Allah, exalted is He, tells about His servant, His messenger, and the one He spoke to directly, Musa عليه السلام, in his reply to his Lord, mighty and majestic, when He commanded him to go to his enemy.

Musa had left the land of Egypt and departed from its settled home out of fear of Pharaohs violence and injustice, after what had happened from him in killing that Copt. Because of this he said: My Lord, I have killed one of them, so I fear that they will kill me.

He also said: And my brother Harun is more eloquent than me in speech, so send him with me as a helper to confirm what I say, for I fear that they will deny me.

That is, make him with me as a supporter who strengthens me, and as a minister who assists and helps me to convey Your message to them, for he is more eloquent than me in tongue and more powerful in expression.

Allah, exalted is He, replied to him: He said: We shall strengthen your arm through your brother and We shall give you both authority.

That is, a clear proof and a strong argument. So that they will not reach you. Meaning, they will not be able to harm you or touch you with any dislike because you stand with Our signs and are supported by them. It is also said: by the blessing of Our signs.

Then He said: You and whoever follows you will be the ones who prevail. Meaning, you two and those who believe in you will be the victorious and uppermost.

Allah also said in Surat Ta Ha:

اذْهَبْ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ طَغَى ۝ قَالَ رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي ۝ وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي ۝ وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي ۝ يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي

Go to Pharaoh, for he has transgressed. He said: My Lord, open my chest for me, and make my task easy for me, and untie a knot from my tongue, so that they may understand my speech.(Ta Ha: 24–28)

It is said that a heaviness affected his tongue because of that live coal which he had placed on his tongue from the amazing signs that broke usual patterns that had been decreed for him. Pharaoh had wanted to test his mind when Musa, while still a small child, took hold of Pharaohs beard, so Pharaoh was about to kill him. Asiya feared for him and said: He is only a child, so test him.

She suggested that a date and a live coal be placed before him. He reached out to take the date, but the angel turned his hand towards the coal, so he took it and put it on his tongue, and a speech defect struck him because of that.

So he asked that some of it be removed, to the extent that they would understand his words, and he did not ask for it to be removed completely. (Al Hasan al Basri said that messengers only ask according to need, and for this reason some of that defect remained on his tongue.)

Because of this, Pharaoh, may Allah disgrace him, said in criticism of the one whom Allah spoke to:

وَلَا يَكَادُ يُبِينُ

And he can hardly make himself clear.(az Zukhruf: 52)

That is, he does not fully express his intention or make completely clear what is in his breast and heart.

Then Musa عليه السلام also said:

وَاجْعَل لِّي وَزِيرًا مِّنْ أَهْلِي ۝ هَارُونَ أَخِي ۝ اشْدُدْ بِهِ أَزْرِي ۝ وَأَشْرِكْهُ فِي أَمْرِي ۝ كَيْ نُسَبِّحَكَ كَثِيرًا ۝ وَنَذْكُرَكَ كَثِيرًا ۝ إِنَّكَ كُنتَ بِنَا بَصِيرًا

And appoint for me a minister from my family, Harun, my brother. Strengthen my back through him, and let him share in my task, so that we may glorify You much and remember You much. Truly, You have always been seeing us.(Ta Ha: 29–35)

Allah said:

قَالَ قَدْ أُوتِيتَ سُؤْلَكَ يَا مُوسَى

He said: You have been granted your request, O Musa.(Ta Ha: 36)

That is, We have answered you in all that you asked and have given you what you sought.

This is part of his honour with his Lord, mighty and majestic, for he interceded so that Allah would reveal to his brother, and Allah did reveal to him. This is an immense rank. Allah, exalted is He, said:

وَكَانَ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَجِيهًا

And he was held in honour with Allah.(al Ahzab: 69)

And He said:

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ مِن رَّحْمَتِنَا أَخَاهُ هَارُونَ نَبِيًّا

And We granted him, out of Our mercy, his brother Harun as a prophet.(Maryam: 53)

The Mother of the Believers Aisha رضي الله عنها heard a man saying to some people who were walking on the road to Hajj: Which brother is the most loyal to his brother He remained silent and the people were silent.

Aisha said to those around her: It is Musa ibn Imran, when he interceded for his brother Harun and revelation was sent down for him. Allah, exalted is He, said: And We granted him, out of Our mercy, his brother Harun as a prophet.(Maryam: 53)

The Call of Musa and Harun عليهما السلام to Pharaoh

Allah, exalted is He, said in Surat ash Shuara:

وَإِذْ نَادَى رَبُّكَ مُوسَى أَنِ ائْتِ الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ ۝ قَوْمَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَلَا يَتَّقُونَ ۝ قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَن يُكَذِّبُونِ ۝ وَيَضِيقُ صَدْرِي وَلَا يَنطَلِقُ لِسَانِي فَأَرْسِلْ إِلَى هَارُونَ ۝ وَلَهُمْ عَلَيَّ ذَنبٌ فَأَخَافُ أَن يَقْتُلُونِ

And when your Lord called Musa: Go to the people who are unjust, the people of Pharaoh. Will they not have taqwa He said: My Lord, I fear that they will deny me, and my chest will become tight and my tongue will not move freely, so send to Harun.

And they have a sin against me, so I fear that they will kill me.(ash Shuara: 10–14)

قَالَ كَلَّا فَاذْهَبَا بِآيَاتِنَا إِنَّا مَعَكُم مُّسْتَمِعُونَ ۝ فَأْتِيَا فِرْعَوْنَ فَقُولَا إِنَّا رَسُولُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ۝ أَنْ أَرْسِلْ مَعَنَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ ۝ قَالَ أَلَمْ نُرَبِّكَ فِينَا وَلِيدًا وَلَبِثْتَ فِينَا مِنْ عُمُرِكَ سِنِينَ ۝ وَفَعَلْتَ فَعْلَتَكَ الَّتِي فَعَلْتَ وَأَنتَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ ۝ قَالَ فَعَلْتُهَا إِذًا وَأَنَا مِنَ الضَّالِّينَ ۝ فَفَرَرْتُ مِنكُمْ لَمَّا خِفْتُكُمْ فَوَهَبَ لِي رَبِّي حُكْمًا وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ۝ وَتِلْكَ نِعْمَةٌ تَمُنُّهَا عَلَيَّ أَنْ عَبَّدتَّ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ

He said: Never. Go, both of you, with Our signs. We are with you, listening. So go to Pharaoh and say: We are the messenger of the Lord of all creation, that you send with us the Children of Israil.

He said: Did we not bring you up among us as a child, and you stayed among us for many years of your life, and you did the deed you did, and you were one of the ungrateful He said: I did it then, when I was one of the astray.

So I fled from you when I feared you, and my Lord granted me judgement and made me one of the messengers. And is that a favour you remind me of, that you have enslaved the Children of Israil. (ash Shuara: 15–22)

The meaning is that he went to him and said this to him, and conveyed to him what they had been sent with, calling him to worship Allah alone without partner, and to release the captives from the Children of Israil from his grip, his oppression, and his tyranny.

He was to let them worship their Lord wherever they wished, and to free them for His oneness, His worship, supplication, and humble turning to Him.

Pharaoh then became full of pride and arrogance in himself, and he became tyrannical. He looked at Musa through the eye of contempt and belittling and said to him: Did we not bring you up among us as a child and you stayed among us for many years of your life That is, are you not the one whom we raised in our home, treating you well and giving you blessings for a period of time

This shows that the Pharaoh to whom he was sent is the same Pharaoh from whom he had fled, contrary to what is with the People of the Book, who say that the Pharaoh from whom he fled died during his stay in Midian and that the one to whom he was sent was a different Pharaoh. (It says in the Book of Exodus, chapter 2, that the Pharaoh who sought him died while Musa was in Midian.)

As for Pharaohs saying: And you did the deed you did, and you were one of the ungrateful, he meant: you killed the Coptic man, then fled from us and denied our favour. Musa answered: I did it then, when I was one of the astray.

Meaning, before revelation came to me and before anything was sent down to me. Then he said: So I fled from you when I feared you, and my Lord granted me judgement and made me one of the messengers.

Then he answered Pharaoh regarding that favour by which he claimed to have been kind to him and to have treated him well, saying: And is that a favour you remind me of, that you have enslaved the Children of Israil That is, this favour which you mention, that you did good to me while I am one man from the Children of Israil, is it equal to, and can it weigh against, the fact that you have used this great people in full strength as slaves, and you have reduced them to bondage for your tasks, services, and labours

Then Allah, exalted is He, said:

قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ وَمَا رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ ۝ قَالَ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِن كُنتُم مُّوقِنِينَ ۝ قَالَ لِمَنْ حَوْلَهُ أَلَا تَسْتَمِعُونَ ۝ قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ وَرَبُّ آبَائِكُمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ۝ قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَكُمُ الَّذِي أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ لَمَجْنُونٌ ۝ قَالَ رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

Pharaoh said: And what is the Lord of all creation He said: The Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, if you are sure. Pharaoh said to those around him: Do you not hear He said: Your Lord and the Lord of your first forefathers.

He said: Truly your messenger who has been sent to you is mad. He said: The Lord of the east and the west and whatever is between them, if you understand. (ash Shuara: 23–28)

Allah, exalted is He, mentions what took place between Pharaoh and Musa of argument, debate, and discussion, and how the one whom Allah spoke to established against that vile one both rational proofs that relate to meanings and visible proofs that are seen.

Pharaoh, may Allah curse him, outwardly denied the existence of the Maker, blessed and exalted is He, and claimed that he himself was the one to be worshipped. So he gathered his people and called out saying:

فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَى ۝ فَقَالَ أَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الْأَعْلَى

So he gathered his people and called out, and said: I am your lord most high.(an Naziat: 23–24)

In saying this, he was a stubborn opponent, for he knew that he was a created slave who is owned, and that Allah is the Creator, the Originator, the Shaper, the true God. Allah said:

وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

Yet they rejected them, although their souls were convinced of them, out of injustice and arrogance. So see how was the end of those who cause corruption.(an Naml: 14)

This is why he said to Musa عليه السلام, as a way of denying his message and claiming that there was no Lord who had sent him: And what is the Lord of all creation For Musa and Harun had said to him: We are the messenger of the Lord of all creation.

It is as if he said to them: And who is this Lord of all creation whom you claim has sent you and raised you

Musa replied: The Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, if you are sure. That is, the Lord of all creation is the Creator of these visible heavens and earth and what is between them of the many created things, such as clouds, wind, rain, plants, and animals, which every person who possesses certainty knows did not come into existence by themselves.

They must have a Maker, an Originator, a Creator. He is Allah, there is no god besides Him, the Lord of all creation.

Pharaoh said, meaning Pharaoh said to those nobles, chiefs, and ministers around him, in mockery and belittling of what Musa had set forth: Do you not hear Meaning, do you not hear this speech of his

Musa said, addressing him and them: Your Lord and the Lord of your first forefathers. That is, He is the One who created you and those before you, of fathers, grandfathers, and past generations from long ago.

Every person knows that he did not create himself, nor did his father or his mother create him, and that he did not come into existence without anyone bringing him into being. Rather, the One who brought him into existence and created him is the Lord of all creation.

These two proofs are the ones mentioned in His saying:

سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الْآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ

We shall show them Our signs on the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth.(Fussilat: 53)

Despite all of this, Pharaoh did not wake up from his sleep of heedlessness, and he did not leave his misguidance.

He continued in his tyranny, opposition, and disbelief. He said: Truly your messenger who has been sent to you is mad. Musa replied: The Lord of the east and the west and whatever is between them, if you understand.

That is, He is the One who subjected these shining stars, who directs the rotating heavenly spheres, who created darkness and light, who is Lord of the earth and the sky, Lord of the first and the last, Creator of the sun and moon, the wandering planets and the fixed stars that are in their stations. He is the Creator of the night with its darkness and the day with its light.

All of them are under His control, His subjugation, and His ordering.

They move, turn, and flow in their orbits, taking turns in all hours, rotating around. He is, exalted is He, the Creator, the Owner, the One who disposes in His creation as He wills.

When the proofs were established against Pharaoh, his false arguments were cut, and nothing remained for him except stubbornness, he turned from argument to using his power, rank, and might. Allah said:

He said: If you take a god other than me, I will certainly make you one of the imprisoned. He said: Even if I bring you something clear He said: Then bring it, if you are one of those who speak the truth.

So he threw his staff, and suddenly it was a clear serpent. And he drew out his hand, and suddenly it was white for the onlookers.(ash Shuara: 29–33)

These two were the proofs with which Allah supported him, the staff and the hand. This was a position in which the great sign was displayed that amazed minds and eyes.

When he threw down his staff, it became a clear serpent, that is, a huge form, wonderful in size and frightening in appearance, with an awesome and dazzling sight.

Likewise, when Musa عليه السلام put his hand into the opening of his garment at his chest and then brought it out, he brought it out like a piece of the moon, shining with a light that confused the onlookers. Whenever he returned it to his chest and then brought it out again, it returned to its first state.

Despite all of this, Pharaoh, may Allah curse him, did not benefit at all. He remained as he was and declared that all of this was sorcery, and he wanted to oppose it with sorcery. He sent out to gather sorcerers from all his kingdom and from everyone under his rule.

The Day of Adornment

Allah, exalted is He, said in Surat Ta Ha:

وَلَقَدْ أَرَيْنَاهُ آيَاتِنَا كُلَّهَا فَكَذَّبَ وَأَبَى ۝ قَالَ أَجِئْتَنَا لِتُخْرِجَنَا مِنْ أَرْضِنَا بِسِحْرِكَ يَا مُوسَى ۝ فَلَنَأْتِيَنَّكَ بِسِحْرٍ مِّثْلِهِ فَاجْعَلْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكَ مَوْعِدًا لَّا نُخْلِفُهُ نَحْنُ وَلَا أَنتَ مَكَانًا سُوًى ۝ قَالَ مَوْعِدُكُمْ يَوْمُ الزِّينَةِ وَأَن يُحْشَرَ النَّاسُ ضُحًى

We indeed showed him all of Our signs, yet he denied and refused. He said: Have you come to drive us out of our land with your sorcery, O Musa Then we will certainly bring you sorcery like it, so set an appointment between us and you, which neither we nor you will fail to keep, at a place in the middle.

He said: Your appointment is on the Day of Adornment, and that the people be gathered in the forenoon.(Ta Ha: 56–59)

Allah informs of the misery of Pharaoh and the greatness of his ignorance and the smallness of his mind. He denied the signs of Allah and was arrogant towards following them.

He said to Musa: This thing you have brought is sorcery, and we will oppose it with something like it. Then he asked Musa to fix a definite time and a definite place.

This was in fact one of the greatest aims of Musa عليه السلام, that the signs of Allah, His clear proofs and decisive evidences, should appear plainly in front of the people. This is why he said: Your appointment is on the Day of Adornment, which was one of their festival days and one of their times of communal gatherings, and that the people be gathered in the forenoon.

That is, at the beginning of the day, at the time when the light of the sun is strongest, so that the truth would be clearer and more evident, and not at night in the darkness where falsehood might be spread upon them.

Rather, he asked that it be in broad daylight, because he had full insight from his Lord and certainty that Allah would make His word and His religion uppermost, even if the Copts hated that.

Allah said:

فَتَوَلَّىٰ فِرْعَوْنُ فَجَمَعَ كَيْدَهُ ثُمَّ أَتَى ۝ قَالَ لَهُم مُّوسَىٰ وَيْلَكُمْ لَا تَفْتَرُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا فَيُسْحِتَكُم بِعَذَابٍ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنِ افْتَرَىٰ ۝ فَتَنَازَعُوا أَمْرَهُم بَيْنَهُمْ وَأَسَرُّوا النَّجْوَىٰ ۝ قَالُوا إِنْ هَذَانِ لَسَاحِرَانِ يُرِيدَانِ أَن يُخْرِجَاكُم مِّنْ أَرْضِكُم بِسِحْرِهِمَا وَيَذْهَبَا بِطَرِيقَتِكُمُ الْمُثْلَىٰ ۝ فَأَجْمِعُوا كَيْدَكُمْ ثُمَّ ائْتُوا صَفًّا وَقَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْيَوْمَ مَنِ اسْتَعْلَىٰ

So Pharaoh turned away and gathered his plot, then came. Musa said to them: Woe to you Do not invent a lie against Allah, or He will destroy you with a punishment, and the one who forges a lie will indeed fail.

Then they disputed their matter among themselves and kept their private conversation secret. They said: These two are surely sorcerers who want to drive you out of your land with their sorcery and to remove your exemplary way.

So gather your plot, then come in one rank, and today whoever gains the upper hand will surely succeed.(Ta Ha: 60–64)

Allah tells of Pharaoh that he went and gathered all who were in his lands of sorcerers. The lands of Egypt at that time were full of sorcerers who were very skilled in that craft. He gathered them from every land and place.

A huge number came together. Pharaoh came, and so did his nobles, the people of his rule, and the people of his city, all of them without exception, because Pharaoh had called them to attend this great scene. They came out saying:

لَعَلَّنَا نَتَّبِعُ السَّحَرَةَ إِن كَانُوا هُمُ الْغَالِبِينَ

Perhaps we will follow the sorcerers, if they are the ones who overcome.(ash Shuara: 40)

Musa عليه السلام stepped forward to the sorcerers and admonished them. He forbade them from practising false sorcery that would oppose the signs of Allah and His proofs. He said: Woe to you Do not invent a lie against Allah, or He will destroy you with a punishment, and the one who forges a lie will indeed fail.

So they disputed their matter among themselves. It has been said that this means they differed among themselves. Some of them said: This is the speech of a prophet, not that of a sorcerer. Others said: Rather, he is a sorcerer. Allah knows best.

They kept this secret conversation among themselves and said: These two, meaning this man and his brother Harun, are two sorcerers, skilled and precise in this craft.

Their aim is that the people gather to them, that they overthrow the king and his council, and that they uproot you until the last of you, and then take power over you through this craft.

So they said: So gather your plot, meaning bring all that you have, then come in one rank, meaning all together in one line, and encourage one another in this great position, because Pharaoh had promised them and made them hope for reward and nearness, and Satan does not promise them except delusion.

The Defeat of the Sorcerers and Their Martyrdom

Allah, exalted is He, said:

قَالُوا يَا مُوسَىٰ إِمَّا أَن تُلْقِيَ وَإِمَّا أَن نَّكُونَ نَحْنُ الْمُلْقِينَ ۝ قَالَ بَلْ أَلْقُوا فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِن سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَىٰ ۝ فَأَوْجَسَ فِي نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُّوسَىٰ ۝ قُلْنَا لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْأَعْلَىٰ ۝ وَأَلْقِ مَا فِي يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُوا إِنَّمَا صَنَعُوا كَيْدُ سَاحِرٍ وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَىٰ

They said: O Musa, either you throw, or we will be the first to throw. He said: No, rather you throw. Then suddenly their ropes and their staffs were made to seem to him, because of their sorcery, as if they were moving.

So Musa felt a fear within himself. We said: Do not fear, you are the uppermost. And throw what is in your right hand, it will swallow what they have produced. What they have produced is only the plot of a sorcerer, and the sorcerer will never succeed, wherever he may be.(Ta Ha: 65–69)

When the sorcerers had lined up, and Musa and Harun عليهما السلام were standing opposite them, they said to him: Either you throw first or we will be the ones to throw first. He said: No, rather you throw.

They had prepared ropes and staffs into which they had placed mercury and other substances that would cause those ropes and staffs to move and convulse, so that they would appear to the onlooker as if they were moving by choice, but in reality they moved because of those substances. In this way they bewitched the eyes of the people, frightened them, and brought a great sorcery. Allah, exalted is He, said:

قَالَ أَلْقُوا فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوْا سَحَرُوا أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَجَاءُوا بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ

He said: Throw. So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people and frightened them, and came with a great sorcery.(al Araf: 116)

He also said: Then suddenly their ropes and their staffs were made to seem to him, because of their sorcery, as if they were moving.

So Musa felt a fear within himself. That is, he feared that the people might be tried and deceived by their sorcery and trickery.

Allah revealed to him at that very moment: Do not fear, you are the uppermost. And throw what is in your right hand, it will swallow what they have produced. What they have produced is only the plot of a sorcerer, and the sorcerer will never succeed, wherever he may be.

At that point Musa threw his staff and said:

مَا جِئْتُم بِهِ السِّحْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَيُبْطِلُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُصْلِحُ عَمَلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ ۝ وَيُحِقُّ اللَّهُ الْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُجْرِمُونَ

What you have brought is sorcery. Allah will certainly nullify it. Truly Allah does not set right the work of those who cause corruption, and Allah makes the truth stand out by His words, even if the criminals hate it.(Yunus: 81–82)

Allah, exalted is He, also said:

وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ ۝ فَوَقَعَ الْحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ۝ فَغُلِبُوا هُنَالِكَ وَانقَلَبُوا صَاغِرِينَ ۝ وَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سَاجِدِينَ ۝ قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ۝ رَبِّ مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ

And We revealed to Musa: Throw your staff. Then suddenly it swallowed what they had falsely produced. So the truth was established and what they had been doing became false.

They were defeated there and returned disgraced. And the sorcerers fell down in prostration. They said: We believe in the Lord of all creation, the Lord of Musa and Harun.(al Araf: 117–122)

When Musa عليه السلام threw his staff, it became a huge serpent, with legs, as a number of scholars of the early generations mentioned. It had a great neck and an amazing terrifying form.

The people moved away from it and fled quickly, keeping their distance from its place. It turned towards what they had thrown of ropes and staffs and began to swallow them one by one in the quickest possible movement, while the people watched and marvelled.

As for the sorcerers, they saw something that shook them and left them in awe. They witnessed something that had never crossed their minds, had never occurred to their thoughts, and did not fall within the limits of their craft and work. At that moment they knew, with the knowledge they had from their own craft, that this was not sorcery, delusion, trickery, imagination, falsehood, or misguidance.

Rather, it was truth that no one can bring about except the True One who sent this servant and supported him with truth. Allah removed from their hearts the veils of heedlessness, illuminated them with the guidance He had placed in them, lifted from them the hardness, and turned them back to Him.

They fell in prostration to their Lord and said openly to those present, without fearing any punishment or trial: We believe in the Lord of Musa and Harun. (Ta Ha: 70)

Allah, exalted is He, says:

قَالَ آمَنتُمْ لَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ آذَنَ لَكُمْ إِنَّهُ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ الَّذِي عَلَّمَكُمُ السِّحْرَ فَلَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلَافٍ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ فِي جُذُوعِ النَّخْلِ وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ أَيُّنَا أَشَدُّ عَذَابًا وَأَبْقَىٰ ۝ قَالُوا لَن نُّؤْثِرَكَ عَلَىٰ مَا جَاءَنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالَّذِي فَطَرَنَا فَاقْضِ مَا أَنتَ قَاضٍ إِنَّمَا تَقْضِي هَذِهِ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا ۝ إِنَّا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغْفِرَ لَنَا خَطَايَانَا وَمَا أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ السِّحْرِ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ ۝ إِنَّهُ مَن يَأْتِ رَبَّهُ مُجْرِمًا فَإِنَّ لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ ۝ وَمَن يَأْتِهِ مُؤْمِنًا قَدْ عَمِلَ الصَّالِحَاتِ فَأُوْلَٰئِكَ لَهُمُ الدَّرَجَاتُ الْعُلَىٰ ۝ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۖ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَاءُ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ

He said: You have believed in him before I gave you permission. He is indeed your chief who has taught you sorcery.

I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet from opposite sides, and I will surely crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will certainly know which of us is more severe in punishment and more lasting.

They said: We will never prefer you over what has come to us of clear proofs and over the One who created us, so decide whatever you are going to decide. You only decide about this life of the world. We have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and what you compelled us to do of sorcery, and Allah is better and more lasting.

Truly whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal will have Jahannam, in which he will neither die nor live.

And whoever comes to Him as a believer who has done righteous deeds, such people will have the highest ranks, Gardens of everlasting stay beneath which rivers flow, where they will remain forever. That is the reward of those who purify themselves. (Ta Ha: 71–76)

Said ibn Jubayr, Ikrimah, al Qasim ibn Abi Bazzah, al Awzai, and others said that when the sorcerers prostrated, they saw their homes and palaces in the Garden prepared for them and adorned for their arrival. Because of this they did not pay any attention to Pharaohs attempts to frighten them and his warnings and threats.

When Pharaoh saw these sorcerers had believed and had spread the mention of Musa and Harun among the people in such a beautiful way, it alarmed him. He saw a matter that astonished him and blinded his insight and his outward sight.

He was a plotter, a deceiver, and skillful in turning people away from Allahs path. He said to the sorcerers in front of the people: You have believed in him before I gave you permission. That is, why did you not consult me in what you have done in this serious matter in front of my subjects

Then he threatened, warned, thundered, and roared. His threats were far reaching and his words full of distance from the truth. He said: He is indeed your chief who has taught you sorcery, and in another verse:

إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَمَكْرٌ مَّكَرْتُمُوهُ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ لِتُخْرِجُوا مِنْهَا أَهْلَهَا فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

This is surely a plot that you have plotted in the city to drive out its people from it, but soon you will know.(al Araf: 123)

What he said was pure falsehood. Every single person of intelligence knew that it was disbelief, lying, and nonsense. It would not deceive even children.

Everyone in his kingdom and outside it knew that Musa had never seen these people for a single day before, so how could he be their chief who taught them sorcery They also knew that he had not gathered them, nor even known that they were gathering, until Pharaoh himself had called them and summoned them from every deep place and far valley, from the cities of Egypt and its villages.

Allah, exalted is He, said in Surat al Araf:

ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِم مُّوسَىٰ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ فَظَلَمُوا بِهَا فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ ۝ وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ يَا فِرْعَوْنُ إِنِّي رَسُولٌ مِّن رَّبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ۝ حَقِيقٌ عَلَىٰ أَنْ لَّا أَقُولَ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْحَقَّ قَدْ جِئْتُكُم بِبَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَأَرْسِلْ مَعِيَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ ۝ قَالَ إِن كُنتَ جِئْتَ بِآيَةٍ فَأْتِ بِهَا إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ ۝ فَأَلْقَىٰ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ ثُعْبَانٌ مُّبِينٌ ۝ وَنَزَعَ يَدَهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ بَيْضَاءُ لِلنَّاظِرِينَ ۝ قَالَ الْمَلَأُ مِن قَوْمِ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَسَاحِرٌ عَلِيمٌ ۝ يُرِيدُ أَن يُخْرِجَكُم مِّنْ أَرْضِكُمْ فَمَاذَا تَأْمُرُونَ ۝ قَالُوا أَرْجِهْ وَأَخَاهُ وَأَرْسِلْ فِي الْمَدَائِنِ حَاشِرِينَ ۝ يَأْتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَاحِرٍ عَلِيمٍ ۝ وَجَاءَ السَّحَرَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ قَالُوا إِنَّ لَنَا لَأَجْرًا إِن كُنَّا نَحْنُ الْغَالِبِينَ ۝ قَالَ نَعَمْ وَإِنَّكُمْ لَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ ۝ قَالُوا يَا مُوسَىٰ إِمَّا أَن تُلْقِيَ وَإِمَّا أَن نَّكُونَ نَحْنُ الْمُلْقِينَ ۝ قَالَ أَلْقُوا فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوْا سَحَرُوا أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَجَاءُوا بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ ۝ وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ ۝ فَوَقَعَ الْحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ۝ فَغُلِبُوا هُنَالِكَ وَانقَلَبُوا صَاغِرِينَ ۝ وَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سَاجِدِينَ ۝ قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ۝ رَبِّ مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ ۝ قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ آمَنتُم بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ آذَنَ لَكُمْ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَمَكْرٌ مَّكَرْتُمُوهُ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ لِتُخْرِجُوا مِنْهَا أَهْلَهَا فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ ۝ لَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلَافٍ ثُمَّ لَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ۝ قَالُوا إِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا مُنقَلِبُونَ ۝ وَمَا تَنقِمُ مِنَّا إِلَّا أَنْ آمَنَّا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّنَا لَمَّا جَاءَتْنَا رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ

Then after them We sent Musa with Our signs to Pharaoh and his council, but they wronged them. So see how was the end of those who cause corruption.

Musa said: O Pharaoh, I am a messenger from the Lord of all creation, obliged that I not say about Allah anything except the truth. I have come to you with a clear sign from your Lord, so send with me the Children of Israil.

He said: If you have come with a sign, then bring it, if you are one of those who speak the truth.

So he threw his staff, and suddenly it was a clear serpent, and he drew out his hand, and suddenly it was white for the onlookers.

The chiefs of Pharaohs people said: This is certainly a knowledgeable sorcerer, who wants to drive you out of your land, so what do you command.

They said: Delay him and his brother, and send gatherers to the cities who will bring you every knowledgeable sorcerer. So the sorcerers came to Pharaoh.

They said: Will there be a reward for us if we are the ones who prevail He said: Yes, and you will then be among those brought near. They said: O Musa, either you throw or we will be the ones to throw first.

He said: Throw. So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people and frightened them, and brought a great sorcery. We revealed to Musa: Throw your staff. Then suddenly it swallowed what they had falsely produced. So the truth was established and what they had been doing became false. They were defeated there and returned disgraced. And the sorcerers fell in prostration.

They said: We believe in the Lord of all creation, the Lord of Musa and Harun. Pharaoh said: You have believed in him before I gave you permission. This is surely a plot that you have plotted in the city to drive its people out of it, but soon you will know. I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet from opposite sides, then I will surely crucify you all.

They said: We will certainly return to our Lord. You do not take revenge on us except because we have believed in the signs of our Lord when they came to us. Our Lord, pour upon us patience, and make us die as Muslims. (al Araf: 103–126)

Allah, exalted is He, also said in Surat Yunus:

ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِم مُّوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ بِآيَاتِنَا فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا مُّجْرِمِينَ ۝ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ عِندِنَا قَالُوا إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَسِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ ۝ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ أَتَقُولُونَ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَكُمْ أَسِحْرٌ هَٰذَا وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُونَ ۝ قَالُوا أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَلْفِتَنَا عَمَّا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا وَتَكُونَ لَكُمَا الْكِبْرِيَاءُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكُمَا بِمُؤْمِنِينَ ۝ وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ ائْتُونِي بِكُلِّ سَاحِرٍ عَلِيمٍ ۝ فَلَمَّا جَاءَ السَّحَرَةُ قَالَ لَهُم مُّوسَىٰ أَلْقُوا مَا أَنتُم مُّلْقُونَ ۝ فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوْا قَالَ مُوسَىٰ مَا جِئْتُم بِهِ السِّحْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَيُبْطِلُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُصْلِحُ عَمَلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ ۝ وَيُحِقُّ اللَّهُ الْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُجْرِمُونَ

Then after them We sent Musa and Harun to Pharaoh and his council with Our signs, but they acted arrogantly and were a people who committed crimes.

When the truth came to them from Us, they said: This is certainly clear sorcery. Musa said: Do you say of the truth when it comes to you that this is sorcery Sorcerers will never succeed.

They said: Have you come to turn us away from what we found our fathers upon, so that greatness in the land will belong to you two We are not going to believe in you. Pharaoh said: Bring me every knowledgeable sorcerer.

When the sorcerers came, Musa said to them: Throw whatever you are going to throw. When they had thrown, Musa said: What you have brought is sorcery.

Allah will certainly nullify it. Truly Allah does not set right the work of those who cause corruption. Allah makes the truth stand out by His words, even if the criminals hate it. (Yunus: 75–82)

And in Surat ash Shuara:

قَالَ لَئِنِ اتَّخَذْتَ إِلَهًا غَيْرِي لَأَجْعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ الْمَسْجُونِينَ ۝ قَالَ أَوَلَوْ جِئْتُكَ بِشَيْءٍ مُّبِينٍ ۝ قَالَ فَأْتِ بِهِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ ۝ فَأَلْقَىٰ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ ثُعْبَانٌ مُّبِينٌ ۝ وَنَزَعَ يَدَهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ بَيْضَاءُ لِلنَّاظِرِينَ ۝ قَالَ لِلْمَلَإِ حَوْلَهُ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَسَاحِرٌ عَلِيمٌ ۝ يُرِيدُ أَن يُخْرِجَكُم مِّنْ أَرْضِكُم بِسِحْرِهِ فَمَاذَا تَأْمُرُونَ ۝ قَالُوا أَرْجِهْ وَأَخَاهُ وَابْعَثْ فِي الْمَدَائِنِ حَاشِرِينَ ۝ يَأْتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَحَّارٍ عَلِيمٍ ۝ فَجُمِعَ السَّحَرَةُ لِمِيقَاتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ ۝ وَقِيلَ لِلنَّاسِ هَلْ أَنتُم مُّجْتَمِعُونَ ۝ لَعَلَّنَا نَتَّبِعُ السَّحَرَةَ إِن كَانُوا هُمُ الْغَالِبِينَ ۝ فَلَمَّا جَاءَ السَّحَرَةُ قَالُوا لِفِرْعَوْنَ أَئِنَّ لَنَا لَأَجْرًا إِن كُنَّا نَحْنُ الْغَالِبِينَ ۝ قَالَ نَعَمْ وَإِنَّكُمْ إِذًا لَّمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ ۝ قَالَ لَهُم مُّوسَىٰ أَلْقُوا مَا أَنتُم مُّلْقُونَ ۝ فَأَلْقَوْا حِبَالَهُمْ وَعِصِيَّهُمْ وَقَالُوا بِعِزَّةِ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْغَالِبُونَ ۝ فَأَلْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ ۝ فَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سَاجِدِينَ ۝ قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ۝ رَبِّ مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ ۝ قَالَ آمَنتُمْ لَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ آذَنَ لَكُمْ إِنَّهُ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ الَّذِي عَلَّمَكُمُ السِّحْرَ فَلَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ ۝ لَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلَافٍ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ۝ قَالُوا لَا ضَيْرَ إِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا مُنقَلِبُونَ ۝ إِنَّا نَطْمَعُ أَن يَغْفِرَ لَنَا رَبُّنَا خَطَايَانَا أَنْ كُنَّا أَوَّلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

So when they had gathered all the sorcerers and what happened took place, Pharaoh said what he said, and Musa answered what he answered, and the story is as Allah has mentioned in these verses.

The aim here is that Pharaoh lied, fabricated, and disbelieved in the most extreme way when he said: He is indeed your chief who has taught you sorcery, and when he brought a false claim that every intelligent person recognised as false when he said: This is surely a plot that you have plotted in the city to drive out its people from it, but soon you will know, and when he said: I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet from opposite sides.

That is, he would cut the right hand and the left foot, or the opposite of that, and I will surely crucify you all. Meaning, I will make you an example and a lesson, so that no one from my subjects and people will follow your way.

This is why he said in another verse: I will certainly crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, because they are high and visible. And you will certainly know which of us is more severe in punishment and more lasting, meaning in this life.

They replied: We will never prefer you over what has come to us of clear proofs. That is, we will not obey you or leave what has been fixed in our hearts of proofs and decisive evidences. And over the One who created us. It has been said this is connected to what came before, and it has been said it is an oath. So decide whatever you are going to decide.

That is, do whatever you are able to do. You only decide about this life of the world. That is, your judgement only reaches us in this worldly life. When we leave it to the next Abode we will be under the judgement of the One to whom we have submitted and by whose religion we have believed and whose messengers we have followed.

They said: We have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and what you have compelled us to do of sorcery, and Allah is better and more lasting. That is, His reward is better than what you promised us of reward and nearness, and more lasting than this passing abode. In another verse they said: No harm.

We will certainly return to our Lord. We hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins, since we were the first to believe, meaning from the Copts, in Musa and Harun عليهما السلام. (ash Shuara: 29–51) (with brief commentary)

They also said to him: You do not take revenge on us except because we have believed in the signs of our Lord when they came to us. Our Lord, pour upon us patience, and make us die as Muslims. (al Araf: 126) That is, Muslims who submit.

They also said to him, warning him and making him fear the punishment of his Lord: Truly whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal will have Jahannam, in which he will neither die nor live.

They were saying to him: Beware lest you be among them, but he was in fact among them. And whoever comes to Him as a believer who has done righteous deeds, such people will have the highest ranks, Gardens of everlasting stay beneath which rivers flow, where they will remain forever. That is the reward of those who purify themselves.

So strive to be among them. But the decrees of the Most High prevented that, decrees that cannot be resisted or opposed, and the judgement of the Most High, the Great, that Pharaoh, may Allah curse him, is among the people of the Blaze, tasting painful punishment, boiling water poured over his head, and it will be said to him as a form of reproach and humiliation, while he is despised, cursed, low, and vile:

ذُقْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْكَرِيمُ

Taste You are the mighty, the noble.(ad Dukhan: 49)

What appears from these texts is that Pharaoh, may Allah curse him, did crucify them and torture them. May Allah be pleased with them.

Abdullah ibn Abbas and Ubayd ibn Umayr said: They were sorcerers at the beginning of the day and by the end of it they had become righteous martyrs.

The Incitement of the Chiefs of the Copts to Harm Musa and the Children of Israil

When this great matter took place, the defeat that the Copts suffered in that overwhelming scene, and the sorcerers in whom they had hoped and sought help had believed in Musa, this did not increase them except in disbelief, stubbornness, and distance from the truth.

Allah, exalted is He, said after relating what has passed in Surat al Araf:

وَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ مِن قَوْمِ فِرْعَوْنَ أَتَذَرُ مُوسَىٰ وَقَوْمَهُ لِيُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَيَذَرَكَ وَآلِهَتَكَ ۚ قَالَ سَنُقَتِّلُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَنَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ وَإِنَّا فَوْقَهُمْ قَاهِرُونَ ۝ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ اسْتَعِينُوا بِاللَّهِ وَاصْبِرُوا إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لِلَّهِ يُورِثُهَا مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ۖ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ۝ قَالُوا أُوذِينَا مِن قَبْلِ أَنْ تَأْتِيَنَا وَمِن بَعْدِ مَا جِئْتَنَا ۝ قَالَ عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُهْلِكَ عَدُوَّكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ

The chiefs of Pharaohs people said: Will you leave Musa and his people to spread corruption in the land and to abandon you and your gods He said: We will kill their sons and spare their women, and we are dominant over them.

Musa said to his people: Seek help in Allah and be patient. The earth belongs to Allah.

He gives it in inheritance to whom He wills of His servants, and the good end is for those who have taqwa. They said: We were harmed before you came to us and after you came to us. He said: Perhaps your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors in the land, then see how you act. (al Araf: 127–129)

Allah, exalted is He, tells us that the chiefs among Pharaohs people, who were the nobles and great ones, stirred up their king and incited him to hurt Musa and the Children of Israil.

They told him to meet his coming to them not with belief and acceptance, but with disbelief, rejection, and harm. They said: Will you leave Musa and his people to spread corruption in the land and to abandon you and your gods

They meant, may Allah disgrace them, that his call to worship Allah alone without partner and to forbid the worship of anything besides Him was corruption in the land, according to what the Copts believed, may Allah curse them. Some recited it as: and to abandon you and your worship.

That is, and to abandon your worship, and this explanation is strengthened by this reading. It also carries the meaning: and to abandon worshipping you, because he used to claim that he was a god, may Allah curse him.

He said: We will kill their sons and spare their women. That is, in order that the fighting men among them would not become many. And we are dominant over them. That is, we are uppermost and overcoming them.

Musa said to his people: Seek help in Allah and be patient. That is, if they intend to harm you and attack you, then seek help from your Lord and be patient with what happens to you. The earth belongs to Allah.

He gives it in inheritance to whom He wills of His servants, and the good end is for those who have taqwa. That is, be among the people of taqwa so that you will have the good end, as He said in another verse:

وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ يَا قَوْمِ إِن كُنتُمْ آمَنتُم بِاللَّهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلُوا إِن كُنتُم مُّسْلِمِينَ ۝ فَقَالُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِّلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ ۝ وَنَجِّنَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ

Musa said: O my people, if you have believed in Allah, then rely on Him, if you are Muslims. They said: Upon Allah we have relied. Our Lord, do not make us a trial for the unjust people, and save us by Your mercy from the disbelieving people. (Yunus: 84–86)

Their saying: We were harmed before you came to us and after you came to us means that they were having their sons killed before the mission of Musa and after he had come to them.

He said: Perhaps your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors in the land, then see how you act.

Allah, exalted is He, also said in Surat Ghafir:

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَىٰ بِآيَاتِنَا وَسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍ ۝ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَقَارُونَ فَقَالُوا سَاحِرٌ كَذَّابٌ ۝ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُم بِالْحَقِّ مِنْ عِندِنَا قَالُوا اقْتُلُوا أَبْنَاءَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ وَاسْتَحْيُوا نِسَاءَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا كَيْدُ الْكَافِرِينَ إِلَّا فِي ضَلَالٍ ۝ وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ ذَرُونِي أَقْتُلْ مُوسَىٰ وَلْيَدْعُ رَبَّهُ إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَن يُبَدِّلَ دِينَكُمْ أَوْ أَن يُظْهِرَ فِي الْأَرْضِ الْفَسَادَ ۝ وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ إِنِّي عُذْتُ بِرَبِّي وَرَبِّكُم مِّن كُلِّ مُّتَكَبِّرٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُ بِيَوْمِ الْحِسَابِ

We certainly sent Musa with Our signs and a clear authority to Pharaoh, Haman, and Qarun, but they said: A sorcerer and a liar. When he came to them with the truth from Us, they said: Kill the sons of those who have believed with him and spare their women.

But the plot of the disbelievers is only in vain.

Pharaoh said: Leave me to kill Musa and let him call upon his Lord. I fear that he will change your religion or cause corruption to appear in the land.

Musa said: I have sought refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant one who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning. (Ghafir: 23–27)

Pharaoh was the king, Haman was the minister, and Qarun was an Israili man from the people of Musa, but he followed the religion of Pharaoh and his nobles. He possessed great wealth, as his story will be mentioned later, if Allah wills.

The killing of the male children after the mission of Musa was a form of humiliation and weakening of the Children of Israil so that they would not have strength through which they could defend themselves and attack the Copts.

The Copts feared them, but this did not benefit them and did not prevent the decree of the One who says to a thing: Be, and it is.

Pharaoh said: Leave me to kill Musa and let him call upon his Lord. I fear that he will change your religion or cause corruption to appear in the land. People say by way of mockery: Pharaoh became a warner. This is one of his statements, for Pharaoh claimed that he feared for the people that Musa would lead them astray.

Musa said: I have sought refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant one who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning.

That is, I have sought safety with Allah, and I have taken His protection and sought shelter in His care from the evil of Pharaoh and all others who might attack me, from every arrogant tyrant who neither stops nor returns, nor fears the punishment of Allah and His penalty, because he does not believe in a return and does not believe that there will be any recompense.

The Believer from the Family of Pharaoh

وَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مُّؤْمِنٌ مِّنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَكْتُمُ إِيمَانَهُ أَتَقْتُلُونَ رَجُلًا أَن يَقُولَ رَبِّيَ اللَّهُ وَقَدْ جَاءَكُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ وَإِن يَكُ كَاذِبًا فَعَلَيْهِ كَذِبُهُ وَإِن يَكُ صَادِقًا يُصِبْكُم بَعْضُ الَّذِي يَعِدُكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي مَنْ هُوَ مُسْرِفٌ كَذَّابٌ ۝ يَا قَوْمِ لَكُمُ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ ظَاهِرِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَمَن يَنصُرُنَا مِن بَأْسِ اللَّهِ إِن جَاءَنَا قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ مَا أُرِيكُمْ إِلَّا مَا أَرَى وَمَا أَهْدِيكُمْ إِلَّا سَبِيلَ الرَّشَادِ

“And a believing man from the family of Pharaoh, who was hiding his faith, said: ‘Will you kill a man because he says: My Lord is Allah, when he has already come to you with clear proofs from your Lord? If he is lying, then his lie will be upon him, but if he is truthful, some of what he promises you will fall upon you.

Indeed Allah does not guide one who is wasteful and a great liar.

O my people, sovereignty is yours today, you are dominant in the land, but who will protect us from the punishment of Allah if it comes to us?’ Pharaoh said: ‘I only show you what I see, and I only guide you to the path of right conduct.’” (Ghafir: 28–29)

This man was the son of the paternal uncle of Pharaoh. He used to hide his faith from his people out of fear for his own life. Some people claimed that he was from the Children of Israel. This is far fetched and goes against the flow and wording of the speech, both in language and meaning. Allah knows best.

The point is that this man used to conceal his faith. When Pharaoh, may Allah curse him, intended to kill Musa عليه السلام and firmly resolved upon that, and consulted his chiefs about it, this believer feared for Musa.

So he gently tried to turn Pharaoh back with words that combined encouragement and warning. He spoke a word of truth in the form of sincere counsel and opinion.

It is authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that he said: “The best jihad is a word of justice in the presence of a tyrannical ruler.” (Authentic. Reported by Abu Dawud 4344, al Tirmidhi 2174, Ibn Majah 4011, Ahmad 19/3–61, al Hakim 4/505, from the narration of Abu Saʿid al Khudri رضي الله عنه. It has supporting chains that albani expanded upon in as Sahihah 491. There is nothing in this hadith that proves the permissibility of publicly attacking muslim rulers on pulpits, in gatherings, in admonitions, or on the pages of magazines and newspapers. This is the way of the Khawarij in the past and in later times. The correct understanding of the hadith is that you advise him directly, in his presence. Allah knows best.)

This position is from the highest levels of this rank, because there was no one more oppressive than Pharaoh. There is no speech more just than what this believer said, because he sought to protect both himself and Musa in a relative way.

It is possible that at this point he openly declared his faith and made clear to them what he had been hiding. It is also possible that he remained outwardly as he was while couching his words in the language of advice. The first view is stronger. Allah knows best.

He said: “Will you kill a man because he says: My Lord is Allah?” That is, are you going to kill him simply because he said:

My Lord is Allah? Someone who says this should not be met with killing. He should rather be met with honour, respect, gentleness, and being left alone, not with revenge.

Then he said: “When he has already come to you with clear proofs from your Lord.” That is, he has come with miracles that show his truthfulness in what he has brought from the One who sent him.

If you make peace with him and leave him, you will be safe because: “If he is lying, then his lie will be upon him,” and that will not harm you.

“But if he is truthful,” and you have made yourselves his enemies, “some of what he promises you will fall upon you.”

You are afraid that even the lightest part of what he warns you of might reach you, so how will you be if all of it descends upon you? These words in such a situation show the greatest gentleness, care, and sound reason.

His saying: “O my people, sovereignty is yours today, you are dominant in the land,” is a warning that this mighty kingdom could be taken away from them.

Any nation that turns its hand against the religion will have its kingdom stripped away and will be humiliated after honour. This is exactly what happened to the family of Pharaoh.

They remained in doubt, suspicion, opposition, and stubborn rejection of what Musa brought until Allah removed from them their rule, their wealth, their homes and palaces, and their ease and happiness. They were then turned into the sea in a state of disgrace, and their souls, after loftiness and elevation, were transferred to the lowest of the low.

That is why this believer, truthful, righteous, rightly guided, following the truth, sincere to his people, possessing complete reason, said: “O my people, sovereignty is yours today, you are dominant in the land,” meaning you are above the people and rule over them, “but who will protect us from the punishment of Allah if it comes to us?”

That is, even if you were many times what you are in numbers, resources, strength, and power, that would not benefit us nor repel from us anything of the might of the Owner of all dominion.

“Pharaoh said,” in response to all this: “I only show you what I see,” meaning I only tell you what I think is correct, “and I only guide you to the path of right conduct.”

He lied in both of these claims. He knew in his inner self that what Musa brought was in truth from Allah without any doubt, but he showed the opposite out of transgression, aggression, arrogance, disbelief, and ingratitude.

Allah, the Exalted, informed about Musa:

قَالَ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا أَنزَلَ هَؤُلَاءِ إِلَّا رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ بَصَائِرَ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَا فِرْعَوْنُ مَثْبُورًا ۝ فَأَرَادَ أَن يَسْتَفِزَّهُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُ جَمِيعًا ۝ وَقُلْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِ لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اسْكُنُوا الْأَرْضَ فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِ جِئْنَا بِكُمْ لَفِيفًا

“He said: ‘You certainly know that none has sent these down except the Lord of the heavens and the earth as clear proofs, and indeed, O Pharaoh, I think you are doomed to destruction.’

So he wanted to drive them out from the land, but We drowned him and all who were with him altogether.

And after him We said to the Children of Israel: Dwell in the land, and when the promise of the final time comes, We will bring you all together.”(Al Isra: 102–104)

And He, the Exalted, said:

فَلَمَّا جَاءَتْهُمْ آيَاتُنَا مُبْصِرَةً قَالُوا هَذَا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ ۝ وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

“So when Our signs came to them, clear for all to see, they said: ‘This is obvious magic.’ They rejected them, though their own souls were convinced of them, out of wrongdoing and arrogance. So look at how the end of the corrupters was.”(An Naml: 13–14)

As for his saying: “And I only guide you to the path of right conduct,” this too was a lie. He was not upon any right guidance.

He was upon foolishness, misguidance, confusion, and vain illusion. In the beginning he was among those who worship idols and images. Then he called his ignorant misguided people to follow him and obey him in what he claimed of disbelief and falsehood when he claimed lordship. Exalted is Allah, the Possessor of majesty, above what he claimed.

Allah, the Exalted, said:

وَنَادَى فِرْعَوْنُ فِي قَوْمِهِ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَلَيْسَ لِي مُلْكُ مِصْرَ وَهَٰذِهِ الْأَنْهَارُ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِي أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ ۝ أَمْ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِّنْ هَٰذَا الَّذِي هُوَ مَهِينٌ وَلَا يَكَادُ يُبِينُ ۝ فَلَوْلَا أُلْقِيَ عَلَيْهِ أَسْوِرَةٌ مِّن ذَهَبٍ أَوْ جَاءَ مَعَهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ مُقْتَرِنِينَ ۝ فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ ۝ فَلَمَّا آسَفُونَا انتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

“And Pharaoh proclaimed among his people, saying: ‘O my people, does not the dominion of Egypt belong to me, and these rivers flowing beneath me? Do you not see? Or am I not better than this one who is lowly and can hardly make himself clear?

Why then are bracelets of gold not cast upon him, or why have angels not come with him in close procession?’ So he belittled his people, and they obeyed him.

They were indeed a defiantly disobedient people. Then when they angered Us, We took revenge upon them and drowned them all together.”(Az Zukhruf: 51–55)

He, the Exalted, also said:

﴿فَأَرَاهُ الْآيَةَ الْكُبْرَى ۝ فَكَذَّبَ وَعَصَى ۝ ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ يَسْعَى ۝ فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَى ۝ فَقَالَ أَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الْأَعْلَى ۝ فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ نَكَالَ الْآخِرَةِ وَالْأُولَى ۝ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّمَن يَخْشَى﴾

“So he showed him the greatest sign, but he denied and disobeyed. Then he turned away, striving, and he gathered his people and proclaimed: ‘I am your highest lord.’

So Allah seized him as an exemplary punishment for the last and the first. Indeed in that is a lesson for whoever fears.”(An Naziʿat: 20–26)

And He, the Exalted, said:

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَىٰ بِآيَاتِنَا وَسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍ ۝ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ فَاتَّبَعُوا أَمْرَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَا أَمْرُ فِرْعَوْنَ بِرَشِيدٍ ۝ يَقْدُمُ قَوْمَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَأَوْرَدَهُمُ النَّارَ وَبِئْسَ الْوِرْدُ الْمَوْرُودُ ۝ وَأُتْبِعُوا فِي هَٰذِهِ لَعْنَةً وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِئْسَ الرِّفْدُ الْمَرْفُودُ

“And We certainly sent Musa with Our signs and a clear authority to Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they followed the command of Pharaoh, and the command of Pharaoh was not right guidance. He will lead his people on the Day of Resurrection and bring them into the Fire.

What a terrible place to be led into. And they were followed in this life by a curse, and on the Day of Resurrection also. What a terrible gift they will be given.”(Hud: 96–99)

The purpose in quoting these verses is to show the falsehood of his words: “I only show you what I see,” and “I only guide you to the path of right conduct.”

The Continued Admonition of the Believer from Pharaoh’s Family

وَقَالَ الَّذِي آمَنَ يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُم مِّثْلَ يَوْمِ الْأَحْزَابِ ۝ مِثْلَ دَأْبِ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَعَادٍ وَثَمُودَ وَالَّذِينَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ وَمَا اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ ظُلْمًا لِّلْعِبَادِ ۝ وَيَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ يَوْمَ التَّنَادِ ۝ يَوْمَ تُوَلُّونَ مُدْبِرِينَ مَا لَكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ عَاصِمٍ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ ۝ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ يُوسُفُ مِن قَبْلُ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَمَا زِلْتُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِّمَّا جَاءَكُم بِهِ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا هَلَكَ قُلْتُمْ لَن يَبْعَثَ اللَّهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ رَسُولًا كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَنْ هُوَ مُسْرِفٌ مُّرْتَابٌ ۝ الَّذِينَ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي آيَاتِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ سُلْطَانٍ أَتَاهُمْ كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّهِ وَعِندَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كَذَٰلِكَ يَطْبَعُ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ قَلْبِ مُتَكَبِّرٍ جَبَّارٍ

“And the one who believed said: ‘O my people, I fear for you something like the day of the parties, like the case of the people of Nuh, and ʿAd, and Thamud, and those after them. Allah does not intend injustice for the servants.

And O my people, I fear for you the Day of Calling, the Day you will turn to flee, having no protector against Allah, and whoever Allah leaves to stray has no guide.

And Yusuf came to you before with clear proofs, but you did not cease to be in doubt concerning what he came to you with, until when he died you said: Allah will never send after him any messenger.

Thus Allah leaves to stray whoever is wasteful and doubtful, those who argue about the signs of Allah without any proof that has come to them. That is greatly hateful in the sight of Allah and in the sight of those who believe. Thus Allah seals every heart of an arrogant tyrant.’”(Ghafir: 30–35)

The friend of Allah here warns them that if they disbelieve in the messenger of Allah, Musa, then what befell the earlier nations who rejected their messengers may befall them: punishments and exemplary punishments that became widely known among them and among other people.

These included what befell the people of Nuh, ʿAd, Thamud, and those after them until that time. Through these events Allah established proof upon all the people of the earth regarding the truth of what the prophets brought, by the punishments He sent down on their enemies who denied them and the salvation He granted to those who followed them among His friends.

He also made them fear the Day of Resurrection, which is “the Day of Calling.” On that Day people will call one another and cry out to one another as they flee, if they are able to flee at all, yet there will be no escape. Allah, the Exalted, said:

يَقُولُ الْإِنسَانُ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَيْنَ الْمَفَرُّ ۝ كَلَّا لَا وَزَرَ ۝ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمُسْتَقَرُّ

“On that Day the human will say: Where is the escape? No, there is no refuge. To your Lord on that Day will be the place of settling.”(Al Qiyamah: 10–12)

And He said:

يَا مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنسِ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَن تَنفُذُوا مِنْ أَقْطَارِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ فَانفُذُوا لَا تَنفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَانٍ ۝ فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ۝ يُرْسَلُ عَلَيْكُمَا شُوَاظٌ مِّن نَّارٍ وَنُحَاسٌ فَلَا تَنتَصِرَانِ ۝ فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

“O company of jinn and humans, if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass.

You will not pass except with authority. So which of the favours of your Lord will you both deny? A blast of fire and molten copper will be sent upon you both, and you will not be able to defend yourselves. So which of the favours of your Lord will you both deny?”(Ar Rahman: 33–36)

Some of the reciters read it as “the Day of Calling” with a doubled letter at the end, meaning the Day of fleeing.

It may be that this is the Day of Resurrection, and it may be that this refers to the day when Allah will bring His punishment upon them and they will long for a place to settle, but there will be no escape, as in His saying:

فَلَمَّا أَحَسُّوا بَأْسَنَا إِذَا هُم مِّنْهَا يَرْكُضُونَ ۝ لَا تَرْكُضُوا وَارْجِعُوا إِلَىٰ مَا أُتْرِفْتُمْ فِيهِ وَمَسَاكِنِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْأَلُونَ

“So when they sensed Our might, they began to flee from it. It was said: Do not flee, but return to the luxury you were given and to your homes, so that you may be questioned.”(Al Anbiya: 12–13)

Then he informed them about the prophethood of Yusuf عليه السلام in the land of Egypt, and what he did there of good to people in their worldly affairs and their hereafter.

He was of the offspring and descendants of those prophets, calling people to tawhid and worship of Allah and to not associate any partner with Him from His creation.

He informed them about the people of Egypt at that time, that their nature was to deny the truth and oppose the messengers.

That is why he said: “So you did not cease to be in doubt concerning what he came to you with, until when he died you said: Allah will never send after him any messenger.”

He replied to them by saying: “Thus Allah leaves to stray whoever is wasteful and doubtful, those who argue about the signs of Allah without any proof that has come to them.” That is, they reject the proofs, evidences, and signs of tawhid of Allah without having any proof or evidence from Him.

This is an action that Allah severely hates. He hates the one who does this among the people and detests whoever takes on this description among creation. Then He said: “Thus Allah seals every heart of an arrogant tyrant.”

This has been read as an attribute construction, “the heart of an arrogant person,” and also as “every heart, arrogant tyrant.” Both meanings go together, for these qualities accompany each other. (This reading as an attribute phrase, “the heart of an arrogant person,” is the reading of Abu ʿAmr al Basri, while the rest recited it as “the heart of every arrogant tyrant.” See An Nashr fi al Qiraʾat al ʿAshr 2/365.)

That is, when hearts oppose the truth, and they oppose it without proof, Allah seals those hearts because of what is in them.

Pharaoh’s Mocking Challenge

وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَا هَامَانُ ابْنِ لِي صَرْحًا لَّعَلِّي أَبْلُغُ الْأَسْبَابَ ۝ أَسْبَابَ السَّمَاوَاتِ فَأَطَّلِعَ إِلَىٰ إِلَهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُ كَاذِبًا وَكَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِفِرْعَوْنَ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ وَصُدَّ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ وَمَا كَيْدُ فِرْعَوْنَ إِلَّا فِي تَبَابٍ

“And Pharaoh said: ‘O Haman, build for me a lofty tower so that I may reach the ways, the ways of the heavens, and look upon the God of Musa, but indeed I think he is a liar.’ Thus the evil of his deed was made attractive to Pharaoh, and he was turned away from the path. And the plotting of Pharaoh was only in ruin.”(Ghafir: 36–37)

Pharaoh accused Musa عليه السلام of lying in his claim that Allah had sent him. He also lied to his people when he claimed that he himself did not know of any god for them other than himself. Allah relates his saying:

وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرِي فَأَوْقِدْ لِي يَا هَامَانُ عَلَى الطِّينِ فَاجْعَل لِّي صَرْحًا لَّعَلِّي أَطَّلِعُ إِلَىٰ إِلَهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ

“And Pharaoh said: ‘O chiefs, I do not know for you any god other than me, so kindle a fire for me, O Haman, upon the clay and make for me a lofty tower so that I may look upon the God of Musa, but indeed I think he is one of the liars.’”(Al Qasas: 38)

And He said here: “O Haman, build for me a lofty tower so that I may reach the ways, the ways of the heavens, and look upon the God of Musa. Indeed I think he is a liar.” This can carry two meanings. One is that he meant: “I think he is lying when he says that there is a Lord of the universe other than me.”

The second is that he meant: “I think he is lying in his claim that Allah sent him,” which fits more closely with the outward wording because he said: “So that I may look upon the God of Musa,” that is, “so that I may ask Him whether He sent him or not. I think he is lying in that claim.”

In truth, Pharaoh only intended by this to turn people away from believing in Musa and to encourage them to deny him.

Allah, the Exalted, said: “Thus the evil of his deed was made attractive to Pharaoh, and he was turned away from the path.” This has also been read as “he turned people away from the path.” (This second reading with the active form “he turned away from the path” is reported in An Nashr fi al Qiraʾat al ʿAshr 2/298.)

“And the plotting of Pharaoh was only in ruin.” Ibn ʿAbbas and Mujahid said: that is, in loss. It was false and did not achieve any of the aim he sought, because there is no way for people by their own power to reach up to the heavens, not even to the nearest heaven. So how then could they reach the upper heavens and what is above them of an elevation that only Allah knows.

The Supplication of Musa for the Destruction of Pharaoh

﴿قَالُوا أُوذِينَا مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَأْتِيَنَا وَمِن بَعْدِ مَا جِئْتَنَا قَالَ عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُهْلِكَ عَدُوَّكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ﴾

“They said: ‘We were harmed before you came to us and after you have come to us.’ He said: ‘Perhaps your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors in the land and then see how you act.’”(Al Aʿraf: 129)

He promised them that the final outcome would be theirs over the Copts, and that is what happened. This is one of the signs of prophethood.

Then the author returns to the advice, admonition, and argument of the believer. Allah, the Exalted, said:

﴿وَقَالَ الَّذِي آمَنَ يَا قَوْمِ اتَّبِعُونِ أَهْدِكُمْ سَبِيلَ الرَّشَادِ ۝ يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّمَا هَٰذِهِ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا مَتَاعٌ وَإِنَّ الْآخِرَةَ هِيَ دَارُ الْقَرَارِ ۝ مَنْ عَمِلَ سَيِّئَةً فَلَا يُجْزَىٰ إِلَّا مِثْلَهَا وَمَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُو۟لَٰئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ يُرْزَقُونَ فِيهَا بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ﴾

“And the one who believed said: ‘O my people, follow me; I will guide you to the path of right conduct.

O my people, this worldly life is only enjoyment, and the Hereafter is the home of lasting stay. Whoever does an evil deed will not be recompensed except with the like of it, and whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while he is a believer, such people will enter the Garden and will be provided for in it without measure.’”(Ghafir: 38–40)

He was calling them رضي الله عنه to the true path of right guidance, which is to follow the prophet of Allah, Musa, and to affirm the truth of what he brought from his Lord.

Then he made them lose interest in this low, fleeting life which will certainly come to an end, and he encouraged them to seek reward from Allah, who does not waste the work of any worker, the One who has full power and in whose hand is the dominion of everything. He grants much in return for little, and out of His justice, He only recompenses a bad deed with its like.

He informed them that the Hereafter is the home that will endure. Whoever reaches it as a believer who has done righteous deeds, he will have the high gardens, secure dwellings, great pleasures, abundant favours, and provision that never ceases.

All good for him there is in constant increase.

Then he set about invalidating what they were upon and making them fear what they would end up in if they persisted. He said: “Whoever does an evil deed will not be recompensed except with the like of it, and whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while he is a believer, such people will enter the Garden and will be provided for in it without measure.”

﴿وَيَا قَوْمِ مَا لِي أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى النَّجَاةِ وَتَدْعُونَنِي إِلَى النَّارِ ۝ تَدْعُونَنِي لِأَكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَأُشْرِكَ بِهِ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَأَنَا أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى الْعَزِيزِ الْغَفَّارِ ۝ لَا جَرَمَ أَنَّمَا تَدْعُونَنِي إِلَيْهِ لَيْسَ لَهُ دَعْوَةٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَلَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ وَأَنَّ مَرَدَّنَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَأَنَّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ هُمْ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۝ فَسَتَذْكُرُونَ مَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ وَأُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِي إِلَى اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ ۝ فَوَقَاهُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِ مَا مَكَرُوا وَحَاقَ بِآلِ فِرْعَوْنَ سُوءُ الْعَذَابِ ۝ النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَعَشِيًّا وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ﴾

“And O my people, what is wrong with me that I call you to salvation while you call me to the Fire? You call me to disbelieve in Allah and to associate with Him that of which I have no knowledge, while I call you to the All Mighty, the Oft Forgiving.

There is no doubt that what you call me to has no claim in this life and none in the Hereafter, and that our return is to Allah, and that the wasteful are the people of the Fire.

So you will soon remember what I say to you, and I entrust my affair to Allah. Indeed Allah is All Seeing of the servants.’ So Allah protected him from the evil of what they plotted, and the people of Pharaoh were enveloped by the worst punishment, the Fire.

They are exposed to it morning and evening, and on the Day when the Hour is established it will be said: ‘Make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest punishment.’”(Ghafir: 41–46)

He was calling them to worship the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the One who says to a thing “Be” and it is. They were calling him to worship Pharaoh, the ignorant and misguided one, the accursed.

For this he said in rebuke and astonishment: “O my people, what is wrong with me that I call you to salvation while you call me to the Fire?

You call me to disbelieve in Allah and to associate with Him that of which I have no knowledge, while I call you to the All Mighty, the Oft Forgiving.”

Then he showed the falsehood of worshipping anything besides Allah from idols and rivals that can neither benefit nor harm. He said: “There is no doubt that what you call me to has no claim in this life and none in the Hereafter.” That is, it has no power, no rule, and no authority in this life. So how could it have any of that in the home of final judgement.

As for Allah, the Exalted, He is the Creator, the Provider, of the righteous and the wicked. He gives life, causes death, and will resurrect. He will admit those who obeyed Him into the Garden and those who disobeyed Him into the Fire.

Then he threatened them if they persisted upon their obstinacy: “So you will soon remember what I say to you, and I entrust my affair to Allah. Indeed Allah is All Seeing of the servants.”

Allah said: “So Allah protected him from the evil of what they plotted.” That is, because of his denouncing them, he was kept safe from what struck them of punishment for their disbelief in Allah and their plotting to turn people away from the path of Allah by the tricks and illusions that they cast before the common folk and masses.

For this Allah said: “And the people of Pharaoh were enveloped by the worst punishment.

The Fire. They are exposed to it morning and evening, and on the Day when the Hour is established it will be said: ‘Make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest punishment.’”

Their spirits are exposed to the Fire in their barzakh morning and evening. On the Day the Hour is established it will be said: “Make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest punishment.” The author has discussed at length in his tafsir how this verse proves the torment of the grave. All praise belongs to Allah.

The Clear Signs sent against the People of Pharaoh

The aim is that Allah, the Exalted, did not destroy them until He had fully established proof against them. He sent the messenger to them, removed doubts from them, and took proof against them, at one time with fear and at another with hope. He said:

وَلَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ بِالسِّنِينَ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ ۝ فَإِذَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْحَسَنَةُ قَالُوا لَنَا هَٰذِهِ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَطَّيَّرُوا بِمُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُ أَلَا إِنَّمَا طَائِرُهُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ۝ وَقَالُوا مَهْمَا تَأْتِنَا بِهِ مِنْ آيَةٍ لِّتَسْحَرَنَا بِهَا فَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ ۝ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ وَالْجَرَادَ وَالْقُمَّلَ وَالضَّفَادِعَ وَالدَّمَ آيَاتٍ مُّفَصَّلَاتٍ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا مُّجْرِمِينَ

“And We certainly seized the people of Pharaoh with years of drought and a shortage of fruits so that they might take heed. But when good came to them they said: ‘This is for us.’

But when a bad thing struck them they regarded it as an evil omen because of Musa and those with him. Surely their omen is only with Allah, but most of them do not know.

And they said: ‘Whatever sign you bring us to bewitch us with, we will never believe in you.’

So We sent upon them the flood, the locusts, the lice, the frogs, and the blood, signs in detail, but they were arrogant and were a criminal people.”(Al Aʿraf: 130–133)

Allah, the Exalted, tells that He tested the people of Pharaoh, who were his nation from among the Copts, with “years” which means years of drought in which the crops did not grow and the livestock did not benefit them. “And shortage of fruits” which means few fruits on the trees.

“So that they might take heed,” yet they did not benefit and did not restrain themselves. Rather they remained upon their disbelief and obstinacy.

“When good came to them,” such as fertile years and the like, “they said: ‘This is for us,’” that is, this is what we deserve and what is fitting for us. “And when a bad thing struck them they regarded it as an evil omen because of Musa and those with him,” saying that this was because of their bad luck.

They did not say regarding the good: this is due to their blessing and the goodness of their presence. Their hearts were rejecting, arrogant, and averse to the truth. When evil came they attributed it to him. When good came they attributed it to themselves.

Allah, the Exalted, said: “Surely their omen is only with Allah,” meaning Allah will recompense them for this in full. “But most of them do not know.”

“And they said: ‘Whatever sign you bring us to bewitch us with, we will never believe in you,’” meaning whatever miracle you bring, even if it breaks all habit, we will not believe you nor follow you, even if you bring every sign. Allah has informed similarly elsewhere:

﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ۝ وَلَوْ جَاءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ آيَةٍ حَتَّىٰ يَرَوُا الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ﴾

“Indeed those upon whom the word of your Lord has come into effect will not believe, even if every sign came to them, until they see the painful punishment.”(Yunus: 96–97)

Allah, the Exalted, said: “So We sent upon them the flood, the locusts, the lice, the frogs, and the blood, signs in detail, but they were arrogant and were a criminal people.”

As for the flood, Ibn ʿAbbas said: it was excessive rain that flooded and destroyed their crops and fruits. The same was said by Saʿid ibn Jubayr, Qatadah, as Suddiyy, and ad Dahhak.

As for the locusts, they are well known and widespread. They are lawful to eat, as is established in the two Sahihs from Abu Yaʿfur who said: “I asked ʿAbdullah ibn Abi Awfa about locusts. He said: We fought in seven campaigns with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and we ate locusts.” (Reported by al Bukhari 5495 and Muslim 1952.)

The author (Ibn Kathir) has already discussed in his tafsir what has been narrated about them from hadiths and reports. The reason the Prophet ﷺ himself refrained from eating them was only out of refinement for himself, just as he refrained from eating the desert lizard and kept away from eating onion, garlic, and leek. (Reported by al Bukhari 5537 and Muslim 1945 and 1946 from the narration of ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAbbas رضي الله عنهما. Also by al Bukhari 854 and 855 and Muslim 564 from the narration of Jabir ibn ʿAbdullah رضي الله عنه.)

The point is that the locusts consumed all of their greenery and did not leave for them any crop or fruit, neither little nor much.

As for the lice, Ibn Jarir نقل from the people of the language that it is the small vermin similar to ticks that are found above the hairline.

It entered their homes and bedding. They could find no rest and no way to sleep or live with it. ʿAtaʾ ibn as Saʾib explained it as the lice that are well known. Al Hasan al Basri read the word as “al qaml” with light pronunciation. (See Jamiʿ al Bayan 34/6. “Al hamnan” are small ticks.)

As for the frogs, they are well known. They overwhelmed them until they were falling into their food and vessels, such that if one of them opened his mouth for food or drink a frog would fall in.

As for the blood, all of their water was mixed with it. They could not draw any water from the Nile except that they found it to be fresh blood, nor from any other river or well or source except that it would instantly become blood.

This entire series of punishments did not affect the Children of Israel at all. This was part of the completion of the clear miracle and decisive proof, that all of this would happen to the people of Pharaoh by the action of Musa عليه السلام while not a single one of the Children of Israel was touched by it. In this is the strongest evidence.

The Breaking of their Promises and their Final Destruction

Allah, the Exalted, said:

وَلَمَّا وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِمُ الرِّجْزُ قَالُوا يَا مُوسَى ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ بِمَا عَهِدَ عِندَكَ لَئِن كَشَفْتَ عَنَّا الرِّجْزَ لَنُؤْمِنَنَّ لَكَ وَلَنُرْسِلَنَّ مَعَكَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ ۝ فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْزَ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ هُم بَالِغُوهُ إِذَا هُمْ يَنكُثُونَ ۝ فَانتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ فِي الْيَمِّ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُوا عَنْهَا غَافِلِينَ

“And when the punishment fell upon them they said: ‘O Musa, call upon your Lord for us by virtue of what He has promised you. If you remove the punishment from us we will surely believe you and we will surely send the Children of Israel with you.’

But when We removed the punishment from them for a term which they were bound to reach, at once they broke their word. So We took revenge upon them and drowned them in the sea because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them.”(Al Aʿraf: 134–136)

Allah, the Exalted, informs about their disbelief, arrogance, persistence upon misguidance, ignorance, and refusal to follow the signs of Allah and believe His messenger despite all the mighty, awe inspiring signs and decisive proofs that Allah showed them openly.

He made those signs a clear proof against them. Every time they witnessed a sign and felt its hardship and burden, they swore and pledged to Musa that if it were removed they would surely believe him and send the Children of Israel with him.

Every time He removed that painful punishment from them, they returned to something worse than what they had been upon before and turned away from the truth that had come to them. So He would send upon them another sign even more intense than the one before.

They would again say and again lie and again promise without fulfilling: “If you remove the punishment from us we will surely believe you and we will surely send the Children of Israel with you.”

When He removed that punishment from them they went back to their stubborn ignorance. Allah, the Exalted, the Great, the Most Forbearing, watched them, not hastening to punish them. He delayed them and warned them repeatedly.

Then He seized them after fully establishing proof and making excuses clear. He seized them with the seizing of the All Mighty, the All Powerful, making them an example and a punishment for whoever would resemble them among the disbelievers, and a lesson for whoever among His believing servants would take heed.

Allah, the Exalted, who is the truest of speakers, said in Surah Ha Mim, by the clear Book:

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَىٰ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ۝ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُم بِآيَاتِنَا إِذَا هُم مِّنْهَا يَضْحَكُونَ ۝ وَمَا نُرِيهِم مِّنْ آيَةٍ إِلَّا هِيَ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أُخْتِهَا وَأَخَذْنَاهُم بِالْعَذَابِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ ۝ وَقَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَا السَّاحِرُ ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ بِمَا عَهِدَ عِندَكَ إِنَّنَا لَمُهْتَدُونَ ۝ فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ إِذَا هُمْ يَنكُثُونَ ۝ وَنَادَىٰ فِرْعَوْنُ فِي قَوْمِهِ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَلَيْسَ لِي مُلْكُ مِصْرَ وَهَٰذِهِ الْأَنْهَارُ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِي أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ ۝ أَمْ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِّنْ هَٰذَا الَّذِي هُوَ مَهِينٌ وَلَا يَكَادُ يُبِينُ ۝ فَلَوْلَا أُلْقِيَ عَلَيْهِ أَسْوِرَةٌ مِّن ذَهَبٍ أَوْ جَاءَ مَعَهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ مُقْتَرِنِينَ ۝ فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ ۝ فَلَمَّا آسَفُونَا انتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ۝ فَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ سَلَفًا وَمَثَلًا لِّلْآخِرِينَ

“And We certainly sent Musa with Our signs to Pharaoh and his chiefs, and he said: ‘I am the messenger of the Lord of all creation.’ But when he came to them with Our signs, at once they laughed at them. We did not show them any sign except that it was greater than the previous one, and We seized them with the punishment so that they might return.

And they said: ‘O magician, call upon your Lord for us by virtue of what He has promised you; indeed we will then be guided.’ But when We removed the punishment from them, at once they broke their promise. And Pharaoh proclaimed among his people, saying: ‘O my people, does not the dominion of Egypt belong to me and these rivers flowing beneath me?

Do you not see? Or am I not better than this one who is lowly and can hardly make himself clear? Why then are bracelets of gold not cast upon him, or angels not come with him in close procession?’ So he belittled his people, and they obeyed him.

They were indeed a defiantly disobedient people. Then when they angered Us, We took revenge upon them and drowned them all together. So We made them predecessors and an example for those who come after.”(Az Zukhruf: 46–56)

Allah, the Exalted, tells that He sent His servant and noble honoured messenger to Pharaoh, the vile ignoble one.

Allah supported His messenger with clear signs that deserved to be met with respect, affirmation, and submission, so that they might leave their disbelief and return to the truth and the straight path. But instead they laughed at these signs, mocked them, blocked people from the path of Allah, and turned away from the truth.

Allah sent the signs upon them one after another, each sign greater than the last, because repeated confirmation is more forceful than what came before.

“And We seized them with the punishment so that they might return.”

“They said: ‘O magician, call upon your Lord for us by virtue of what He has promised you; indeed we will then be guided.’” At that time the title “magician” was not considered an insult among them because their scholars were the magicians.

That is why they addressed him with it when they needed him and were humbled before him. Allah, the Exalted, said: “But when We removed the punishment from them, at once they broke their promise.”

Then Allah told how Pharaoh boasted about his kingdom and the greatness and beauty of his land and its rivers that flowed through it.

These were the canals they would open during the time of the Nile’s rise. He then boasted of his own wealth and ornaments and belittled the Messenger of Allah, Musa عليه السلام, looking down upon him because he had no bracelets upon his arms and no visible adornment.

Yet such things are from the ornaments of women and do not suit the noble nature of men, so how then would they be suitable for messengers who are the most complete in intellect, the most perfect in knowledge, the highest in aspiration, the most renouncing of this transient life, and the most aware of what Allah has prepared for His friends in the Hereafter.

His saying: “Or angels not come with him in close procession” has no weight, because if what he meant was that the angels should honour him, then the angels honour and show humility to those who are far lesser than Musa عليه السلام.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “The angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge, out of pleasure with what he does.” (Authentic. Reported by at Tirmidhi 3535 and 3536, Ahmad 3/239–240, at Tayalisi 1165, Ibn Hibban 1319, al Hakim 1/100, Ibn Khuzaymah 17, from the narration of Safwan ibn ʿAssal with an authentic chain. It also has a supporting chain from Abu ad Dardaʾ with a sound chain. In sum the hadith is authentic. Allah knows best.)

If what he meant was testimony to Musa’s messengership, then he had already been supported with miracles that represented certain proof for people of sound minds and those genuinely seeking the truth.

Whoever is blind to what he came with of clear proofs and evidences is one whose heart has been sealed by the Lord of lords, whose heart has been stamped because of his doubt and suspicion. Such a person looks only at the outer shells of things and leaves the core. This was the condition of Pharaoh the Copt, the blind liar.

Allah, the Exalted, said: “So he belittled his people, and they obeyed him. They were indeed a defiantly disobedient people.

Then when they angered Us, We took revenge upon them and drowned them all together, and We made them predecessors and an example for those who come after.” That is, they became leaders for those who follow them in their attributes and a lesson for those who reflect on their end.

The Drowning of Pharaoh and His Army

Allah, the Exalted, said:

فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُم مُّوسَىٰ بِآيَاتِنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالُوا مَا هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّفْتَرًى وَمَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَٰذَا فِي آبَائِنَا الْأَوَّلِينَ ۝ وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ رَبِّي أَعْلَمُ بِمَن جَاءَ بِالْهُدَىٰ مِنْ عِندِهِ وَمَن تَكُونُ لَهُ عَاقِبَةُ الدَّارِ إِنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الظَّالِمُونَ ۝ وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرِي فَأَوْقِدْ لِي يَا هَامَانُ عَلَى الطِّينِ فَاجْعَل لِّي صَرْحًا لَّعَلِّي أَطَّلِعُ إِلَىٰ إِلَهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ ۝ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ هُوَ وَجُنُودُهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا يُرْجَعُونَ ۝ فَأَخَذْنَاهُ وَجُنُودَهُ فَنَبَذْنَاهُمْ فِي الْيَمِّ فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الظَّالِمِينَ ۝ وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا يُنصَرُونَ ۝ وَأَتْبَعْنَاهُمْ فِي هَٰذِهِ الدُّنْيَا لَعْنَةً وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ هُم مِّنَ الْمَقْبُوحِينَ

“So when Musa came to them with Our clear signs they said: ‘This is nothing but fabricated magic, and we have not heard of this among our earlier forefathers.’ Musa said: ‘My Lord knows best who has come with guidance from Him and who will have the final outcome of the home. Indeed wrongdoers will never succeed.’

Pharaoh said: ‘O chiefs, I do not know for you any god other than me, so kindle a fire for me, O Haman, upon the clay and make me a lofty tower so that I may look upon the God of Musa. Indeed I think he is one of the liars.’

He and his soldiers acted arrogantly in the land without right and thought they would not be returned to Us.

So We seized him and his soldiers and cast them into the sea. See how was the end of the wrongdoers.

And We made them leaders calling to the Fire, and on the Day of Resurrection they will not be helped. And We made a curse follow them in this life, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be among the despised.”(Al Qasas: 36–42)

Allah, the Exalted, tells that when they became arrogant about following the truth and their king claimed falsehood and they agreed with him and obeyed him, the anger of the powerful Lord who cannot be resisted or opposed intensified against them.

He took revenge upon them with the strongest revenge.

He drowned him and his soldiers in a single morning. Not one of them escaped, not a single soul remained. All of them drowned and entered the Fire.

A curse in this life followed them, known among all people, and on the Day of Resurrection what an evil gift they will receive. On that Day they will be among the repulsive ones.

The State of the Children of Israel after the Destruction of Pharaoh

Allah, the Exalted, said:

فَانتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ فِي الْيَمِّ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُوا عَنْهَا غَافِلِينَ ۝ وَأَوْرَثْنَا الْقَوْمَ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يُسْتَضْعَفُونَ مَشَارِقَ الْأَرْضِ وَمَغَارِبَهَا الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ الْحُسْنَىٰ عَلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ بِمَا صَبَرُوا وَدَمَّرْنَا مَا كَانَ يَصْنَعُ فِرْعَوْنُ وَقَوْمُهُ وَمَا كَانُوا يَعْرِشُونَ ۝ وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْبَحْرَ فَأَتَوْا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ يَعْكُفُونَ عَلَىٰ أَصْنَامٍ لَّهُمْ قَالُوا يَا مُوسَى اجْعَل لَّنَا إِلَٰهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ ۝ إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ مُتَبَّرٌ مَّا هُمْ فِيهِ وَبَاطِلٌ مَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ۝ قَالَ أَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ أَبْغِيكُمْ إِلَٰهًا وَهُوَ فَضَّلَكُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ ۝ وَإِذْ أَنجَيْنَاكُم مِّنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ يُقَتِّلُونَ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءَكُمْ وَفِي ذَٰلِكُم بَلَاءٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ

“So We took revenge upon them and drowned them in the sea because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them. And We made the people who had been oppressed inherit the eastern parts of the land and its western parts which We had blessed.

And the good word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel because they had been patient, and We destroyed what Pharaoh and his people were producing and what they had been building. And We took the Children of Israel across the sea and they came upon a people devoted to idols of theirs.

They said: ‘O Musa, make for us a god just as they have gods.’ He said: ‘You are a people who are ignorant. Indeed these people, what they are engaged in will be destroyed, and their deeds are false. Shall I seek for you a god other than Allah while He has favoured you over all others in your time.

And when We saved you from the people of Pharaoh who were afflicting you with terrible punishment, killing your sons and letting your women live. In that was a great trial from your Lord.’”(Al Aʿraf: 136–141)

Allah, the Exalted, mentions what happened to Pharaoh and his soldiers in their drowning, how He stripped them of their wealth, their very selves, and their power.

He then caused the Children of Israel to inherit their wealth and property, as He said: “Thus We caused them to be inherited by the Children of Israel.”(Ash Shuʿara: 59)

He also said:

﴿وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ﴾

“And We wanted to grant favour to those who had been oppressed in the land and make them leaders and make them inheritors.”(Al Qasas: 5)

And here He said: “And We made the people who had been oppressed inherit the eastern parts of the land and its western parts which We had blessed.

And the good word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel because they had been patient, and We destroyed what Pharaoh and his people were producing and what they had been building.”

That is, He destroyed all of it and stripped them of their broad and mighty honour in this worldly life. The king, his court, his chiefs, and his soldiers all perished. Nothing remained in Egypt except common folk and subjects.

Ibn ʿAbd al Hakam mentioned in his history of Egypt that from that time the women of Egypt gained dominance over their men, because the women of the chiefs and nobles married those below them among the common people, and so they had power over them. This remained the way of the women of Egypt until this very day.

Allah, the Exalted, also said in His noble Book which oversees what came before it: “And We took the Children of Israel across the sea and they came upon a people devoted to idols of theirs. They said: ‘O Musa, make for us a god just as they have gods.’

He said: ‘You are a people who are ignorant. Indeed these people, what they are engaged in will be destroyed, and their deeds are false.’”

They said these ignorant and misguided words even though they had just witnessed signs from Allah and manifestations of His power which proved what His messenger from the Lord of majesty and honour brought.

They passed by people worshipping idols. It is said that those idols were in the form of cattle. The Children of Israel asked them why they were worshipping these idols.

They claimed that those idols benefitted and harmed them and that they sought provision by them in times of hardship. Some of the ignorant among the Children of Israel believed them, so they asked their prophet, the noble honoured Musa, to make for them a deity just as those people had deities.

He said, teaching them that they had no understanding and no right guidance: “Indeed these people, what they are engaged in will be destroyed, and their deeds are false.”

Then he reminded them of the favour of Allah upon them, that He preferred them above all the people of their time with knowledge, law, and a messenger in their midst, and that He had been good to them by saving them from the grip of Pharaoh, the arrogant tyrant, destroying him as they watched and giving them what he and his people had gathered of wealth and ease, and all that they had been building.

He made clear to them that worship is only befitting of Allah alone with no partner because He is the Creator, the Provider, the Subduer.

Not all the Children of Israel made this request. The pronoun refers to the group as in His saying: “And We will gather them and not leave any of them, and they will be lined up before your Lord, in rows.

‘You have certainly come to Us just as We created you the first time. But you claimed that We would never appoint for you a meeting.’”(Al Kahf: 47–48). Those who made that claim were some of the people, not all of them.

It is related from Abu Waqid al Laythi that he said: “We went out with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to Hunayn. We passed by a lote tree that belonged to the idol worshippers which they used to hang their weapons upon. We said: O Messenger of Allah, make for us a tree like their tree called Dhat Anwat.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Allahu Akbar, this is like what the Children of Israel said to Musa: “Make for us a god just as they have gods.” You will follow the ways of those who came before you.’” (Authentic. Reported by Ahmad 5/218, 428, 450, ʿAbd ar Razzaq in al Musannaf and in his Tafsir 2/235, an Nasai in his Tafsir 205, at Tabari 9/31–32, at Tayalisi 1346, al Humaydi 848 and others, through several chains from az Zuhri. The chain is authentic. At Tirmidhi and Shaykh al Albani both declared it authentic.)

The Entry of the Children of Israel into the Wilderness and the Wonders that Happened to Them

Allah had already mentioned that the Children of Israel refused to fight the giants, and that Allah the Exalted punished them by making them wander in the wilderness, and decreed that they would not come out of it for forty years.

He also said that he did not find, in the book of the People of the Scripture, any story of their refusal to fight the giants.

Allah the Exalted says:

يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَدْ أَنجَيْنَاكُم مِّنْ عَدُوِّكُمْ وَوَاعَدْنَاكُمْ جَانِبَ الطُّورِ الْأَيْمَنَ وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَى ۝ كُلُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَلَا تَطْغَوْا فِيهِ فَيَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبِي وَمَن يَحْلِلْ عَلَيْهِ غَضَبِي فَقَدْ هَوَى ۝ وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى

“O Children of Israel, We saved you from your enemy, and We appointed for you the right side of the Mount, and We sent down upon you manna and quails.

Eat from the good things We have provided for you, and do not transgress in them, lest My anger should fall upon you; and whoever My anger falls upon has truly fallen. But I am very forgiving to the one who repents, believes, and does righteous deeds, then is guided.” (Ta Ha: 80–82)

Allah the Exalted reminds the Children of Israel of His favour and kindness to them, in that He saved them from their enemies and rescued them from hardship and distress.

He promised them that they would accompany their Prophet to the right side of the Mount, meaning to one side that belonged to them, so that He would send down rulings upon him, great rulings that contained benefit for them in this life and the next.

He tells that He sent down to them, in their hardship and need, as they were travelling through a land with no crops and no livestock, manna from the sky.

They would wake in the morning and find it around their dwellings, and each of them would take from it what was enough for that day until the next day.

Whoever stored more than that would find it spoiled. Whoever took a small amount found it enough, and whoever took a large amount found it was exactly what he needed, nothing left over. They would make from it something like bread, extremely white and sweet.

Then at the end of the day, flocks of quails would cover them, and they would catch from these birds, without effort, what they needed for their supper.

When it was summer, Allah shaded them with clouds, a covering of cloud that protected them from the heat and dazzling light of the sun.

Allah the Exalted also says in Surah al Baqara:

يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِي أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ وَإِيَّايَ فَارْهَبُونِ ۝ وَآمِنُوا بِمَا أَنْزَلْتُ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا مَعَكُمْ وَلَا تَكُونُوا أَوَّلَ كَافِرٍ بِهِ وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا بِآيَاتِي ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا وَإِيَّايَ فَاتَّقُونِ ۝ … وَإِذْ نَجَّيْنَاكُمْ مِنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءَكُمْ وَفِي ذَٰلِكُمْ بَلَاءٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ ۝ وَإِذْ فَرَقْنَا بِكُمُ الْبَحْرَ فَأَنْجَيْنَاكُمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنْتُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ ۝ وَإِذْ وَاعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ اتَّخَذْتُمُ الْعِجْلَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَأَنْتُمْ ظَالِمُونَ ۝ ثُمَّ عَفَوْنَا عَنكُم مِّن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ۝ وَإِذْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ وَالْفُرْقَانَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ۝ وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّكُمْ ظَلَمْتُمْ أَنْفُسَكُم بِاتِّخَاذِكُمُ الْعِجْلَ فَتُوبُوا إِلَىٰ بَارِئِكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ عِندَ بَارِئِكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ ۝ وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَىٰ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْكُمُ الصَّاعِقَةُ وَأَنْتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ ۝ ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَاكُم مِّن بَعْدِ مَوْتِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ۝ وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْغَمَامَ وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَىٰ كُلُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَٰكِن كَانُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ ۝ … وَإِذِ اسْتَسْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ فَقُلْنَا اضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ فَانفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا مِن رِّزْقِ اللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ ۝ وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَىٰ لَن نَّصْبِرَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍ وَاحِدٍ فَادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُخْرِجْ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنبِتُ الْأَرْضُ مِن بَقْلِهَا وَقِثَّائِهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِهَا وَبَصَلِهَا قَالَ أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ الَّذِي هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِالَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ اهْبِطُوا مِصْرًا فَإِنَّ لَكُم مَّا سَأَلْتُمْ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ وَالْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَاءُوا بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوا وَّكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ

“O Children of Israel, remember My favour that I bestowed upon you, and fulfil My covenant, I will fulfil your covenant, and fear Me alone. And believe in what I have sent down, confirming what is with you, and do not be the first to disbelieve in it, and do not sell My signs for a small price, and fear Me alone.

And remember when We saved you from the people of Pharaoh, who were afflicting you with terrible torment, killing your sons and letting your women live, and in that was a great trial from your Lord. And remember when We parted the sea for you and saved you, and drowned the people of Pharaoh while you were looking on.

And remember when We appointed for Musa forty nights, then you took the calf after him and you were wrongdoers. Then We pardoned you after that so that you might be grateful. And remember when We gave Musa the Book and the Furqan so that you might be guided.

And remember when Musa said to his people, ‘O my people, you have wronged yourselves by taking the calf, so turn in repentance to your Creator and kill yourselves; that is better for you in the sight of your Creator.’ Then He turned towards you in mercy; indeed He is the One who accepts repentance, the Merciful.

And remember when you said, ‘O Musa, we will never believe you until we see Allah openly,’ so the thunderbolt seized you while you were looking on.

Then We raised you up after your death so that you might be grateful. And We shaded you with clouds and sent down to you manna and quails. ‘Eat from the good things We have provided for you,’ and they did not wrong Us, but they used to wrong themselves.

And remember when Musa sought water for his people, and We said, ‘Strike the rock with your staff,’ and twelve springs gushed forth from it; every group knew its drinking place. ‘Eat and drink from the provision of Allah, and do not cause corruption in the earth.’

And remember when you said, ‘O Musa, we cannot bear one kind of food, so call upon your Lord for us to bring forth for us from what the earth grows of its herbs, its cucumbers, its grain, its lentils and its onions.’

He said, ‘Would you exchange what is better for what is lower?

Go down to a town and you will have what you ask for.’ And humiliation and poverty were struck upon them, and they returned with anger from Allah. That was because they used to disbelieve in the signs of Allah and kill the Prophets without right. That was because they disobeyed and used to transgress.” (al Baqara: 40–61)

So Allah the Exalted mentions His favours and kindness to them, in that He made the manna and quails easy for them, two tasty foods that came to them without effort or labour.

Allah would send the manna in the early morning, and the birds of quails in the evening.

He caused the water to burst forth for them when Musa عليه السلام struck a rock, which they used to carry with them, with his staff. From it twelve springs gushed forth, one spring for each tribe, pouring forth fresh water.

They would drink from it, give their animals to drink, and store what they needed. He shaded them from the heat with the clouds.

These are great favours from Allah and tremendous gifts, yet they did not show them the proper respect, nor did they show gratitude as they should, nor did they worship Allah as they were required. Many of them became bored and annoyed with these blessings, and complained about them.

They asked to exchange them for what grows from the earth of herbs, cucumbers, grain, lentils and onions. Musa the one spoken to by Allah rebuked and criticised them for this request, and harshly blamed them for it, saying:

قَالَ أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ الَّذِي هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِالَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ اهْبِطُوا مِصْرًا فَإِنَّ لَكُم مَّا سَأَلْتُمْ

“He said, ‘Would you exchange what is better for what is lower? Go down to a town and you will have what you have asked for.’” (al Baqara: 61)

That is, what you are asking for in place of these blessings you are in is already found in towns and cities, for large and small.

If you go down to any town and leave this high rank that you are not fit for, you will find there what you desire and seek of these low foods and base provisions. But I will not answer your request here, nor will I grant you what you are insisting on from your desires.

All of these descriptions mentioned about them and all these acts that came from them show that they did not stop doing what they had been forbidden, as Allah the Exalted says:

وَلَا تَطْغَوْا فِيهِ فَيَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبِي وَمَن يَحْلِلْ عَلَيْهِ غَضَبِي فَقَدْ هَوَى

“And do not transgress in it, lest My anger should fall upon you, and whoever My anger falls upon has truly fallen.” (Ta Ha: 81)

Meaning he has perished. He truly deserves destruction and ruin, for the anger of the Mighty and Compelling King has fallen upon him.

But Allah the Exalted mixed this severe threat with hope for the one who turns back, repents, and does not persist in following the rebellious devil. So He said:

وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى

“But I am very forgiving to the one who repents, believes, and does righteous deeds, then is guided.” (Ta Ha: 82)

The Request to See Allah

Allah the Exalted says:

وَوَاعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰ ثَلَاثِينَ لَيْلَةً وَأَتْمَمْنَاهَا بِعَشْرٍ فَتَمَّ مِيقَاتُ رَبِّهِ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِأَخِيهِ هَارُونَ اخْلُفْنِي فِي قَوْمِي وَأَصْلِحْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ ۝ وَلَمَّا جَاءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَاتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُ رَبُّهُ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِي أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَن تَرَانِي وَلَٰكِنِ انظُرْ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ اسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُ فَسَوْفَ تَرَانِي فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًا فَلَمَّا أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۝ قَالَ يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنِّي اصْطَفَيْتُكَ عَلَى النَّاسِ بِرِسَالَاتِي وَبِكَلَامِي فَخُذْ مَا آتَيْتُكَ وَكُن مِّنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ ۝ وَكَتَبْنَا لَهُ فِي الْأَلْوَاحِ مِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مَّوْعِظَةً وَتَفْصِيلًا لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَخُذْهَا بِقُوَّةٍ وَأْمُرْ قَوْمَكَ يَأْخُذُوا بِأَحْسَنِهَا سَأُرِيكُمْ دَارَ الْفَاسِقِينَ ۝ سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ آيَاتِيَ الَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَإِن يَرَوْا كُلَّ آيَةٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَا وَإِن يَرَوْا سَبِيلَ الرُّشْدِ لَا يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلًا وَإِن يَرَوْا سَبِيلَ الْغَيِّ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُوا عَنْهَا غَافِلِينَ ۝ وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَلِقَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ ۚ هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

“And We appointed for Musa thirty nights and completed them with ten, so the appointed time of his Lord was completed as forty nights.

And Musa said to his brother Harun, ‘Take my place among my people, and do right, and do not follow the path of the corrupters.’ And when Musa came to Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, ‘My Lord, show Yourself to me so that I may look at You.’

He said, ‘You will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it remains in its place, then you will see Me.’ So when his Lord manifested Himself to the mountain, He made it crumble, and Musa fell unconscious. When he recovered, he said, ‘Glory be to You, I turn to You in repentance, and I am the first of the believers.’

He said, ‘O Musa, I have chosen you above the people with My messages and My speaking to you, so take what I have given you and be among the grateful.’ And We wrote for him on the tablets of everything, an admonition and a detailed explanation of all things. ‘So take them with strength, and command your people to take the best of them.

I will show you the home of the defiantly disobedient. I will turn away from My signs those who behave arrogantly in the earth without right; even if they see every sign, they will not believe in it; and if they see the way of guidance, they will not take it as a way; but if they see the way of error, they will take it as a way.

That is because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them. And those who denied Our signs and the meeting of the Hereafter, their deeds have become worthless; will they be rewarded except for what they used to do?’” (al Araf: 142–147)

A group among the early Muslims, including Ibn Abbas, Masruq and Mujahid, said that the thirty nights were the month of Dhu al Qa’dah in full, and that they were completed with ten of Dhu al Hijjah, making forty nights in all.

On this understanding, Allah spoke to him on the Day of Sacrifice, and on a similar day Allah the Mighty and Majestic completed the religion of Muhammad ﷺ and established His proof and evidences.

The point is that when Musa عليه السلام completed the appointed time, he was fasting. It is said that he did not taste any food at all. When the month was completed he took the bark of a tree and chewed it to sweeten the smell of his mouth.

Allah ordered him to complete ten more nights, so they became forty nights. For this reason the authentic narration says that the smell of the mouth of the fasting person is more pleasant to Allah than the smell of musk. (See Jami al Bayan 32/9–33, and it is reported by Al Bukhari 1894 and Muslim 1151 from the narration of Abu Hurayrah.)

When Musa resolved to go, he appointed his brother Harun, who was beloved, respected and noble, to look after the Children of Israel. He was the son of his father and mother, and his helper in calling to the One who chose him. So he advised him and instructed him. This does not conflict with Harun’s lofty rank and his prophethood.

Allah the Exalted says: “And when Musa came to Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him.” That is, He spoke to him from behind a veil, but made him hear the speech, calling him, speaking to him closely and bringing him near.

This is a high rank, a strong fortress, an honoured station and a lofty position. May the prayers of Allah come one after another upon him, and peace be upon him in this life and the next.

When Musa عليه السلام was given this high station and elevated rank, and heard the speech of Allah, he asked for the veil to be raised and said to the Great One whose sight eyes do not encompass and whose proof is irresistible: “My Lord, show Yourself to me so that I may look at You.”

Allah made clear that he could not bear His manifestation, because the mountain, which is stronger and bigger in body than a human being and more firmly set, could not stand the manifestation of the Most Merciful.

So He said: “But look at the mountain; if it remains in its place, then you will see Me.” In the previous scriptures it says that Allah the Exalted said to him: “O Musa, no living thing sees Me without dying, and no dry thing without crumbling.”

It is reported from Abu Musa, from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, that he said: “His veil is light” and in another wording “fire; if He were to remove it, the brightness of His Face would burn everything that His sight reaches.” (Reported by Muslim 179.)

Thus Allah the Exalted says: “So when his Lord manifested Himself to the mountain, He made it crumble, and Musa fell unconscious.”

Mujahid said about His words “But look at the mountain, if it remains in its place, then you will see Me”: meaning it is greater than you and stronger in creation. “So when his Lord manifested Himself to the mountain” the mountain looked and could not remain, and it collapsed, crumbling from its top.

Musa saw what happened to the mountain and fell down unconscious.

When he recovered he said: “Glory be to You,” glorifying, exalting and declaring Allah far above that anyone could see Him in His greatness.

“I turn to You in repentance,” that is, I will not ask to see You after this. “And I am the first of the believers,” meaning the first to believe that no living creature sees You without dying, and no dry thing without crumbling.

It is firmly established in the two authentic collections from Abu Sa’id al Khudri that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Do not prefer me over the Prophets, for people will fall unconscious on the Day of Resurrection, and I will be the first to regain consciousness, and I will find Musa holding on to one of the legs of the Throne.

I do not know whether he regained consciousness before me, or whether he was spared from falling unconscious because of the faint he experienced at the Mount.” (Reported by Al Bukhari 2412 and Muslim 2374.)

In another narration in the two authentic collections from Abu Hurayrah, he ﷺ said something similar, and said in it: “Do not prefer me over Musa …” and he mentioned it to the end. (Reported by Al Bukhari 2411 and Muslim 2373.)

This is a form of humility and modesty, or a prohibition of preferring between the Prophets when it is done in a manner of anger and partisanship.

The matter of who is higher in rank is not up to people; it is Allah who has raised some of them above others in degrees, and this is not attained by mere opinion, but only by clear texts.

Those who said that he mentioned this before he knew that he was the best of them, and that it was later abrogated by his knowledge of his superiority over all of them, there is some doubt about their view.

This is because the narration is from Abu Sa’id and Abu Hurayrah, and Abu Hurayrah did not embrace Islam until the year of Hunayn, which was late, so it is unlikely that he did not hear of this except after the matter was already clear. Allah knows best.

There is no doubt that he ﷺ is the best of mankind, indeed of all creation. Allah the Exalted says:

كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ

“You are the best nation raised up for mankind.” (Aal Imran: 110)

They only reached completion because their Prophet is the most honoured of Prophets. It has also been reliably transmitted from him ﷺ in many reports that he said: “I will be the leader of the children of Adam on the Day of Resurrection, without boasting.”

Then he mentioned that he will have the praised station that the first and the last will wish for, to which even the most resolute Messengers, Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa and Isa son of Maryam عليهم السلام will all yield.

His saying ﷺ: “So I will be the first to regain consciousness, and I will find Musa holding on to one of the legs of the Throne; I do not know whether he regained consciousness before me, or whether he was spared from falling unconscious because of the faint he experienced at the Mount,” shows that this fainting that will come to all creatures in the plain of resurrection will happen when Allah manifests Himself to judge between His servants, so they will fall because of awe, greatness and majesty.

The first to regain consciousness will be Muhammad ﷺ, the Seal of the Prophets and the One chosen by the Lord of the earth and the heaven above all the Prophets.

He will find Musa holding on to one of the legs of the Throne. The truthful and trusted Prophet said: “I do not know whether he fell unconscious and regained consciousness before me,” in which case his fainting would be lighter because he already experienced one fainting in this life for that reason, “or whether he was spared the fainting on that day because of the fainting of the Mount.” That is, he did not faint with them at all in the plain.

This is a great honour for Musa عليه السلام from this angle. It does not require that he be preferred because of it absolutely in every respect.

For this reason the Messenger of Allah ﷺ pointed out his honour and virtue in this description, because when the Muslim struck the face of the Jew after he said:

“No, by the One who chose Musa over mankind,” some of those present might feel that the status of Musa عليه السلام had been lowered, so the Prophet ﷺ explained his virtue and high rank.

Allah the Exalted says: “He said, O Musa, I have chosen you above the people with My messages and My speaking to you.”

That is, in that time, not absolutely above all before him, for Ibrahim the close friend is better than him, as has already been explained in the story of Ibrahim عليه السلام, and not above all who came after him, for Muhammad ﷺ is better than both of them, as his superiority became clear on the Night of the Ascension over all the Messengers and Prophets, and as it has been established that he said: “I will stand in a station on that day which all of creation will wish they could have, even Ibrahim.”

Allah then says: “So take what I have given you and be among the grateful.” That is, take what I have given you of the message and the honour of My speaking to you, and do not ask for anything more in this regard; rather, be among those who give thanks.

“And We wrote for him on the tablets of everything, an admonition and a detailed explanation of all things.” These tablets were made of a precious substance. In the authentic narration it says: “Allah wrote the Tawrah for him with His Hand.”

In it there were admonitions regarding sins and detailed rulings concerning everything they needed of lawful and unlawful. “So take them with strength,” meaning with resolve and a firm, sincere intention, “and command your people to take the best of them,” that is, to act upon them in the best manner and understand their meanings in the finest way.

“I will show you the home of the defiantly disobedient,” meaning you will see the end of those who went out of obedience and opposed My command and denied My Messengers.

“I will turn away from My signs those who behave arrogantly in the earth without right,” that is, I will block them from understanding, pondering and truly grasping the meanings that I intend in My signs and the truths they contain.

“Even if they see every sign, they will not believe in it; and if they see the way of guidance, they will not take it as a way; but if they see the way of error, they will take it as a way.” That is because We have turned them away as a punishment for their arrogance, so even if they saw many wondrous miracles, they would not accept them.

If they saw a path that clearly leads to the truth, they would not follow it, but if they saw a path that leads to error they would choose it.

“That is because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them,” meaning We caused them to be turned away from them because of their denial, their neglect, their refusal to reflect and their refusal to act.

“And those who denied Our signs and the meeting of the Hereafter, their deeds have become worthless. Will they be rewarded except for what they used to do?”

The Story of Their Worship of the Calf in the Absence of Musa, the One Spoken To by Allah, عليه السلام

Allah the Exalted says:

وَاتَّخَذَ قَوْمُ مُوسَىٰ مِن بَعْدِهِ مِنْ حُلِيِّهِمْ عِجْلًا جَسَدًا لَّهُ خُوَارٌ أَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّهُ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمْ وَلَا يَهْدِيهِمْ سَبِيلًا اتَّخَذُوهُ وَكَانُوا ظَالِمِينَ ۝ وَلَمَّا سُقِطَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ وَرَأَوْا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ ضَلُّوا قَالُوا لَئِن لَّمْ يَرْحَمْنَا رَبُّنَا وَيَغْفِرْ لَنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ ۝ وَلَمَّا رَجَعَ مُوسَىٰ إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ غَضْبَانَ أَسِفًا قَالَ بِئْسَمَا خَلَفْتُمُونِي مِن بَعْدِي ۖ أَعَجِلْتُمْ أَمْرَ رَبِّكُمْ ۖ وَأَلْقَى الْأَلْوَاحَ وَأَخَذَ بِرَأْسِ أَخِيهِ يَجُرُّهُ إِلَيْهِ ۚ قَالَ ابْنَ أُمَّ إِنَّ الْقَوْمَ اسْتَضْعَفُونِي وَكَادُوا يَقْتُلُونَنِي فَلَا تُشْمِتْ بِيَ الْأَعْدَاءَ وَلَا تَجْعَلْنِي مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ ۝ قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِأَخِي وَأَدْخِلْنَا فِي رَحْمَتِكَ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ ۝ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا الْعِجْلَ سَيَنَالُهُمْ غَضَبٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَذِلَّةٌ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُفْتَرِينَ ۝ وَالَّذِينَ عَمِلُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ ثُمَّ تَابُوا مِن بَعْدِهَا وَآمَنُوا إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِن بَعْدِهَا لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ۝ وَلَمَّا سَكَتَ عَن مُّوسَى الْغَضَبُ أَخَذَ الْأَلْوَاحَ وَفِي نُسْخَتِهَا هُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِرَبِّهِمْ يَرْهَبُونَ

“And the people of Musa made, after him, from their jewellery a calf, a body that made a lowing sound. Did they not see that it did not speak to them and did not guide them to any path? They took it as a god, and they were wrongdoers.

And when regret fell upon them and they saw that they had indeed gone astray, they said, ‘If our Lord does not have mercy on us and forgive us, we will certainly be among the losers.’

And when Musa returned to his people, angry and grieved, he said, ‘What a wretched thing you have done in my place after me.

Did you hasten the command of your Lord?’ And he threw down the tablets and seized his brother by the head, dragging him towards him. He said, ‘Son of my mother, the people thought me weak and nearly killed me, so do not let the enemies rejoice over me and do not place me among the wrongdoing people.’

He said, ‘My Lord, forgive me and my brother, and admit us into Your mercy; You are the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.’ Those who took the calf will be reached by anger from their Lord and humiliation in this worldly life, and thus do We repay those who invent lies.

But those who did evil and then repented afterwards and believed, your Lord, after that, is surely Forgiving, Merciful. And when the anger subsided from Musa, he took up the tablets, and in their inscription there was guidance and mercy for those who fear their Lord.” (al Araf: 148–154)

Allah the Exalted also says:

وَمَا أَعْجَلَكَ عَن قَوْمِكَ يَا مُوسَىٰ ۝ قَالَ هُمْ أُولَاءِ عَلَىٰ أَثَرِي وَعَجِلْتُ إِلَيْكَ رَبِّ لِتَرْضَىٰ ۝ قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَتَنَّا قَوْمَكَ مِن بَعْدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ السَّامِرِيُّ ۝ فَرَجَعَ مُوسَىٰ إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ غَضْبَانَ أَسِفًا قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَلَمْ يَعِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ وَعْدًا حَسَنًا ۚ أَفَطَالَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْعَهْدُ أَمْ أَرَدتُّمْ أَن يَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُم مَّوْعِدِي ۝ قَالُوا مَا أَخْلَفْنَا مَوْعِدَكَ بِمَلْكِنَا وَلَٰكِنَّا حُمِّلْنَا أَوْزَارًا مِّن زِينَةِ الْقَوْمِ فَقَذَفْنَاهَا فَكَذَٰلِكَ أَلْقَى السَّامِرِيُّ ۝ فَأَخْرَجَ لَهُمْ عِجْلًا جَسَدًا لَّهُ خُوَارٌ فَقَالُوا هَٰذَا إِلَٰهُكُمْ وَإِلَٰهُ مُوسَىٰ فَنَسِيَ ۝ أَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَلَّا يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَوْلًا وَلَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا ۝ وَلَقَدْ قَالَ لَهُمْ هَارُونُ مِن قَبْلُ يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّمَا فُتِنتُم بِهِ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ فَاتَّبِعُونِي وَأَطِيعُوا أَمْرِي ۝ قَالُوا لَن نَّبْرَحَ عَلَيْهِ عَاكِفِينَ حَتَّىٰ يَرْجِعَ إِلَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ ۝ قَالَ يَا هَارُونُ مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ رَأَيْتَهُمْ ضَلُّوا ۝ أَلَّا تَتَّبِعَنِ ۖ أَفَعَصَيْتَ أَمْرِي ۝ قَالَ يَا ابْنَ أُمَّ لَا تَأْخُذْ بِلِحْيَتِي وَلَا بِرَأْسِي ۖ إِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَن تَقُولَ فَرَّقْتَ بَيْنَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَلَمْ تَرْقُبْ قَوْلِي ۝ قَالَ فَمَا خَطْبُكَ يَا سَامِرِيُّ ۝ قَالَ بَصُرْتُ بِمَا لَمْ يَبْصُرُوا بِهِ فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةً مِّنْ أَثَرِ الرَّسُولِ فَنَبَذْتُهَا وَكَذَٰلِكَ سَوَّلَتْ لِي نَفْسِي ۝ قَالَ فَاذْهَبْ فَإِنَّ لَكَ فِي الْحَيَاةِ أَن تَقُولَ لَا مِسَاسَ ۖ وَإِنَّ لَكَ مَوْعِدًا لَّن تُخْلَفَهُ ۖ وَانظُرْ إِلَىٰ إِلَٰهِكَ الَّذِي ظَلْتَ عَلَيْهِ عَاكِفًا لَّنُحَرِّقَنَّهُ ثُمَّ لَنَنسِفَنَّهُ فِي الْيَمِّ نَسْفًا ۝ إِنَّمَا إِلَٰهُكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا

“And what made you hasten away from your people, O Musa? He said, ‘They are close upon my tracks, and I hastened to You, my Lord, so that You would be pleased.’

He said, ‘We have tried your people after you, and the Samiri has led them astray.’ So Musa returned to his people, angry and grieved.

He said, ‘O my people, did your Lord not promise you a good promise?

Did the time seem long to you, or did you desire that anger from your Lord should fall upon you, so you broke your promise to me?’ They said, ‘We did not break our promise to you of our own will, but we were made to carry burdens of the adornments of the people, so we threw them away, and that is how the Samiri threw.’

Then he produced for them a calf, a body that made a lowing sound, and they said, ‘This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.’ Did they not see that it did not return any speech to them and did not possess for them any harm or benefit?

Harun had said to them before, ‘O my people, you are only being tested by it, and your Lord is the Most Merciful, so follow me and obey my command.’

They said, ‘We will not stop worshipping it, remaining devoted to it, until Musa returns to us.’ He said, ‘O Harun, what prevented you, when you saw them going astray, from following me? Have you disobeyed my command?’

He said, ‘Son of my mother, do not seize me by my beard or by my head. I was afraid that you would say, “You caused division among the Children of Israel and did not respect my word.”’ He said, ‘So what is your case, O Samiri?’ He said, ‘I saw what they did not see, so I took a handful from the trace of the messenger and threw it, and that is what my soul suggested to me.’

He said, ‘Then go, for in this life you will surely say, “No contact,” and you have an appointment that you will not fail.

And look at your god to which you have remained devoted; we will certainly burn it, then we will scatter it in the sea, scattering it completely. Your god is only Allah, besides whom there is no god; He encompasses everything in knowledge.’” (Ta Ha: 83–98)

Allah the Exalted mentions what happened with the Children of Israel when Musa عليه السلام went to the appointed time with his Lord and stayed upon the Mount, speaking to his Lord and asking Him many questions, and Allah answered him.

Then a man from among them, called the Samiri, took what they had borrowed from the jewellery and fashioned from it a calf. He threw into it a handful of dust that he had taken from the trace of the hoof of the horse of Jibril, when he saw him the day on which Allah drowned Pharaoh at his hands.

When he threw it into the calf, it made a sound like the sound of a real calf. The wind would enter from its rear and come out of its mouth, and it would low as cows low. They began to dance around it and rejoice.

They said: “This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.” That is, Musa forgot his Lord here and went to seek Him, while He is right here. Exalted is Allah above what they say with great exaltation, and pure are His names and attributes, and many are His favours and gifts.

Allah the Exalted refuted what they thought and what they relied upon regarding the godhood of this calf, which at most could only be a dumb animal or a cursed devil.

He said: “Did they not see that it did not speak to them and did not guide them to any path?” and He said: “Did they not see that it did not speak to them and did not guide them to any path? They took it as a god, and they were wrongdoers.”

So He mentioned that this creature did not speak, did not respond, did not possess harm or benefit, and did not guide to any right way. Yet they took it despite knowing its falseness, and in doing so they wronged themselves, while they knew in their hearts that what they were upon was ignorance and misguidance.

“When regret fell upon them,” that is, they regretted what they had done, “and they saw that they had indeed gone astray, they said, ‘If our Lord does not have mercy on us and forgive us, we will certainly be among the losers.’”

When Musa عليه السلام returned to them and saw them worshipping the calf, while he carried the tablets of the Tawrah, he threw them down. It is said that they broke, and so it is in the books of the People of the Scripture, and that Allah later replaced them with others.

There is nothing in the wording of the Qur’an that clearly states that, except that he threw them when he saw what he saw. The People of the Scripture say there were two tablets, whereas the wording of the Qur’an suggests that there were several tablets.

He had not reacted in this way merely when Allah informed him of their worship of the calf, but he was ordered to look at it with his own eyes.

For this reason the hadith from Ibn Abbas says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “News is not like seeing with one’s own eyes.” (Authentic, reported by Ahmad 1/271 and 3/125–209, Al Tirmidhi 3074, At Tabari in Jami al Bayan 37/9, and Al Hakim 2/320–577, who said, this hadith is authentic according to the conditions of Muslim and they did not include it, and Adh Dhahabi agreed. Al Tirmidhi said, this is a good authentic strange hadith.)

Then he turned to them and harshly rebuked them, criticised them and condemned their ugly action. They tried to apologise with what was not correct. They said: “We were made to carry burdens of the adornments of the people, so we threw them.”

They shrank from taking possession of the jewellery of the people of Pharaoh, though they were enemies at war and Allah had ordered them to take it and made it lawful for them. Yet they did not shrink, because of their ignorance and little understanding and mind, from worshipping a calf, a body that lowed, beside the One, the Only, the Eternal Refuge, the Subduer.

Then he turned to his brother Harun عليه السلام and said to him: “O Harun, what prevented you, when you saw them going astray, from following me?” meaning, why did you not come to inform me of what they did.

He replied: “I was afraid that you would say, ‘You caused division among the Children of Israel,’” meaning you left them and came to me, when you had been appointed over them.

So Musa said: “My Lord, forgive me and my brother, and admit us into Your mercy; You are the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.”

Harun عليه السلام had in fact forbidden them from this terrible act in the strongest manner and restrained them as much as he could.

Allah the Exalted says: “Harun had said to them before, ‘O my people, you are only being tested by it, and your Lord is the Most Merciful, so follow me and obey my command.’

They said, ‘We will not stop worshipping it, remaining devoted to it, until Musa returns to us.’” This is the testimony of Allah for Harun عليه السلام, and Allah’s testimony is enough.

Then Musa turned to the Samiri and said: “So what is your case, O Samiri?” meaning, what drove you to do what you did? He replied: “I saw what they did not see, so I took a handful from the trace of the messenger and threw it, and that is what my soul suggested to me.”

He claimed that he saw Jibril عليه السلام riding a horse, and wherever its hooves touched the ground it became lush and green.

So he took some of the dust from the hoof print and later threw it into this calf made of gold, and what happened happened. For this reason he said: “So I threw it, and that is what my soul suggested to me.”

Musa said: “Then go, for in this life you will surely say, ‘No contact’.” This was a supplication against him, that he would never touch anyone and no one would touch him, as a punishment for touching what he had no right to touch.

That was his punishment in this life, and then Allah threatened him with the next life, saying: “And you have an appointment that you will not fail.”

Then He said: “And look at your god to which you have remained devoted; we will certainly burn it, then we will scatter it in the sea, scattering it completely.” Musa عليه السلام then took this calf and burned it.

Some said he burned it with fire, as Qatadah and others said. Others said he filed it down with tools, as Ali and Ibn Abbas and others said, and that is what is in the book of the People of the Scripture. Then he scattered it in the sea.

After that, Allah the Exalted said, informing about Musa that he said to them: “Your god is only Allah, besides whom there is no god; He encompasses everything in knowledge.”

Allah the Exalted says: “Those who took the calf will be reached by anger from their Lord and humiliation in this worldly life, and thus do We repay those who invent lies.” That is what happened to them.

Some of the early Muslims said about His words “and thus do We repay those who invent lies” that this is a judgement recorded for every person of innovation until the Day of Resurrection.

Then Allah mentioned His forbearance and mercy with His creation and His kindness to His servants in accepting the repentance of whoever turns back to Him. He said: “But those who did evil and then repented afterwards and believed, your Lord, after that, is surely Forgiving, Merciful.”

However Allah did not accept the repentance of those who worshipped the calf except through killing. As He says:

وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّكُمْ ظَلَمْتُمْ أَنفُسَكُم بِاتِّخَاذِكُمُ الْعِجْلَ فَتُوبُوا إِلَىٰ بَارِئِكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ عِندَ بَارِئِكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

“And remember when Musa said to his people, ‘O my people, you have wronged yourselves by taking the calf, so turn in repentance to your Creator and kill yourselves.

That is better for you in the sight of your Creator.’ Then He turned to you in mercy, indeed He is the One who accepts repentance, the Merciful.” (al Baqara 54)

Allah the Exalted then says: “And when the anger subsided from Musa, he took up the tablets, and in their inscription there was guidance and mercy for those who fear their Lord.”

Some scholars used His words “in their inscription there was guidance and mercy” as proof that the tablets had broken and then were rewritten. There is some doubt in this reasoning, and the wording does not clearly show that they broke. Allah knows best.

Ibn Abbas mentioned, in the long narration concerning the trials, as will come, that their worship of the calf happened after they came out from the sea. This is not far, because when they came out they said:

يَا مُوسَى اجْعَل لَّنَا إِلَهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ

“O Musa, make a god for us just as they have gods.” (al Araf: 138)

This is how it is in the books of the People of the Scripture as well, that their worship of the calf took place before they reached the land of Bayt al Maqdis. (Book of Exodus, chapter 32.)

Allah the Exalted says:

وَاخْتَارَ مُوسَىٰ قَوْمَهُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا لِّمِيقَاتِنَا فَلَمَّا أَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ قَالَ رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُم مِّن قَبْلُ وَإِيَّايَ ۖ أَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَّا ۖ إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا فِتْنَتُكَ تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَن تَشَاءُ وَتَهْدِي مَن تَشَاءُ ۖ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۖ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِينَ ۝ وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِي هَٰذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَا إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ عَذَابِي أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشَاءُ ۖ وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ ۚ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ۝ الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الْأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِندَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُم بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَالْأَغْلَالَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّورَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ مَعَهُ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

“And Musa chose from his people seventy men for Our appointed time. When the earthquake seized them, he said, ‘My Lord, if You had willed, You could have destroyed them before, and me as well. Will You destroy us for what the foolish among us have done?

It is only Your trial by which You send astray whom You will and guide whom You will. You are our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy on us; You are the best of those who forgive. And write for us good in this world and in the Hereafter; indeed we have turned back to You.’

He said, ‘I afflict with My punishment whom I will, but My mercy encompasses all things, so I will decree it for those who have taqwa, give zakah, and those who believe in Our signs, those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet whom they find written with them in the Tawrah and the Injil, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them from what is wrong, makes lawful for them the good things and makes unlawful for them the impure things, and relieves them of their burden and the shackles that were upon them.

So those who believe in him, honour him, support him, and follow the light that has been sent down with him, they are the successful.’” (al Araf: 155–157)

Al Dahhak, Ibn Abbas and others mentioned that these seventy were the scholars of the Children of Israel, and that along with them went Musa, Harun, Yusha, Nadab and Abihu.

They went with Musa عليه السلام so that they would seek forgiveness for the worship of the calf by those among them who had worshipped it. They had been commanded to purify themselves, wash and cleanse themselves and prepare.

When they came near to the mountain and saw upon it the cloud and the pillar of light shining, Musa went up the mountain.

It is mentioned that the Children of Israel heard the speech of Allah, and a group of commentators agreed with them and applied to this His words: “A group of them used to hear the speech of Allah, then they would distort it after they had understood it, while they knew.” (al Baqara: 75).

This is not necessary, however, because Allah also says: “Then grant him protection so that he may hear the speech of Allah,” (al Tawbah: 6) meaning conveyed to him. In the same way these people heard it conveyed from Musa عليه السلام.

They also claimed that these seventy saw Allah. This is a mistake, because when they asked to see Him, the earthquake seized them, as Allah says: “And when you said, ‘O Musa, we will never believe you until we see Allah openly,’ so the thunderbolt seized you while you were looking on. Then We raised you up after your death so that you might be grateful.” (al Baqara: 55–56).

And He says here: “When the earthquake seized them, he said, ‘My Lord, if You had willed, You could have destroyed them before, and me as well.’”

His saying: “It is only Your trial” means Your test and examination, as many scholars of the early and later generations said.

That is, You decreed this matter of the calf and created what happened around it as a test by which You tested them, as Harun had already said to them: “O my people, you are only being tested by it.” (Ta Ha: 90)

He continued: “You send astray by it whom You will and You guide whom You will,” meaning whoever You will You misguide by this test, and whoever You will You guide.

The judgement and will all belong to You; there is no one to stop what You have decreed or to reject what You have decided. “You are our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy on us; You are the best of those who forgive.

And write for us good in this world and in the Hereafter; indeed we have turned back to You,” meaning we have repented, returned and submitted, as many of them said and as the language indicates.

Allah said: “I afflict with My punishment whom I will, but My mercy encompasses all things,” that is, I punish whom I will with what I create and decree, and My mercy covers every created thing.

It is established in the two authentic collections that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When Allah finished creating the heavens and the earth, He wrote in a book which is with Him above the Throne: ‘My mercy overcomes My anger.’” (Reported by Al Bukhari 7404)

Then He said: “So I will decree it for those who have taqwa, give zakah, and those who believe in Our signs, those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet”

In this is honouring the mention of Muhammad ﷺ and his ummah, as part of what Allah told and made known to Musa عليه السلام among what He inspired to him. The full explanation of these verses has been given in the commentary in a way that is sufficient and satisfying, and all praise and thanks belong to Allah.

Many people mentioned lengthy narrations about the private conversation of Musa عليه السلام with his Lord, and they brought many things without any foundation. We will mention what we can of the hadiths and reports with the help of Allah, His guidance, support and aid.

It is narrated from Al Mughira ibn Shu’bah, who said on the minbar, from the Prophet ﷺ: “Musa عليه السلام asked his Lord: ‘Which of the people of the Garden has the lowest rank?’

He said: ‘A man who will come after the people of the Garden have entered the Garden. It will be said to him, “Enter the Garden.” He will say, “How can I enter when people have already taken their places and taken what they were allotted?”

It will be said to him, “Would you be pleased to have in the Garden the like of what a king from the kings of this world had?”

He will say, “Yes, my Lord.” It will be said, “You will have that and the like of it and the like of it and the like of it and the like of it.”

He will say, “My Lord, I am pleased.” It will be said, “You will have this and ten times its like.” Then he will say, “My Lord, I am pleased.”

It will be said, “You will have along with this all that your soul desires and your eyes find delight in.”’ He said: ‘My Lord, which of the people of the Garden has the highest rank?’

He said: ‘Those are people whose honour I have planted with My own Hand and sealed over it, so that no eye has seen, no ear has heard and what has not occurred to any human heart.’” (Its meaning is supported by the verse in al Sajdah: 17 and the authentic hadith about what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and has not occurred to any heart.)

Then the narrator said: This is confirmed by the words of Allah the Exalted: “No soul knows what has been hidden for them of delight for eyes as reward for what they used to do.” (al Sajdah: 17)

It is reported from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet ﷺ said that Musa asked his Lord about six traits which he thought might be exclusively his, and a seventh which Musa did not like. He said: “My Lord, which of Your servants has the most taqwa?”

He said: “The one who remembers Me and does not forget Me.” He said: “Which of Your servants is most guided?” He said: “The one who follows the guidance.” He said: “Which of Your servants is the wisest?”

He said: “The one who judges for people as he judges for himself.” He said: “Which of Your servants is the most knowledgeable?” He said: “A scholar who is never satisfied with knowledge, who gathers the knowledge of people to his own knowledge.”

He said: “Which of Your servants is the most honoured?”

He said: “The one who, when he has the power, forgives.” He said: “Which of Your servants is the richest?” He said: “The one who is content with what he is given.” He said: “Which of Your servants is the poorest?”

He said: “The one with a deficient state.” Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Richness is not abundance of possessions, true richness is richness of the soul. When Allah wants good for a servant He makes his richness in his soul and his taqwa in his heart, and when He wants to sell a servant cheaply He makes his poverty between his eyes.”

Ibn Hibban said that “one with a deficient state” means a person whose state is always lacking, who thinks little of what he has been given and always seeks more. (Reported by Ibn Hibban with a sound chain except for some weakness in one narrator; its meaning is supported by the authentic hadiths about richness of the soul.)

The hadith of the card bears witness to the meaning of this hadith. The narration closest to it in meaning is what has been reported in the Sunan from the Prophet ﷺ, that he said: “The best supplication is the supplication of the Day of Arafah, and the best of what I and the Prophets before me have said is La ilaha illallah alone without partner, His is the kingdom and His is the praise and He is capable of all things.” (Hasan for others, reported by At Tirmidhi 3585 and graded authentic by Al Albani because of its supporting narrations in As Sahihah 1503.)

The meaning of this hadith is close to the famous hadith of the card, and the closest to it in meaning is the narration in the Sunan from the Prophet ﷺ: “The best supplication is the supplication of the Day of Arafah, and the best of what I and the Prophets before me have said is La ilaha illallah, alone, without partner; His is the kingdom and His is the praise and He has power over all things.” (Its chains support one another, and the scholars have judged it authentic or sound because of its supporting narrations.)

Allah the Exalted says:

وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَكُمْ وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ الطُّورَ خُذُوا مَا آتَيْنَاكُم بِقُوَّةٍ وَاذْكُرُوا مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ۝ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُم مِّن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ فَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَكُنتُم مِّنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

“And remember when We took your covenant and raised the Mount above you, saying, ‘Take what We have given you with strength and remember what is in it, so that you may have taqwa.’ Then you turned away after that. If it had not been for the favour of Allah upon you and His mercy, you would surely have been among the losers.” (al Baqara: 63–64)

And He says:

وَإِذْ نَتَقْنَا الْجَبَلَ فَوْقَهُمْ كَأَنَّهُ ظُلَّةٌ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُ وَاقِعٌ بِهِمْ خُذُوا مَا آتَيْنَاكُم بِقُوَّةٍ وَاذْكُرُوا مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

“And remember when We raised the mountain above them as if it were a canopy, and they thought that it was going to fall upon them. We said, ‘Take what We have given you with strength and remember what is in it, so that you may have taqwa.’” (al Araf: 171)

Ibn Abbas and many of the early Muslims said that when Musa came to them with the tablets, in which was the Tawrah, he commanded them to accept it and to take it strongly. They said: “Unfold it for us. If its commands and prohibitions are light, we will accept it.”

قَالَ لَهُمْ: بَلْ خُذُوهَا كَمَا هِيَ

He said: “Rather, accept it as it is.”

So they argued back and forth with him.

فَأَمَرَ اللَّهُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ أَنْ يَرْفَعُوا الْجَبَلَ فَوْقَ رُءُوسِهِمْ حَتَّى كَأَنَّهُ ظُلَّةٌ

Allah then ordered the angels to raise the mountain above their heads, until it became like a cloud above them.

وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ: إِنْ لَمْ تَقْبَلُوهَا كَمَا هِيَ لَيَقَعَنَّ هَذَا الْجَبَلُ عَلَيْكُمْ

It was said to them: “If you do not accept it as it is, this mountain will fall upon you.”

They accepted and were ordered to prostrate.

فَسَجَدُوا وَهُمْ يَلْتَفِتُونَ بِوُجُوهِهِمْ نَحْوَ الْجَبَلِ خَوْفًا أَنْ يَقَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ

They went into prostration, but they turned one side of their faces to look at the mountain, in fear that it might fall upon them.

فَصَارَ ذَلِكَ سُنَّةً عِنْدَ الْيَهُودِ فِي سُجُودِهِمْ

This became a habit among the Jews in their prostration.

وَيَقُولُونَ: لَا سُجُودَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ سُجُودٍ رُفِعَ عَنَّا فِيهِ الْعَذَابُ

They say: “There is no prostration greater than the prostration when the punishment was lifted from us.”

Allah the Exalted says:

فَتَوَلَّيْتُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ فَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ لَكُنتُم مِّنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ

“Then you turned away after that, meaning after seeing this great covenant and serious matter, and if it had not been for the favour of Allah upon you and His mercy, in sending Messengers to you, revealing books to you, and delaying punishment from you, you would surely have been among the losers.” (al Baqarah: 64)

Praise and thanks belong to Allah for protecting them from becoming busy and thinking about anything other than the great act of worship they were engaged in.

This tent of the time was with the Children of Israel in the wilderness. They would pray towards it, and it was their qibla and their Kabah. Their imam was the one whom Allah spoke to directly, Musa عليه السلام, and the one who presented the offerings was his brother Harun عليه السلام.

When Harun then Musa عليهما السلام died, the descendants of Harun continued with what their father had been responsible for in the matter of the offerings, and this office has remained among them until now.

The one who carried the burdens of prophethood after Musa and took charge of managing the affair after him was his young servant Yushaa ibn Nun عليه السلام, and he is the one who entered with them into Bayt al Maqdis.

What matters here is that when his hand took firm control of Bayt al Maqdis, he set up this tent upon the rock of Bayt al Maqdis, so they would pray towards it. When the tent disappeared, they prayed towards its place, which was the rock. Because of this, it became the qibla of the prophets after him until the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed in that direction before the migration, and he would place the Kabah between himself and it. When he migrated, he was commanded to pray towards Bayt al Maqdis, so he prayed towards it for sixteen months, and it has also been said for seventeen months.

Then the qibla was changed to the Kabah, which is the qibla of Ibrahim عليه السلام, in the month of Shaaban in the second year, at the time of the Asr prayer, and it has also been said at Dhuhr, as we have set this out at length in the Tafsir when explaining the saying of Allah the Exalted:

“Fools among the people will say: ‘What has turned them away from their qibla which they used to face’ … until His saying: ‘We have certainly seen the turning of your face towards the sky, so We will surely turn you to a qibla that you will be pleased with, so turn your face towards al Masjid al Haram’.” (al Baqarah 2: 142–144). (Sahih al Bukhari 40/399/4492/7252, Sahih Muslim 525.)

The Story of Qarun with Musa عليه السلام

Allah the Exalted says:

“Indeed Qarun was from the people of Musa, but he tyrannised them. We gave him treasures such that their keys would burden a group of strong men.

When his people said to him: ‘Do not exult in pride, for Allah does not love those who exult. Seek, through what Allah has given you, the home of the Hereafter, but do not forget your share of this life, and do good as Allah has done good to you, and do not seek corruption in the earth, for Allah does not love those who cause corruption.’

He said: ‘I have only been given it because of knowledge I have.’ Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him generations who were stronger than him in power and greater in gathering.

The criminals will not be asked about their sins. So he went out before his people in his adornment. Those who wanted the life of this world said: ‘If only we had like what Qarun has been given, truly he is one of great fortune.’

But those who had been given knowledge said: ‘Woe to you, the reward of Allah is better for whoever believes and does righteous deeds, and none will attain it except those who are patient.’

So We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling, and he had no group to help him besides Allah, and he was not of those who could defend themselves. And those who had wished for his position the previous day began to say: ‘Ah, it is indeed Allah who enlarges provision for whom He wills of His slaves and restricts it.

If not that Allah had favoured us, He would have caused the earth to swallow us too. Ah, the disbelievers will never succeed.’ That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire exaltation in the earth nor corruption, and the good end is for those who have taqwa.” (al Qasas 28: 76–83).

Ibn Abbas said that Qarun was the son of the paternal uncle of Musa. The same was said by Ibrahim al Nakha‘i, Abd Allah ibn al Harith ibn Nawfal, Simak ibn Harb, Qatadah and Malik ibn Dinar, and this is the belief of most of the people of knowledge, that he was the son of the paternal uncle of Musa.

Ibn Jurayj said that Ibn Jarir said that Qatadah said: he used to be called al Munawwar because of the beauty of his voice in reciting the Tawrah, but the enemy of Allah became a hypocrite just as the Samaritan became a hypocrite, and his transgression due to his great wealth destroyed him. (Al Tabari, Jami al Bayan 20/75, with a good chain. 2. Tarikh al Umam wa al Muluk 1/262. 3. Al Tabari 20/67, with an authentic chain.)

Allah the Exalted mentioned the abundance of his treasures, to the point that their keys would be heavy to carry for a group of strong men. It has been said that the keys were made of leather and that they were carried on sixty mules, and Allah knows best.

Those who sincerely advised him from his people admonished him saying: “Do not exult,” meaning do not become intoxicated with pride because of what you have been given and boast over others,

“for Allah does not love those who exult. Seek, through what Allah has given you, the home of the Hereafter,” that is, let your main concern be directed towards gaining the reward of Allah in the home of the Hereafter, for it is better and more lasting.

Along with this they said: “And do not forget your share of this life,” meaning take from this life by your wealth what Allah has made lawful for you, so enjoy for yourself the good and lawful pleasures.

“And do good as Allah has done good to you,” meaning treat the creation of Allah well, as Allah, their Creator and their Lord, has treated you well.

“And do not seek corruption in the earth,” meaning do not harm them and do not spread corruption among them, so that you end up meeting the opposite of what you have been commanded to do with them, and He punishes you and removes from you what He gave you. “Indeed Allah does not love those who cause corruption.”

His response to his people in the face of this sound and eloquent advice was only that he said: “I was only given it because of knowledge I have,” meaning, I have no need to listen to what you mention, nor to what you point to.

For Allah only gave me this because He knew that I deserve it and that I am fit for it. If I were not beloved to Him and of special standing with Him, He would not have given me what He gave me.

Allah the Exalted replied to him concerning what he had gone towards in his words: “Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him generations who were stronger than him in power and greater in gathering, and the criminals will not be asked about their sins.”

That is, We destroyed from the past nations, because of their sins and crimes, those who were stronger than Qarun in power and had more wealth and children.

If what he said had been correct, We would not have punished anyone whose wealth was greater than his wealth, and his wealth would not be a proof of Our love for him and Our special concern for him.

As Allah the Exalted says: “Your wealth and your children are not those that bring you near to Us in closeness, except for whoever believes and does righteous deeds.” (Saba 34: 37).

And He says: “Do they think that what We extend to them of wealth and children is because We hasten good things for them. Rather, they do not realise.” (al Muminun 23: 55–56).

This reply to him shows the correctness of what we have understood about the meaning of his words: “I was only given it because of knowledge I have.” As for those who claimed that what is meant by that is that he knew the craft of al kīmya, or that he knew the greatest Name and used it to gather wealth, this is not correct.

That is because al kīmya is trickery and cleverness, and in the view of earlier people it meant the changing of some base metals into others that are precious like gold, and upon this understanding it is only deception, false appearance and fraud. As for now, it is an experimental science of importance in all industries. (Al kimya here refers to trickery and cleverness. Among the earlier people it referred to changing base metals into precious ones such as gold, which in that sense is only deception and false display. In later times it came to refer to an experimental science of importance for many industries. 6/264–265.)

Also, the greatest Name does not cause supplication to be raised from a person who disbelieves in Allah, and Qarun was a disbeliever inwardly and a hypocrite outwardly. In addition, his answer to them would not be correct on that understanding, and there would be no connection between the two statements. We have clarified this in our book Tafsir, and praise belongs to Allah.

Allah the Exalted says: “So he went out before his people in his adornment.” Many commentators mentioned that he went out with tremendous finery in clothes, mounts, servants and followers. When those who magnify the adornment of this life saw him, they wished that they were like him and envied him for what he had and owned.

When the people of knowledge, who have sound understanding, true renunciation of this life and intelligent hearts, heard what they said, they said to them: “Woe to you, the reward of Allah is better for whoever believes and does righteous deeds,” meaning the reward of Allah in the Hereafter is better, more lasting, greater and higher.

Allah the Exalted says: “And none will attain it except those who are patient,” meaning none is given this insight, this speech and this high ambition that looks to the lofty home of the Hereafter, when facing the apparent beauty of this low, base life, except one whose heart Allah has guided, whose chest He has made firm, whose mind He has strengthened and whose aim He has made sound.

How excellent is what some of the Salaf said: Allah loves a sharp sight when doubts appear, and a complete mind when desires arrive.

Allah the Exalted says: “So We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling, and he had no group to help him besides Allah, and he was not of those who could defend themselves.” When Allah mentioned his going out in his adornment, his strutting and his boastfulness before his people, He said: “So We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling,” as al Bukhari narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“While a man was dragging his garment in pride, the earth swallowed him, and he continues to sink into it until the Day of Resurrection.” (Al Bukhari 3485.)

He also narrated it from Abu Hurayrah from the Prophet ﷺ with a similar wording, and Muslim also narrated it. (Al Bukhari 5790, Muslim 2088.)

It has been mentioned from Ibn Abbas and from al Suddi that Qarun gave a prostitute money to accuse Musa عليه السلام in front of the people, while he was sitting among a crowd of people, saying that he had done such and such with her.

It is said that she said this to him, so Musa عليه السلام trembled from fear and prayed two units of prayer, then turned to her and made her swear by Allah and asked: who drove you to this. She then mentioned that it was Qarun who had driven her to it.

She sought forgiveness from Allah and repented to Him. At that point Musa عليه السلام fell in prostration to Allah and called upon Allah against Qarun. Allah revealed to him: I have commanded the earth to obey you regarding him. So Musa ordered the earth to swallow him and his house, and that took place. Allah knows best.

It has also been said that when Qarun went out among his people in his adornment, he passed with his army, mules and clothes by the gathering of Musa عليه السلام, while he was reminding his people of the days of Allah.

When the people saw Qarun, many of them turned their faces away to look at him. Musa عليه السلام called him and said: what has driven you to this. He replied: O Musa, if you have been preferred over me through prophethood, then I have been preferred over you through wealth. If you wish, come out so that you call against me and I will call against you.

So Musa عليه السلام went out and Qarun went out among his people. Musa said to him: will you supplicate or shall I.

He said: I will supplicate. So Qarun supplicated, but he was not answered regarding Musa. Then Musa said: shall I supplicate. He said: yes. So Musa said: O my Lord, command the earth to obey me today.

Allah revealed to him: I have done so. Musa then said: O earth, take them, so it took them up to their feet. Then he said: take them, so it took them up to their knees, then up to their shoulders.

Then he said: bring forth their treasures and wealth, so they came forth until the people could see them. Then Musa pointed with his hand and said: go, O sons of Lawi, and the earth became level over them. (Al Tabari, Jami al Bayan 20/75, with a sound chain from Qatadah. 20/76. 6/382–383.)

Qatadah said that they are swallowed by the earth every day the measure of a man’s height until the Day of Resurrection. (Al Tabari, Jami al Bayan 20/76, with an authentic chain.)

Many commentators have mentioned here many narrations from the Israelites that we have left aside on purpose.

Allah the Exalted says: “So he had no group to help him against Allah, nor was he among those who could defend themselves.”

He had no helper to save him from Allah, neither from among himself nor from others, as Allah says: “He will have no power and no helper.” (at Tariq 86: 10).

When what befell him befell him, of being swallowed by the earth, the loss of his wealth, the ruin of his house, the destruction of himself, his family and property, those who had wished the day before to be in his place regretted their wish and thanked Allah the Exalted, who manages His slaves as He wills with good hidden management.

For that reason they said: “If not that Allah had favoured us, He would have caused the earth to swallow us too. Ah, the disbelievers will never succeed.”

We have spoken about the word “Waykaanna” in our Tafsir. Qatadah said that “Waykaanna” means “do you not see that”. This is a good explanation in terms of meaning, and Allah knows best. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir 6/382–383.)

Allah the Exalted then informed that “the home of the Hereafter”, which is the home of settlement, the home for which whoever is given it is envied and whoever is deprived of it is consoled, is prepared for “those who do not desire exaltation in the earth nor corruption.”

Exaltation means arrogance, pride, insolence and boastfulness, and corruption means committing sins both those that remain with the person and those that affect others, such as taking people’s wealth, corrupting their livelihoods, harming them and failing to give them sincere advice. Then He says: “And the good end is for those who have taqwa.”

This story of Qarun may have taken place before their departure from Egypt, because of His saying: “So We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling,” for the house here clearly indicates a built structure. It may also have taken place afterwards in the wilderness, and in that case “house” would refer to the camp in which the tents were pitched, as Antarah said:

“O dwelling of Ablah in al Jawa, speak to me,
Good morning to the dwelling of Ablah, and peace.”

Allah knows best.

Allah the Exalted has mentioned the blame of Qarun in more than one place in the Qur’an. He says: “And indeed We sent Musa with Our signs and a clear authority, to Pharaoh, Haman and Qarun, but they said: ‘A sorcerer and a liar.’” (Ghafir 40: 23–24).

And He says in Surah al Ankabut after mentioning Aad and Thamud: “And Qarun, Pharaoh and Haman. Musa came to them with clear proofs, but they were arrogant in the earth, and they could not escape Us. So each We seized for his sin.

Among them were those upon whom We sent a storm of stones, and among them were those who were seized by the blast, and among them were those whom We caused the earth to swallow, and among them were those whom We drowned, and Allah was not unfair to them, but they were unfair to themselves.” (al Ankabut 29: 39–40).

The one whom the earth swallowed was Qarun, as already mentioned, and the one who was drowned was Pharaoh, Haman and their armies, because they were sinful.

Chapter on the Virtues of Musa عليه السلام, His Traits, Attributes and Death

Allah the Exalted says:

“And mention in the Book Musa. Indeed he was sincere, and he was a messenger and a prophet. We called him from the right side of the mount and drew him near for private conversation, and We granted him, out of Our mercy, his brother Harun as a prophet.” (Maryam 19: 51–53).

Allah the Exalted says:

“[Allah] said: O Musa, I have chosen you above the people by My messages and by My speech, so take what I have given you and be among the grateful.” (al Araf 7: 144).

It has already come in the two Sahihs from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that he said:

“Do not give me superiority over Musa, for on the Day of Resurrection the people will fall unconscious and I will be the first to wake up and I will find Musa holding on to one of the legs of the Throne.

I do not know whether he fell unconscious and woke up before me, or whether Allah spared him the swoon that took place at the mount.”

We have already said that this is from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ out of humility and lowering himself, for he ﷺ is without doubt the seal of the prophets and the leader of the children of Adam in this life and the next, definitely and certainly, in a way that allows no opposite.

Allah the Exalted says:

“Indeed We have revealed to you as We revealed to Nuh and the prophets after him, and We revealed to Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq, Yaqub and the tribes, and Isa, Ayyub, Yunus, Harun and Sulayman, and We gave Dawud the Zabur, and messengers We have mentioned to you before and messengers We have not mentioned to you, and Allah spoke to Musa directly.” (al Nisa 4: 163–164).

Allah the Exalted says:

“O you who believe, do not be like those who annoyed Musa, and Allah cleared him of what they said, and he was honourable in the sight of Allah.” (al Ahzab 33: 69).

Imam Abu Abd Allah al Bukhari narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Musa was a shy man who covered himself. None of his skin could be seen out of shyness. Some of the Children of Israel annoyed him and said: he only covers himself so much because of some defect in his skin, either leprosy, or a swollen testicle, or some other flaw.

Allah wanted to clear Musa of what they were saying. One day he went out alone, placed his clothes on a rock and washed himself. When he finished, he went to take his clothes, but the rock ran away with his clothes.

Musa took his staff and chased after the rock, saying: My clothes, O rock, my clothes, O rock, until he reached a group of the Children of Israel, who saw him naked as Allah had created him in the best form. Allah cleared him of what they had said. Musa took his clothes and began striking the rock with his staff.

By Allah, that rock bore marks from his blows, either three or four or five. That is the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted: ‘O you who believe, do not be like those who annoyed Musa, and Allah cleared him of what they said, and he was honourable in the sight of Allah’.” (Al Bukhari 278/3404, Muslim 339, Ahmad 3/315/392/515/525.)

Some of the Salaf said that part of his honour was that he interceded with his Lord concerning his brother, asking that he be made a helper and supporter for him, so Allah answered his request and gave him what he asked and made him a prophet as well. Allah says: “And We granted him out of Our mercy his brother Harun as a prophet.” (Maryam 19: 53).

Al Bukhari also narrated from Abd Allah ibn Abbas that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ shared out some wealth. A man said: this is a distribution in which the face of Allah was not intended. Ibn Abbas said: I came to the Prophet ﷺ and told him, and he became so angry that I saw the anger in his face. Then he said:

“May Allah have mercy on Musa. He was harmed by more than this and he was patient.” (Al Bukhari 3405, Muslim 1062.)

It is established in the Sahih in the narrations of the Isra that the Messenger ﷺ passed by Musa, and he was standing praying in his grave. Muslim narrated it from Anas.

In the two Sahihs also, in the narration of Qatadah from Anas from Malik ibn Sasaa, from the Prophet ﷺ, that on the night of Isra he passed by Musa in the sixth heaven. Jibril said to him: this is Musa, so greet him.

He said: so I greeted him, and he said: welcome to the righteous prophet and righteous brother. When I passed on, he began to weep. It was said to him: what makes you weep.

He said: I weep because a young man who was sent after me will enter Paradise with more of his community than mine.

He also mentioned that Ibrahim was in the seventh heaven, and that is what is preserved.

As for what appears in the narration of Sharik ibn Abi Namr from Anas that Ibrahim was in the sixth and Musa in the seventh, due to preferencing the one to whom Allah spoke, a number of leading hadith scholars mentioned that the established version is that Musa is in the sixth and Ibrahim in the seventh, and that Ibrahim is leaning his back against al Bayt al Ma‘mur, which seventy thousand angels enter every day and never return to.

All the narrations agree that when Allah the Exalted made fifty prayers obligatory upon Muhammad ﷺ and his community, he passed by Musa, who said: go back to your Lord and ask Him to lighten it for your community, for I tested the Children of Israel before you with the greatest testing, and your community is weaker in hearing, sight and hearts.

He continued going back and forth between Musa and his Lord, and in each time the obligation was reduced until it became five prayers in the day and night.

Allah said: they are five but they are fifty, meaning in reward is fifty. So may Allah reward our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ on our behalf with the best reward, and may He reward Musa عليه السلام on our behalf with the best reward.

His Hajj to the Ancient House and His Description عليه السلام

Imam Ahmad narrated from Ibn Abbas that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed through the valley of al Azraq and said:

“What valley is this.” They said: the valley of al Azraq. He said: “It is as if I am looking at Musa as he comes down from this pass, raising his voice in talbiyah to Allah the Exalted.” Then he came to the pass of Harsha and said: “What pass is this.” They said: the pass of Harsha. He said: “It is as if I am looking at Yunus ibn Matta on a red she camel, wearing a woollen cloak, with the halter of his she camel made of twisted fibres, raising his voice in talbiyah.” (Ibn Majah 2891)

Imam Ahmad narrated from Mujahid who said: we were with Ibn Abbas when they mentioned the Dajjal. He said: indeed it is written between his eyes kaf fa ra. They said: this is what people say. Ibn Abbas said: I did not hear that from him, but he said:

“As for Ibrahim, then look at your companion. As for Musa, then he is a man with brown skin and curly hair, riding a red camel with a halter of twisted fibre. It is as if I am looking at him as he comes down from a valley raising his voice in talbiyah.” Hishim said: al khulbah is the twisted fibre. (Ahmad 1/276–277, al Bukhari 3355, Muslim 166/270.)

Imam Ahmad narrated from Abu al Aliyah who said: the cousin of your Prophet, Ibn Abbas, told us that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“On the night when I was taken on the Night Journey, I saw Musa ibn Imran, a man with brown skin and tall, with curly hair, as if he were one of the men of the tribe of Shanuah, and I saw Isa ibn Maryam, of medium height, with a complexion between red and white, with straight hair.” (Ahmad 1/245/259, al Bukhari 3239, Muslim 166.)

Imam Ahmad also narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, on the night he was taken on the Night Journey, said:

“I met Musa and I described him, saying: he is a man, I think he said, with tightly curled hair, a man with a shaven head, as if he were one of the men of Shanuah, and I met Isa, and the Messenger of Allah described him, saying: he is of medium height and red in complexion, as if he has just come out of a bathhouse, and I saw Ibrahim and I am the one who looks most like him among his children.” (Ahmad 2/282, al Bukhari 3394, Muslim 168.)

Most of these narrations have already been mentioned with the biography of al Khalil (Ibrahim), peace be upon him.

His Death

Al Bukhari narrated in his Sahih about the death of Musa عليه السلام from Abu Hurayrah who said:

“The Angel of Death was sent to Musa عليه السلام. When he came to him, he struck him, and the angel returned to his Lord the Mighty and Majestic and said: You have sent me to a slave who does not want to die.

Allah said: go back to him and say to him: let him place his hand on the back of an ox, and whatever number of hairs his hand covers, he will have that number of years. Musa said: My Lord, then what. He said: then death. He said: then now. He asked Allah to bring him near to the Sacred Land by the distance of a stone’s throw.”

Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“If I were there, I would show you his grave beside the road, near the red sandhill.”(Al Bukhari 1339/3407, Muslim 2372)

Some have claimed that Musa عليه السلام is the one who led them out of the wilderness and entered the Sacred Land with them, but this contradicts what the People of the Book and the majority of the Muslims hold. What indicates this is his saying when he chose death: “My Lord, bring me near to the Sacred Land by a stone’s throw.”

If he had entered it, he would not have asked for that, but when he was with his people in the wilderness and his death approached, he loved to draw nearer to the land to which he had migrated and for which he had urged his people, but fate came between them and entering it, by a stone’s throw.

For that reason the master of creation and the Messenger of Allah to all the people, those of the desert and the towns, said: “If I were there, I would show you his grave beside the road near the red sandhill.”

Author

ISHAQ. K

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Summary

The Story of Musa, the One Allah Spoke To

Pharaoh’s Enslavement of the Children of Israil

Musa عليه السلام from the River to the House of Pharaoh

Musa’s Return to His Mother

Musa’s Defence of the Israelite and the Killing of the Copt

The Plot of the Copts against Musa

Musa عليه السلام in Midian

His Shepherding and Marriage

You Came at the Appointed Time, O Musa

The Prophethood of Harun عليه السلام

The Call of Musa and Harun عليهما السلام to Pharaoh

The Day of Adornment

The Defeat of the Sorcerers and Their Martyrdom

The Incitement of the Chiefs of the Copts to Harm Musa and the Children of Israil

Full Article

The Story of Musa, the One Allah Spoke To

Pharaoh’s Enslavement of the Children of Israel

Musa عليه السلام from the River to the House of Pharaoh

Musa’s Return to His Mother

Musa’s Defence of the Israelite and the Killing of the Copt

The Plot of the Copts against Musa

Musa عليه السلام in Midian

His Shepherding and Marriage

You Came at the Appointed Time, O Musa

The Prophethood of Harun عليه السلام

The Call of Musa and Harun عليهما السلام to Pharaoh

The Day of Adornment

The Defeat of the Sorcerers and Their Martyrdom

The Incitement of the Chiefs of the Copts to Harm Musa and the Children of Israil

The Believer from the Family of Pharaoh

The Continued Admonition of the Believer from Pharaoh’s Family

Pharaoh’s Mocking Challenge

The Supplication of Musa for the Destruction of Pharaoh

The Clear Signs sent against the People of Pharaoh

The Breaking of their Promises and their Final Destruction

The Drowning of Pharaoh and His Army

The State of the Children of Israel after the Destruction of Pharaoh

The Entry of the Children of Israel into the Wilderness and the Wonders that Happened to Them

The Request to See Allah

The Story of Their Worship of the Calf in the Absence of Musa, the One Spoken To by Allah, عليه السلام

The Story of Qarun with Musa عليه السلام

Chapter on the Virtues of Musa عليه السلام, His Traits, Attributes and Death

His Hajj to the Ancient House and His Description عليه السلام

His Death

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