النص المفهرس

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person and the best among us".
Having completed ten years of service with Sayyidna Shu aib el
,
Sayyidna Musa Ka
departed from Madyan with his wife. He had chosen
an unfrequented and unfamiliar route, and on a cold, dark night when
he saw fire on the mount of Tur he went there to bring some for his wife.
There he saw strange sights, was granted the miracles of the staff (Las)
and the bright hand («La" () and was also entrusted with the Mission of
Prophethood. This story has been related by the Holy Qur'an in the
preceding pages. At the mount of Tur he was also commanded by Allah to
proceed to Egypt and place his message before the Pharaoh. He was
anxious how he would discharge this duty when he has been declared by
the royal court as an absconding offender and was under the sentence of
death. Moreover, he recalled his stammer. So he prayed to Allah to
remove these impediments. In response to his prayer Allah appointed his
brother Harun &Call to share his prophethood and through a revelation
commanded the latter to receive him before he entered Egypt. The two
brothers met and as commanded by Allah both of them went to the
Pharaoh's court to invite him to accept the True Faith. After a while they
were admitted to his presence after passing through several stages. They
said to him: &t; y'" u "We are the messengers of your Lord". The
Pharaoh asked them W ga (Who then is the Lord of you two? - 20:49).
Their reply to this question has been reported in the Qur'an itself.
رَبُّنَا الَّذِيِّ أَعْظَى كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلْقَهُ، ثُمَّ هَدی
Our Lord is He who gave everything its shape, then guidance -
20:50.
The Pharaoh then asked them what they wanted. He charged
Sayyidna Musa 899 with the murder of the Egyptian and at the same
time reminded him how he had brought him up in his own palace and the
great kindness he had shown towards him. The reply which Sayyidna
Musa Ska gave on both these points is mentioned in the Qur'an. That is,
the murder of the Egyptian was a mistake for which he had asked Allah's
forgiveness. As for the second point, he accused the Pharaoh of having
enslaved the Bani Isra'il and of subjecting them to oppression. These
things could not be allowed to continue for ever and in consequence an
inevitable destiny so decreed that he should be brought up in the

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Pharaoh's palace. It was Allah's will and so it came to pass and he owed
no gratitude to anyone. He then asked the Pharaoh to accept the True
Faith and free the Bani Isra'il from the slavery. The Pharaoh refused,
and asked Sayyidna Musa Seal to show some sign to prove his claim of
prophethood. Musa Se cast his staff (Les) on the ground and it turned
into a huge snake, which advanced towards the Pharaoh with a fearsome
manner. In great fright the Pharaoh crawled under his throne and
begged Sayyidna Musa Na to save his life. Musa &gal picked up the
snake and it became a staff again. He then showed the Pharaoh his
second miracle. He pressed his hand under his armpit and when he
brought it out it was shinning brilliantly. Then he repeated the action
and his hand became normal.
The Pharaoh was in great terror at what he had seen. He assembled
all his advisors and asked them to consider and decide how best they
could meet the threat posed by Sayyidna Musa &CH. Having discussed
the matter among themselves, the advisors assured him that the matter
was not as serious as appeared at first sight. Those two men were
magicians who, by their sorcery, wanted to deprive him of his Kingdom
and also to destroy their religion which regarded him as god, worthy of
worship. They advised him not to accept any demand made by the two
magicians and on the other hand to invite all the great magicians living
in Egypt who would, by their skill, prevail upon the two visiting
magicians.
The Pharaoh accepted this advice. He ordered all the famous
magicians in Egypt to be brought before him, and when they came he told
them what was expected of them. They asked the Pharaoh what was the
special trick of the magician whom they were to confront. They were
informed that he could turn his staff into a snake. At this, the magicians
said in a casual manner that it was not a big deal. They too could change
staffs and ropes into snakes and that nobody could beat them at that
trick. They also wanted to know what their reward would be if they
defeated their opponent. The Pharaoh replied, "If you are successful in
this contest I will make you part of my own family and you will be given
everything that you desire".
The magicians in agreement with Musa Be appointed the morning
of the day of their festival for the contest. Ibn Jubair 4e reports that the

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day of their festival was the 10th of Muharram. A large number of people
were gathered in a vast open space to see the contest. They were in no
doubt about its outcome. They scoffed at Sayyidna Musa Scel and said
tauntingly that in case he got the better of their own magicians, they
would accept his religion ◌َلَعَلِّنَا نَتَّبِعُ السَّحَرَةَ إِنْ كَانُوا هُمُ الْغُلِبِيْن (So that we may follow
the sorcerers if they are victorious - 26:40).
When everything was ready, the Egyptians asked Sayyidna Musa
SEE whether he would like to begin the contest or he wanted them to
make the start. He invited them to show their tricks first. So they threw
their staffs and ropes with the words ◌َبِعِزَّةٍ فِرُعَونَ إِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْغُلُبُون (By the majesty
of the Pharaoh we are going to prevail definitely - 26:44) which at once
turned into creeping, coiling snakes.
فَأَوْجَسَ فِى الَيْئا This sight evoked fear in the heart of Sayyidna Musa
So, Musa concealed some fear in his heart - 20:67). Now this) نَفْسِهُ خِيفَةً مُّوُسى
fear could be a natural human reaction and not even prophets are free
from it. Or it may be that he was overtaken by a momentary doubt about
the success of his own mission. But Allah commanded him by means of
revelation to cast his staff. As he did so, it turned into a huge snake and
ate up all the snakes which the Egyptians had produced with their tricks.
The magicians who knew everything about magic at once realized that
the performance of Sayyidna Musa Skal was no magic but a miracle from
Allah. So they openly announced their faith in the One and Only Allah
and accepted the religion brought by Sayyidna Musa
. They said
they repented their past sins and abjured the faith of their forefathers.
Thus, Allah effectively belittled the Pharaoh and his companions
frustrating their evil designs ◌َفَغُلِبُوا هُنَالِكَ وَانْقَلَبُوا صغِرِين (So, they were overcome
there and turned humiliated - 7:119). It is also reported that while the
contest was in progress 'Asiya, the Pharaoh's wife, put on a humble garb
and prayed to Allah for Sayyidna Musa &e . The people of Pharaoh
were under the impression that she was anxious for the Pharaoh and was
praying for him while all her worries were about Musa SEEl.
The Pharaoh was now in a dilemma. He had no intention of allowing
Bani Isra'il to leave Egypt. In the years that followed Egypt was visited
by several calamities such as floods, locusts, lice, frogs appearing in food
and utensils etc. (these have been described in the Qur'an as ed Out
(Signs distinct 7:133). The Pharaoh would, at the time of each such

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visitation, approach Sayyidna Musa de and promised to release Bani
Isra'il from his bondage and let them leave Egypt if he prayed to Allah to
deliver him from the disaster. But as soon as the affliction was removed
through the prayers of Musa Scel the Pharaoh reneged on his promise.
This happened several times until Allah commanded Sayyidna Musa
to take Bani Isra'il with him and leave Egypt. One night he and the
whole tribe of Bani Isra'il quietly stole out of Egypt. The next morning
when the Pharaoh discovered their escape, he assembled his army and
went after them. Sayyidna Musa &gal and his men soon came to a river
which had to be crossed. Allah commanded the river that when Sayyidna
Musa de would strike its water with his staff it should part to make
twelve exits for the twelve tribes of Bani Isra'il and that when they had
crossed over, it should resume its normal flow again.
When Sayyidna Musa &# reached the river, he forgot that if he
struck the river with his staff it would open up twelve passages for him
and his men. As they stood there not knowing what to do, the Pharaoh
and his army appeared in the distance. In utter despair they cried G
3'jaJJ (Surely we are overtaken - 26:61). At that critical moment
Sayyidna Musa & remembered Allah's promise to him. He at once
struck his staff on the water and the river parted showing twelve
passageways. Quickly he and his men went across. The Pharaoh and his
army who were hard on their heels followed them over the passageways
but when they reached the midstream and the last of the Bani Isra'il had
crossed over safely, the water of the river flowed over the passageways as
commanded by Allah. And so the Pharaoh and his entire army perished
under the eyes of Sayyidna Musa Scal and his men. Some of the men
feared that the Pharaoh might have escaped death and Sayyidna Musa
Stell prayed to Allah to reveal his death to them. Then by the command of
Allah the Pharaoh's dead body was tossed out of the river and everybody
witnessed his end.
As Sayyidna Musa Xcel
and Bani Isra'il continued their journey they
came across a people who worshipped idols which they themselves had
fashioned. Bani Isra'il were tempted and they said to Sayyidna Musa SE
O Musal make a) يُمُوُسى اجْعَلُ لَنَآ إِلَّهَا كَمَا لَهُمُ الِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمُ قَوُمُ تَجْهَلُونَ إِنَّ هؤلاءٍ مُتَتَرٌ مَّاهُمُ فِيْهِ:
god for us like they have gods". He (Musa) said, "You are really an
ignorant people. What these people are in, is sure to be destroyed" - 7:138,

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Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 37 - 44
139). He also reminded them of the miracles which Allah had revealed in
their behalf and the bounties which He had showered on them and asked
them how they could entertain such wicked ideas. Having admonished
them thus, he and his party proceeded on their travel until they came to a
place where they camped. There he said to his men, "You stay here while
I go to my Lord. I will return after thirty days. In my absence my brother
Harun will act as my deputy and you should obey him in all matters".
Then Sayyidna Musa 85
went to the mount of Tur where he was
commanded by Allah to fast for thirty continuous days in order to prepare
himself for conversation with Him. After fasting for thirty days
continuously he sensed a bad odor in his mouth which is usual when
people fast for long periods, and he thought it would be grossly irreverent
for him to appear before Allah and receive His message in that state. So
he cleaned his mouth with an aromatic grass which grew on a hill close
by. When he approached the August presence, Allah asked him why he
had broken the fast. He replied, "O Lord! I merely wished to get rid of the
offensive smell in my mouth before coming to Your presence". Allah said,
"O Musa! Surely you know that the odor from the mouth of a person who
observes fast is more pleasant to Us than the fragrance of the perfume of
musk. Go back; fast for ten more days and then return to Us." Sayyidna
Musa &cell obeyed Allah's command.
After the departure of Sayyidna Musa Skal his brother Sayyidna
Harun &cel assembled Bani Isra'il and addressed them saying, "You have
brought along with you many things which you either borrowed from the
people of the Pharaoh (Egyptians) or which were deposited with you by
them, as a trust. At the same time there are many things belonging to
you which you loaned to them or left with them in trust. You seem to
think that you can appropriate to yourself the Egyptian's property in lieu
of what you have left behind with them. I do not consider this deal as
lawful; and since we cannot return to the Egyptians what really belongs
to them, I suggest that we dig a pit and bury all such property in it". Bani
Isra'il accepted this advice and threw everything into the pit. Sayyidna
Harun 9 then had a big fire built over it so that everything was
reduced to ashes. He said, "Now it is neither theirs nor ours".
Among the Bani Isra'il there was a man by the name of Samiri who,
though not one of them, had migrated with them when they left Egypt.

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He came from a tribe who worshipped cows. Being an observant person
he noticed a strange phenomenon namely that wherever Sayyidna
Jibra'il &ca put his foot, he left traces of life. He picked up a handful of
earth from one such place and as he was going along he met Sayyidna
Harun See who thought that the man had in his hand something of
value belonging to the Egyptians. He told him to throw it into the pit as
the others had done, but Samiri said that what he held in his hand was
the earth from the footprints of Sayyidna Jibra'il && with whose help
they all had crossed the river and that he would not throw it away unless
Sayyidna Harun & promised to pray to Allah for the fulfillment of a
wish which he cherished in his heart. On the latter's promise to do so he
threw the earth in this pit and as promised, Sayyidna Harun &del prayed
to Allah to grant Samiri his wish. Thereupon Samiri prayed, "I wish that
all the gold, silver, iron and brass which has been thrown in this may
take the shape of a calf". Sayyidna Harun el had already prayed to
Allah on behalf of Samiri, and his prayer was granted by Allah. So all the
valuables and other metals which had been thrown in the pit assumed
the cast of a calf which had no life but produced a sound like the bellow of
a bull. According to Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas 4
it was not the sound of a
living thing but more like the low-pitched sound of wind passing through
a hollow passage.
This strange event greatly perplexed the Bani Isra'il and split them
into several groups. Samiri told them that the calf was the true God and
that Sayyidna Musa Seal had strayed from the right path. One group
accepted his claim and adopted the worship of the calf. Another group
reserved their judgment until Sayyidna Musa Skal would explain to them
how the matter stood, while a third group rejected Samiri's claim outright
and refused to accept the calf as their god.
When Sayyidna Harun Med saw this mischief and discord he
admonished the people and said:
يُقَوُمِ إِنَّمَا فُتِنْتُمُ بِهِ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ الرَّحْمُنُ فَاتَّبِعُونِىُ وَأَطِيْعُوَّا أَمْرِىُ
"O my people! You have only been led astray with it, and your
Lord is the Rahman (All-Merciful). So follow me and obey my
command." - 20:90.
But they asked about Sayyidna Musa &Ka why did not he come back

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while he had promised to return after thirty days and even after forty
days nearing completion there was no news of him. Some foolish persons
suggested that perhaps he had lost his Allah and was even at that time
searching for Him.
While these events were taking place at the camp, Sayyidna Musa
having completed forty days of fasting was honoured with
conversing with Allah Ta'ala who informed him of the disorder into which
Bani Isra'il had fallen:
فَرَجَعَ مُؤْسِى إِلَى قَوْمِهٍ غَضْبَانَ اسِفًا
So Musa went back to his people in anger and sorrow. (20:86)
He put aside the Tablets of Torah which he had brought from the mount
of Tur and pulled his brother Harun by the hairs. Later, when he had
calmed down and Sayyidna Harun &CH had given an account of
everything that had happened, he accepted the explanation given by his
brother and prayed to Allah to forgive him.
Sayyidna Musa Xe9
then went to Samiri and asked him to explain
his actions. He replied:
فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةٌ مِّنُ آثَرِ الرَّسُوْلِ فَنَبَذْتُهَا وَكَذلِكَ سَوَّلَتْ لِىُ نَفْسِىُ
I picked up a handful of dust from under the foot of the
messenger (the angel). Then I cast it, and thus my inner self
tempted me - 20:96.
Sayyidna Musa SKA then replied to him with the following words:
فَاذُهَبُ فَإِنَّ لَكَ فِى الْحَيْوةِ أَنْ تَقُوْلَ لاَمِسَاسَ وَإِنَّ لَكَ مَوْعِدًا لَّنُ تُخُلَفَهُ وَانْظُرُ إِلَّىّ
الْهِكَ الَّذِىُ ظَلْتَ عَلَيْهِ عَاكِفًا لَّنُحَرِّ قَنَّهِ، ثُمَّ لَنَنْسِفَنَّهُ فِى الْيَمِّ نَسْفًا
He (Musa) said, "Then go away, for your fate in this life is to
say: Do not touch me. And, of course, you have another promise,
never to be held back from you. And look at your god to which
you stayed devoted. We will certainly burn it, then we will
scatter it thoroughly in the sea. (20:97)
Bani Isra'il now realized that they had been led astray and they
admired those who agreed with Sayyidna Harun & in negating the
divinity of the calf. They begged Sayyidna Musa Sel to pray to Allah to
forgive them and that they were ready to expiate for their sins. Sayyidna

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Musa de
took pains in selecting seventy persons from amongst them
who were well-known for their virtue and piety and who, according to his
knowledge had abstained from the worship of the calf. He led this selected
group to the mount of Tur where all of them might beseech Allah's Mercy.
But as they approached the mount, the earth shook in a violent
earthquake. On this, Sayyidna Musa Stal felt greatly embarrassed in
front of the group he was leading as well as before his people in general,
therefore he pleaded to Allah:
رَبِّ لَوُ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُمُ مِّنْ قَبْلُ وَإِيَّىَ أَتُهُلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَّا
"My Lord, had it been Your will, You could have destroyed them
earlier, and me too. Would you destroy us for what the foolish
among them have done?" - 7:155.
It then transpired that the cause of the earthquake was that despite all
his inquiries and precautions some of the men included in the delegation
had indeed worshipped the calf and still cherished a sense of reverence for
it.
Allah Ta'ala replied to the prayer of Sayyidna Musa Mal as follows:
وَرَحْمَتِىُ وَسِعَتُ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ فَسَأَكُبُهَا لِلَّذِيْنَ يَتَّقُوْنَ وَيُؤْتُوْنَ الزَّكوَةَ وَالَّذِيْنَ هُمُ
بِيْتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ. الَّذِيْنَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُوْلَ النَّبِىِّ الأُمِّىَّ الَّذِىُ يَجِدُوْنَهُ مَكْتُوْبًا عِنْدَ هُمْ فِى
التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيْلِ
"And My mercy extends to everything. So, I shall write it for
those who fear, and pay Zakah, and those who do believe in Our
verses. Those who follow the Messenger, the Ummi (unlettered)
prophet whom they find written with them in the Torah and the
Injil (The gospels)". (7:156, 157)
Sayyidna Musa del said, "O Lord! I had prayed to You on behalf of
my people who have repented their evil deeds but You have just informed
me that Your mercy encompasses everyone but the Bani Isra'il. O Lord!
Why was my birth not delayed and why was I not born among the
favoured people of the unlettered Prophet?" On this, Allah told him that
the only way through which Bani Isra'il's repentance could be accepted
by Him was that each one of them should slay with sword anyone he
finds from among his relations, be he his father or son and at the same
spot where the sin of worshipping the calf was committed. Thereupon
those among the seventy delegates whom Sayyidna Musa =) had

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brought with him in the belief that they were pious people, but who in
their hearts felt reverence for the calf, also repented and obeyed the
rigorous condition for the expiation of their sins, and when this was done,
Allah forgave the sins of the slayers as well as the slain.
It will be recalled that when Sayyidna Musa Mye returned to his
people from the Tur on learning that they had fallen into mischief he had
put aside in anger the Tablets which he had brought from the mount. He
now picked them up and led his people towards the Holy land (Syria). On
the way they passed by a city where a mighty and powerful people lived
whose unusual appearance inspired fear in the hearts of all who saw "
them. Many tales of their valour and cruelty were related to the Bani
Isra'il so that when Sayyidna Musa Sus proposed to enter the city they
refused and said, "O Musa! These people are tyrants and we cannot face
them. We will not enter this city so long as they are there, but if somehow,
they can be made to leave the city we will gladly enter it." Sayyidna Musa
argued with them but they were adamant and refused to be moved.
The Holy Qur'an has, at another place, mentioned that two persons
tried to convince Bani Isra'il to enter the city. According to Yazid Ibn
Harun, a narrator of this report, Sayyidna Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas 40 has
interpreted the relevant verse to the effect that these two men belonged to
the tyrant nation. They after coming out from the city had embraced the
faith of Musa &# and realized that Bani Isra'il are terrified by their
nation. Therefore, they said to Bani Isra'il, "We are fully aware of the
nature of our own nation. You are terrified of their high stature and their
large number, but in reality they have no strength of heart, nor do they
have courage to face you. If you proceed to the gate of the city, you will
see that they will surrender and you will prevail." Some commentators
have held that these two men were from Bani Isra'il and convinced them
to proceed to the city, but even after hearing their advice they flatly
refused and addressed Sayyidna Musa Seel in the most absurd manner
as mentioned by the Holy Qur'an in the following words:
They said:
يُمُوْسِى إِنَّا لَنْ نَّدُخُلَهَا أَبَدًا مَّادَامُوا فِيُهَا فَاذْهَبُ أَنْتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَاتِلاً إِنَّ لهُهُنَا قُعِدُوْنَ
"O Musa! we shall never enter it, in any case, so long as they
are there. So go, you and your Lord, and fight. As for us, We are

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sitting right here." (5:24)
Sayyidna Musa See
had seen enough of the arrogance and defiant
attitude of Bani Isra'il in spite of the numerous favours and benefits
showered upon them by Allah and had refrained so far from praying
against them for their provocations. But the rude reply which they now
gave him filled his heart with sorrow and he prayed against them and
termed them as Haut (Transgressors). Allah Ta'ala accepted his prayer,
and holding them as Get (transgressors), denied them entry into the
Holy Land for forty years and confined them to an open plain where they
wandered aimlessly from morning till evening. However since Sayyidna
Musa && was also with them, Allah favoured them with many gifts even
while they suffered punishment. Wherever they went in this waterless
desert of Tih (Sinai) a constant cloud shaded them from the burning sun.
For food, Allah sent to them (s ) ~ (Manna is a viscous substance from
the ash tree and Salwa is a quail-like bird). As if by a miracle their clothes
were never torn nor did they become dirty. They were given a square
stone and Sayyidna Musa Ka was instructed to strike it with his staff
whenever they needed water and twelve springs of sweet water - three on
each side - gushed out of it to serve the twelve tribes of Bani Isra'il, thus
avoiding all disputes. At the end of their journeys wherever they camped,
they found that the square stone was there already. (Qurtubi)
According to the present narration of this Hadith-ul-Futun, Sayyidna
Ibn 'Abbas
had attributed it to the Holy Prophet 5 . That Sayyidna
Ibn 'Abbas 4
did not tell this story on his own, or after hearing it from
someone else is the correct view in my opinion which is supported by the
following event:
When Sayyidna Mu'awyia 4
heard this Hadith from Sayyidna Ibn
'Abbas 4 , he denied the truth of that part of the story which said that
while the men of the Pharaoh were unable to find any clue which could
lead them to the murderer of the Egyptian (i.e. Sayyidna Musa El ), it
was disclosed by the second Egyptian with whom the Isra'ili of the
previous day was fighting. Sayyidna Mu'awyia's 400 objection was that
the Egyptian being ignorant of the previous day's murder could not have
known and disclosed the name of Sayyidna Musa Mal as the murder. The
only witness to the event was the Isra'ili.

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When Sayyidna Mu'awyia 4
expressed his doubts about this part of
the Hadith Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas 4
got angry and took the former by the
hand and brought him to Sa'd Ibn Malik Zuhri and asked him if he
remembered the occasion when the Holy Prophet
related the story
about the murdered Egyptian. When Sa'd Ibn Malik 4
replied in the
affirmative he asked him, "Now tell me whether it was the Isra'ili or the
Egyptian who brought information about the murderer to the Pharaoh"?,
Sa'd Ibn Malik 400 replied that it was the Egyptian because he had heard
the Isra'ili say that the murder was committed by Sayyidna Musa Sal
and reported the matter to the Pharaoh. Imam Nasa'i has reproduced this
long Hadith in كتاب التفسير of his larger book Al-Sunan al-Kubra.
Țabari and Ibn Abi Hatim have both reproduced this Hadith in detail
in their Commentaries and have expressed the view that it is not 3
(marfu') i.e. it is not mentioned by the Holy Prophet
but is in the words
of Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas 4ee
which he has taken from those Isra'ili
traditions of Ka'b al-Ahbar whose reproduction and narration is
permissible. It is true, however, that at places it contains sentences of the
Holy Prophet . Ibn Kathir has reproduced this Hadith in his
Commentary and after giving his own arguments says that, like Tabari
and Ibn Abi Hatim, Sheikh Abul Hajjaj Mizzi also believes that this
tradition is J'y which means that it is a saying of Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas
and not of the Holy Prophet
The results, lessons and the great benefits to be obtained from
the story of Sayyidna Musa el
The importance which the Qur'an attaches to the story of Sayyidna
Musa Xcel is evident from the fact that it is repeated frequently in several
Surahs, the reason being that it contains numerous lessons for mankind,
instances of high wisdom and unusual manifestation of the Supreme
Power of Allah. All these things confirm a true believer in his beliefs, and
provide for him practical and moral guidance. A brief account of some of
these is given in the following paragraphs.
The Pharaoh's foolish plan and how Allah frustrated it
On being told that a boy born to the Isra'ilites would cause the
overthrow of his Kingdom, the Pharaoh issued orders that all male
children born among the Isra'ilies should be put to death. Later on for his

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personal and diplomatic reasons he modified those orders so that male
children born in alternate years only were put to death. Allah had the
power to bring about the birth of Sayyidna Musa
in the year in
which the male children born to the Isra'ilies were spared, but He willed
that the tyrant's brutal plan should recoil on himself. Therefore it was
decreed that Sayyidna Musa Mal should be born in the year when the
new born Isra'ili boys were to be put to death. Then Allah in His Supreme
Wisdom created a situation in which the Pharaoh took Sayyidna Musa
"gel under his care and brought him up in his own palace. While all the
Isra'ili male children were being put to death lest any of them pose a
threat to the Pharaoh's authority, Sayyidna Musa Stal grew up in the
luxury of the royal palace where he was loved and respected by everyone.
Divine favours for the mother of Sayyidna Musa Sel
If Sayyidna Musa Sa had accepted the milk from any other
wet-nurse he would have spent his early years in the Pharaoh's palace
and his mother would have suffered great anguish at being separated
from her son. Also he would have been nursed by an infidel woman. But
an inscrutable decree of providence saved him from being nourished by
an infidel woman and at the same time united him with his mother. The
Pharaoh and his wife felt beholden to her and not only showered gifts on
her but also gave her good remuneration for her services. By bringing
Sayyidna Musa Scel to her own house she escaped the necessity of
فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنٌ.having to live in the Pharaoh's palace like any other servant
. الْخَالِقِينَ
Good news for industrialists and traders
There is a Hadith according to which the Holy Prophet
É said that an
industrialist or a businessman who, while engaged in his trade also
desired to win the good-will of Allah was like the mother of Sayyidna
Musa &Cel , who nursed her own child and at the same time was paid for
her services (Ibn Kathir). It means that if a mason who builds a mosque, a
school or a building for public use is concerned only with his wages, he
would receive it, but nothing more. But if he undertook to construct these
buildings in preference to other jobs with the intention that these would
be used for good purposes and would benefit pious persons then, like the
mother of Sayyidna Musa Sel, he would receive his wages as well as the
religious benefit.

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Surah Ța-Hã : 20 : 37 - 44
The chosen servants of Allah are gifted with a special attribute
so that all who see them, love them
وَالْقَيْتُ عَلَيْكَ مَحَبَّةً مِّنِّى
And I have cast love on you from Myself - 20:39.
This verse suggests that Allah bestows upon his chosen servants a
special grace which causes all men, friend or foe, to love them. Of course,
the prophets enjoy this grace to a much greater degree, but many saints
are also known to have possessed it.
Why was the murder of the Egyptian by Sayyidna Musa Seal
regarded as a sin?
When Sayyidna Musa Nya saw an Egyptian infidel fighting an
Isra'ili Muslim, he struck the former with a blow causing his death. He
described this act as an act of Satan and prayed to Allah for forgiveness
and Allah accepted his prayer.
Here is a point for consideration by jurists. This Egyptian was an
infidel and a citizen of a non-Muslim state who had no peace agreement
between him and Sayyidna Musa SHI . Also he could not be given the
status of a 's (Dhimmi: A non-Muslim under Muslim rule) who is entitled
to full protection from the Muslims. He was a non-Muslim citizen of
Jib (Enemy country) and according to Muslim law killing such a
person does not constitute a sin. So why was the murder of the Egyptian
described as an act of Satan and a sin?
In none of the commentaries has this issue been brought up for
consideration. Some time back, at the behest of Hadrat Maulana Ashraf
'Ali Thanavi رحمه الله تعالى I began writing my book احكام القران and when I
came to this issue, I sought his guidance, and his explanation was that
although there was no covenant between Sayyidna Musa & and the
Egyptian nor did he enjoy the status of a Dhimmi (a non-Muslim citizen
of a Muslim state) yet neither of them was the head of a state. They were
both subjects of the Pharaoh and at peace with each other. This was for
all practical purposes an implied covenant between the two of them. Thus
the murder of the Egyptian was in the nature of violation of the implied
compact and therefore a sin. And since the murder was not deliberate but
accidental, it does not adversely affect the sanctity of his Prophethood. For
this reason in pre-partition India when both the Muslims and the Hindus

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lived under the British rule, Hadrat Maulana Thanavi ghe atlas, did not
consider it lawful for the Muslims to take the life or property of a Hindu.
Helping the weak and public service have their own rewards both
in this world and in the hereafter
When Sayyidna Musa Mal reached the outskirts of Madyan, he
noticed two girls who stood aside because they were too weak to contend
against men and water their goats. These girls were complete strangers to
him and he himself was a homeless wanderer. But being a decent man he
was prompted to come to their help. He watered their goats and by this
act of kindness he gained the pleasure of Allah. And his worldly reward
was that Sayyidna Shu aib El
gave him his daughter in marriage.
The philosophy and benefits of a situation in which one
Messenger was an employee and the other an employer
Sayyidna Musa Skal came to the house of Sayyidna Shu aib Seal as
an honoured guest. After sometime when he felt sufficiently secure from
pursuit by the Pharaoh's soldiers, Sayyidna Shu'aib &E, at the
suggestion of his daughter, offered him employment on wages. This offer
embodies a deep philosophy from Allah and guidance for mankind.
First: Sayyidna Shuaib
was a Prophet of Allah Ta'ala and it
was not beyond his means to entertain a traveler for sometime without
asking for recompense. But it seems that by prophetic wisdom he had
perceived that being a person of noble character Sayyidna Musa el
would not accept his hospitality much longer and would move to some
other place where he might suffer hardship. He therefore made a straight
offer of employment. Here is a lesson that it is not proper to become a
burden on somebody's hospitality for long periods.
Second: Allah Ta'ala had chosen Sayyidna Musa
for the grant
of prophethood, and although toil and hard labour are neither the
pre-conditions for prophethood, nor can the prophethood be obtained by
any amount of exertion and effort, because it is a pure gift from Allah, yet
His Supreme Wisdom had decreed that the prophets should also undergo
a period of strenuous physical labour as a means of character building
and for reforming others. The life of Sayyidna Musa al had been spent
in comfort and luxury and since he was destined to be a leader of
mankind and to reform their moral life, his service with Sayyidna Shu'aib

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LuJI ale was to accustom him to hard work and to prepare him for the
great mission for which Allah had chosen him.
Third: Sayyidna Musa
was given the task of tending the flocks
of goats of Sayyidna Shu'aib &E . It is rather strange that many
prophets have, at one time or the other, performed similar duties. Now a
goat often breaks away from the main flock to the great annoyance of the
shepherd. If he lets it stray it may be lost or even fall prey to a wolf, and if
he punishes it, he may cause injury to the delicate animal. Therefore he
has to be very patient with his flock. The same is the case with prophets;
they can neither ignore the errant humanity nor can they be too severe in
disciplining them. They have to conduct themselves with great patience
and forbearance.
How to choose the best man for a job
The daughter of Sayyidna Shu aib
suggested to her father that
he should employ Sayyidna Musa Scel in his service as the latter was
both strong and honest (قَوِى أَمِين) .The word قَوِى (qawiyy: strong) is applied
to a person who is strong and has ability to perform satisfactorily the
duties which are entrusted to him, and „ (amin, honest) means that the
record of his past life proves his honesty and integrity.
These two brief words, if considered in depth, cover all the qualities for
selecting a person for different jobs and offices, public or private. In some
cases even the detailed parameters laid down for the selection of
employees in contemporary institutions are not so comprehensive as these
two words are. Honesty, in particular, is something totally neglected today
when selecting a candidate, the entire importance being given to
academic degrees only. The corruption, disorder and mismanagement
seen in public and private institutions at present is mainly caused by
neglecting honesty and integrity in the employees. If a person is qualified
and wise, but devoid of honesty, he may devise ways to protect himself
from rules against his inefficiency and corruption. This is exactly what
has rendered many public and private institutions inefficient and corrupt.
Islam has therefore laid great emphasis on honesty and integrity, the
blessings of which have been witnessed by the world through the
centuries.

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Difference between the approach of magicians and that of the
prophets
The address which the Pharaoh delivered to his magicians in which
he warned them of the threat to the country called for a patriotic response
from the magicians, but they exploited the situation and negotiated their
reward in case they gained victory over Sayyidna Musa CHI . On the
other hand the prophets declare openly that they do not expect any
reward for their services.
وَلَآ أَسْئَلُكُمُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ اَجْرٍ
I do not claim from you any reward for it - 26:109
Among the many factors for the success of their mission is the denial of all
material rewards for their services. Nowadays the non-payment of
remuneration to scholars, jurists, preachers etc. from Government sources
has compelled them to accept payment for their services which, though
permitted by the later jurists, has reduced the effectiveness of their
mission.
Truth about the magic of the Egyptian magicians
The Egyptian magicians caused their sticks and ropes to appear as if
they had really turned into snakes. The question is whether they were in
reality turned into snakes. The Qur'an says:
يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسُغى
Seemed to him, due to their magic as if they were running -
20:66.
This shows that they did not really become snakes, but it was some kind
of mesmerism which cast a hypnotic spell on those present, to whom they
appeared as running snakes. This, of course, does not mean that things or
substances cannot be transformed by magic, but the Egyptian magicians
did not possess these powers.
Division into tribes in matters of social life is not censurable
Islam has condemned the notion that regional, linguistic, ethnic and
tribal divisions become the basis of nationalism. It has encouraged in all
possible manners the elimination of all such differences and prejudices.
The very foundation of Muslim polity rests on Islamic nationalism where

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people of diverse description, race, lineage and culture constitute one
single nation. The first step which the Holy Prophet
took when laying
down the foundations of the Islamic state at Madinah was to unite the
Muhajirs and the Ansar into a single bond of brotherhood. In his last
sermon (حجة الوداع) he
laid down the rule, for all times to come, that
prejudices and divisions based on geographical region, race and language
are the idols which Islam has demolished. Nevertheless, their distinctions
in the matters of social life have been duly recognized and permitted
within reasonable limits. This is to avoid any hardship for the people due
to the fact that the customs of living, dress, food etc. vary from one area
to the other and from one tribe to another.
The Isra'ilites whom Sayyidna Musa & led out of Egypt were
divided into twelve tribes and when crossing the river on their flight
twelve passageways were cleared, one for each tribe. Similarly in the
plain of Tih (the waterless desert where Bani Isra'il wandered for forty
years) the stone, by a miracle shot forth twelve springs of water in order
that the twelve tribes of Bani Isra'il might not engage in strife over the
use of water.
Appointment of a deputy to manage the affairs of a community
When Sayyidna Musa S
parted from his people in order to engage
himself in prayers at the mount of Tur for thirty days, he appointed
Sayyidna Harun &gal as his deputy during his absence and commanded
his people to obey the latter in all matters, so that disputes and quarrels
might not rise among them. This shows that when the head of a
community or a family proceeds on a journey, he should, following the
practice of the prophets, appoint a deputy to maintain order and discipline
among them.
A disagreeable course of action may temporarily be adopted if it
prevents disruption among Muslims
When Bani Isra'il started worshipping the calf during the absence of
Sayyidna Musa Me, Sayyidna Harun Se
remonstrated with them but
did not go to the extent of severing all relations with them and his
justification was that any harsh action by him would have caused a split
among the Bani Isra'il.

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Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 45 - 50
إِنِّىُ خَشِيْتُ أَنْ تَقُوُلَ فَرَّقُتَ بَيْنَ بَنِىّ إِسْرَآءِيُلَ وَلَمُ تَرْقُبُ قَوْلِىُ
"I feared that you would say, 'You have caused discord among
the children of Isra'il and did not observe my advice". (20:94)
Sayyidna Musa &Cel accepted this explanation and prayed to Allah in
favor of his brother. It leads to the principle that it is permissible to take a
lenient view against an evil as a temporary expediency to prevent discord
and strife among Muslims.
A vital principle of Prophetic Mission
When ordering Sayyidna Musa Sel and Sayyidna Harun Seel to go
to Egypt and invite the Pharaoh to the path of righteousness, Allah also
enjoined upon them to adopt a soft attitude toward him. " wy's w vga
Lai's i (So, speak to him in soft words. May be, he takes to the advice
or fears [Allah] - 20:44). Here an important principle has been enunciated
that those who wish to reform people and lead them to a life of virtue
should always be gentle and amiable towards their opponents however
obstinate and perverse they may be. By such methods alone can they be
persuaded to give heed to the message brought to them by the prophets.
The Pharaoh, who claimed to be a god, was also absolutely guilty of
the massacre of thousands of Isra'ili children just to safeguard his life and
his Kingdom. But when Allah sent the two messengers to him, He gave
them a guideline, namely that they should talk to him in a gentle and
persuasive manner so that he might ponder and reflect on the message
which they had brought to him. This guideline was emphasized in spite of
the fact that Allah knew that the Pharaoh would never give up his
obduracy nor his perverse ways. Here the intention was to bind the
prophets to a conduct which might induce people to reflect and ultimately
instill the fear of Allah in their hearts.
An unfortunate tendency is in vogue among the scholars of criticizing
each other which they regard as a service to Islam. There is a need for
curbing this tendency and the true teaching of Islam should be adopted.
Verses 45 - 50
قَالاَ رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا نَخَافُ أَنْ يَّفْرُطَ عَلَيْنَآ أَوْ أَنْ يَّطُغَى ﴿٤٥﴾ قَالَ لاَتَخَافَآ
إِنَّنِى مَعَكُمَا اسْمَعُ وَاَرَى ﴿٤٦﴾ فَأْتِيُّهُ فَقُوْلَآ إِنَّا رَسُوْلاَ رَبِّكَ فَاَرْسِلُ

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Sūrah Ța-Ha : 20 : 45 - 50
مَعَنَا بَنِىِّ إِسْرَآءِيُلَ " وَلاَ تُعَذِّبُهُمْ، قَدْ جِئْتُكَ بِيَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكَ * وَالسَّلُمُ
عَلى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدى ﴿٤٧﴾ إِنَّا قَدْ أُوْحِىَ إِلَيْنَآ أَنَّ الْعَذَابَ عَلى مَنْ
كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى ﴿٤﴾ قَالَ فَمَنُ رَّبُّكُمَا يُمُوسى ﴿٤٩﴾ قَالَ رَبُّنَا الَّذِىّ
اَعْطِى كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلْقَه ◌ُمّ هَدی ﴿٠﴾
They said, "Our Lord, we are afraid he will hasten to
commit excess against us, or will cross all bounds." [45]
He said, "Do not be afraid. I am surely with you both. I
hear and I see. [46] So, come to him and say, 'We are the
messengers of your Lord. So, let the children of Isra'il
go with us, and do not torment them. We have come to
you with a sign from your Lord. And peace be upon the
one who follows the guidance. [47] Verily, it has been
revealed to us that the punishment is for the one who
denies and turns away." [48]
He (the Pharaoh) said, "Who then is the Lord of you two,
O Musa?" [49] He (Musa) said, "Our Lord is He who gave
everything its shape, then guidance." [50]
Commentary
Why was Sayyidna Musa Sel
afraid?
The words Jus w (We are afraid) signifies that here Sayyidna Musa
¿El and Sayyidna Harun &Cel expressed twofold fear before Allah. The
first fear is pointed out by the word L'A & which means to cross all
boundaries. So the meaning of the sentence is 'perhaps the Pharaoh
would attack even before listening to us'. The other fear is mentioned with
the words Mas - which means that Sayyidna Musa &SA was
apprehensive that the Pharaoh might, after listening to his demands,
become so refractory and perverse that he might speak about Allah in
disrespectful terms.
It will be recalled that when prophethood was bestowed upon
Sayyidna Musa Sal , he had prayed to Allah to depute Sayyidna Harun
I also to assist him in his mission, and Allah had accepted his prayer.
سَنَشُدُّ عَضُدَكَ بِآَخِيُكَ وَنَجْعَلُ لَكُمَا سُلْطَانًا فَلاَ At the same time Allah informed him
We make your arm stronger through (the help of) your") يَصِلُونَ إِلَيُكُمَا

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Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 45 - 50
brother and will make for you the upper hand so they will not reach you
(with any harm)" - 28:35) and that whatever else he asked for was
granted to him (قَدُ أُوْتِيتَ سُؤْلَكَ يُمُوسى)- "You have been granted your request
O Musa" - 20:36. Among the things granted to him was + (heart at
peace) which means that he was made immune to fear. So, when he had
received such firm assurances from Allah, how does one explain the fear
expressed by him in this verse. One answer to this question is that the
promise of victory and security from harm is rather vague in that victory
may refer to success in debate with the Pharaoh and his men. It can also
be argued that victory could come only if the Egyptians heard his
arguments and reasonings, and saw his miracles but there was this
possibility also that they might attack him before he had laid his
arguments before them. Besides, , does not mean elimination of
natural fear.
The second point is that fear of fearsome things is a natural instinct
and even prophets are not free from it in spite of their complete faith in
the promises of Allah. Sayyidna Musa ME himself was afraid to pick up
his staff when it turned into a snake therefore Allah re-assured him with
the word Jesy (do not be afraid). On all such occasions Allah removed
their fears by propitious tidings. Three other verses: ◌ُفَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَائِفًا يَتَرقَّب (So,
he went out of it (the city) in a state of fear, waiting (for what comes next)
- 28:21) and فَأَصْبَحَ فِى الْمَدِيْنَةِ خَائِفًا (Then, next morning he was fearful,
waiting [for what comes next] - 28:18) and فَأَوْجَسَ فِى نَفْسِهُ خِيفَةً مُوسى (So Musa
concealed some fear in his heart - 20:67) can also be quoted expressing the
same fear. It was this natural fear which persuaded the Holy Prophet
to migrate to Madinah and some of his Companions to migrate first to
Abbysinia and later to Madinah. In the Battle of Ahzab the Muslims were
so overawed by the strength of their enemies that they dug a trench as a
protective measure even though Allah had promised them victory on
numerous occasions. The truth is that while they did not have the least
doubt about their ultimate victory, the fear which they felt was the result
of a spontaneous human impulse in the face of danger, and the prophets
being human are not immune to this impulse.
Allah said, إِنَّنِى مَعَكُمَا اسْمَعُ وَاَرى ("I am surely with you both. I hear and I
see." - 20:46) Here the word "with you" is used in the sense of divine help
and support which human senses cannot perceive.