All about The Prophet Musa
Musa reached Midian, not knowing anyone or being known by anyone. Where could he find shelter? Where could he spend the night? Musa was anxious, but he was certain that Allah would not let him die.
Musa came to a well where people got water for their animals. He found two girls there, holding back their sheep and waiting for the others to finish getting water so that they could have their turn.
Musa saw that and his heart was filled with the compassion and tenderness of a merciful father. He asked: ‘Why aren’t you getting water?’
They replied: ‘We cannot take water for our sheep until the other people have got water because they are strong and we are weak, and because they are men and we are women.’ Then, as if they knew that Musa was thinking, Why doesn’t one of the men of your house get the water?, they added: ‘Our father is an old man. ‘(28:23)
Compassion touched Musa and he drew water for them. Then they left.
Where would Musa go now? Where would he find shelter for the night? Then he turned away to the shade and said: ‘My Lord, / am certainly in need of whatever good You will send down on me.’ (28: 24)
The two girls arrived home sooner than expected. Their father, a priest, was surprised and asked them: ‘Why are you home so early, my daughters?’
The girls said: ‘Allah sent a noble man to us who got us water.’
Their father realized that it must have been a stranger because no-one there had ever been kind to his daughters.
He said: ‘Where did you leave this man?’
The girls replied: ‘We left him at the well. He is a stranger and has no home here in Midian.’
The old man said: ‘You did not do well, my daughters. A stranger has been good to you but he has no shelter in the land. Where will he find shelter for the night? We owe him the right of hospitality. One of you should go and bring him.’
Then one of the girls came to him, walking modestly. She said: ‘My father invites you that he might repay you for the wage of your drawing water for us.’ (28: 25)
Musa realized that Allah had answered his prayer and had turned towards him, so he should not refuse the offer. He walked ahead of the girl so that he would not be looking at her. This was a noble courtesy.
When they arrived, Musa was asked his name and from what country he had come.
The old man listened patiently. When Musa had finished, he said: ‘Do not fear. You have escaped from unjust people.’ (28: 25)
Musa stayed with the old man as an honoured guest, indeed like a beloved son. One of his daughters suggested to her father: ‘Father; hire him. The best man you can hire is surely the one who is strong and trustworthy.’ (28: 26)
The old man asked: ‘What do you know of his strength and trustworthiness, my daughter?’
She said: ‘As for his strength, he lifted the lid from the well by himself and it normally takes several people to lift it. As for his trustworthiness, my father, he walked in front of me and did not look at me for the entire journey. Whoever you hire must be strong and trustworthy. If he is not strong, he will be too weak to work. If he is not trustworthy, his strength will not be of any use because he will be treacherous.’
The girl’s words were what the old man wanted to hear, but he thought about the matter as a wise and caring father should. He thought to himself: Who could be a better son-in-law than this young man? Where will I find anyone better than this man? I have not found anyone else worthy of this in all Midian! Perhaps Allah has sent this youth to me to be my son-in-law and as a helper for me.
He addressed his thoughts to Musa in a kindly and courteous manner. He said: 7 would like you to marry one of my two daughters, provided you work for me for eight years. If you complete ten years, that will be on your own account. I do not desire to press you hard. You will find me one of the righteous, Allah willing.’ (28: 27)
Eight years to be spent with him was the bride-price the old man had asked. Perhaps he feared that Musa might take his daughter and leave straightaway. In this way he thought he could test Musa until he was sure of him and then he could bid him and his daughter farewell with peace of mind.
Musa agreed to these terms, trusting that it was from Allah and that Allah would bless him in it. Allah had led him to Midian and brought him to the old man and had put tenderness and love into his heart. But as Musa was wise and intelligent, he wanted to choose later on the number of years he stayed with the old man. He said: ‘That is between me and you. Whichever of the two terms I fulfil, it shall be no injustice on my part. Allah is the guardian of what we say.’ (28: 28)
When Musa had finished the term and departed with his household (28: 29), he and the priest said good-bye to one another. The priest said a prayer for him: ‘Go with my blessing, my son. Go in Allah’s protection, my daughter.’
Musa travelled with his family. The night was cold and dark. But where was fire to be found in the desert? What would they do if they could not find a fire to warm them or light to guide them? While they were travelling and Musa was searching, he observed a fire. He said to his household’, ‘Stay here. I have observed a fire. Perhaps I will bring you a brand from it or I shall find guidance at the fire.’ (20: 10)
Musa went towards the fire, drawn to it by a powerful longing. When he came to it, a voice cried: ‘Musa, I am your Lord, so remove your shoes. You are in the Sacred Valley of Tuwa.’ (20: 12)
It was here that Allah spoke to Musa and revealed to him: ‘I have chosen you, so listen to this revelation. I am Allah. There is no god but Me, so worship Me and perform the prayer for My remembrance. The Hour is coming.’ (20: 14—15)
Musa carried a staff which he used for various purposes. Allah the Exalted said: ‘What is in your right hand, Musa?’ (20: 17)
Musa answered simply: ‘This is my staff.’
Then Musa began to list the uses of this staff because he wanted to speak to Allah for a long time. He said: 7 lean upon it and I use it to beat down the leaves to feed my sheep and I also have other uses in it.’ (20: 18)
He said: ‘Throw it down, Musa!’ (20: 19)
He threw it down and it became a slithering snake. (20: 20)
Allah said: ‘Take it and do not fear. We will return it to its former state.’ (20: 21)
Allah then gave Musa a second sign: ‘Clasp your hand to your arm-pit. It will come out white without any evil. This is another sign.’ (20: 22)
‘Go to Pharaoh, he has become Insolent’ (20: 24)
After that, Allah commanded Musa to begin the work for which he had been created. Pharaoh had become insolent and was encouraging corruption in the land. Pharaoh’s people had rejected Allah, and they too had a corruptive influence in the land. Allah does not like His slaves to refuse to believe in Him. He does not like corruption in the land. He wanted Musa to go to Pharaoh and Pharaoh’s subjects: They were an ungodly people. (28: 32)
But how could Musa go back there and confront the tyrant? He had killed a Copt, and had been forced to leave Egypt in fear of his life. Moreover, he was well-known to the guards and the people of the palace.
He said: ‘My Lord, I killed one of them and I fear that they will kill me.’ (28: 33)
Allah knew all of this but wanted Musa to go in spite of it: ‘Go to the people of the evildoers, the people of the Pharaoh. Will they not be godfearing?’
He said: ‘My Lord\ I fear that they will deny me and my breast will be constricted and my tongue will not be loosened, so send for Harun (to help me). They also hold against me a wrong action, and I fear that they will kill me.’
He said: ‘No, indeed. Go, both of you, with Our signs. We will be with you, listening. Go to Pharaoh and say, “I am the Messenger of the Lord of all the worlds. Send the Children of Israel with us.(26: 10-17)
Allah advised Musa and Harun to be gentle and kind with Pharaoh. Allah likes to be kind to His enemies for a time, so that they may reform themselves: ‘Speak gently to him. He may heed or fear.’ (20: 44)
Musa and Harun went to Pharaoh and stood in his Council, calling him to Allah. The tyrant became angry at
Musa’s boldness and said with disdain and arrogance: ‘Who are you, young man, to stand up in my Council and admonish me? Aren’t you the boy whom we pulled out of the water? Did we not bring you up among us as a child? Did you not stay with us for many years of your life? Then you did the deed you did\ being one of the ungrateful!'(26: 18-19)
Musa did not get angry or deny this. He did not argue or make excuses. He spoke plainly and with great dignity. He said: ‘Indeed I did it then, for I was one of those who are astray. So I fled from you, fearing you. But my Lord gave me judgement and made me one of the Messengers.’ (26: 20-1)
Musa went on: ‘Pharaoh, you were gracious to me in that you brought me up. But you do not see why I came into your hands or why you were able to bring me up. If you had not given the command for the children to be killed, my mother would not have put me into the Nile and I would not have come into your hands. Is that then a blessing to be remembered and weighed against your injustice and cruelty? You treated all my people as if they were donkeys and beasts. You treated them like dogs. You inflicted terrible punishment on them.
‘Certainly you brought me up, but that is a blessing which you reproach me with, having enslaved the Children of Israel. (26: 22) Then what virtue can you claim for yourself for looking after one of their children? That also only came about through ignorance and error!’
Pharaoh was speechless. He tried to bluster his way out of it by asking: ‘What is the Lord of all the worlds that I hear you mentioning?’
He said: ‘The Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them if you ha ve certainty. ‘{26:23-4) Pharaoh was angered by Musa’s reply and wanted to provoke the people of the Council against him. So he said to those about him: ‘Do you not hear?’ (26: 25)
Musa continued: ‘Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers; the ancients.’ (26: 26)
Pharaoh could not contain his anger. He said: ‘Your messenger who has been sent to you is possessed!’ (26:27) Musa still did not stop speaking. He said: ‘The Lord of the East and the West and what is between them if you have understanding.’ (26: 28)
Pharaoh wanted to distract Musa from this argument that was so hard for him, and to provoke his Council to anger. He asked Musa: ‘What about the former generations?’ (20: 51) His thinking was: If Musa says that the forefathers knew the truth, then I will say, ‘They worshipped idols.’ If Musa says that they were misguided and foolish, the people of the Council will become angry and say, ‘Musa has cursed our forefathers!’
But Musa was more intelligent than Pharaoh. He possessed a light from his Lord. He said: ‘The knowledge of them is with my Lord in a Book. My Lord does not err nor does He forget.’ (20: 52)
Then Musa went on to say what Pharaoh had been trying to avoid hearing- himself, and prevent others from hearing. He said: ‘My Lord does not err nor does He forget, the One who appointed the earth to be a couch for you and threaded roads in it for you and sent down water from heaven.’ (20: 52-3)
Pharaoh was confused. He did not know what to say. Then he tried to frighten Musa. He said: ‘If you take a god other than me, / will make you one of the imprisoned!’ (26: 29)