LESSONS TO LEARN FROM PROPHET MUSA (AS) PART 1

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL

Prophet Musa (AS) is one of the greatest Messengers who were sent to the children of Israel. His name is mentioned in the Qur’an the most among all the prophets.

نَتلو عَلَيكَ مِن نَبَإِ موسىٰ وَفِرعَونَ بِالحَقِّ لِقَومٍ يُؤمِنونَ

“We recite to you some of the news of Musa (Moses) and Fir’aun (Pharaoh) in truth, for a people who believe (those who believe in this Qur’an, and in the Oneness of Allah).” 28: 3

This is because his life and the experience in inviting people to Islam is similar to prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be upon him). The children of Israel and their response to Prophet Musa’s invitation to Islam is similar to us today – filled with much doubt and disobedience. In fact, during the Isra’ Mi’raj, the journey where prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be upon him) was Ordered[H1]  by Allah to inform his Ummah to pray 50 times a day, prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be upon him) consulted Prophet Musa (AS) and followed his advise to plead to Allah to reduce the number of prayers, as Musa (AS) had enough experience with the children of Israel to know how the Ummah of Muhammad will not be able to cope with the huge amount of prayers that is expected of them from Allah. There are even similarities between the 2 prophets because Musa (AS) was also forced to leave the city and he migrated from Egypt to Madyan for 10 years, before he was commanded by Allah to return to Egypt to give da’wah to the pharaoh and to free the children of Israel.

His incredible story, in its totality, represents the eternal struggle and conflict between truth and falsehood; between tyrants and the tyrannised; between oppressors and the oppressed.

This struggle is one that will last until the day Allah inherits the earth and who is upon it. And like every conflict, there is always an end, and that end is always in the favour of the party of truth, in favour of the party of Allah. That end is always the defeat and obliteration of falsehood, tyranny and oppression.

The story of Musa perfectly exemplifies the flawless, precise, divine plans of Allah for His righteous slaves against all probabilities. When the odds were stacked against him, when the future appeared bleak, when hope was lost by most; when men were weakened and helpless – Allah’s divine will intervened, to determine the outcome He had planned. The outcome we could never have forecasted. The outcome we – with our little knowledge and obscured vision – could never have seen.

What we have to do as servants of Allah is to implement what we learn from all these stories. Knowledge is completely useless if we are not able to apply into practise what we learn from these stories of Musa (AS)

Therefore, there are many lessons which we can gain inshaAllah when we go through the lifestyle on prophet Musa (AS):

1. When Musa (AS) was a baby
2. Before migration to Madyan
3. After migration to Madyan, before prophethood
4. Returning to Egypt and after prophethood

1. When Musa (AS) was a baby

Many lessons must be learnt about how Musa’s mother dealt with him as a baby. The pharaoh was a tyrant. The Children of Israel believed that that from the progeny of Ibrāhīm (AS) a child would be born who would destroy the Pharaoh and his kingdom. It is said that the tiding was given to Sārah, the wife of Ibrāhīm (AS) when she passed through Egypt and its king tried to misbehave with her. As-Suddī narrated from Ibn ‘Abbās (radiyallāhu ‘anhumā), also Murrah from Ibn Mas’ood (radiyallāhu ‘anhumā), and also other Companions that Pharaoh had a frightening dream wherein he saw a fire coming from the direction of Jerusalem which burned the Copts of Egypt and their homes but did not harm the Children of Israel. Pharaoh gathered all his priests, soothsayers and magicians so they could interpret his dream. They told him, “There will be a boy born among these people who will destroy the people of Egypt.” It was due to this that Pharaoh ordered the killing of all the new-born boys, and he spared the girls.

When the Copts complained to Pharaoh that the population of the Israelites was diminishing due to the numerous killings, that their slave manpower was reducing and feared they would have to carry out their own duties, the Pharaoh found for them a solution. He decreed that the boys born in one year were to be killed, and the boys born in the following year were to be spared. It is said that Mūsa’s brother Hārūn (‘alaihimas-salām) was born in a year of pardon and Mūsā’s (‘alaihis-salām) was born in a year of killing.

But the plan of this disbeliever did not help him against the Decree of Allah (the Most High). Pharaoh did whatever he could to ward off the birth of Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām). He would send men and midwives who would regularly check up on the pregnant women of the Israelites and keep track of their delivery dates. So, no believing woman gave birth except that the people of Pharaoh would slay him that very moment. 

When Mūsā’s mother (may Allah’s be please with her) become pregnant, the normal signs of pregnancy did not show on her. When she gave birth, she became fearful. So, Allah, the Most High, stated:

وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ ۖ فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِي وَلَا تَحْزَنِي ۖ إِنَّا رَادُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

“And We inspired to the mother of Moses, ‘Suckle him; but when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear and do not grieve. Indeed, We will return him to you and will make him [one] of the messengers.’” (Al-Qasas 28:7)

She was commanded by Allah to place him in a small covered box because they lived on the banks of the river Nile, and to tie a rope to it and tether it to her house. So, whenever she feared for the safety of Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām), she would cast him out into the River Nile in the box and pull the rope to bring him back in after the danger had passed. However, the rope came apart and the box floated downriver to the palace of Pharaoh.

فَالْتَقَطَهُ آلُ فِرْعَوْنَ لِيَكُونَ لَهُمْ عَدُوًّا وَحَزَنًا ۗ إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا كَانُوا خَاطِئِينَ

“And the family of Pharaoh picked him up [out of the river] so that he would become to them an enemy and a [cause of] grief. Indeed, Pharaoh and Hāmān and their soldiers were deliberate sinners.” (Al-Qasas 28:8)

When they opened the box, they found a baby boy. When the glance of the wife of the Pharaoh passed over him, she fell in love with the baby in front of her, and her heart instantly became attached. When the Pharaoh arrived, she pleaded with him that the child be spared.

وَقَالَتِ امْرَأَتُ فِرْعَوْنَ قُرَّتُ عَيْنٍ لِّي وَلَكَ ۖ لَا تَقْتُلُوهُ عَسَىٰ أَن يَنفَعَنَا أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَدًا وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ

“And the wife of Pharaoh said, ‘[He will be] a comfort of the eye for me and for you. Do not kill him; perhaps he may benefit us, or we may adopt him as a son.’ And they perceived not [what was to be].” (Al-Qasas 28:9) 

Allah eventually Reunite Musa (AS) to his mother because Musa (AS) refused to suckle any of the women in the palace of the pharaoh and eventually Musa’s mother’s sister, who was working in the palace, suggested that she knew a woman whom Musa would be comfortable to suckle. Musa (AS) was eventually taken to his own mother, and as promised by Allah, they were reunited.

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

“So, We restored him to his mother that she might be content and not grieve and that she would know that the promise of Allah is true. But most of the people do not know.” (Al-Qasas 28:13)

LESSONS TO BE LEARNT

• Allah is the Best of Planner
• Trust Allah even in difficult situations
• Do not give us hope on Allah’s Mercy
• Obey Allah even in difficult circumstances

• Before migration to Madyan

So, Allah granted Āsiyah, the wife of Pharaoh, the child, and she loved him and cared for him. Later, when Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) called her to Allah, she accepted Islam and worshipped Allah alone, for which the Pharaoh punished and tortured her and eventually killed her.

وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا امْرَأَتَ فِرْعَوْنَ إِذْ قَالَتْ رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِندَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِي مِن فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِه وَنَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

“And Allah presents an example of those who believed: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, My Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds and save me from the wrongdoing people.’” (At-Tahrīm 66:11)

Salmān (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) said: “The wife of the Pharaoh was punished by [the heat of] the sun. When they would leave her there [alone], the angels would come and shade her with their wings, and she would be able to see her house in Jannah.” 

Abu Hurayrah (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) said: “The Pharaoh hammered four nails into the hands and feet of his wife. When they left her in that state, the angels would come and shade her. She said, رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِندَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ ‘My Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise.’ So, her house was shown to her in Paradise.” [ Abu Ya’lā 6431; Al-Bayhaqi 1238 as a saying of Abu Rāfi’ and the mention of Abu Hurayrah was dropped by him. Al-Hāfidh Ibn Hajr said: It is authentic as a saying of the Companion, see Al-Matālib Al-Āliyah 9/62.]

Ibn ‘Abbās (radiyallāhu ‘anhumā) said that Allāh’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) said, “The best of the women of Paradise are: Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid, Fātimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint ‘Imrān and Āsiyah bint Mazāhim the wife of the Pharaoh.” [ Ahmad 4/409, 5/77, 113 (2668, 2901, 2957); At-Tabarāni 11928; Al-Hākim 3/185 – and the verifiers of the Musnad of Ahmad said: Its chain of narration is sahih.] 

MUSA (AS) ENTERS ADULTHOOD

By the time Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) reached adulthood, he had some influence in Egypt due to his connection to the Pharaoh and his entourage. He would travel through the land as the Pharaoh travelled and he wore the garments that he would wear, he rode as he rode.

One day, Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) left the palace without the knowledge of its people and walked into the town, and he saw two men fighting each other. One of them was from the Children of Israel (his own people) and the other was from their enemy, from the people of the Pharaoh, an Egyptian. So Mūsā helped the one he saw to be correct and struck the Egyptian which resulted in his death. Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) felt deep regret for what he had done as he did not intend to kill the Egyptian. He supplicated to Allah, seeking forgiveness for his action and Allah forgave him.

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَغَفَرَ لَهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

“He said, ‘My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me,’ and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” (Al-Qasas 28:16)

Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) then fled from Egypt “when a man came from the farthest end of the city, running. He said, ‘O Mūsā, indeed the chiefs are conspiring to kill you, so leave! Indeed, I am to you of the sincere advisors.’” (Al-Qasas 28:20)

LESSONS TO BE LEARNT

• Allah Guides whomever He Wills (Asiyah being the wife of the worst disbeliever)
• You are responsible to your own deeds, so do not be influenced by the lack of Deen of your family.
• Have no fear – Allah will always cause the believers to be victorious and admit them into Jannah
• Don’t side or agree with someone in an argument just because he/she is from your tribe – must listen to both sides of the story
• Seek forgiveness immediately even though you have committed a major sin

• Migration to Madyan (before prophethood)

So Mūsā left for the land of Madyan and remained there for ten years in the service of a righteous man. He came into the service of that man after he helped two of his daughters draw water from a well for their flock. Allah states that Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) said to them: “What is the matter?” The women said, “We cannot draw water until the shepherds have gone away, and our father is a very old man.” So, he drew water for them, and then went to sit in the shade and said,

رَبِّ إِنّي لِما أَنزَلتَ إِلَيَّ مِن خَيرٍ فَقيرٌ

“My Lord! I am in need of any good You may send to me.” (Al-Qasas 28:23-24)

The shepherds would place a huge stone over the well after they had watered their flock, so Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) moved the rock due to the strength Allah had given him. When the women came home, they relayed the story to their father, so he sent one of them back to fetch him. “Then one of the two women came to him, walking bashfully. She said, ‘My father invites you that he may reward you for drawing water for us.’” (Al-Qasas 28:25) After Mūsā was honoured by the father, one of the daughters said, “O my father! Employ him for a wage.” (Al-Qasas 28:26) She praised him for being strong and trustworthy.

Ibn ‘Abbās and ’Umar stated: When she said that, her father asked her, “How do you know that he is strong and trustworthy?” She replied, “He lifted a rock that no less than ten people could lift. And when I led him home by walking in front of him, he said, ‘Walk behind me. When you need me to change the path, throw a pebble on that path and I will know to change direction.’” This shows the chivalry of Mūsā, his chastity and his respect for women.

He shepherded and cared for his flock for ten years and married one of his daughters. The old man said, “I intend to marry to you one of my daughters provided you serve me for eight years. However, if you complete ten, that will be grace from you. I do not wish to place hardship upon you. If Allah wills, you shall surely find me a righteous man.” (Al-Qasas 28:27)

Ibn Mājah wrote a chapter in his Sunan, “The chapter of employing a person for food.” Then he reported that the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) recited Sūrah Al-Qasas and said, “Mūsā (salallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) engaged himself in employment for eight or ten years for his moral decency and chastity, and for food in his stomach.”

Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) fulfilled the term of ten years. Bukhārī reported from Sa’īd Ibn Jubayr that he said, “A Jew came to me and asked, ‘Which of the two terms did Mūsā serve?’ I said, ‘I will not know until I ask the most knowledgeable person among the Arabs.’ So, I came to Ibn ‘Abbās and asked him. He replied, ‘He fulfilled the best of it which was the longer of the two.’”

LESSONS TO BE LEARNT

• Trust in Allah
• Move away from a place which has evil
• Be patient
• Fulfil your promises (when he made a promise to the old man that he would stay in Madyan for 8-10 years)