story of sayduna Musa, many lessons to learn!!!!!!

Society Religion & Philosophy
21

Re: story of sayduna Musa, many lessons to learn!!!

Episode 19
The Wilderness
Today we are at Mount Nebo near the Dead Sea and at the environs of Jerusalem. Although it is an area of 6-7 kilometers, it was the location of the 40-year wanderings of the Israelites through the vast and barren wilderness of Sinai. During these years they committed many mistakes. Almost one third of the Noble Qur’an narrates this not as a matter of joking and ridiculing, but rather as a lesson by which we should live and through which we should learn how Allah (SWT[1]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftn1/’)) deals sometimes mercifully and sometimes strictly to educate us. Our ummah (muslim nation) should be aware that such wilderness wanderings can be moral or psychological. In the midst of such fierce materialism people can be wandering in the wilderness unwarily.

Today’s Lessons

Let us start with today’s main lessons: 1) have a solid belief in the unseen and follow the principle of ihsan (doing one’s best), that is, to worship Allah as though you see Him, and while you cannot see Him, know that He truly sees you and 2) never choose what you like of Allah’s orders and reject what you do not like.

To Believe or not to Believe

Once the Israelites reached this place Prophet Musa (Moses) (AS[2]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftn2/’)) divided them into 12 tribes and started teaching them the Decalogue (Ten Commandments)[3]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftn3/’). The obligations seemed heavy to them and they wanted to accept what they liked and reject what they did not like. However, such choice was not up to them. Allah says what can be translated as, “Do you then believe in some (parts) of the Book and disbelieve in other parts? So in no way is the recompense of whoever of you performs that (anything) except disgrace in the present …. and on the Day of the Resurrection they are to be turned back to the strictest torment.” (TMQ[4]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftn4/’), 2:85)

Are we like the Israelites? Do you cover your hair, sister, and wear tight clothes? Do you stop drinking wine, brother, and keep on addicting to drugs? “And in no way should a male believer or a female believer, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a Command, have the choice in their Command. …” (TMQ, 33:36)

Beware or you will be like the Israelites. Our Prophet (SAWS[5]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftn5/’)) said that none of us has believed until his desires are in accordance with what he (i.e. the Prophet) has come to us with. This refers to the perfection of our obedience and of our desire to obey.

Materialism versus the Unseen

In order to let them accept all His Commandments, Allah “agitated the mountain above them as if it were an overshadowing (awning) and they expected it was going to fall down on them: “Take powerfully what We have brought you, and remember what is in it, that possibly you would be pious.” (TMQ, 7:71) It was a miracle and they accepted. It was not coercion, but a warning of Allah’s Wrath.

What about us? Why does not Allah do that to us in order to believe? Our ummah (nation) is better and more mature in that we are not that materialistic and Allah trusts that we can believe in the unseen. When Quraysh asked Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) to give them tangible miracles, he refused and said “All Extolment be to my Lord! Have I been anything except a mortal, as Messenger?” (TMQ, 17:93) Therefore, be pious and follow Allah’s orders in their entirety.

The Chosen Seventy versus the Chosen Ummah

Afterwards, Prophet Musa (AS) decided to choose seventy men of his people and take them with him to Allah on a fixed time to apologize for the sins of the Israelites. This was the second appointed time as the first was for Musa alone for 30 days. Our ummah is better in that as well. All of it and not only seventy thereof, have an appointed time with Allah for 30 days in Ramadan. Fast, supplicate and observe night prayers in Ramadan so that Allah would grant you forgiveness and manumission from Hellfire.

The chosen seventy could hear Musa as he prays for forgiveness but they could not hear Allah. Once Musa returned to them, he was astonished: they wanted to see Allah openly to believe. It is again materialism and insolence. So the (stunning) thunderbolt took them. Never be insolent with Allah. Although we do not ask to see Allah openly, we sometimes are among those who commit a sin openly or disclose their sins to the people.[6]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftn6/’)

Prophet Musa (AS) was now in a difficult situation. The Noble Qur’an narrates that he said what can be translated as, “Lord! If you had so decided, You would have caused them to perish earlier and me. Would You cause us to perish for what the foolish ones of us have performed? Decidedly it is (nothing) except Your temptation, whereby You lead to error whomever You decide, and You guide whomever You decide.” (TMQ, 7:155)

Repentance, Mercy and Giving

However, there was the other side of the coin. It was not all the time firmness and strength. Allah gave the Israelites from his bounties in order to draw them near to Him.

When they felt thirsty, Prophet Musa preformed the prayer for rain and supplicated for long to Allah but no rain fell. Allah told him that the reason was that among them was a man who insisted on committing sins for 40 years and there would be no rain unless he repents. Fearing to be exposed, the concerned person prayed in secret to Allah and repented and then rain fell. It is another lesson for our ummah: “sins beget misfortune”. Let us repent now.

Trust in Allah

Again there was no water and Allah ordered Prophet Musa to strike the stone with his staff and there gushed forth from it twelve springs one for each tribe. This was trust in Allah: it was once sea-cum-stone to escape Pharaoh and here it was stone-cum-water to drink. Glorified be Allah. If you have trust in Allah you will get rid of any worry about your sustenance and future. These springs are now 3000 years old and still gushing. They are a symbol to remind us to trust Him. For lack of trust, the Israelites did not enter the Holy Land.

Successive Miracles

As for food, Allah sent down manna and quails on a daily basis to teach the Israelites satisfaction. Sustenance was given daily just as our lives are given back to us daily when we wake up. Everyone should ask himself: am I satisfied with Allah? Do I have enough trust? Do I really love Allah as I should?

Along with water and food Allah gave the Israelites shade. For every tribe there was a cloud in such a scorching desert.

Before all these miracles, you should say that there is no god but Allah with all your might. Stop being materialistic; stop choosing among Allah’s orders; wear hijab today; stop bad deeds today; prostrate to Allah and feel his love. It might help you to sit down and write on a piece of paper what you recall of your sins and in the opposite page write down some of Allah’s bounties.

Say, we accept and are pleased with Allah as our Lord, and Islam as our religion and with our Master Muhammad as Messenger and Prophet and with the Qur’an as our book and Allah is the Trustee on what we say. Learn from today’s stories to depend on Allah and drink from His Mercy, Love, Affection and Compassion. Live by the Qur’an, trust Allah and have complete peace of mind.

Translated by: The English Convoy – Dar al-Tarjama
AmrKhaled.net © جميع حقوق النشر محفوظة
This Article may be published and duplicated freely for private purposes, as long as the original source is mentioned. For all other purposes you need to obtain the prior written approval of the website administration. For info: [email protected]
[1]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftnref1/’) SWT: Subhanahu wa Ta’ala [Glorified and Exalted be He].

[2]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftnref2/’) AS: Alayhi as-salam [Peace be upon him]

[3]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftnref3/’) Among which: honor your parents, bow to only Allah, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness etc.

[4]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftnref4/’) Translation of the Meaning of the Qur’an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah:Ayah) of the Qur’an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur’an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.

[5]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftnref5/’) SAAW: Salla Allah alayhi wa sallam [Prayers and Peace of Allah be upon him].

[6]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftnref6/’) These are Mujahirin.

22

Re: story of sayduna Musa, many lessons to learn!!!

Episode 20
In the Name of Allah[1]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftn1/’), the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful. Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon Prophet Muhammad (SAWS)[2]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftn2/’).
Today’s story takes place during the period when Prophet Musa (AS) (Moses) was preparing and teaching the Israelites. A strange event happened that revolves around a mysterious man whom Prophet Musa (AS[3]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftn3/’)) (Moses) himself will strive to meet. Allah (SWT[4]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftn4/’)) introduced His Prophet to this extraordinarly knowledgeable scholar, who is surrounded by mystery. We continue to wonder who is he? where did he come from? Where has he disappeared? Is he married? We know him as al-Khidr. During the period where the Israelites and Prophet Musa (AS) were lost in Jordan near the Dead Sea, this minor story takes place. Yet, its significance to the story of the Isrealities is profound as one of Allah’s (SWT) apostles himself goes in search of the knowledge that this savant holds. This makes us wonder to the type of knowledge that al-Khidr possesses, and why Allah (SWT) found it necessary to make Prophet Musa (AS) travel thousands of kilometers to learn. The value of Knowledge is the main lesson learnt from this journey.

The sea plays a significant role in Prophet Musa’s (AS) life. As a child, he was thrown in it and was rescued by Pharaoh’s family. Later he was saved by the sea as he crossed it with the Isrealites, and today is the third sea-related story.

The Israelites were engulfed by a variety of ailings after their banishment from the Holy Land. These include their incapability of believing in Allah (SWT), in their overall religion. One of the main reasons for all of this is their ignorance. They were illiterate and lived from many years in Egypt caring only about eating and drinking. Pharaoh was also keen to keep them ignorant and so they never perceived the value of knowledge. This is similar to our status now and Prophet Musa (AS) realized that a nation could never revive without knowledge. The first word revealed by the Qur’an was “Iqraa” (read) and yet the Ummah (Muslim Nation) does not realize education is a vital matter; performing rituals is not enough.

Allah (SWT) decreed the change of attitude of the Israelites. . He (SWT) also willed that they learn to love knowledge and be taught practically, not through preaching, but through an intriguing real-life story. The story is related in the Qur’an in Surat al-Kahf, which we read every week. It is a reminder for us to love knowledge. It is also related in a long Hadith reported by al-Bukhary and Muslim, hence signifying its value.

Once Prophet Musa (AS) was giving his sermon to the Israelites when a man deviated from the topic and asked him who was the most knowledgeable person on earth at the time. Prophet Musa (AS) looked around and noticed that all those who surrounded him were ignorant and that he was the most knowledgable amongst them. The archangel Jibril (AS) (Gabriel) came down to earth and infromed Prophet Musa (AS) that Allah (SWT) is reprimanding him for not first stating that Allah (SWT) knows best and that all knowledge is from him. He also told him that there was a servant of Allah who was more knowledgeable. This taunted Prophet Musa’s (AS) curiousity and asked Allah (SWT) where to find this savant. He (SWT) told Prophet Musa (AS) to find this man at the junction of the two seas and learn from him. This could be one of two places: either in Sinai at Ras-Muhammad, or in Sudan where the White Nile conjugates with the Blue Nile. Musa (AS) was beside the Dead Sea and it was such a great distance between either destinations, which shows the value of knowledge and how far we have to travel to get it. Musa (AS) then asked Allah (SWT) to give him a sign to know where the man was, and he was ordered to put a salty grilled whale in a bag and keep walking and he will find the man when he loses the whale. But how will Moses lose the whale?

Musa (AS) began the journey with a young Israelite named Yusha Ibn-Noun (Joshua). Musa (AS) was preparaing a child that will lead the entry into Jerusalem after his death. The only task that was assigned to Yusha Ibn-Noun was to carry the bag with the whale.

The Qur’an says that they took off, which gives the sense of enthusiasm and strength, because seeking knowledge needs these qualities Another symbolic gesture is that the whale represents nutrition and food, the only indulgences of the Israelites, and losing it shows that knowledge is more important that eating, They began a journey of over a 1000 kilometers, which indicates three conditions for those who seek knowledge. First, is the persistence and motivation to learn; second is humbleness and modesty; and third is the intention to seek knowledge that is useful to the nation. The very first ayah telling the story shows the persistence they had “I will not leave off until I reach the junction of the two seas, or I will pass epochs away.” (TMQ, 18: 60).

How significant is knowledge to us? The first ayah revealed was “Read: In the Name of your Lord Who Created man from clots. Read: And your Lord is The Most Honorable, Who taught by the pen” (TMQ, 96:1-4), and the second is “N*ûn, (The is the name of a letter of the Arabic alphabet, and only Allah knows its meaning here) and (by) the pen and what they inscribe” (TMQ, 68:1). Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) told us that the virtue lies with the knowledgeable over an over-practicing; disavowing those that claim that praying is enough. The Prophet (SAWS) also said that the angels lower their wings out of contentment for those who seek knowledge.. All these ahadith and ayahs teach us the value of knowledge, that the Prophet’s companions realized. Imam ash-Shafi’y, who travelled a lot to drink knowledge from various places.. Imam Ahmad Ibn-Hanbal said that he would leave the bottle of ink only to go to his grave; Ibn-Rushd (Averroës) who said that he has not stopped reading a book except twice in his life, when his father died and on his wedding day. A survey in the USA of the most successful hundred people showed that the commmon factor between them was that all of them read fifty books per year, i.e. around a book per week.

The ayah then continues “Then, as soon as they reached the junction between the two (seas), they forgot their whale; (Or: large fish) so it took for itself its way into the sea, burrowing.” (TMQ, 18:61). This is the sign and they finally saw al-Khidr sleeping, covering his head with a green robe. This makes us wonder that this is where he got his name.
Prophet Musa (AS) (Moses), although extremely tired from the journey, did not wake him and waited until he woke up himself. The Prophet greeted him with “Peace Be Upon You”, to which the reply was “Peace Be Upon You, yet there is no peace in your land”. This shows that al-Khidr knew his background, of how in Egypt under the ruling of Pharaoh there was injustice, and peace cannot exist with injustice. He also knew that the Israelites were illiterate and ignorant, and peace cannot exist with ignorance. Prophet Muhammad then narrated that al-khidr asked Prophet Musa (AS) about the reason for coming. Prophet Musa (AS) (Moses) replied that he came to learn from him. Al-khidr then said “Surely you will never be able to (endure) with me patiently.” (TMQ, 18:67). This Prophet Musa (AS) received humbly and patiently all in striving to seek knowledge. To this al-Khidr agreed and said “So in case you closely follow me, then do not ask me about anything until I (myself) effect a mention of it to you.” (TMQ, 18:70).

    The story will be resumed in the next episode. Yet we have summarized seventeen points to the secrets of success, in order to become a mature human being and be of use to the renaissance of the nation. If ten out of these seventeen points are followed for 6 months to a year, I guarantee that a different person will be shaped.  These are:

  1.  Read a book every one or two weeks.

  2.  Read a interesting and useful newspaper.

  3.  Subscribe to a cultural magazine.

  4.  Travel so that you can experience and learn about various lifestyles and cultures. 

  5.  Learn a unique craft from a craftsman.

  6.  Visit the monuments in your country with a tour guide.

  7.  Make friendships with successful people.

  8.  Watch the discovery channel.

  9.  Watch the daily news.
  10. Research your family history.
  11. Write down an idea, a poem, a story or a song. Use a pen and a paper!
  12. In class, always ask questions, debate and discuss. Do not just listen to what is being said.
  13. Play chess.
  14. Research the intellectual and cultural sites on the internet.
  15. Visit a public library.
  16. Work during the summer.
  17. Learn a new skill or sport every three months.

Translated by: The English Convoy – Dar al-Tarjama
AmrKhaled.net © جميع حقوق النشر محفوظة
This Article may be published and duplicated freely for private purposes, as long as the original source is mentioned. For all other purposes you need to obtain the prior written approval of the website administration. For info: [email protected]
[1]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftnref1/’) The word Allah is the Arabic term for God. Although the use of the word “Allah” is most often associated with Islam, it is not used exclusively by Muslims; Arab Christians and Arabic-speaking Jews also use it to refer to the One God. The Arabic word expresses the unique characteristics of the One God more precisely than the English term. Whereas the word “Allah” has no plural form in Arabic, the English form does. Allah is the God worshipped by all Prophets, from Adam to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad

[2]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftnref2/’) SAWS= Salla Allah alayhe Wa Salam [All Prayers and Peace of Allah be upon him]

[3]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftnref3/’) Alayhi as-salam {Peace be upon him].

[4]](http://amrkhaled.net/‘#_ftnref4/’) Subhanahu wa Ta’ala [Glorified and Exalted be He].