الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, In our last session, we had reached a point in the story of Musa (A) when the children of Israel were emancipated from the clutches of the tyrannical Pharaoh. He along with his army was drowned in the Red Sea, as a punishment from God. Tonight inshaAllah, we’ll be covering Part 4 of the story, which will also include the story of Harun (A).
The Children of Israel were a people oppressed and humiliated over a long period. Several generations had lived under the yoke of the Pharaoh. Their sense of honor and self-confidence had been eroded. During their journey out of Egypt to the Promised Land, their character flaws became obvious. Despite divine care and protection, they were not grateful and submissive to Allah, and did not accept the will of Allah.
When they came across a people worshipping idols, their eagerness to be like those people whom they perceived to be happy became manifest and they asked Musa to let them have an idol, completely forgetting the miracles of Allah they had just witnessed. When Allah provided them with delicious food which was till then unknown to them, they complained, wanting the inferior food they were used to. When Musa directed them to march into a town and overthrow the Canaanites they refused, mostly out of fear and thus disobeyed the command of Allah. It is reported that Musa was able to find only two men willing to fight, and complained to Allah saying: “O my Lord! I have power only over myself and my brother, so separate us from the people who are rebellious and disobedient to Allah!” Allah said, “Therefore it (this holy land) is forbidden to them for forty years; in distraction they will wander through the land. So be not sorrowful over the people who are rebellious and disobedient to Allah.” (al-Ma’idah, 5:20-26)
The ‘days of wandering’ began. Each day was like the one before it. The people travelled with no destination in mind. Eventually they entered the Sinai; Musa recognized it as the place where he had spoken to Allah before his great journey into Egypt had begun. Allah ordered Musa to fast, as purification, for thirty days, and then added ten more days. After the fast was completed, Musa was ready to once again communicate with Allah.
Allah gave Musa two stone tablets, written upon them were the Ten Commandments. These commandments form the basis of the Jewish law, the Torah, and they are standards of morality still set by the Christian churches. It is stated by the early scholars of Islam that the Ten Commandments are repeated in verses 151 and 152 of Surat al-An’am.
Musa had been absent for forty days. His people had become restless. They behaved like children, complaining and acting impulsively. They even fell into the unforgiveable sin of idolatry. As-Samiri, a man who was inclined towards evil, suggested that they find themselves another guide, as Musa had broken his promise.” He said to them, “In order to find true guidance, you need a god, and I shall provide one for you.” So he collected all their gold jewelry, and melted it down. During the casting, he threw in a handful of dust, acting like a magician to impress the ignorant. From the molten metal, he fashioned a golden calf. It was hollow, and when wind passed through it, it produced a sound.
It was as if they had succeeded in making themselves a living god. Musa’s brother Harun had been afraid to stand up to the people but when he saw the idol and realized what a grave sin was being committed he spoke up. He reminded the people to worship Allah alone and he warned them of dire consequences for their actions both from Musa on his return and from Allah Himself.
Those who remained true to their belief in One Allah separated themselves from the idol worshippers. When Musa returned to his people he saw them singing and dancing around the golden calf. He was furious, and could not believe his eyes, even though Allah had just warned him that a severe punishment was about to befall his people for worshipping the golden calf. Musa’s heart was filled with shame and anger. His own people had witnessed the power and majesty of Allah, yet they were defiantly disobedient and acted without fear of Allah’s punishment.
Musa turned angrily to his brother Harun, grabbed him by the beard, and pulled him towards himself by the head. He shouted at his brother demanding that he explain why he disobeyed the instructions he had given him, and why he allowed As-Samiri to direct the Children of Israel to worshipping the golden calf. Harun explained that the people did not listen to him, and were about to kill him. He appealed to Musa not to let the idolaters laugh at him and separate the two brothers. Allah’s promise is true and His punishment was swift. Musa confronted As-Samiri and sent him into exile. After the Children of Israel had purged themselves and killed the idol worshippers among themselves under divine command, Allah accepted their repentance.
Musa then chose seventy men from amongst the most pious elders of the Children of Israel. He returned with them to Mount Tur. They were a delegation intending to apologize to Allah for their behavior. They stood back and waited while Musa spoke with Allah. When he came back to them, instead of feeling repentant and apologizing, they told Musa that they would not truly follow him until they had seen Allah with their own eyes.
The ground shook and the seventy men were struck by a lightning bolt. They fell to the ground dead. Musa was astounded. He immediately wondered what he would say to the Children of Israel. These seventy men were the best of people; Musa felt that now the Children of Israel had no hope. He turned to Allah imploring for His mercy and forgiveness.
When Musa beseeched Allah, He raised up the seventy dead elders. For many years the Children of Israel wandered about in the desert and wastelands. Prophet Musa suffered greatly at their hands. He endured mutiny, ignorance, and idolatry. They even inflicted personal harm upon him. He suffered purely for the sake of pleasing Allah. After many years Prophet Harun died, so Musa was finally without his greatest supporter. Still he remained steadfast; still he remained in the wilderness never quite reaching the Promised land.
Musa died, still surrounded by the quarrelsome Children of Israel; by the people who refused to see the miracles before their eyes, yet Allah in His Mercy continued to give them chance after chance.
From the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (S) comes the account of Prophet Musa’s death. “The Angel of Death was sent to Musa. When he arrived Musa punched him in the eye. The Angel returned to his Lord and said, ‘You have sent me to a slave who does not want to die.’ Allah said, ‘Return to him and tell him to put his hand on the back of an ox and for every hair that will come under it, he will be granted one year of life.’ Musa said, ‘O Lord! What will happen after that?’ Allah replied, ‘then death.’ Musa said, ‘Let it come now!’ Musa then requested Allah to let him die close to the Holy Land so that he would be at a distance of a stone’s throw from it.”
Story of Musa (AS) and Khidr
The human condition is filled with trials and tribulations. Life is full of surprises. However remembering Allah and striving to please Him is our lifeline. The Qur’an contains inspirational stories of prophets, and righteous men and women. The life of Musa is discussed frequently and his story teaches us that Allah is merciful, trustworthy, and caring. Allah, the Most Forgiving, has not left us alone; He has provided us with His guidance and light.
We have learned about Musa’s tremendous strength of character, and his ability to persevere even in dire circumstances.
During the years that the Children of Israel wandered the desert unable to enter the Promised Land, Musa met and spent time with Khidr; a man whom the majority of scholars believe to have been a prophet.
It is reported that one day Musa was asked by someone, “O Messenger of Allah, is there another man on earth more learned than you?” Musa replied, “No!” believing that since Allah had allowed him to perform miracles and had given him the Torah, he must surely be the most learned man alive. This however was not the case. Musa’s encounter with Khidr teaches mankind that no one person can hold all the information available and that even though we may think we are wise and knowledgeable, the need to seek knowledge never ceases. When Musa learned of Khidr’s existence, he asked to meet him.
Allah instructed Musa to take a live fish in a container. When the fish disappeared, he would find the man he sought. Musa set out on his journey, accompanied by a young man who carried the container with the fish. They reached a place where two rivers met and decided to rest there. Instantly, Musa fell asleep. While he was asleep, his companion saw the fish wriggle out of the vessel into the river and swim away. However, he forgot to inform Musa.
When Musa awoke, they continued their journey until they were exhausted and hungry. Musa asked for a meal. Only then did his companion recall that the fish had gotten away. Hearing this, Musa cried, “This is exactly what we are seeking!” They hurriedly retraced their steps to the place where the rivers met and where the fish had jumped out.
When Musa realized that they had taken the wrong direction, he immediately turned back. He acknowledged that the earlier path taken by him was not right, and he changed his way. In this life, so many of us choose the wrong path but are afraid or too embarrassed to turn and face in a different direction. There are great lessons to be taken from the actions of Prophet Musa. Once a person realizes he is heading in the wrong direction in life he must immediately turn around and get back onto the Straight Path. One should not consider this a defeat; rather, it is a victory.
When Musa returned to the correct path, he met Khidr. It was a meeting designed to bring forth knowledge. This momentous story of the meeting of Musa and Khidr is narrated in Qur’an in Surat al-kahf.
The story of Musa and Khidr reminds us that Allah is the Most Wise. For the weak human being, life can hold great joy and laughter but sometimes we are beset by trials, tragedies, and calamities that seemingly make no sense. As believers we should believe that whatever Allah’s decrees, it stems from His Supreme and Absolute -Wisdom.
Harun (AS)
InshaAllah, I will now narrate to you briefly the story of Harun (A). He was the elder brother of Musa (AS). He was appointed by Allah to help his brother Musa in the arduous task of liberating the children of Israel from the clutches of the tyrannical Pharaoh. He was also responsible for carrying out of the rituals of worship as assigned by Musa (AS). His descendants still carry out these rituals in the temples of Bani Israel. He acted as the deputy of Musa (AS) and accompanied him in his missionary work.
The Qur’an contains numerous references to Harun, both by name and without name. It says that he was a descendant of Ibrahim (A) and makes it clear that both he and Musa were sent together to warn the Pharaoh about God’s punishment.
It further adds that Musa had earlier prayed to God to strengthen his own ministry with Harun and that Harun helped Musa as he too was a prophet, and was very eloquent in matters of speech and discourse. The Qur’an adds that both Musa and Harun were entrusted to establish places of dwelling for the children of Israel in Egypt, and to convert those houses into places of worship for God.
The incident of the Golden Calf as it is narrated in the Qur’an paints Harun in a very positive light. The Qur’an says that Harun was entrusted the leadership of the Bani Israel while Musa was up on the mountain of Tur for a period of forty days. During his stay on the Mountain of Tur, the Prophet Musa (A) was informed by Allah about his people’s situation that they had engaged in shirk during his absence.
When Musa returned from the mountain of Tur, he rebuked Harun for allowing the people to worship the golden calf, to which Harun pleaded with Musa not to blame him, as he was not guilty of not warning the people from shirk. In an effort to save his people from falling into shirk. he had reminded them that their real God was Allah. However, saying that they would worship the calf until the Prophet Musa (AS) returned, his people insisted on denial.
The Qur’an adds that Harun tried his best to stop the worship of the Golden Calf, which was built by a wicked man by the name of As-Samiri. Musa expressed his grief over the sins of the Bani Israel and said that he only had the power to protect himself and his brother Harun. Harun is commemorated in the Qur’an as one who had a “clear authority” and one who was “guided to the right path.” It further adds that Harun’s memory was left for people who came after him and that he is blessed by God along with his brother.
So Alhamdulillah, we have come to the conclusion of the story, and inshaAllah, we’ll continue next Friday with the stories of Dawud (AS) & Sulayman (AS)
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Resources and References:
Imam Ibn Kathir – Stories of the Prophets
Mufti Menk – Lessons from the Stories of the Prophets in the Qur’an (https://muslimahlifestyle.com/lessons-stories-prophets-quraan-mufti-menk-creation-of-aadam-as/)
Anwar Al-Awlaki – The Lives of the Prophets (https://www.kalamullah.com/anwar-alawlaki.html)
Aisha Stacey – The Religion of Islam (islamreligion.com)
