Prophets Stories In Islam

Part 21. Prophet Musa and Harun: The excellence of Musa

Allah (ﷻ) has praised Musa (as) in the following chapters and verses of the Quran:
"Commemorate Musa in the Book. He was a chosen one, both an apostle and a prophet. We called him from the right side of the Mount, and brought him close for communion; And bestowed on him his brother Harun, a prophet, through Our benevolence." (19:51-53)
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A hadith on the authority of Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (ra), in which the Prophet (ﷺ) said:"Do not prefer me from among the Prophets. Verily, people will lose their consciousness on the Day of Resurrection. I will be first to gain consciousness. However, I will find Musa holding one of the legs of the throne. I do not know whether he will gain consciousness before me, or did he not lose his consciousness at all on that day due to the unconsciousness he already experienced on Mount Toor." (Bukhari and Muslim)
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▪️Imam Bukhari has reported on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (ra) that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Musa was a very shy person, so much so that when he covered himself out of modesty, no part of his body could be seen.
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Some of his people hurt him by saying: It seems that Musa (as) covers his body only to conceal illness on his skin, like leprosy, scrotal hernia or some other defect.
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Allah (ﷻ) wanted Musa (as) to be cleared for their claim. One day, when Musa (as) went to take a bath, he took off his clothes and put them on a stone. When he finished and came to fetch his clothes, the stone started running with his clothes.
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Musa (as) took his staff and ran after that stone, shouting: My clothes, O stone! My clothes, O stone!
He kept running until he came to a gathering of Israelites. They saw him uncovered and witnessed that he possessed the best human body that Allah (ﷻ) had created. Thus, Allah (ﷻ) created him of their claims.
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When the stone finally stopped, Musa (as) started hitting it with his staff. By Allah (ﷻ), The stone cried with the pain of being hit, for three times, or four times, or five times."
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This incident is what Allah (ﷻ) has referred to in the following verse:
"O you who believe, do not be like those who maligned Musa, whilst Allah cleared him of what they alleged; and he was held in high esteem with Allah." (33:69)
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Some scholars have said: He was so honorable before Allah (ﷻ) that when He requested for his brother to be made his minister, Allah (ﷻ) accepted his request and made him a Prophet. Allah (ﷻ) has mentioned it at as follows:
"And bestowed on him his brother Harun, a prophet, through Our benevolence." (19:53)
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Imam Bukhari has reported on the authority of Abdullah (ra) who said: Once, the Prophet distributed something to people. A man remarked: This distribution was not made to seek Allah's face. I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and reported that. Upon hearing that, he became so angry that it showed on his face. He then said: May Allah bestow His mercy upon Musa; He was hurt more than this but He endured it patiently."
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Imam Bukhari and Muslim have reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) passed by Musa (as) in the sixth heaven during his night journey.
Jibraeel said to him: This is Musa, so greet him.
I greeted him.
He said: welcome to the pious Prophet and pious brother.
When I passed him, he cried. When
When he was asked about what had made him cry, he replied: I cried because more people from the Ummah of a boy who was given Prophethood after me will Enter paradise; and from my Ummah, the number of people will be lesser."
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"There are many narrations which indicates that fifty prayers were made obligatory upon the Prophet (ﷺ) and his Ummah during the night journey. On the way back, He passed by Musa (as), who told him: Go back to your Lord and ask him to reduce it for your Ummah. I have dealt with the Israelites previously, and your people are weaker than mine. The Prophet (ﷺ) kept going back and forth between Allah (ﷻ) and Musa (as) until the prayers were reduced to five times daily.
Allah (ﷻ) said: These are five prayers with the reward of fifty prayers."
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▪️Narrated Ibn Abbas (ra): Once the Prophet (ﷺ) came out to us and said:"All the Nations were shown to me and I saw a multitude of people which filled the horizon. It was said to me that Musa was among these people." (Bukhari)
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Ibn Abbas (ra) also narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "All the Nations were shown to me. I saw a Prophet who had many people with him; then another Prophet who had one or two people with him; then, another Prophet who did not have anyone with him; then I saw a multitude of people.
I asked: Do they belong to my Ummah?
It was said: No, that is Musa and his people. However, look at the Horizon.
When I saw, I saw a multitude of people.
I was told to look to the other side. Again, I saw a multitude of people.
Then, I was told: These people belong to your Ummah. From among them, seventy thousand will enter paradise without reckoning or punishment.
After the Prophet (ﷺ) said that, He stood up and went inside his house. The people became discussing who these people might be.
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Some of them said: Perhaps they are those who accompanied the Prophet (ﷺ).
Some others said: Perhaps they are those who were born in Islam and have never associated anything with Allah.
So theg mentioned a number of things. Then, the Prophet (ﷺ) came out of his house and asked them: what were you just discussing?
They informed him about their discussion.
He said: They are those who do not cauterise, who do not seek healing from a spell, who do not take bad omens and who put their trust in Allah.
Ukkashah stood up and asked: Am I among them, O Messenger of Allah?
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: yes you are among them.
The another man stood up and asked: Am I from them, O Messenger of Allah?
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Ukkashah beat you to it."
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▪️Umar Ibn Al Khattab also narrated that the Prophet Muhammed (ﷺ) said: "Musa said: My Lord! May I see Adam who removed us and himself from the paradise?
So Allah made him see Adam and he said to him: Are you Adam?
Adam said: yes
Musa said: were you the one in whom Allah breathed His spirit and before whom He bowed His Angels and to whom He taught the names of all things?
Adam answered: yes
Musa said: what made you remove us and yourself from paradise?
Adam said: who are you?
Musa said: I am Musa.
Adam said: So you are Musa, the Prophet of the children of Israel. Were you the one Allah spoke to directly?
Musa said: yes
Adam said: Why do you blame me for a matter which Allah had predestined?
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So Prophet Muhammed (ﷺ) said twice, "Adam outclassed Musa." (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
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▪️Ibn kathir mentions he says: "Some jews come to musa and they asked: Oh Musa, does Allah sleep?
So Musa (as) asks Allah (ﷻ): Oh Allah do you sleep?
So Allah (ﷻ) answers Musa (as).
He says: Musa, tonight you have to stand the whole night and you have to hold a glass bottles and you can't sleep.
So Musa (as) being a Prophet, he does as instructed.
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So Musa (as), after a long day of work and giving dawah, stood up in the night holding these two bottles that were given to him. The first third of the night passes by and he stays firm, barely losing any concentration. The second third of the night passes, and he finds himself dozing off but catching himself before falling asleep. And finally the last part of the night comes, and he loses himself and cannot stand up anymore. So he gets exhausted and the two bottles slip from his hand and shatter.
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So the Angels, they return to Musa (as) and they said: Oh Musa, if Allah (ﷻ) was to sleep but just for moment the seven 7 heavens would come crashing down onto the earth like your bottles smashed the floor."
“Neither slumber nor sleep overcomes Him.” (2:255)
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Allah (ﷻ) has made the Quran a witness over all the previous books and as an explainer lf their original teachings. This is because the people of earlier scriptures were entrusted with books, but they did not preserve them. That is why there are many distortions and clear errors in them.
Allah (ﷻ) has mentioned this in the following verses as well:
"We gave Musa and Harun the Criterion, and a light and reminder for those who take heed for themselves, Who are fearful of their Lord inwardly and dread the Hour. And this is a blessed reminder that We have sent down. Will you then deny it?" (21:48-50)
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"But when the truth came to them from Us, they said: "Why is he not given the like of what was given to Musa?" Did they not disbelieve before in what was given to Musa? They said: "Both are imposters one like the other," and added: "We do not believe in either."
Say:"Then bring a Book from God which gives better guidance than these so that I may follow it, if you speak the truth." " (28:48-49)
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Praising both the Prophets and both the books, the jinn said to their people:
"O our people! Verily! We have heard a book sent down after Musa......" (46:30)
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Also in the beginning of the revelation, when our Prophet (ﷺ) related his experience to Waraqah ibn Naufal, Waraqah said: "This is the same Angel who brought the revelation to Musa ibn Imran."
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In summary, the Sharia given to Musa (as) was a great Sharia. His Ummah was very large in number, with many Prophets sent to them. Among them were scholars and righteous people, as well as kings and rulers. However, their Sharia was altered after they passed away.