Almond continued, "Moses and Aaron left, and Pharaoh returned to his palace. He entered to his palace. He was completely stupefied when he faced the miracles. When Moses went out of his presence, his emotions changed from amazement and fear to violent rage. He quarreled with his ministers and men, reviled them bitterly for no reason, and commanded them to get out of his presence. When he was left alone, he tried to think more calmly. He drank several cups of wine, but his anger did not abate.
Then he summoned all the ministers, leaders, and responsible men for a serious meeting. Pharaoh entered the meeting with a rigid face. It was obvious that he would never surrender easily. He had established a kingdom on the basis of his being a god worshipped by the Egyptian people. Now Moses came to destroy what he had built. Moses said that there was no Lord other than Allah in existence. This meant that Pharaoh was a liar. Pharaoh opened the session by throwing a sudden question at Haman, "Am I a liar, O Haman?" Haman fell to his knees in amazement and asked: "Who dared to accuse Pharaoh of lying?" Pharaoh said: "Has Moses not said that there is a Lord in the heaven?" Haman answered: "Moses is lying." Turning his face to the other side, Pharaoh asserted impatiently, "I know he is a liar." Then he looked towards Haman and cried, And Pharaoh said, "O Haman, construct for me a tower that I might reach the ways - the ways into the heavens - so that I may look at the deity of Moses; but indeed, I think he is a liar." And thus was made attractive to Pharaoh the evil of his deed, and he was averted from the right way. And the plan of Pharaoh was not except in ruin.
Pharaoh issued his royal command to erect a lofty tower, its height to reach the heavens. Pharaoh's command depended fundamentally upon Egyptian civilization and its fondness for building what Pharaoh wanted. However, he ignored the rules of engineering. In spite of this, Haman assented in hypocritically, knowing that it was impossible to erect such a tower. He said that he would issue a command to build it immediately. "However, your majesty, let me object to Pharaoh for the first time. You will never find anyone in the heavens. There is no god but you."Pharaoh listened to a settled fact. Then he declared, "O eminent ones, I have not known you to have a god other than me. Then ignite for me, O Haman, a fire upon the clay and make for me a tower that I may look at the Rabb of Moses. And indeed, I do think he is among the liars."
In the meeting, Pharaoh summoned those responsible for the army, the police and, what we call today his director of intelligence. He also summoned the ministers, princes, and priests. He called whoever had a powerful effect on the direction of events. Pharaoh asked his director of intelligence, "What do people say?" He said, "My men have spread among them that Moses won the contest because of a plot and that a major magician had joined with him in this plan. The plot had been disclosed, and we believe an unknown authority financed it." Pharaoh asked his director of police, "What about the magicians' corpses?" He said, "My men hung them in public squares and markets to terrify the people. We will spread a rumor that Pharaoh will kill whoever had anything to do with the plot." Then Pharaoh asked the commander of the army, "What does the army say?" He said, "The army hopes that commands will be issued to move in whatever direction Pharaoh desires." Pharaoh said, "The role of the army has not come yet. Its role will come."
Pharaoh fell silent. Haman, the Prime Minister, moved and raised his hand to speak. Pharaoh permitted him and Haman asked, "Will we leave Moses and his people to corrupt the rest of the people on the earth so that they leave your worship?" Pharaoh said, "You read my thoughts, O Haman. We will kill their sons, rape their women, and conquer them." He issued commands, and Pharaoh's men rushed to slay the sons, rape the women, and imprison whomever objected to these acts.
Moses stood watching what was happening. He could not interfere, nor did he have the power to forbid these acts. All he could do was to advise his people to be patient. He ordered them to ask Allah the Almighty for a calamity on the Egyptians. He pointed out to them the model of the Egyptian magicians who endured for Allah's sake without complaint. He helped them to understand that Pharaoh's soldiers behaved on earth as if they were its private owners. Pharaoh's terrorism infused the the Israelites with a spirit of defeat.
It appeared that Pharaoh would never believe in Moses's message, nor would he stop the torture of the children of Israel. Therefore, Moses and Aaron prayed to their Rabb, "Our Rabb, indeed You have given Pharaoh and his establishment splendor and wealth in the worldly life, our Rabb, that they may lead men astray from Your way. Our Rabb, obliterate their wealth and harden their hearts so that they will not believe until they see the painful punishment." Allah said, "Your supplication has been answered. So remain on a right course and follow not the way of those who do not know."
Allah decided to put an end to Pharaoh's crimes after He had given him several chances. Allah commanded Moses to depart, ""Travel by night with My servants; indeed, you will be pursued." Moses said to the Israelites concerning what Allah had commanded him, "Borrow from them goods, jewelry, and clothing, and I will give their possessions as booty to you together with their destruction." Allah ordered him to carry Joseph with him in order to bury him in the Land of Canaan. So Moses asked about anyone who might know the place of Joseph's grave but found only an old Israelite woman who said. "O Prophet of Allah! I know his place. If you take me out with you and do not leave me behind in the land of Egypt, I will lead you to it." Moses said: "I will do so." He had promised the Israelites that he would set out with them when dawn broke, but he prayed to his Rabb to delay his departure so that he might finish the matter of Joseph. He did so, and the old woman went out with Moses until she showed it to him, in a section of the Nile, within the water. Moses drew him out in a coffin of marble and carried him with him.
In the darkness of night, Moses led his people towards the Red Sea, and in the morning they reached the beach. By then, Pharaoh was aware of their departure, so he mobilized a huge army to pursue them. He said, "Indeed, those are but a small band, and indeed, they are enraging us, and indeed, we are a cautious society." Pharaoh went out in search of Moses with seventy thousand black horses, aside from the gray ones among his troops.
Moses went out until the sea was before him and there was no way out. Pharaoh came up with his troops behind them. And when the two companies saw one another, the companions of Moses said, "Indeed, we are to be overtaken!" Moses said, "No! Indeed, with me is my Rabb; He will guide me." Then Allah inspired Moses, "Strike the sea with your staff, and he struck it. Within the staff was Allah's power, which He had given to Moses. The sea parted, and each part was as a mountain vast - that is, like the mountain on an elevated part of the earth. Allah was saying to Moses, "Strike for them a dry path in the sea, fear not being overtaken, neither be afraid." When the sea came to rest for him with a straight dry path, Moses set out upon it with the Israelites, while Pharaoh followed him with his troops.
He was on a stallion of his horses and came closer until he was at the edge of the sea, unflinching about his situation while the horse feared to advance. Then Gabriel appeared to him on a female horse in heat. He brought her near Pharaoh 's stallion, and he smelled her. When he smelled her, Gabriel made her advance, and the stallion advanced with Pharaoh on his back. When Pharaoh 's troops saw that Pharaoh had entered the sea, they entered with him, while Gabriel went ahead of them all, They were following Pharaoh, and Michael was on a horse behind the people, urging them on, saying, "Catch up with your companion!" When Gabriel went out of the sea, with no one ahead of him and Michael remained standing on the other side with no one behind him, the sea closed over them. no survivors, including the Prime Minster, Haman. As for Pharaoh, he cried out when he saw what he did of Allah's power and authority and recognized his humiliation. His soul forsook him, and he called out, "There is no god but the God in Whom the Children of Israel believe , and I am one of those who surrenders."
Now? And he had disobeyed Him before and were of the corrupters? Allah will not hear him again, ever. After all, Gabriel was stuffing slimy mud into Pharaoh's mouth for fear that mercy would come over him.
Almond then said, "O my brothers and sisters, Pharaoh had silenced the mouth of those who echoed the voice of truth, so at the end of his life, his mouth was covered in mud so that his mouth could not speak the truth. Allah the Most High has determined that Pharaoh is part of the Hell's inhabitants to feel a very painful punishment. Boiling water on his head. Then it was said to him as a form of contempt and humiliation on him, because he was a despicable and insulted person, 'Taste! Indeed, you are the honored, the noble!'
The battle between Moses and Pharaoh, was the battle between truth and falsehood, and is one of the greatest battles ever. On the one side there was arrogance and pride, tyranny and injustice, brute strength and the humilration of selfishness and disgrace and on the other side was an oppressed people, worship of Allah, patience and the victory of the steadfastness and the strange success of the poor ones. And Allah knows best."
"And Moses said, 'O my people, if you have believed in Allah, then rely upon Him, if you should be Muslims.' So they said, 'Upon Allah do we rely. Our Lord, make us not [objects of] trial for the wrongdoing people'." - [QS.10:84-85]
References :
- The History of al-Tabari, The Children of Israel, Volume III, Translated by William M. Brinner, SUNY Press.
- Ibn Kathir, Stories of The Prophets, Darussalam
- Maulana Hifzur Rahman Soeharwy, Qasasul Ambiyaa, Idara Impex
Bulbul asked, "O Almond, please explain to us about the example of the one whose deeds are like a mirage or a drowning in a deep sea." Almond said, "O Bulbul, those who turn away from guidance and truth are of two types, one who mistakenly thinks he is actually on some firm basis - and when the truth finally reveals itself to him, it becomes clear to him that it was contrary to what he used to believe. This condition corresponds to the people of ignorance and the people of innovation and vain desires, who think they are on the path of guidance and knowledge; and once the reality of matters are made evident, it finally becomes clear to them that they were on no firm ground whatsoever. And that their beliefs and deeds, that were founded upon misguided beliefs and whims , were like a mirage that appears to the eyes of the distant observers, as water, while there is no actual reality to it. Similar are the deeds which are performed for other than the sake of Allah, Exalted is He, and not according to His Commandments; the doer of these deeds thinks of the them as earning him benefit while they are not at all, because it becomes as dispersed dust.
The mirage in the desert, a land that is barren and without buildings, trees, plants and people, because the location of the mirage is in this desolate land that contains nothing. And the mirage itself has no reality, hence this corresponds to the condition of the ignorant and the innovators's deeds, and their hearts, which are devoid of faith and guidance.
The second type of people, are like layers of darkness accumulated one over the other, and they are those who recognised the truth and guidance but preferred over it, the darkness of falsehood and misguidance. So, over them, accumulated layers of darkness - the darkness of their natures and the darkness of their souls; the darkness of their ignorance and the darkness of following deviation and vain desires. This was because they did not really comprehend the truth despite knowing about it, so they become ignorant. Their condition is like that of the one who is in a deep sea with no shoreline, and he has been overcome by waves upon which are waves upon which are dark clouds, so he is surrounded by the darkness of the sea and the darkness of the waves and the darkness of the clouds, such darkness correspond to the state he is in, which Allah has not removed him from - into the light of iman. The mirage that was thought water, is the element of life, and the darkness, is the direct opposite of light. The believers, share life and light. The hypocrites, share the darkness, which is the opposite of light, and death, the opposite of life."
Woodpecker said, "O Almond, please continue tho story of Prophet Moses, alayhissalam!" Almond said, "I'm sorry, I almost forgot. Let's continue the story!" Almond cleared his throat, then said, "And so, Pharaoh denied the sign of Allah. Then Allah sent upon his people, the flood, which was heavy rain; everything was drowned. The Egyptian came to Moses and cried out, "O Moses! Pray to your Rabb to relieve us, and we will believe in you, and we will send the Israelites with you." Moses prayed to his Lord and He relived the suffering caused by the flood. The surging water ceased and withdrew from the land, and it became cultivatable. But when Moses bade them to fulfill their promise to release the children of Israel, they did not respond.
Then Allah sent swarms of locusts which ate whatever crops they had grown. The people hurried to Moses, asking him to invoke Allah to remove this affliction and promising they would send the children of Israel with him this time. The locusts departed, but they did not fulfill their promise.
Then another sign came, the sign of lice, which spread amongst the Egyptians, carrying diseases. Their refuge to Moses and their promise to him was repeated. His prayer to Allah was repeated and so, too, their breach of promise, as usual.
A sign of frogs was revealed. The land suddenly filled with frogs. They jumped on the food of the Egyptians, shared their houses, and distressed them greatly. The Egyptians went to Moses again, promising him to release the children of Israel. He prayed to his Lord, and Allah relieved them of the problem of the frogs, but they again broke their promise.
Then the last sign was revealed, the sign of blood. The Nile water was changed into blood. When Moses and his people drank the water, it was, for them, ordinary water. However, if any Egyptian filled his cup with the water, he discovered his cup full of blood. They hurried to Moses as usual, but as soon as everything returned to normal, they turned their backs on Allah.
Allah inspired Moses and Aaron to come to Pharaoh. They came to him, and Moses said to him, "O Pharaoh! Do you desire that I should grant that your youth will not fade to senility, that your dominion will never be removed from you, and that the pleasure and riding. be restored to you? And that when you die, you will enter the Garden? Believe in me." Pharaoh said, "Stay where you are until Haman comes." When Haman came, Pharoh said to him, "This man came to me." He said, "Who is he? " Pharaoh said, "Moses." Haman asked, "What did he say to you?" He replied, "He said to me such and-such." Haman asked, "And what did you reply to him? " He said, "I said, 'Wait until Haman comes and I take counsel of him.' Haman found him weak and said, "My opinion of you was better than that. You will become a slave who serves, after having been a master who is served."
And he gathered coutiers and called out, saying, "I am your most exalted lord." The conflict between Moses and Pharaoh again reached a crisis because Pharaoh believed that Moses was threatening his kingdom. When the courtiers saw how their King was defeated in and saw Moses and Aaron bringing forth these miracles, they became agitated an in anguish exclaimed, "Without doubt this is a very skilful sorcerer and magician. He has done all devised this deceitful trick that he may be victorious over you and take you out of your land. Now we must think what we are to do."
Finally, it was decided among them that some respite should be granted to Moses and Aaron for the time being. After further consultation among them, it was decided that they should gather all the skilful sorcerers from all over the Kingdom in the capital, so that they can oppose Moses in combat. They were certain that Moses would be defeated and all his intentions will come to naught. Pharaoh said to Moses, "Have you come to us to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Moses? Then we will surely bring you magic like it, so make between us and you an appointment, which we will not fail to keep and neither will you, in a place assigned." Moses said, "Your appointment is on Yawm-uz-Zeenat, the day of the festival, when the people assemble at mid-morning." And so it was agreed on ' Yawm-uz-Zeenat.
Moses and Aaron had left Pharaoh after Moses had shown them some of Allah's powers. Pharaoh immediately sent throughout his domain and did not leave a single sorcerer under his rule whom he did not have brought. Some said, 80,000 sorcerers and as many as 40,000 from the Israelites, some said, a total of 70,000, others said, 12,000, and also 15,000 sorcerers. And when they ssembled before him he gave them his command, saying, "A sorcerer has come to us unlike any we have seen before. If you are able to outdo him, I shall honor you and prefer you and bring you nearer than all the people of my kingdom." They said, "Will all that indeed be ours if we outdo him? " He replied, "Yes." They said, "Then set a date for us to come together, the sorcerer and us."
The chiefs of the sorcerers whom Pharaoh had assembled for Moses were Sabur, `Adur, Hathat, and Musfa - four in number. They were the ones who believed when they saw what they did of Allah's power. Pharaoh assembled the people for that gathering. Then he ordered the sorcerers, saying, So resolve upon your plan and then come forward in line. And he has succeeded today who overcomes." The sorcerers, each with his cords of rope, were used in divination and imprecation, e.g., blowing on knots, and staves, arranged themselves in ranks. Moses went forth, his brother with him, leaning on his staff, until he reached the assembly, while Pharaoh was in his assembly with the noblest people of his domain. The people crowded around Pharaoh. Moses said to the sorcerers when he came to them, "Woe to you! Do not invent a lie against Allah or He will exterminate you with a punishment; and he has failed who invents such falsehood." The sorcerers disputed among themselves, and one said to the other in secret, "Indeed, these are two magicians who want to drive you out of your land with their magic and do away with your most exemplary way." They said, "O Moses, either you throw or we will be the first to throw." He said, "Rather, you throw." And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving like snakes.
The first people they dazzled by their sorcery were Moses and Pharaoh, and then the people afterward. Then each man among them threw whatever cord or staff he had in his hand, each becoming a serpent as big as a mountain, which filled the valley, one mounted on the other. Moses conceived a fear in his soul, and he said, "By Allah ! Verily they were staves in their hands , and they became serpents. But this staff of mine will not run," so, he had a presentiment. Therefore Allah inspired him, "Fear not. Indeed, it is you who are superior. And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. What they have crafted is but the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is." Moses was comforted and threw his staff from his hand . It faced their cords and staves that they had thrown - which were running serpents to the eyes of Pharaoh and the people- and began to overtake and swallow them, serpent by serpent, until there were neither few nor many of what they had thrown remaining in the valley. Then Moses grabbed it, and it became his staff in his hand, as it had been previously.
So the sorcerers fell down in prostration. They said, "We have believed in Rabb of Aaron and Moses." If this were sorcery, it would not have overcome us." Pharaoh said to them, regretfully, having seen the clear victory, "You believed him before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely know which of us is more severe in giving punishment and more enduring. They said, "Never will we prefer you over what has come to us of clear proofs and [over] He who created us. So decree whatever you are to decree. You can only decree for this worldly life. Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and what you compelled us [to do] of magic. And Allah is better and more enduring. Indeed, to our Lord we will return. And you do not resent us except because we believed in the signs of our Lord when they came to us. Our Lord, pour upon us patience and let us die as Muslims in submission to You." When the sorcerers fell down prostrating, they saw houses and palaces in heaven that had been prepared for them. The house and palace are decorated to welcome their arrival, because they are not afraid of the threat and the pressure of Pharaoh.
The magicians prostrated before righteousness, but the people abandoned them and left them to their fate. The path of righteousness was plain, but in spite of this, the people did nothing but stand by and watch. If every one of the Egyptians had stopped to pick up a piece of brick and had thrown it at Pharaoh, he would have fallen dead and the history of Egypt would have been changed. This obviously did not happen. None of the people moved. Each one stood motionless in his place. The people did nothing but watch, and they paid the price of this inactivity: they were drowned later as the price for the cowardice of one day.
Almond then said, "O my brothers and sisters, when a plant is not being looked after, it will eventually dry up and die, which explains why the slaves of Allah are in great need of the acts of worship that He Commanded them to perform in the day and at night. It is from His Mercy, His Benignity and Grace upon His slaves that He Legislated such acts of worship, which are the water that irrigates the plants of Tawheed that He placed within our hearts. It is also common for alien and harmful plants to mix within the beneficial crops. Thus, when the one in charge of these crops tends to look after them regularly and purifies them of these intruders, they will grow healthy and yield a large and beneficial harvest. However, when the person in charge of these crops becomes neglectful, they will be overtaken by weeds and harmful plants and as a result, the crops will be impaired, and the fruits will be damaged. Those who lack a clear understanding and knowledge of these matters will miss many profitable gains without even realising it. That said, the believer is always pruning and watering this plant so that it is everlasting, and he uproots all other harmful plants and weeds from its surroundings to assure its healthy growth. And in Allah we place our trust. And Allah knows best."
"Indeed, whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal - indeed, for him is Hell; he will neither die therein nor live. But whoever comes to Him as a believer having done righteous deeds - for those will be the highest degrees [in position]. Gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of one who purifies himself." - [QS.20:74-76]
References :
- The History of al-Tabari, The Children of Israel, Volume III, Translated by William M. Brinner, SUNY Press.
- Ibn Kathir, Stories of The Prophets, Darussalam
- Maulana Hifzur Rahman Soeharwy, Qasasul Ambiyaa, Idara Impex
- Imam ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, The Paragons of The Qur'an, Dar As-Sunnah
Then Almond said, "O my brothers and sisters, as I told you, Allah has likened the good word to the good tree because the outcome of a good word, is a good deed, and a good tree will also yield beneficial and good fruits. The majority of scholars of Tafsir, say that the good word means the declaration that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, so, this statement is Shahada. For indeed the fruits of this statement are all hidden and manifest good deeds since every good deed pleasing Allah, Most High, has to be a result of this statement.
If one contemplates this comparison, he will realise that it perfectly corresponds to the tree of Tawheed whose roots are fixed in the heart of a believer, whose branches comprising of good deeds, are raised high in the sky and continuing to provide the fruits of good deeds depending on the firmness and well-establishment of Tawhid in the heart and the level to which a person is appropriately mindful to the rights of the deed. So, it must regularly be watered with good and beneficial deeds, and it must be protected and strengthened by accustoming it to the remembrance of Allah, and contemplation upon His Book;otherwise it may become dry and lifeless."
Then Almond said, "Now, let us continue about the Story of Moses!" Bulbul said, "Yes, that's we are waiting for!" Almond said, "Moses left Egypt for Midian, between which lay a journey of eight nights. He had no food except leaves of trees . He had left barefoot and did not reach Midian until the soles fell off his feet. And when he came to the well of Madyan, he found there a crowd of people watering their flocks, and he found aside from them two women driving back their flocks. He asked them, "What is your circumstance?" The two said, "We do not water until the shepherds dispatch their flocks; and our father is an old man."
Moses had pity on them and went to the well . He took away a stone that was on the well, which it took a group from the people of Midian together to lift up. Moses drew water for them with a bucket, and they gave their flocks water and returned home quickly, for usually they watered only from the overflow of the troughs. Then Moses turned aside to the shade of an acacia tree and said, "My Rabb, indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need." He was only asking Allah for food.
When the two maidens returned quickly to their father, he asked them about the watering. They told him the story of Moses, so he sent one of them to him, and she came to him walking shyly. She said, "Lo! my father bids you, that he may reward you with a payment for your having watered the flock for us." So he arose with her and said, "Go." So she walked before him, and the winds blew on her so he could look at her buttocks. Moses said to her, "Walk behind me, and guide me on the way from there if I make a mistake."
When he came to the old man and told him the story, he said: "Fear not! You have escaped from the wrongdoing folk." One of the two women said: "O my father! Hire him! For the best one you can hire is the strong, the trustworthy one.' She was the maiden who had invited him. The old man said, "I had already seen his strength when he took away the stone, but did you see his trustworthiness? What do you know of that? " She said, "I was walking in front of him, and he did not wish to wrong me, so he ordered me to walk behind him." The old man said to him; "Indeed, I wish to wed you one of these, my two daughters, on the condition that you serve me for eight years; but if you complete ten, it will be as a favor from you. And I do not wish to put you in difficulty. You will find me, if Allah wills, from among the righteous." Moses said, "That is established between me and you. Whichever of the two terms I complete - there is no injustice to me, and Allah, over what we say, is Witness." The maiden who invited him was the one he married.
Then he ordered one of his daughters to bring him a staff, and she brought it to him. That was the staff that an angel in the form of a man had given to the old man. The maiden entered and got the staff and brought it out to him. When the old man saw it , he said to her, "No! Bring another one." So she threw it down and tried to grab another one, but only that one came to her hand. He kept sending her back, but every time she would come back with that one in her hand. When Moses saw this, he approached the staff, took it out, and herded the flocks with it. The old man regretted this, saying, "This was entrusted to me." So he went out to meet Moses, and when he met him he said, "Give me the staff!" Moses replied, "It is my staff" and refused to give it to him . They argued over it, until they came to an agreement that they would appoint the first man who would meet them as an arbitrator. An angel came walking and judged between them, saying, "Place the staff on the ground, and whoever can lift it, it is his." The old man tried but could not lift it. Moses took it in his hand and lifted it up . So the old man left it to Moses, and he herded for the old man for ten years.
Regarding the old man, there were those who argue that he was the Prophet Shu'ayb, alayhissalam. But there were those who argue that he was the nephew of Prophet Shu'ayb. Some argue that the one who hired Moses was named Jethro or Yathra, the ruler of Midian or the priest of Midian. The names of the two maidens were Liya and Zipporah, and the wife of Moses was Zipporah.
Time passed, and he lived in seclusion far from his family and his people. This period of ten years was of importance in his life. It was a period of major preparation. Certainly Moses's mind was absorbed in the stars every night. He followed the sunrise and the sunset every day. He pondered on the plant and how it splits and soil and appears thereafter. He contemplated water and how the earth is revived by it and flourishes after its death. Of course, he was immersed in the Glorious Book of Allah, open to the insight and heart. He was immersed in the existence of Allah. All these became latent within him. The religion of Moses was the same as that of Jacob, which was Islamic monotheism. His forefather was Jacob, the grandson of Abraham. Moses, therefore, was one of the descendants of Abraham and every prophet who came after Abraham was one of Abraham's successors. In addition to physical preparation, there was a similar spiritual preparation. It was made in complete seclusion, in the middle of the desert, and in the places of pasture. Silence was his way of life, and seclusion was his vehicle. Allah the Almighty prepared for His prophet the tools he would need later on to righteously bear the commands of Allah the Exalted..
And when Moses had completed the term, a vague homesickness arose in Moses's heart. He wanted to return to Egypt. He was fast and firm in making his decision, telling his wife: "Tomorrow we shall leave for Egypt." His wife said to herself. "There are a thousand dangers in departing that have not yet been revealed." However, she obeyed her husband. Moses left Midian with his family and traveled through the desert until he reached Mount Sinai. There Moses discovered that he had lost his way. He sought Allah's direction and was shown the right course. At nightfall they reached Mount Tur. He perceived from the direction of the mount, a fire. It was winter. A fire became visible to him and he thought that it was fire. He said to his family, "Stay here; indeed, I have perceived a fire. Perhaps I will bring you from there some information or burning wood from the fire that you may warm yourselves." But, when he reached the flame, he was called from the right side of the valley from the tree in the blessed field. "Blessed is whoever is at the fire and whoever is around it. And exalted is Allah, Lord of the worlds.' And, when Moses heard the call, he was startled and said, 'Praise be to Allah, Rabb of the worlds!' And there was proclaimed, "O Moses, indeed I am Allah, Lord of the worlds. Indeed, I am your Lord, so remove your sandals. Indeed, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa. And I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed to you. Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance. Indeed, the Hour is coming - I almost conceal it - so that every soul may be recompensed according to that for which it strives. So do not let one avert you from it who does not believe in it and follows his desire, for you then would perish.. And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?" He said, "It is my staff; I lean upon it, and I bring down leaves for my sheep and I have therein other uses." Allah said, "Throw it down, O Moses!" So he threw it down, but when he saw it writhing as if it was a snake, he turned in flight and did not return. Its two prongs became the serpent's mouth; it's hook became a crest on its back, which shook, and it had fangs . It was as Allah wished it to be. Allah said, "O Moses, fear not. Indeed, in My presence the messengers do not fear. Approach and fear not. Indeed, you are of the secure."
When he approached, Allah said, "Seize it and fear not; We will return it to its former condition. Put your hand into its mouth." Moses was wearing a long garment of wool, so he wrapped his hand in his sleeve, because he was terrified of the serpent . It was proclaimed: "Cast your sleeve from your hand!" and he cast it off. Then he placed his hand between the serpent's jaws. When he did so, he seized it, and lo! It became his staff, with his hand between its two forks , where he usually grasped it, and its hook in its place. There was nothing of it he did not recognize. And Allah said, "Insert your hand into the opening of your garment; it will come out white, without disease. And draw in your arm close to you as prevention from fear, for those are two proofs from your Lord to Pharaoh and his establishment. Indeed, they have been a people defiantly disobedient."
He said, "My Rabb, indeed, I killed from among them someone, and I fear they will kill me. And my brother Aaron is more fluent than me in tongue, so send him with me as support, verifying me. Indeed, I fear that they will deny me. And they have upon me a claim due to sin, so I fear that they will kill me." Allah said, "We will strengthen your arm through your brother and grant you both supremacy so they will not reach you. It will be through Our signs; you and those who follow you will be the predominant. Go both of you with Our signs; indeed, We are with you, listening. Go to Pharaoh and say, 'We are the messengers of the Lord of the worlds.'
Moses said, "My Lord, expand for me my breast with assurance and ease for me my task. And untie the knot from my tongue, that they may understand my speech. And appoint for me a minister from my family - Aaron, my brother. Increase through him my strength and let him share my task that we may exalt You much and remember You much. Indeed, You are of us ever Seeing." Allah said, "You have been granted your request, O Moses! And We had already conferred favor upon you another time. And I produced you for Myself. Go, you and your brother, with My signs and do not slacken in My remembrance. Go, both of you, to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed. And speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may be reminded or fear Allah."
Moses returned to his family, and together they journeyed toward Egypt until they arrived during the night. He was given hospitality by his mother, but he did not recognize them. He came to them on a night during which they were eating tifshil, a dish of grains, and he camped beside the house. Then Aaron came and noticed his guest . He asked his mother about him, and she told him that he was a guest. He invited Moses and ate with him. While they were sitting and conversing, Aaron asked him, "Who are you ? " He replied: "I am Moses." So both stood up, and each embraced the other. When they had become familiar with each other, Moses said to him: "O Aaron! Go to Pharaoh with me, for Allah has sent us to him." Aaron responded: "I hear and obey!" But their mother arose and shouted, saying, "I beg you by Allah not to go to Pharaoh, for he will kill you." But they refused and went off to him during the night.
They arrived at the gate and knocked . Pharaoh was startled, as was the gatekeeper, and Pharaoh said: "Who is that knocking at my gate at this hour? " The gatekeeper looked down upon them and spoke to them. Moses said to him: "I am the messenger of Rabb of the Worlds!" The gatekeeper was frightened, and he went to Pharaoh and informed him, saying: "Here is a madman who claims that he is the Messenger of the Rabb of the Worlds." Pharaoh said, "Let him enter." Moses entered and said, "Verily, I am the Messenger of the Rabb of the Worlds," and you must send with me the Children of Israel." Pharaoh recognized him and said, "Did we not raise you among us as a child, and you remained among us for years of your life? And then you did your deed which you did, and you were of the ungrateful."
Moses said, "I did it, then, while I was of those astray. So I fled from you when I feared you. Then my Rabb granted me wisdom and prophethood and appointed me as one of the messengers. Dan itulah kebaikan yang telah engkau berikan kepadaku, (sementara) itu engkau telah memperbudak Bani Israil.” Pharaoh said, "And what is the Lord of the worlds? And who is your Lord, O Moses? " He replied, ""The Lord of the heavens and earth and that between them, if you should be convinced." Pharaoh said to those around him, "Do you not hear?" Moses said, "Your Lord and the Lord of your first forefathers." Pharaoh said, "Indeed, your 'messenger' who has been sent to you is mad." Moses] said, "Lord of the East and the West and that between them, if you were to reason." Pharaoh said, "If you take a god other than me, I will surely place you among those imprisoned." Moses said, "Even if I brought you proof manifest?" Pharaoh said, "Then bring it, if you should be of the truthful." So Moses threw his staff, and suddenly it was a serpent manifest. which opened its mouth and placed its lower jaw on the ground and its upper on the walls of the palace. It then turned toward Pharaoh to seize him. When Pharaoh saw it, he was terrified and jumped up, voiding excrement, although he had not previously done so. Pharaoh was unable to control his bowels, although they claim he used to remain for five or six days not seeking the privy- meaning the latrine- as other people do, and that was one of the things that induced him to say that there was not like him anyone among the people. But when he jumped up, he screamed, "O Moses! Seize it and I will believe in you. I will send the Israelites with you." So Moses grabbed the serpent, and it became a staff once more. And Moses drew out his hand; thereupon it was white for the observers.
Moses left his presence after that, and Pharaoh refused to believe in him or to send the Israelites with him. Pharaoh had diarrhea for twenty-odd nights until he almost expired; then it ceased. He said to the eminent ones around him, "Indeed, this is a learned magician. He wants to drive you out of your land by his magic, so what do you advise?" And a believing man from the family of Pharaoh who concealed his faith said, "Do you kill a man merely because he says, 'My Rabb is Allah ' while he has brought you clear proofs from your Rabb? And if he should be lying, then upon him is the consequence of his lie; but if he should be truthful, there will strike you some of what he promises you. Indeed, Allah does not guide one who is a transgressor and a liar. O my people, sovereignty is yours today, your being dominant in the land. But who would protect us from the punishment of Allah if it came to us?" Pharaoh said, "I do not show you except what I see, and I do not guide you except to the way of right conduct." The chiefs of his people said, "Postpone the matter of him and his brother and send among the cities gatherers, who will bring you every learned, skilled magician."
Almond paused, and said, "O my brothers and sisters, Allah, the most High, mentions two examples regarding the disbelievers; one example in which they are compared to a mirage -and the other, to layers of darkness on top of one another. This is because those who turn away from guidance and truth are of two types: one who mistakenly thinks he is actually on some firm basis - and when the truth finally reveals itself to him, it becomes clear to him that it was contrary to what he used to believe. This condition corresponds to the people of ignorance and the people of innovation and vain desires, who think they are on the path of guidance and knowledge and once the reality of matters are made evident, it finally becomes clear to them that they were on no firm ground whatsoever.
The second type of people are like layers of darkness accumulated one over the other, and they are those who recognised the truth and guidance but preferred over it, the darkness of falsehood and misguidance. And Allah know best."
"But those who disbelieved - their deeds are like a mirage in a lowland which a thirsty one thinks is water until, when he comes to it, he finds it is nothing but finds Allah before Him, and He will pay him in full his due; and Allah is swift in account. Or [they are] like darknesses within an unfathomable sea which is covered by waves, upon which are waves, over which are clouds - darknesses, some of them upon others. When one puts out his hand [therein], he can hardly see it. And he to whom Allah has not granted light - for him there is no light." - [QS.24:39-40]
Reference :
- The History of al-Tabari, The Children of Israel, Volume III, Translated by William M. Brinner, SUNY Press
- Ibn Kathir, Stories of The Prophets, Darussalam
- Imam ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, The Paragons of The Qur'an, Dar As-Sunnah
Almond said, "O my brothers and sisters, Allah gives an example of an idolater and a believer. In Surah Az-Zumar [39]:29, Allah says, "Allah presents an example: a slave owned by quarreling partners and another belonging exclusively to one man - are they equal in comparison? Praise be to Allah ! But most of them do not know."
The idolater is likened to a slave owned by a group whom he must serve, yet he is unable to please them all, whereas a believer who worships and believes in One Illah, is likened to a slave owned by one person, and he knows of the means by which he can please him. He knows what his master wants of him and so he is safe from the quarrelling of partners, had he been owned by a group. Therefore, he is focused on serving his master and his master is merciful and compassionate when he deals with him. So, Allah asks us how these slaves can be equal in any manner. Indeed, when a person is devoted to serving one owner, he will receive much kindness, generosity and aid, compared to the one who is owned by disputing partners. All Praise is due to Allah alone for most of them fail to comprehend.
Allah presents an example of those who disbelieved: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. And Allah presents an example of those who believed: Mary, the daughter of 'Imran, mother of Prophet 'Isa, alayhissalam, who guarded her chastity. And the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, "My Rabb, build for me near You a house in Paradise and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds and save me from the wrongdoing people."
Padda asked, "Who was the wife of Pharaoh?" Almond said, "She was Asiyah bint Muzahim. Imam Ahmad recorded, the Prophet ﷺ) said, "The best among the women of Paradise are Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maruam bint ‘Imran and Asiyah bint Muzahim, wife of Pharaoh." Padda then said, "O Almond, tell us the story about the Pharaoh!" Almond said, "According to Ibn Kathir and at-Tabari, the people of the book mention that, starting from Abraham, peace be upon him, Hagar bore him Ishmael and Sarah bore him Isaac. From Rebecca, Esau and Jacob were born to Isaac. It was said that Al-Rum are descendant of Esau.
Jacob is also called Israil. Jacob has two wives, Leah and Rachel, and two concubines, Zilfah and Bilhah. Leah bore him five sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah Zebulon, Yashhar, and a daughter, Dinah. Zilfah bore him, Dan and Naphtali. Bilhah bore him, Gad and Asher. Rachel bore him Joseph and Benjamin who is called Shaddad in Arabic. Rachel died in childbirth while delivering Benjamin. Jacob had twelve sons in all. They are called Bani Israil.
Because of the malice of his brothers, Prophet Joseph, peace be upon him, the son of Prophet Jacob of Rachel, was exiled to Egypt. Certain people of the scriptures have said that Joseph entered Egypt at seventeen and remained in the house of Potiphar for thirteen years. When he reached thirty, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, whose name was al-Rayyan bin al-Walid bin Tzarwan bin Arasyah bin Qaran bin 'Amr bin `Imlak bin Lud bin Sam bin Nuh, made him his chief minister. This king became a believer and died. After him reigned Qabus bin Mus`ab bin Mu awiyah bin Numair bin al-Silwas bin Qaran bin `Amr bin 'Imlak bin Lud bin Sam bin Nuh, who was an infidel. His wife was Asiyah bint Muzahim bint `Ubayd bint al-Rayyan bint al-Walid. Joseph called upon him to believe in Allah, but he did not respond. Then Joseph made his brother Judah his heir, and died at the age of one hundred and twenty years. Jacob's separation from him lasted twenty-two years, while his stay with Joseph in Egypt after Allah brought them together lasted seventeen years. When death came to him, he made Joseph his heir. Jacob had come to Egypt with seventy men of his family, and when he died, he made Joseph promise to take his body back to be buried next to his father Isaac. Joseph did that for him, taking him to be buried in Syria and then coming back to Egypt. Joseph ordered that his own body be taken to be buried with his ancestors. But when Prophet Yusuf died, he had not been able to take it home to Syria. His body was placed in a casket of marble in the Nile. When Moses left Egypt he carried the coffin with Joseph's body with him.
After Qabus bin Mus'ab died, he was succeeded by his brother, al-Walid bin Mus'ab. It was said that al-Walid married Asiyah bint Muzahim after his brother. He was more insolent than Qabus, more disbelieving, and more boastful. There was no pharaoh more ruthless, harder-hearted, or of more evil character toward the Israelites than he. He tormented them and made them slaves and chattels, classifying them in his tasks: one class for building, another class for plowing, another class for his sowing. They were busy with his projects, and whoever among them was not working for him had to pay a poll tax. He inflicted' upon them, they retained remnants of their religion, from which they did not want to depart. He was granted a long life among them while he ruled them, and in return he inflicted upon them dreadful torment. When Allah wanted to release them from their misery, and when Moses had reached maturity, Allah gave him the message.
At-Tabari mentioned that, it was transmitted from Ibn Ishaq, Levi ibn Jacob married Nibitah, and she bore him Gershon, and Merari, and Kohath. Kohath married Fihi, and she bore him Izhar. Izhar married Shamith, and she bore him Amram and Korah. As we know, Korah is a proud Qarun with a lot of wealth. Amram married Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses.
When Moses' time approached, Pharaoh saw a vision in his dream. A fire came from Bayt al -Maqdis until it overcame the houses of Egypt; the Egyptians were burned, while the Israelites were left and the houses of Egypt were destroyed. He called for the magicians, soothsayers, prognosticators, and diviners and asked them about his dream. They said to him, "There will come from the land of the Israelites, meaning Jerusalem, a man in whose face one can read the destruction of Egypt." He therefore ordered any boy born to the Israelites to be killed and any girl bom to them to be left. He then said to the Egyptians, "Observe your slaves who work outside and bring them in. Put the Israelites in charge of those loathsome tasks."
Then the heads of the Egyptians entered in to Pharaoh and spoke to him, saying: "Verily, death has befallen this people, and the work will soon fall upon our servants. We slay their sons, and then the little ones do not grow up, and the old ones die off. Perhaps you could let some of their sons live." So he ordered that they kill them one year and let them live the next.
The year in which they did not kill, Aaron was born and was left to live. But during the year of slaying, the mother of Moses was pregnant with him. When she wanted to give birth, she grieved for him. Allah inspired her, saying, "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." When she had given birth and had suckled him, she called for a carpenter who made an ark for Moses, placing the key to the ark inside. She placed him in it, casting him into the river. And she said to his sister, "Follow him"; so she watched him from a distance while the people did not perceive that she was his sister. The wave carried the ark forward, alternately lifting it up and carrying it down, until a wave took the ark to some trees at Pharaoh's residence. The servant girls of Asiyah, the wife of Pharaoh, came out to wash themselves and found the ark. They took it to her, thinking there might be some treasure in it. When Aziyah opened the chest, he saw Moses' face sparkling with signs of prophethood and majesty. As Asiyah looked at him, her pity went out to him, and she loved him. When she told Pharaoh about the baby, he wanted to kill him; however, Asiyah continued speaking to him until Pharaoh left the baby to her.
They sought wet nurses for him, but he would not suckle from any of them. The women, meanwhile, were vying for the position of wet nurse, so that they might dwell with Pharaoh during the period of nursing. But the baby refused to suckle. So his sister said, "Shall I show you a household who will rear him for you and show good will to him! "'They took her and said, "You already know this lad, so lead us to his family." She said, "I do not know him. I only said that they would show good will to Pharaoh." When his mother came, he took her breasts, and she almost said, "This is my son," but Allah held her back. So Allah 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.
When he walked, his mother showed him to Asiyah. While she was swinging and playing with him, she offered him to Pharaoh, saying, "Take him, the delight of my eye and yours! " Pharaoh said, "He is the delight of your eye, not mine."
Pharaoh said, "I am afraid this child is an Israelite and he is the one at whose hands our destruction will occur." When Pharaoh took him , Moses seized his beard and pulled out hairs from it. Pharaoh said, "Bring me executioners! He is the one! " Asiyah said, "Do not kill him. Perhaps he may be of use to us, or we may choose him as a son." He is only a boy who does not understand . He has done this only because of his childishness. You know that among the people of Egypt there is no woman more adorned than I. I shall make him an ornament of sapphire and place next to it a live coal. If he takes the sapphire, he is aware, so you may kill him. But, if he takes the live coal, he is only a child."
She brought for him a sapphire and placed before him a basin of live coals. Gabriel came and put a live coal in Moses' hand, which he put into his mouth, burning his tongue.
He was called Musa only because they found him in water and trees, and in Egyptian water is mu and tree is sha. Pharaoh took him as a son, and he was called "son of Pharaoh."
Moses grew up and when he attained his full strength and was mentally mature, Allah bestowed upon him good health, strength, judgement and knowledge. The weak and oppressed turned to him for protection and justice. He would sail in Pharaoh 's boats and dress as he did, and he was known only as Moses, son of Pharaoh. Once, Pharaoh sailed on a boat without Moses . When Moses arrived, he was told that Pharaoh had already set sail, so he set out to sail after him. He reached a town named Memphis at siesta time. Entering at midday, he found its markets were already closed , and no one was in its streets. And he entered the city at a time of inattention by its people and found therein two men fighting: one from his faction and one from among his enemy. And the one from his faction called for help to him against the one from his enemy, so Moses struck him and unintentionally killed him. Moses said, "This is from the work of Satan. Indeed, he is a manifest, misleading enemy."
He said, "My Rabb, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me," and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Moses said, "My Rabb, for the favor You bestowed upon me, I will never be an assistant to the criminals." And in the morning, he became inside the city fearful and anticipating exposure, when suddenly the one who sought his help the previous day cried out to him once again. Moses said to him, "Indeed, you are an evident, persistent deviator." Then Moses approached to aid him. And when he wanted to strike the one who was an enemy to both of them, he said, "O Moses, do you intend to kill me as you killed someone yesterday? You only want to be a tyrant in the land and do not want to be of the amenders."
So he left, and the Egyptian circulated the story that Moses was the one who had killed the man, whereupon Pharaoh sought him, saying, "Seek him out, for he is the one." He said to those who were searching for him, "Look for him on the side roads, for Moses is a boy who will not discover the main road." Moses set out on the side roads, and a man came to Moses, informing him that "the chiefs take counsel against you to kill you; so escape! So he escaped from there, afraid, vigilant. "My Rabb, save me from the wrongdoing people."
When Moses set out on the side roads , an angel came to him on a horse, with a javelin in his hand . When Moses saw him, he bowed down to him in fear. The angel said, "Do not bow down to me, but follow me instead." So Moses followed as the angel guided him to Midian. Moses said, turning his face toward Midian, "Perhaps my Lord will guide me in the right road." The angel went with him until he brought him to Midian."
Almond said, "O my brothers and sisters, destiny wants otherwise. The king who is arrogant and praised for the
many armies, very cruel and many who follow his authority, destiny is
determined, "Allah the Most Great, Whose provisions cannot be defeated
and cannot be opposed, has determined that the baby he were aware of,
and therefore he has killed innumerable innocent souls, raised in his own
house. On his bed, while he was unable to uncover the secret behind it
at all. Then his destruction, both in the World and the Hereafter, was
at the doorstep. Because, he sneak in the real truth.
Whereas Allah, Rabb of heaven and earth, acts according to His will. He
is All-Powerful,All- Mighty, Who has a very painful torment. His will,
cannot be opposed! And Allah know best."
"Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them, slaughtering their [newborn] sons and keeping their females alive. Indeed, he was of the corrupters." - [QS.28:4]
References :
- The History of al-Tabari, The Children of Israel, Volume III, Translated by William M. Brinner, SUNY Press
- Ibn Kathir, Stories of The Prophets, Darussalam
Woodpecker said, "O Almond, tell us about the story of two men, mentioned in Surah Al-Kahf!" Almond said, "O my brothers and sisters, Allah the Most Glorious, draws a comparison of the Worldly Life and the Hereafter. Allah says in Surah Yunus [10]:24, "The example of this worldly life is but like rain which We have sent down from the sky that the plants of the earth absorb - those from which men and livestock eat - until, when the earth has taken on its adornment and is beautified and its people suppose that they have capability over it, there comes to it Our command by night or by day, and We make it as a harvest, as if it had not flourished yesterday. Thus do We explain in detail the signs for a people who give thought.
Allah the Most Glorious, draws a comparison of the worldly life in that it appears beautified in the eye of the beholder, so he becomes amazed and dazzled with its splendour, so that he becomes inclined to it and desires it and becomes misled by it - until he reaches the stage where he thinks he possesses it and has free reign over it, then all of a sudden it is snatched away from him when he needs it the most and a barrier is cast between him and it. Thus, Allah, Most High, compares this situation with the land on which rain falls causing it to sprout vegetation and its plants attain perfection and its visual beauty attracts the onlooker, deceiving him and making him think that he has power over it and has complete ownership of it. Then all of a sudden, Allah’s Command comes down upon it, and sudden disaster overtakes its vegetation, causing it to become as if previously it had amounted to nothing. He therefore becomes dejected and his hands retain nothing of it. Similar is the condition of the world and the one who puts all his reliance on it.
The Story of two men, whether it is an actual happening or a parable, which is related for the sake of being a warning, is an almost perfect example of the confrontation between the Idolators of Makkah and the Muslims. the idolators who were too arrogant to sit with the poor and weak among Muslims, showing off before them with their wealth and noble lineage, Allah then gives a parable for them of two men, a kufr, one of whom Allah gave two gardens of grapes, surrounded with palm trees and cultivated with crops throughout. All of the trees and plants were abundantly fruitful, providing readily accessible, good quality produce.
Each of the two gardens produced its fruit and nothing at all was diminishing. And rivers were flowing through them here and there. And he had Thamar, so he said to his companion, a believer, while he was conversing with him, "I am greater than you in wealth and mightier in numbers of men. I have more servants, attendants and children." He was disputing with him and boasting to him and showing off.
He then entered his garden and said, "I do not think that this will perish - ever and if there is a Hereafter and a return to Allah, then I will have a better share than this with my Lord, for if it were not that I am dear to Him, He would not have given me all this, I will surely find better than this as a return." So, he was allowing himself to be deceived because of the plants, fruits and trees that he saw, and the rivers flowing through the different parts of his gardens. He thought that it could never come to an end or cease or be destroyed. This was because of his lack of understanding and the weakness of his faith in Allah, and because he was enamored with this world and its adornments, and because he disbelieved in the Hereafter.
The believer replied to him, warning and rebuking him for his disbelief in Allah and allowing himself to be deceived, "Have you disbelieved in He who created you from dust and then from a sperm-drop and then proportioned you as a man?" This is a denunciation, pointing out the seriousness of his rejection of his Rabb Who created and formed man out of dust - that is, refering to Adam - then made his offspring from despised liquid. How can you reject your Rabb and His clear signs to you, which every one recognizes in himself, for there is no one among His creatures who does not know that he was nothing, then he came to be, and his existence is not due to himself or any other creature. He knows that his existence is due to his Creator, beside Whom there is no other god, the Creator of all things."
Then he said, "‘I do not say what you say; rather I acknowledge the Oneness and Lordship of Allah,He is Allah, the One Who is to be worshipped Alone, with no partner or associate. And why did you, when you entered your garden, not say, 'What Allah willed has occurred; there is no power except in Allah '? Although you see me less than you in wealth and children, it may be that my Rabb will give me something better than your garden and will send upon it a calamity from the sky, and it will become a smooth, dusty ground, or its water will become sunken into the earth, so you would never be able to seek it."
One of the Salaf said, “Whoever is delighted with something in his circumstances or his wealth or his children, let him say, 'What Allah willed has occurred; there is no power except in Allah!’ ” It was reported in the Sahih, from Abu Musa that the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said, "Shall I not tell you about a treassure from among the treasures of paradise? La hawla wa la quwwata ilia billah (There is no power or might but with Allah)." One of the treasures of paradise is to admit and recognise that the power to do any good deed and the strength to avoid the doing of any evil deed is impossible without the help of Allah. In other words the person who admit this with his tongue and has made this reality in his heart, is as if he has acquired one of the Keys to the Treasures of paradise.
What this disbeliever was afraid of, and what the believer had terrified him, actually had happened. A storm struck his garden, a garden which he had erroneously thought would last forever, distracting him from thoughts of Allah, may He be glorified. He was clasping his hands together gesture of regret and grief for the wealth he had lost and said, "Oh, I wish I had not associated with my Lord anyone." And there was for him no company, a clan or children, as he had vainly boasted, to aid him other than Allah, nor could he defend himself. When Allah sends the punishment upon him, there will be no one to save him. There, Al-Walayah will be for Allah, the Truth. He is best in reward and best in outcome.
Bulbul asked, "What is Al-Walayah?" Almond said, "Some read it as Al-Walayah, which gives the meaning that all allegiance will be to Allah, i.e., on that Day everyone, believer or disbeliever, will return to Allah, for allegiance and submission to Him when the punishment comes to pass. Some others read it as Al-Wilayah, leaning that on that Day the rule will belong to Allah. Some read Haqqu (True) refering to Al-Wilayah. Others it read Haqqi referring to Allah, may He be glorified.
About the story of these two men, nowadays, a phenomenon has arisen among us, where there is someone who wants to show himself. He said, "I'm better, I'm more moderate than you!" But when he was asked, "What is the difference between being moderate and being fair?" Instead of explaining it, he turned to accuse, "I'm more tolerant than you! You don't show tolerance!" Is it true? What about the paradox of tolerance which states that if a society is tolerant without limit, its ability to be tolerant will eventually be seized or destroyed by the intolerant. Excessive tolerance will be transformed into intolerance. Isn't it when a cup of sweet tea, added with sugar continuously, would become bitter? This is not aimed at obstructing tolerance or moderation, but as a self-reminder, because in fact, the words tolerance and moderation are sometimes used as barriers to the path of truth.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Don't hold yourself to be pious. It is Allah alone Who knows the people of piety among you." In the Surah An-Najm [53]:32, Allah says, "Those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, only [committing] slight ones. Indeed, your Lord is vast in forgiveness. He was most knowing of you when He produced you from the earth and when you were fetuses in the wombs of your mothers. So do not claim yourselves to be pure; He is most knowing of who fears Him." So, don't say yourself more virtous, or more better, but look at your shortcomings in obedience. Then, if there are people who said you were good, if they knew your shortcomings, surely they would stay away."
Almond then said, "O my brothers and sisters, when Allah endows a believer with His bounties, then instead of arrogance and pride, he put his head on the ground and admits those bounted and with his tongue and heart declares, 'O Allah, if You did not grant these gifts, it would have been beyond my power to acquire them. These gifts are from Your side.'
Fortunate indeed is the man who ponders over the results of an action before the result becomes a fact. And the unfortunate one is he who without thinking about the result, shows arrogance and pride and later on when the results appear, he is sed over the results and shows sorrow and regret. At that time sorrow and regret one of no use. In the parable, rejector was faced with that state of misfortune. And the same day of ill-fortune had to be seen by the Pharaoh and he too was forced to say at that moment that if, before the arrival of the punishment, he had listened to the advice of Prophet Moses, alayhissalam, he would not have had to see the punishment. And Allah know best."
"And present to them the example of the life of this world, [its being] like rain which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it and [then] it becomes dry remnants, scattered by the winds. And Allah is ever, over all things, Perfect in Ability. Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one's] hope." - [QS.18:45-46]
Reference :
- Ibn Kathir, Stories of The Qur'an, Dar Al-Manarah
- Syaikh Safiurrahman Al-Mubarakpuri, Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) Volume VI, Darussalam
- Maulana Hifzur Rahman Soeharwy, Qasasul Ambiyaa, Idara Impex
- Imam ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, The Paragons of The Qur'an, Dar As-Sunnah
Bulbul hummed,
Everybody knows the fight was fixed
The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
That's how it goes
Everybody knows
Everybody knows that the boat is leaking
Everybody knows that the captain lied
Everybody got this broken feeling
Like their father, or their dog, just died! *)
Shama' then said, "Thank you my sister bulbul! What a beautiful voice! Now, we will continue our discussion. So, are there any of you who wants to share?" Bulbul said, "I want to know about Dhul-Qarnayn. O Almond, tell us about the story!"
Almond said, "O my brothers and sisters! The first thing you all should pay attention to, is knowing Allah, Most High, through His signs. It is obvious that anyone who sees how the sky has been raised and the earth laid out, and observes how perfectly different things - especially his own body - have been made, knows that every construction must have a maker and everything built must have a builder.
The righteous man is the Muslim who adheres firmly to the Deen revealed by Allah, and the righteous nation is the nation which accepts this Deen and adheres to it. Both the Muslim individual and the Muslim ummah will be tested with various kinds of trials. Trials may be stirred up within the ummah by whims and desires, division and dispute, or they may come from the enemies of this ummah who conquer and humiliate it. The trials that stem from divisions and disputes may reach such an extent that Muslims draw swords against one another, and people are killed, blood is shed, sanctities are violated and wealth is stolen.
Some of these tribulations are intense and difficult, and others are light. One of the main reasons why tribulations and calamities happen is the lack of knowledge and the prevalence of ignorance which resulted in every news being taken for granted, abandoning Islam, committing sins and acts of disobedience, and violating sanctities."
Bulbul asked, "How to save oneself from tribulation?" Almond said, "Many of the Sabaabah tried to find out about the tribulations that would befall this ummah, and to learn the way to save themselves from them. Among these Sabaabah, Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan, radhiyallahu 'anhu, used to ask the Prophet (ﷺ) a great deal about tribulations so that he would not fall prey to them. In Sahih Al-Bukhari, it is narrated that Hudhayfah said: "The people used to ask the Messenger of Allah about good things, but I used to ask him about bad things, for fear that they might catch up with me. I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, we were in ignorance and evil, then Allah brought this Islam to us. Will there be any evil after this?' He said, 'Yes.' I said, 'And after that, evil will there be any good?' He said, 'Yes, but it will be tainted with dakhan (a little evil).' I said, 'What will its dakhan be?' He said, 'There will be people who guide others with something other than my guidance. You will approve of some of their actions and disapprove of others.' I said, 'Will there be any evil after that good?' He said, 'Yes, there will be callers at the gates of Hell, and whoever responds to their call will be thrown into it.' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us.' He said, 'They will be of us and they will speak our language.' I said, 'What do you command me to do if that should happen in my lifetime?' He said, 'Adhere to the jamaa 'ah of the Muslims and their Imam.' I said, 'What if there is no jamaa 'ah and no Imam?' He said, 'Then keep away from all those groups, even if you have to bite onto the root of a tree, until death catches up with you whilst you are in that state."'
Almond paused, and said, "The story of Dhul-Qarnayn deals with the trials of power. What happens when a person becomes powerful? It is a documented historical fact that in the history of humanity, almost every single person of power and every single nation of power desired more power and every super power desired even more power than it had. Allah Subhanahu ww Ta'ala never allowed any nation or any person of power to flourish in this world, because every single nation that tried to gain more and more power, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala brought about their own demise at their own hands.
There is nothing that is more destructive to a person's ego than power, because power gives you fame, power gives you wealth, power gives you fortune, power gives you access to everything else. When a man had a power, they are all underneath him. Look at the scandals that we see around us, involving money, deception, involving this and that, even bloodshed. Power corrupts and that is genegral rule. Such as the nature of power, therefore, our beloved Prophet (ﷺ), warned us to be careful when it comes to power. But, in the other hand, the Prophet told us that one of those who will be sheltered under the shade of Allah, is the just ruler who act in accordance with the command of Allah.
Allah wants to give us an example of one such ruler, the story of a righteous king whom Allah had blessed with power and he was still righteous, and so, Allah helped him. Allah have given Dhul-Qarnayn great power, so that he had all that kings could have of might, armies, war equipment and siege machinery.’ So he had dominion over the east and the west, all countries and their kings submitted to him, and all the nations, Arab and non-Arab, served him. Some of them said, he was called DhulQamayn, the one with two horns, because he reached the two “ Horns" of the sun, East and West, where it rises and where it sets. There were some Sahaabah said that he was blessed with knowledge. Another Sahaabah, said that Allah gave him the means of all things, meaning the means and power to conquer all areas, regions and countries, to defeat enemies, suppress the kings of the earth and humiliate the people of Shirk. He was given all that a man like him would need. And Allah knows best!"
Woodpecker asked, "Was he a prophet?" Almond said, "Allah praised Dhul-Qarnain in the Glorious Qur'an for his justice. He ruled over the easts and wests and many regions where he subjected their peoples and ruled them with perfect justice. It is reported that Abdullah Ibn 'Amr, said that Dhul-Qarnain was a Prophet. In other narration, Ibn 'Abbas, transmitted a report that goes to the saying that Dhul-Qarnain was a good king whose work was praised in Allah's Book; he was made victorious; and Al-Khidr was his minister, leader of his army, and his consultant. Furthermore, in the book of at-Tabari, it was mentioned that Dhul-Qarnayn was Sikandar or Alexander the Greek, but we know that he was a polytheist. Approximately three hundred years before Prophet 'Isa, peace be upon him, there is a king known as Sikandar or Alexander the Greek or Iskandar al-Maqduni. He is identified with the appellations of the Greek, the Macedonian, the Roman etc. He was the one who had Arastu or Aristotle as his minister, who fought a war against Darius the younger, the Persian kings, and who is the founder of Alexandria and who conquered his country after killing him. Ibn Kathir, the great scholar of Hadith and history, clarified that this Alexander was not the Dhul-Qarnayn mentioned in the Quran.
Another said that he was The Cyrus or Khorus the Great, the founder of The Achaemenid Empire or the First Persian Empire. Others said, Dhul-Qarnain mentioned in the Quran is Abu Bakr ibn Samma ibn 'Umar ibn Ifriqis al-Himyari, the one who conquered the East and West of the Earth. According to Ibn Kathir, the most likely opinion is that he was just a king. Dhul-Qarnain has been mentioned by the Quran is no more than, "He was a righteous anda pious king." He is a pious man and a follower of the true religion of his time. Things that are not claimed by the Quran nor explained by Hadith, are things we have not been obligated to fix and clarify on our own for that responsibility does not rest on our shoulders, some are more competent. Thus, whichever saying turns out to be regarded as more weighty, worthy and sound, the aim of the Qur'an will stand achieved after all. And Allah knows best!"
Bulbul asked, "Is it true that he has two horns?" Almond said, "Some said that he had two curly locks of hair, therefore, he was called Dhul-Qarnayn. There was someone who also said that he had marks on his head that resembled those of horns. It appears in some narratives that he had wound marks on both sides of his head, therefore, he was identified as Dhul-Qarnayn. Some others said that he ruled countries of the East and West, therefore, he was named Dhul-Qarnayn. The East and West, where the sun rises and where it sets. According the Sahaabah and Tabi'in, that he followed different routes to achieve what he wanted. He followed a route until he reached the furthest point that could be reached in the direction of the sun's setting, which is the West of the earth. He saw the setting in a spring of Hami'ah, meaning he saw the sun as if it were setting in the ocean. This is something which everyone who goes to the coast can see, it looks as if the sun is setting into the sea but in fact it never leaves its path in which it is fixed, following the Divine Law.
And he found near it, a people. Allah said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish them or else adopt among them a way of goodness." Allah gave him power over them and gave him the choice: if he wanted to, he could kill the men and take the women and children captive, or if he wanted to, he could set them free, with or without a ransom. Then Dhul-Qarnayn prounced his ruling, ""As for one who persists in his Kufr and in associating others in worship with his Rabb, we will punish him, by killing him. Then he will be returned to his Rabb, and He will punish him with a terrible punishment. But as for one who who follows us in our call to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate and does righteousness, he will have a reward of Paradise, and we will speak to him from our command with ease."
The second expedtion, Dhul-Qarnayn traveled from the West of the earth towards the East. Every time he passed a nation, he subjugated the people and called them to Allah. If they obeyed him, all well and good, otherwise he would humiliate them and take their wealth and possessions. From every nation he took what his armies needed to fight the next nation. When he reached the place where the sun rises, he found a nation, they had no buildings or trees to cover them and shade them from the heat of the sun. They were in a land where nothing grew, so when the sun rose they would go into tunnels until it had passed its zenith, then they would come out to go about their daily lives and earn themselves a living. Even though they came from so many different nations and lands, Allah knew everything about him and his army, and nothing was hidden from Him.
Then he traveled again, in the third expedtion, between from the two mountains which were next to one another with a valley in between, from which Gog and Magog will emerge. Until, when he reached a pass between two mountains, he found beside them a people who could hardly understand his speech, because they were so isolated from other people.
They said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed Gog and Magog are great corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you an expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?" They wanted to collect money among themselves to give to him so that he would create a barrier between them and Gog and Magog. Dhul-Qarnayn said with kindness, righteousness and good intentions, "The power and authority that Allah has given me is better for me than what you have collected. What I have is better than what you want to give me, but help me with sterngth, with your labor and construction equipment. I will make between you and them a dam. Bring me sheets of iron."
He put the blocks on top of one another, starting at the bottom, until he reached the tops of the mountains, filing the width and height of the gap. The 'Ulemas differed about the precise width and height. He lit a fire until the whole thing was burning hot, then te said, "Bring me Qitran to pour over them."
Gog and Magog could not climb over the barrier or penetrate its lower portion. They could not dig through it. After it was built, Dhul-Qarnayn said, "This is a mercy from my Rabb; but when the promise of my Rabb comes, He will make it level, and ever is the promise of my Rabb, true."
Woodpecker asked, "Who are these Ya’juj and Ma'juj?" Almond said, "The verdict of the research scholars of Islamis this, that they are ordinary people of this world and like the other off-spring of man. They are not a notion with supernatural eating habits. They may be said to be the original people from whom the nations of Europe and Russia came, because their neighbours called the Mog and Yochi, the Greeks called them Mek and Meygog and Logog.The Hebrew and Arabic equivalent of it was Yajooj and Majooj. And even though Yajooj and Majooj were Mongolian or Tatari, the Tatari people who settled at the pass after having left their original habital and became civilized in spite of being of the same origin, there were much differences between them and the people this side of the pass. These were the people who asked Dhul-Qarnayn to erect a barrier between them and the tribes of Gog and Magog.
So, Gog and Magog are among the progeny of Prophet Adam, alayhissalam. In Sahih Al-Bukhari, there is a hadith, narrated from Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri, The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection), 'O Adam.' Adam will reply, 'Labbaik wa Sa`daik', and all the good is in Your Hand.' Allah will say: 'Bring out the people of the fire.' Adam will say: 'O Allah! How many are the people of the Fire?' Allah will reply: 'From every one thousand, take out nine-hundred-and ninety-nine.' At that time children will become hoary headed, every pregnant female will have a miscarriage, and one will see mankind as drunken, yet they will not be drunken, but dreadful will be the Wrath of Allah." The companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) asked, "O Allah's Apostle! Who is that (excepted) one?" He said, "Rejoice with glad tidings; one person will be from you and one-thousand will be from Gog and Magog." The Prophet (ﷺ) further said, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, hope that you will be one-fourth of the people of Paradise." We shouted, "Allahu Akbar!" He added, "I hope that you will be one-third of the people of Paradise." We shouted, "Allahu Akbar!" He said, "I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise." We shouted, "Allahu Akbar!" He further said, "You (Muslims) (compared with non Muslims) are like a black hair in the skin of a white ox or like a white hair in the skin of a black ox (i.e. your number is very small as compared with theirs).
This wall of Gog and Magog, its strength was such that those people could not break it down, neither scale over it. Seeing the sturdiness of the barrier and its firmness, Dhul-Qarnayn thanked Allah, saying that all this was a mercy from Allah who used him for this service. He also mentioned that at that time the wall was quite strong and firm that Gog and Magog could not come through, bpt he said further, "I do not make this claim that this wall will forever remain like that but it will only remain like that for as long as Allh will allow it to be so. When he no longer intends that it shall be like that it will be broken down and like anything the wall too will perish.
In Sahih Al-Bukhari, narrated from Zainab bint Jahsh, radiallahu ‘anhuma, that the Prophet (ﷺ) once came to her in a state of fear and said, "None has the right to be worshipped but Allah. Woe unto the Arabs from a danger that has come near. An opening has been made in the wall of Gog and Magog like this," making a circle with his thumb and index finger. Zainab bint Jahsh said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Shall we be destroyed even though there are pious persons among us?" He said, "Yes, when the evil person will increase."
Now there remains the area of geographical and racial investigation as to questions like - Where is the wall of Dhul-Qarnayn located? Who are these people called Gog and Magog? Where do they live now? Here, it can be said that no Islamic 'Aqidah depends on knowing this, nor does the understanding of any verse of the Quran hinge on it. But, the religious scholars of the Muslim Ummah, only in order to answer the absurdities dished out by antagonists and to provide additional insight, have discussed this subject in details. It would be better if we ask directly to 'Ulama who have mastered this field."
Almond then said, "O my brothers and sisters, this is a naseehah for all us. Whoever studies Islamic history will see that the malady referred to by the Prophet (ﷺ) is one of the greatest trials that have befallen the Muslims. The affairs of this ummah are being controlled by tyrants and oppressors who cannot bear to hear any opinion which goes against their own. According to the hadith, recorded in At-Tabaraani, narrated by Mu'aawiyah, the Prophet said: (ﷺ), "There will be leaders after me who will speak and no one will refute them. They will rush into the Fire like monkeys." The fatal mistakes which lead to corruption in life are the appointment of unqualified people to positions of leadership and authority who direct the affairs of life according to their whims and desires, overlooking good people who would direct matters in the best way.
Verilly, become a ruler, aim to spread the kalimas of Allah, to uphold the Tawheed and inviting to return to Allah. Two Horns can be meant, East and West, two opposite sides. East and West are places where the sun rises and where the sun sets. The sun can be likened to a ruler. The ruler may choose to stand on the side of the rising sun, be a just ruler, or choose to stand on the sunset, become a despotic ruler. The ruler may choose, becomes the morning sun that refreshes his people and becomes as a shade for them, or becomes the rays of the intense afternoon sun, which does not overshadow his people, who will immerse his people into destitute and disbelieve, then ultimately, to the direction of destruction. Can we imagine, what kind of a ruler, who does not have a people? And Allah know best."
"Say, 'O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You humble whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things competent. You cause the night to enter the day, and You cause the day to enter the night; and You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give provision to whom You will without account'." - [QS.3:26-27]
Reference :
- Dr. 'Umar S. Al-Ashqar, The Minor Resurrection, IIPH
- Maulana Hifzur Rahman Soeharwy, Qasasul Ambiyaa, Idara Impex
- The History of Al-Tabari Volume IV : The Ancient Kingdoms, translated by Moshe Perlmann, SUNY Press
*) Credited to Leonard Cohen, "Everybody Knows", performed by Sigrid.
