بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Assalamu Alaikum.
[Here’s Part 1.]
The angels came to destroy the people of Lut (alaihissalaam)
وَلَمَّا جَاءَتْ رُسُلُنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ بِالْبُشْرَىٰ قَالُوا إِنَّا مُهْلِكُو أَهْلِ هَٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ ۖ إِنَّ أَهْلَهَا كَانُوا ظَالِمِينَ
قَالَ إِنَّ فِيهَا لُوطًا ۚ قَالُوا نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن فِيهَا ۖ لَنُنَجِّيَنَّهُ وَأَهْلَهُ إِلَّا امْرَأَتَهُ كَانَتْ مِنَ الْغَابِرِينَ
Ibrahim said: “But there is Lut in it.” They said: “We know better who is there, we will verily save him [Lut] and his family, except his wife, she will be of those who remain behind (i.e. she will be destroyed along with those who will be destroyed from her folk).”[Surah Ankabut (29) : 31 – 32]
The angels then came to Lut (alaihissalaam).
وَلَمَّا جَاءَتْ رُسُلُنَا لُوطًا سِيءَ بِهِمْ وَضَاقَ بِهِمْ ذَرْعًا وَقَالَ هَٰذَا يَوْمٌ عَصِيبٌ
وَجَاءَهُ قَوْمُهُ يُهْرَعُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَمِن قَبْلُ كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ۚ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ هَٰؤُلَاءِ بَنَاتِي هُنَّ أَطْهَرُ لَكُمْ ۖ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلَا تُخْزُونِ فِي ضَيْفِي ۖ أَلَيْسَ مِنكُمْ رَجُلٌ رَّشِيدٌ
قَالُوا لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا لَنَا فِي بَنَاتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ
قَالَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِي بِكُمْ قُوَّةً أَوْ آوِي إِلَىٰ رُكْنٍ شَدِيدٍ
قَالُوا يَا لُوطُ إِنَّا رُسُلُ رَبِّكَ لَن يَصِلُوا إِلَيْكَ ۖ فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ بِقِطْعٍ مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ وَلَا يَلْتَفِتْ مِنكُمْ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا امْرَأَتَكَ ۖ إِنَّهُ مُصِيبُهَا مَا أَصَابَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ مَوْعِدَهُمُ الصُّبْحُ ۚ أَلَيْسَ الصُّبْحُ بِقَرِيبٍ
فَلَمَّا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا جَعَلْنَا عَالِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهَا حِجَارَةً مِّن سِجِّيلٍ مَّنضُودٍ
مُّسَوَّمَةً عِندَ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَمَا هِيَ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ بِبَعِيدٍ
And when Our Messengers came to Lut, he was grieved on their account and felt himself straitened for them (lest the town people should approach them to commit sodomy with them). He said: “This is a distressful day.”
And his people came rushing towards him, and since aforetime they used to commit crimes (sodomy, etc.), he said: “O my people! Here are my daughters (i.e. the daughters of my nation), they are purer for you (if you marry them lawfully). So fear Allah and degrade me not as regards my guests! Is there not among you a single right-minded man?”
They said: “Surely you know that we have neither any desire nor in need of your daughters, and indeed you know well what we want!”
He said: “Would that I had strength (men) to overpower you, or that I could betake myself to some powerful support (to resist you).”
They (Messengers) said: “O Lut! Verily, we are the Messengers from your Lord! They shall not reach you! So travel with your family in a part of the night, and let not any of you look back, but your wife (will remain behind), verily, the punishment which will afflict them, will afflict her. Indeed, morning is their appointed time. Is not the morning near?”
So when Our Commandment came, We turned (the towns of Sodom in Palestine) upside down, and rained on them stones of baked clay, piled up;
Marked from your Lord, and they are not ever far from the dhaalimoon (polytheists, evil-doers, etc.). [Surah Hud (11) : 77 – 83]
Imam Ibn Kathir (rahimahullah) states in his explanation of these ayaat (verses):
“Allah, the Exalted, informs about the coming of His messenger angels. After they informed Ibrahim of their mission to destroy the people of Lut, they left him and set out to destroy Lut’s people that very night. After leaving Ibrahim, they came to Lut. Some say that they came to him while he was on a piece of land that belonged to him. Others say that they came to him while he was in his home. They approached him while they were in the most handsome of forms. They appeared in the forms of young men with handsome faces. This was a test from Allah that contained much wisdom and a firm evidence. Their appearance saddened him (Lut) and he felt grief in his soul because of them. He was afraid that if he did not host them as his guests, someone else of his people would host them and harm them.
﴿ وَقَالَ هَـٰذَا يَوۡمٌ عَصِيبٌ۬ ﴾
(He said: “This is a distressful day.”) Ibn Abbas and others said that this means, “A severe test for him.” This was because he knew that he would have to defend them and it would cause great problems for him. Qatadah said, “They came to him while he was on a piece of land that belonged to him. They requested him to host them. He agreed, but he was shy of them and he walked in front of them. On the way to his home he said to them in attempt to convince them to go away, `By Allah, I do not know any people on the face of the earth more wicked and disgusting than these people of this town.’ Then he walked on a little further. Then he repeated the same statement to them. He continued doing this until he had repeated the same thing four times.” Then Qatadah said, “They were ordered not to destroy them until their Prophet testified against them of this.” Concerning Allah’s statement,
﴿ يُہۡرَعُونَ إِلَيۡهِ ﴾
(rushing towards him.) meaning, they made haste and rushed due to their delight of these new young men. Concerning the statement,
﴿ وَمِن قَبۡلُ كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِۚ ﴾
(and since aforetime they used to commit crimes.) This means that this did not cease being their behavior until they were seized (by Allah’s torment) and they were still in the same condition.
﴿ قَالَ يَـٰقَوۡمِ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِى هُنَّ أَطۡهَرُ لَكُمۡۖ ﴾
(He said: “O my people! Here are my daughters (the women of the nation), they are purer for you…”) This was his attempt to direct them to their women, for verily the Prophet is like a father for his nation. Therefore, he tries to guide them to that which is better for them in this life and the Hereafter. This is similar to his statement to them in another verse,
﴿ أَتَأۡتُونَ ٱلذُّكۡرَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ • وَتَذَرُونَ مَا خَلَقَ لَكُمۡ رَبُّكُم مِّنۡ أَزۡوَٲجِكُمۚ بَلۡ أَنتُمۡ قَوۡمٌ عَادُونَ ﴾
(Go you in unto the males of the nation, and leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your wives. Nay, you are a trespassing people!) (26:165-166) Allah said in another verse,
﴿ قَالُوٓاْ أَوَلَمۡ نَنۡهَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴾
(They (the people of the city) said: “Did we not forbid you from entertaining any of the Alameen”) (15:70) This means, “Didn’t we forbid you from hosting men (male) guests”
﴿ قَالَ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِىٓ إِن كُنتُمۡ فَـٰعِلِينَ • لَعَمۡرُكَ إِنَّہُمۡ لَفِى سَكۡرَتِہِمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ ﴾
((Lut) said: “These (the girls of the nation) are my daughters, if you must act (so).” Verily, by your life, in their wild intoxication, they were wandering blindly.) (15:71-72) Then, Allah said, in this noble verse,
﴿ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِى هُنَّ أَطۡهَرُ لَكُمۡۖ ﴾
(Here are my daughters, they are purer for you.) Mujahid said, “Actually, they were not his daughters, but they were from among his nation. Every Prophet is like a father to his nation.” A similar statement has been reported from Qatadah and others. Concerning the statement,
﴿ فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُخۡزُونِ فِى ضَيۡفِىٓۖ ﴾
(So have Taqwa of Allah and disgrace me not with regard to my guests!) This means, “Accept what I command you by limiting the fulfillment of your desires to your women.”
﴿ أَلَيۡسَ مِنكُمۡ رَجُلٌ۬ رَّشِيدٌ۬ ﴾
(Is there not among you a single right-minded man) This means, “Is there not a good man among you who will accept what I am enjoining upon you and abandon what I have forbidden for you”
﴿ قَالُواْ لَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتَ مَا لَنَا فِى بَنَاتِكَ مِنۡ حَقٍّ۬ ﴾
(They said: “Surely, you know that we have no need of your daughters…”) This means, “Verily, you know that we do not want our women, nor do we desire them.”
﴿ وَإِنَّكَ لَتَعۡلَمُ مَا نُرِيدُ ﴾
(and indeed you know well what we want!) This means, “We only want males and you know that. So what need is there for you to continue speaking to us about this”.
Allah, the Exalted says that Lut was threatening them with his statement,
﴿ لَوۡ أَنَّ لِى بِكُمۡ قُوَّةً ﴾
(Would that I had strength (men) to overpower you,) meaning, `I would surely have made an example of you and done (harm) to you from myself and my family.’ In this regard, there is a Hadith which is reported from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said,
« رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَى لُوطٍ لَقَدْ كَانَ يَأْوِي إِلَى رُكْنٍ شَدِيد »
يَعْنِي اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
« فَمَا بَعَثَ اللهُ بَعْدَهُ مِنْ نَبِيَ إِلَّا فِي ثَرْوَةٍ مِنْ قَوْمِه »
(May Allah’s mercy be upon Lut, for verily, he betook himself to a powerful support –(meaning Allah, the Mighty and Sublime). Allah did not send any Prophet after him, except amidst an influential family (among his people.) With this, the angels informed him that they were the messengers of Allah sent to them. They also told him that his people would not be able to reach him (with any harm).
﴿ قَالُواْ يَـٰلُوطُ إِنَّا رُسُلُ رَبِّكَ لَن يَصِلُوٓاْ إِلَيۡكَۖ ﴾
(They (messengers said): “O Lut! Verily, we are the messengers from your Lord! They shall not reach you!) They commanded him to travel with his family during the last part of night and that he should follow them from behind. In this way it would be as though he were driving his family (as a cattle herder).
﴿ وَلَا يَلۡتَفِتۡ مِنكُمۡ أَحَدٌ۬ ﴾
(and let not any of you look back;) This means, “If you hear the sound of what (torment) befalls them (the people of the village), do not rush towards that disturbing noise. Rather, continue leaving.”
﴿ إِلَّا ٱمۡرَأَتَكَۖ ﴾
(but your wife,) Most of the scholars said that this means that she would not travel at night and she did not go with Lut. Rather, she stayed in her house and was destroyed. Others said that it means that she looked back (during the travel). This later group says that she left with them and when she heard the inevitable destruction, she turned and looked back. When she looked she said, “O my people!” Thus, a stone came down from the sky and killed her. Then they (the angels) brought close to him the destruction of his people as good news for him, because he said to them, “Destroy them in this very hour.” They replied,
﴿ إِنَّ مَوۡعِدَهُمُ ٱلصُّبۡحُۚ أَلَيۡسَ ٱلصُّبۡحُ بِقَرِيبٍ۬ ﴾
(Indeed, morning is their appointed time. Is not the morning near) They were saying this while Lut’s people were standing at his door. They tried to rush his door from all sides and Lut was standing at the door repelling them, deterring them and trying to prevent them from what they were doing. Yet, they would not listen to him. Instead, they threatened him and sought to intimidate him. At this point, Jibreel came out to them and struck them in their faces with his wing. This blow blinded their eyes and they retreated, unable to see their way. This is as Allah said,
﴿ وَلَقَدۡ رَٲوَدُوهُ عَن ضَيۡفِهِۦ فَطَمَسۡنَآ أَعۡيُنَہُمۡ فَذُوقُواْ عَذَابِى وَنُذُرِ ﴾
(And they indeed sought to shame his guest (asking to commit sodomy with them). So We blinded their eyes (saying), “Then taste you My torment and My warnings.”) (54:37)
Allah, the Exalted, says,
﴿ فَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمۡرُنَا ﴾
(So when Our commandment came,) This happened at sunrise.
﴿ جَعَلۡنَا عَـٰلِيَهَا ﴾
(We turned it (The city of Sadum (Sodom))
﴿ سَافِلَهَا ﴾
(upside down,) This is similar to Allah’s statement,
﴿ فَغَشَّٮٰهَا مَا غَشَّىٰ ﴾
(So there covered them that which did cover (torment with stones).) (53:54) This means, “We rained upon it with stones made of Sijjil.” Sijjil is a Persian word meaning stones made of clay. This definition has been mentioned by Ibn Abbas and others. Some of the scholars said that it (Sijjil) derived from the word Sang, which means a stone. Some others said it means Wakil, which is clay. In another verse Allah says,
﴿ حِجَارَةً۬ مِّن طِينٍ۬ ﴾
(the stones of clay,) This means clay made into strong, hard stone. Some of the scholars said it means baked clay. Al-Bukhari said, “Sijjil means that which is big and strong.” Concerning Allah’s statement,
﴿ مَّنضُودٍ۬ ﴾
(in an array. ) Some of the scholars said that Mandud means the stones were arranged in the heavens and prepared for that (destruction). Others said,
﴿ مَّنضُودٍ۬ ﴾
(in an array.) This word means that some of them (the stones) followed others in their descent upon the people of Lut. Concerning the statement,
﴿ مُّسَوَّمَةً ﴾
(Marked) meaning the stones were marked and sealed, all of them having the names of their victims written on them. Qatadah and Ikrimah both said, “Musawwamah means each stone was encompassed by a sprinkling of red coloring.” The commentators have mentioned that it (the shower of stones) descended upon the people of the town and upon the various villages around it. One of them would be speaking with some people when a stone would strike him from the sky and kill him while he was among the people. Thus, the stones followed them, striking the people in the entire land until they destroyed them all. Not a single one of them remained. Concerning Allah’s statement,
﴿ وَمَا هِىَ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بِبَعِيدٍ۬ ﴾
(and they are not ever far from the wrongdoers.) This means that this vengeance (of Allah) is not far from similar wrongdoers. Verily, it has been reported in a Hadith of the Sunan collections, from Ibn Abbas, which he attributed to the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam),
« مَنْ وَجَدْتُمُوهُ يَعْمَلُ عَمَلَ قَوْمِ لُوطٍ فَاقْتُلُوا الْفَاعِلَ وَالْمَفْعُولَ بِه »
(Whoever you find doing the deed of Lut’s people (homosexuality), then kill the doer and the one who allows it to be done to him (both partners).)”
Ibn Kathir states in the Stories of the Prophets:
“It is said that Jibreel uprooted that city from the earth, as well as those around it – they were altogether seven cities – with its inhabitants and animals. He lifted them to the sky and then threw it upside down.”
The angels came to the defense of Yunus (alaihissalaam)
Yunus (alaihissalaam) left his people in anger and boarded a ship. Due to some circumstances, he was thrown into the sea and a whale swallowed him. However, Allah saved him.
وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
إِذْ أَبَقَ إِلَى الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ
فَسَاهَمَ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُدْحَضِينَ
فَالْتَقَمَهُ الْحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌ
فَلَوْلَا أَنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُسَبِّحِينَ
لَلَبِثَ فِي بَطْنِهِ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ
فَنَبَذْنَاهُ بِالْعَرَاءِ وَهُوَ سَقِيمٌ
وَأَنبَتْنَا عَلَيْهِ شَجَرَةً مِّن يَقْطِينٍ
وَأَرْسَلْنَاهُ إِلَىٰ مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ
فَآمَنُوا فَمَتَّعْنَاهُمْ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ
And, verily, Yunus was one of the Messengers. When he ran to the laden ship, he (agreed to) cast lots, and he was among the losers. Then a (big) fish swallowed him and he had done an act worthy of blame. Had he not been of them who glorify Allah, He would have indeed remained inside its belly (the fish) till the Day of Resurrection. But We cast him forth on the naked shore while he was sick. And We caused a plant of gourd to grow over him. And We sent him to a hundred thousand (people) or even more. And they believed; so We gave them enjoyment for a while. [Surah As-Saffat (37): 139 – 148]
Whilst he was glorifying Allah, the angels heard him and came to his defense by pleading to Allah on his behalf.
Ibn Kathir states in the Stories of the Prophets:
“Ibn Jarir has narrated in his book of tafsir that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “When Allah wanted to keep Yunus in the belly of the fish, He revealed to it: ‘Take him inside but do not scratch his flesh, or break his bones.’ When the fish went down in the depth, Yunus heard a voice. He thought of it in his mind and said: ‘What is that?” Allah revealed to him that it was the glorifying acts of sea animals. Then he glorified Allah in the belly of that fish, which the angels heard and said: ‘O Lord! We hear a very weak voice in a very strange land!’ Allah said: ‘This is my slave Yunus who disobeyed me, so I detained him inside a fish in the depth of the sea.’ They enquired: ‘Is he Your pious slave from whom every day and night a good deed ascended to you?’ He replied: ‘Yes’. So the angels then pleaded to Allah on behalf of Yunus, so Allah commanded the fish to throw him out on the shore.”
Ibn Abee Hatim has mentioned in his tafsir that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “When Yunus (alaihissalaam) realised that he should say these words in the belly of the fish, he said: ‘O Allah! there is none worthy of worship except You. You are Glorified! It was indeed I who was from the wrongdoers.’ This prayer appeared from beneath the Throne. The angels said: ‘O Lord! It is a very weak familiar voice, coming from a strange land. Allah said: ‘Don’t you know it?’ They said: ‘No, our Lord. Who is he?’ Allah said: ‘This is my slave Yunus.’ The angels said: ‘ Your slave Yunus from whom there always ascended to you an accepted prayer and accepted deed?’ Then they said: ‘O Lord! Will You not bestow Your Mercy upon him for what he had been doing in his time of comfort, and so release him from this distress?’ Allah said: ‘Yes’. Then he commanded the fish, and the fish threw him out on the open shore.” (Narrated by Ibn Jarir from Yunus from Ibn Wahb.)”
The story of Yunus (alaihissalaam) is a reminder to everyone to keep doing good deeds, because they benefit both in this world and in the hereafter. The good deeds done by Yunus (alaihissalaam) were a reason for him to get removed from the belly of the whale.
Jibreel came to aid Musa (alaihissalaam) on the Day of Ashura
Allah ordered Musa (alaihissalaam) to leave Egypt along with Banu Israel. They reached the sea and were not able to cross it. Then Allah caused the sea to split for them and so they were able to cross. Pharaoh and his army followed them. However, the sea closed in on them and they all drowned.
فَلَمَّا تَرَاءَى الْجَمْعَانِ قَالَ أَصْحَابُ مُوسَىٰ إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ
قَالَ كَلَّا ۖ إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ
فَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ أَنِ اضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ الْبَحْرَ ۖ فَانفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرْقٍ كَالطَّوْدِ الْعَظِيمِ
وَأَزْلَفْنَا ثَمَّ الْآخَرِينَ
وَأَنجَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُ أَجْمَعِينَ
ثُمَّ أَغْرَقْنَا الْآخَرِينَ
إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً ۖ وَمَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ
And when the two hosts saw each other, the companions of Musa said: “We are sure to be overtaken.” He [Musa] said: “Nay, verily! With me is my Lord, He will guide me.” Then We inspired Musa (saying): “Strike the sea with your stick.” And it parted, and each separate part (of that sea water) became like the huge, firm mass of a mountain. Then We brought near the others [Firaun’s (Pharaoh) party] to that place. And We saved Musa and all those with him. Then We drowned the others. Verily! In this is indeed a sign (or a proof), yet most of them are not believers. And verily, your Lord! He is truly the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful. [Surah As-Shuara (26) : 61 – 68]
From another ayah (verse), we learn that Musa (alaihissalaam) was ordered to leave the sea as it was (i.e. divided).
فَأَسْرِ بِعِبَادِي لَيْلًا إِنَّكُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ
وَاتْرُكِ الْبَحْرَ رَهْوًا ۖ إِنَّهُمْ جُندٌ مُّغْرَقُونَ
(Allah said): “Depart you with My slaves by night. Surely, you will be pursued. And leave the sea as it is (quiet and divided). Verily, They are a host to be drowned.” [Surah Ad-Dukhan (44) : 23 – 24]
Jibreel (alaihissalaam) was present that day, and helped lure Pharaoh and his army into the split sea.
Ibn Kathir states in the Stories of the Prophets:
وَاتْرُكِ الْبَحْرَ رَهْوًا
“”And leave the sea as furrow (divided),” i.e. leave it in its position, to lure the Egyptian host.
When Musa left the sea in its position, and Pharaoh saw them passing through the passage made across the sea, he got frightened, and knew that it was from Musa’s Mighty Lord. So he could not dare to go in, and found himself regretful. However, he showed himself to his army against what he felt, and told them: “Look how the sea has split apart for me so I could catch these of my servants who are fleeing from me.” He did not have any intention to go with his army in that passage.
So, as it is narrated, Jibreel came in the guise of a cavalier on a horse and passed by Pharaoh’s horse and neighed to it. Then Jibreel from there entered the split sea, and behind him followed Pharaoh’s horse, which he could not control. When his army saw him entering the sea, they all entered behind him at once. When all of them were in the sea, Allah command Musa to strike the sea with his staff. As soon as he struck it, the sea returned to his former state, and no one could survive from them.”
There was something else that Jibreel (alaihissalaam) did that day – stuff Pharaoh’s mouth with mud.
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ : لَمَّا أَغْرَقَ اللَّهُ فِرْعَوْنَ قَالَ آمَنْتُ أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ الَّذِي آمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ فَقَالَ جِبْرِيلُ يَا مُحَمَّدُ فَلَوْ رَأَيْتَنِي وَأَنَا آخُذُ مِنْ حَالِ الْبَحْرِ فَأَدُسُّهُ فِي فِيهِ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ تُدْرِكَهُ الرَّحْمَةُ
Narrated Ibn Abbas (radiallahu anhuma) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “When Allah drowned Pharaoh, he said: ‘I believe that there is none worthy of worship except the One that the children of Israil believe in.’ So Jibreel said: ‘O Muhammad! If you could only have seen me, while I was taking (the mud) from the sea, and filling his mouth out of fear that the mercy would reach him.'” [Jaami At-Tirmidhi, Hadeeth No. 3107]
The day, that Musa (alaihissalaam) and his people were saved from Pharaoh and his army, is called Ashura (the 10th of Muharram) and it is recommended to fast on this day.
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَمَّا قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ وَجَدَهُمْ يَصُومُونَ يَوْمًا، يَعْنِي عَاشُورَاءَ، فَقَالُوا هَذَا يَوْمٌ عَظِيمٌ، وَهْوَ يَوْمٌ نَجَّى اللَّهُ فِيهِ مُوسَى، وَأَغْرَقَ آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ، فَصَامَ مُوسَى شُكْرًا لِلَّهِ. فَقَالَ : أَنَا أَوْلَى بِمُوسَى مِنْهُمْ . فَصَامَهُ وَأَمَرَ بِصِيَامِهِ
Narrated Ibn Abbas (radiallahu anhuma): When the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) came to Madinah, he found (the Jews) fasting on the day of Ashura (i.e. 10th of Muharram). They used to say: “This is a great day on which Allah saved Musa and drowned the folk of Pharaoh. Musa observed the fast on this day, as a sign of gratitude to Allah.” The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “I am closer to Musa than they.” So, he observed the fast (on that day) and ordered the Muslims to fast on it. [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Hadeeth No. 609]
[Note: Today (i.e. the date that this post was published) is Ashura!!! All praise is to due to the Allah, the Best of Planners.]
After being saved from the Pharaoh and his army, Banu Israil worshipped a calf in the absence of Musa (alaihissalaam). Subhan Allah, instead of being grateful to Allah for His favours, they attributed a partner to Him.
وَاتَّخَذَ قَوْمُ مُوسَىٰ مِن بَعْدِهِ مِنْ حُلِيِّهِمْ عِجْلًا جَسَدًا لَّهُ خُوَارٌ ۚ أَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّهُ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمْ وَلَا يَهْدِيهِمْ سَبِيلًا ۘ اتَّخَذُوهُ وَكَانُوا ظَالِمِينَ
وَلَمَّا سُقِطَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ وَرَأَوْا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ ضَلُّوا قَالُوا لَئِن لَّمْ يَرْحَمْنَا رَبُّنَا وَيَغْفِرْ لَنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
And the people of Musa made in his absence, out of their ornaments, the image of a calf (for worship). It had a sound (as if it was mooing). Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to the way? They took it for worship and they were dhaalimoon (wrong-doers).
And when they regretted and saw that they had gone astray, they (repented and) said: “If our Lord have not mercy upon us and forgive us, we shall certainly be of the losers.”
[Surah Al-Araaf (7) : 148 – 149]
The man who misled Banu Israil was called As-Samiri. He had seen Jibreel (alaihissalaam) on the day that Pharoah and his army were drowned (i.e. on the Day of Ashura) and he had taken some dust from the footprints of Jibreel’s (alaihissalaam) horse and then thrown that dust into the calf (when it was being made out of gold).
Allah informed Musa (alaihissalaam) that it was As-Samiri that misled Bani Israil. Musa (alaihissalaam) then returned home to confront his people.
قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَتَنَّا قَوْمَكَ مِن بَعْدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ السَّامِرِيُّ
فَرَجَعَ مُوسَىٰ إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ غَضْبَانَ أَسِفًا ۚ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَلَمْ يَعِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ وَعْدًا حَسَنًا ۚ أَفَطَالَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْعَهْدُ أَمْ أَرَدتُّمْ أَن يَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُم مَّوْعِدِي
قَالُوا مَا أَخْلَفْنَا مَوْعِدَكَ بِمَلْكِنَا وَلَٰكِنَّا حُمِّلْنَا أَوْزَارًا مِّن زِينَةِ الْقَوْمِ فَقَذَفْنَاهَا فَكَذَٰلِكَ أَلْقَى السَّامِرِيُّ
فَأَخْرَجَ لَهُمْ عِجْلًا جَسَدًا لَّهُ خُوَارٌ فَقَالُوا هَٰذَا إِلَٰهُكُمْ وَإِلَٰهُ مُوسَىٰ فَنَسِيَ
أَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَلَّا يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَوْلًا وَلَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا
وَلَقَدْ قَالَ لَهُمْ هَارُونُ مِن قَبْلُ يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّمَا فُتِنتُم بِهِ ۖ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ فَاتَّبِعُونِي وَأَطِيعُوا أَمْرِي
قَالُوا لَن نَّبْرَحَ عَلَيْهِ عَاكِفِينَ حَتَّىٰ يَرْجِعَ إِلَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ
قَالَ يَا هَارُونُ مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ رَأَيْتَهُمْ ضَلُّوا
أَلَّا تَتَّبِعَنِ ۖ أَفَعَصَيْتَ أَمْرِي
قَالَ يَا ابْنَ أُمَّ لَا تَأْخُذْ بِلِحْيَتِي وَلَا بِرَأْسِي ۖ إِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَن تَقُولَ فَرَّقْتَ بَيْنَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَلَمْ تَرْقُبْ قَوْلِي
قَالَ فَمَا خَطْبُكَ يَا سَامِرِيُّ
قَالَ بَصُرْتُ بِمَا لَمْ يَبْصُرُوا بِهِ فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةً مِّنْ أَثَرِ الرَّسُولِ فَنَبَذْتُهَا وَكَذَٰلِكَ سَوَّلَتْ لِي نَفْسِي
قَالَ فَاذْهَبْ فَإِنَّ لَكَ فِي الْحَيَاةِ أَن تَقُولَ لَا مِسَاسَ ۖ وَإِنَّ لَكَ مَوْعِدًا لَّن تُخْلَفَهُ ۖ وَانظُرْ إِلَىٰ إِلَٰهِكَ الَّذِي ظَلْتَ عَلَيْهِ عَاكِفًا ۖ لَّنُحَرِّقَنَّهُ ثُمَّ لَنَنسِفَنَّهُ فِي الْيَمِّ نَسْفًا
He (Allah) said: “Verily! We have tried your people in your absence, and As-Samiri has led them astray.”
Then Musa returned to his people in a state of anger and sorrow. He said: “O my people! Did not your Lord promise you a fair promise? Did then the promise seem to you long in coming? Or did you desire that wrath should descend from your Lord on you, so you broke your promise to me (i.e. disbelieving in Allah and worshipping the calf)?”
They said: “We broke not the promise to you, of our own will, but we were made to carry the weight of the ornaments of the [Firaun’s (Pharaoh)] people, then we cast them (into the fire), and that was what As-Samiri suggested.” Then he took out (of the fire) for them a statue of a calf which seemed to low. They said: “This is your ilaah (god), and the ilah (god) of Musa, but [Musa] has forgotten (his god).'” Did they not see that it could not return them a word (for answer), and that it had no power either to harm them or to do them good?
And Haroon indeed had said to them beforehand: “O my people! You are being tried in this, and verily, your Lord is (Allah) the Most Beneficent, so follow me and obey my order.” They said: “We will not stop worshipping it (i.e. the calf), until Musa returns to us.”
He [Musa] said: “O Haroon! What stopped you when you saw them going astray; That you followed me not (according to my advice to you)? Have you then disobeyed my order?” He [Haroon] said: “O son of my mother! Seize (me) not by my beard, nor by my head! Verily, I feared lest you should say: ‘You have caused a division among the Children of Israel, and you have not respected my word!’ “
He [Musa] said: “And what is the matter with you, O Samiri? (i.e. why did you do so?)”
He [Samiri] said: “I saw what they saw not, so I took a handful (of dust) from the hoof print of the messenger [Jibreel’s horse] and threw it [into the fire in which were put the ornaments of the Firaun’s (Pharaoh) people, or into the calf]. Thus my inner-self suggested to me.”
He [Musa] said: “Then go away! And verily, your (punishment) in this life will be that you will say: “Touch me not (i.e. you will live alone exiled away from mankind); and verily (for a future torment), you have a promise that will not fail. And look at your ilaah (god), to which you have been devoted. We will certainly burn it, and scatter its particles in the sea.”
[Surah Ta-Ha (20) : 85 – 96]
Ibn Kathir states in the Stories of the Prophets:
“These Verses tell us what happened to the Israelites when Musa left them when he went to the Mount Tur for his appointment. Musa stayed there worshipping his Lord, and in devotion. A man from amongst the Israelites, whose name was Aaron Samiri, came forth and took all the jewelry which had been borrowed from the Egyptians, and molded it into a calf after he had melted them. The he took a handful of dust and threw it into it, which he had taken from the footstep of the horse of Jibreel (alaihissalaam) when he saw him on the day that Allah drowned Pharaoh. When he cast the dust into it, it mooed as a real calf does. It is said that when the wind entered from its back passage and came out from its mouth, it mooed like a cow. When it mooed, they danced around it and sang.”
Ibn Kathir states in his explanation of the above ayaat (verses):
“Musa said to As-Samiri, “What caused you to do what you did? What presented such an idea to you causing you to do this?”. Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from Ibn Abbas that he said, “As-Samiri was a man from the people of Bajarma, a people who worshipped cows. He still had the love of cow worshipping in his soul. However, he acted as though he had accepted Islam with the Children of Israel. His name was Musa bin Zafar.” Qatadah said, “He was from the village of Samarra.”
﴿ قَالَ بَصُرۡتُ بِمَا لَمۡ يَبۡصُرُواْ بِهِۦ ﴾
((Samiri) said: “I saw what they saw not.”) This means, “I saw Jibreel when he came to destroy Firawn.”
﴿ فَقَبَضۡتُ قَبۡضَةً۬ مِّنۡ أَثَرِ ٱلرَّسُولِ ﴾
(so I took a handful (Qabdah) from the print of the messenger) This means from the hoof print of his (Jibreel’s) horse. This is what is well-known with many of the scholars of Tafsir, rather most of them. Mujahid said,
﴿ فَقَبَضۡتُ قَبۡضَةً۬ مِّنۡ أَثَرِ ٱلرَّسُولِ ﴾
(so I took a handful (Qabdah) from the print of the messenger) “From under the hoof of Jibreel’s horse.” He also said, “The word Qabdah means a palmful, and it is also that which is grasped by the tips of the fingers.” Mujahid said, “As-Samiri threw what was in his hand onto the jewelry of the Children of Israel and it became molded into the body of a calf, which made a light moaning sound. The wind that blew into it was the cause of its sound.” Thus, he said,
﴿ فَنَبَذۡتُهَا ﴾
(and I threw it.) This means, “I threw it along with those who were throwing (jewelry).”
﴿ وَڪَذَٲلِكَ سَوَّلَتۡ لِى نَفۡسِى ﴾
(Thus my inner self suggested to me.) This means that his soul considered it something good and it was pleasing to his self.”
Ibn Kathir states in his Stories of the Prophets:
“It is said that he saw Jibreel, and wherever his horse set its foot, green grass grew there.”
Jibreel (alaihimissalaam) is not mentioned much in the story of Musa (alaihissalaam) but it seems he came to Musa (alaihissalaam) at other times too.
After Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) got the first revelation, his wife Khadijah (radiallahu anha) took him to her cousin Waraqah, who was a Christian.
فَانْطَلَقَتْ بِهِ خَدِيجَةُ حَتَّى أَتَتْ بِهِ وَرَقَةَ بْنَ نَوْفَلِ بْنِ أَسَدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعُزَّى ابْنَ عَمِّ خَدِيجَةَ ـ وَكَانَ امْرَأً تَنَصَّرَ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، وَكَانَ يَكْتُبُ الْكِتَابَ الْعِبْرَانِيَّ، فَيَكْتُبُ مِنَ الإِنْجِيلِ بِالْعِبْرَانِيَّةِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ، وَكَانَ شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا قَدْ عَمِيَ ـ فَقَالَتْ لَهُ خَدِيجَةُ يَا ابْنَ عَمِّ اسْمَعْ مِنَ ابْنِ أَخِيكَ. فَقَالَ لَهُ وَرَقَةُ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي مَاذَا تَرَى فَأَخْبَرَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَبَرَ مَا رَأَى. فَقَالَ لَهُ وَرَقَةُ هَذَا النَّامُوسُ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى مُوسَى صلى الله عليه وسلم يَا لَيْتَنِي فِيهَا جَذَعًا، لَيْتَنِي أَكُونُ حَيًّا إِذْ يُخْرِجُكَ قَوْمُكَ
Khadijah then accompanied him to her cousin Waraqah bin Naufal bin Asad bin Abdul Uzza, who, during the pre-Islamic Period became a Christian and used to write the writing with Hebrew letters. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as Allah wished him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadijah said to Waraqah, “Listen to the story of your nephew, O my cousin!” Waraqa asked, “O my nephew! What have you seen?” Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) described whatever he had seen. Waraqah said, “This is the same one who keeps the secrets (angel Jibreel) whom Allah had sent to Musa. I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your people would turn you out.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Hadeeth No. 3. The whole narration can be found here.]
The Angel of Death came to Musa (alaihissalaam)
عَن أَبي هُرَيْرَة عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم . فَذَكَرَ أَحَادِيثَ مِنْهَا وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم : جَاءَ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ إِلَى مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَجِبْ رَبَّكَ – قَالَ – فَلَطَمَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ عَيْنَ مَلَكِ الْمَوْتِ فَفَقَأَهَا – قَالَ – فَرَجَعَ الْمَلَكُ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَقَالَ إِنَّكَ أَرْسَلْتَنِي إِلَى عَبْدٍ لَكَ لاَ يُرِيدُ الْمَوْتَ وَقَدْ فَقَأَ عَيْنِي – قَالَ – فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ عَيْنَهُ وَقَالَ ارْجِعْ إِلَى عَبْدِي فَقُلِ الْحَيَاةَ تُرِيدُ فَإِنْ كُنْتَ تُرِيدُ الْحَيَاةَ فَضَعْ يَدَكَ عَلَى مَتْنِ ثَوْرٍ فَمَا تَوَارَتْ يَدُكَ مِنْ شَعْرَةٍ فَإِنَّكَ تَعِيشُ بِهَا سَنَةً قَالَ ثُمَّ مَهْ قَالَ ثُمَّ تَمُوتُ . قَالَ فَالآنَ مِنْ قَرِيبٍ رَبِّ أَمِتْنِي مِنَ الأَرْضِ الْمُقَدَّسَةِ رَمْيَةً بِحَجَرٍ . قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم : وَاللَّهِ لَوْ أَنِّي عِنْدَهُ لأَرَيْتُكُمْ قَبْرَهُ إِلَى جَانِبِ الطَّرِيقِ عِنْدَ الْكَثِيبِ الأَحْمَرِ
Abu Hurairah (radiallahu anhu) reported Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) having said that the Angel of Death came to Musa and said: Respond (to the call) of Allah (i.e. be prepared for death). Musa (alaihissalaam) gave a blow at the eye of the Angel of Death and knocked it out.
The Angel went back to Allah (the Exalted) and said: You sent me to your servant who does not like to die and he knocked out my eye. Allah restored his eye to its proper place (and revived his eyesight) and said: Go to My servant and say: Do you want life? And in case you want life, keep your hand on the body of the ox and you would live such number of years as the (number of) hair your hand covers.
He (Musa) said: What, then? He said: Then you would die, whereupon he (Musa) said: Then why not now? (He then prayed): Allah, cause me to die close to the sacred land. Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: Had I been near that place I would have shown his grave by the side of the path at the red mound. [Sahih Muslim, Hadeeth No. 5852]