Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 34013 — Reports on the virtue of Musa

It is reported from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), in explaining the saying of Allah, "O you who believe! Do not be like those who hurt Musa, but Allah cleared him of what they said, and he was honourable in the sight of Allah," that he said: Their hurting him was in this way: a group of the Children of Israel said about him: Musa conceals himself from us only because there is some defect in his skin, either leprosy, or some other ailment, or the ailment of udrah (a scrotal swelling). Allah Almighty willed to clear him of what they said. One day Musa (peace be upon him) went into seclusion, placed his clothes on a stone, then went in and began to bathe. When he had finished, he came towards his clothes to take them, and the stone ran off with his clothes. Musa (peace be upon him) took his staff and ran after it, saying: O stone! My clothes! O stone! My clothes! Finally, when it reached the gathering of the Children of Israel and they saw him naked, he was of the finest physique. In this way Allah cleared him of what they used to say. The stone stopped, and he took his clothes and put them on, and Musa (peace be upon him) began to strike the stone with his staff. By Allah, the marks of the blows of Musa (peace be upon him) are on the stone even now: three, or four, or five.