Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said that Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) used to call out "Labbayk" and the mountains of Ruhā would respond to him.

Hazrat Abu Sa'id narrates that a man from the Ansar heard a Jew in the market saying, "By the One who gave Moses superiority over mankind," so he slapped him on the face and said, "O wicked one! Even over Abu al-Qasim?" So the Jew went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said, "O Abu al-Qasim! So-and-so has struck me on my face." The Prophet sent for that man and asked, "Why did you strike his face?" He replied, "I was passing by him in the market when I heard him say, 'By the One who gave Moses superiority over mankind,' so I became angry and struck his face." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "Do not give preference to one prophet over another, for on the Day of Resurrection people will fall unconscious, and I will be the first to regain consciousness, and I will see Moses holding onto the side of the Throne. I do not know whether he will be among those who fall unconscious and then regain consciousness before me, or whether the first shock will be sufficient for him."

Abdullah bin Harith narrates that Hazrat Ka'b said: Allah Almighty has divided His speech and vision between Musa (peace be upon him) and Muhammad (peace be upon him), thus Musa (peace be upon him) spoke with Allah twice and Muhammad (peace be upon him) saw Allah Almighty twice.

Abu al-Silil narrates from Hazrat Qais bin ‘Abad, who was among those who narrated the most about Bani Israel, he says that he told us that the group whose names Pharaoh had written were six hundred thousand people, and Pharaoh’s vanguard consisted of seven hundred thousand individuals, and every person would be mounted on a horse, with a helmet on his head, and a spear in his hand, and he would follow behind those people. When Musa (peace be upon him) brought Bani Israel to the sea, Bani Israel began to say, “Where is that which you promised us? The sea is before us and Pharaoh and his army are advancing upon us,” or he said, “they are behind us.” Musa (peace be upon him) said, “O sea! Split apart.” It said, “O Musa, I will not split for you; I am before you in creation,” or he said, “I am stronger.” So it was called out, “Strike the sea with your staff.” He struck it with his staff and it split apart. Jurayri says that they were twelve tribes and each tribe had a separate path. When the first part of Pharaoh’s army reached the sea, the horses were frightened by the torches, and in front of every horse appeared the form of a mare, so the horses began to run swiftly after them. When the last part of the army entered the sea, Bani Israel exited from the sea, so the sea closed over them. Bani Israel began to say that Pharaoh has not died, and he will never die. So, before Allah conveyed their denial to their prophet, the sea cast him upon the shore as if he were a red-colored bull, and Bani Israel began to look at him.

Amr bin Maymoon narrates from Hazrat Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) that when Musa (peace be upon him) took the Children of Israel at night, the army of Pharaoh arrived. He (Musa) ordered a goat to be slaughtered and said that before its skin is removed, six hundred thousand Copts should gather before me. Thus, Musa (peace be upon him) took them until they reached the sea, and he said to it, "Split apart." The sea said, "O Musa! Are you being arrogant? Have I ever split for anyone among the children of Adam that I should split for you?" It is said that there was a man with Musa (peace be upon him) riding a horse. He said, "O Prophet of Allah! To which direction have you been commanded to go?" He replied, "I have only been commanded to come this way." So he drove his horse into the sea, and it began to swim, then he came out and said, "O Prophet of Allah! Where have you been commanded to go?" He replied, "I have only been commanded to come this way." He said, "By God, neither have you lied nor have you been denied." After that, Allah revealed to Musa (peace be upon him) to strike the sea with his staff. He struck it, and it split, and each path became like a great mound. Thus, twelve paths were made for the twelve tribes, and each tribe had its own separate path, and they could see each other. When the companions of Musa (peace be upon him) had crossed and all the companions of Pharaoh had entered the sea, the sea closed over them and they all drowned.

Hazrat Jabir said, under Allah’s command { فَصَعِقَ مَن فِی السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَن فِی الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ مَن شَاء اللَّہُ }, that Musa (peace be upon him) is among those whom Allah has exempted.

Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Musa and Harun (peace be upon them), along with Shabbar and Shabbir, set out and reached a mountain in which there was a bed. So Harun (peace be upon him) lay down on it, and his soul was taken. Then Musa (peace be upon him) returned to his people, and his people said, "You have killed him, and because of his character you were jealous of him over us," or they said, "because of his gentleness," or something similar—the doubt is from Sufyan, the narrator. He said, "How could I kill him when his sons are with me?" Then he said, "Choose whomever you wish." So they chose ten people from each tribe. This is the meaning of Allah's statement { وَاخْتَارَ مُوسَی قَوْمَہُ سَبْعِینَ رَجُلاً }. When they reached him, they asked, "O Harun! Who killed you?" He replied, "No one killed me; rather, Allah caused me to die." They said, "O Musa! After today, we will not disobey you." Then an earthquake came and they were destroyed, and they began to wander in confusion to the right and left and supplicated { لَوْ شِئْت أہْلَکْتَہُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَإِیَّایَ أَتُہْلِکُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَہَائُ مِنَّا إنْ ہِیَ إلاَّ فِتْنَتُک }. After that, they prayed, so Allah revived them and made all of them prophets.

Amr bin Maymun Awdi narrates that Hazrat Umar bin Khattab says that when Musa (peace be upon him) reached the water of Madyan, he saw some people drawing water there. When they finished, they put the stone back on the well, and not less than ten men could lift it. He saw two women there who were keeping their goats away. He asked them, "What is your situation?" They told him, so he came to the stone and lifted it, then drew water with just one bucket, and the goats were satisfied. Both women went to their father and told him the story, and Musa (peace be upon him) went to the shade and said { رَبِّ إنِّی لِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ إلَیَّ مِنْ خَیْرٍ فَقِیرٌ}. It is said that one of the women came to him modestly, covering her face with a cloth, and said, "My father is calling you so that he may pay you the wages for watering our goats." He said, "Walk behind me and keep guiding me on the way, because I dislike that the wind may touch your clothes and your body becomes visible to me." When she reached her father, she told him the story and said, "Father, hire him; indeed, the best one you can hire is the strong and trustworthy." He said, "O daughter! How did you know about his trustworthiness and strength?" She said, "I knew his strength because he lifted the stone alone, which ten men lift, and I knew his trustworthiness because he told me to walk behind him and guide him, for he feared that the wind might touch my clothes and my body become visible to him." Hazrat Umar says that she came to him in such a way that she was not like bold women, nor was she one who goes out and comes in much, and she was covering her face with a cloth.

Abdullah bin Harith narrates from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that when Musa (peace be upon him) came to his people and commanded them to give zakat, Qarun gathered them and said, "He has brought you such commands—like prayer, fasting, etc.—which you are able to perform. But are you able to give him your wealth?" They replied, "We are not able to do that. What do you think?" He said, "I think we should send a message to a prostitute from among the Children of Israel and instruct her to accuse him before the people that he has assaulted her honor." So they did so, and the woman accused Musa (peace be upon him) before the people. He supplicated against them, and Allah revealed to the earth to obey him. Musa (peace be upon him) said to the earth, "Seize them," so it seized them up to their knees. They began to say, "O Musa! O Musa!" He said again, "Seize them," so it seized them up to their waists. They said, "O Musa! O Musa!" He said again, "Seize them," so it seized them up to their chests. Then they said, "O Musa! O Musa!" He said, "Seize them," so it seized them up to their necks. They said, "O Musa! O Musa!" Then the earth swallowed them up completely. Allah then revealed to Musa (peace be upon him), "O Musa! My servants called upon you and wept before you, but you refused to listen to them. By My honor! If they had called upon Me, I would have answered their supplication."

Hazrat Salamah bin Kuhail, in the explanation of Allah’s command { وَأَلْقَیْت عَلَیْک مَحَبَّۃً مِنِّی }, states: “That is, I have made you beloved to My servants.”

It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) under { وَقَرَّبْنَاہُ نَجِیًّا } that they became so close that they heard the sound of the pens moving.

Hazrat Muhammad bin Ka'b narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was asked: "Which of the two terms did Musa (peace be upon him) complete?" He replied: "The longer and more complete of the two terms."

It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Abbas that he was asked: "Which of the two terms did Musa (peace be upon him) complete?" He replied: "The longer and more complete of the two terms."

Saeed bin Jubair narrates from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) regarding the explanation of Allah’s statement { لاَ تَکُونُوا کَالَّذِینَ آذَوْا مُوسَی فَبَرَّأَہُ اللَّہُ مِمَا قَالُوا وَکَانَ عِنْدَ اللہِ وَجِیہًا } that his people said to him that he had the disease of “udrah” (a defect), so one day he went out to bathe and placed his clothes on a stone. Then the stone ran away with his clothes, and he chased it naked, until the stone brought him to the assembly of the Children of Israel. They saw that he did not have the disease of “udrah.” He says that this is the meaning of Allah’s statement { فَبَرَّأَہُ اللَّہُ مِمَا قَالُوا وَکَانَ عِنْدَ اللہِ وَجِیہًا }.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding the explanation of Allah’s command { یَا أَیُّہَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَکُونُوا کَاَلَّذِینَ آذَوْا مُوسَی فَبَرَّأَہُ اللَّہُ مِمَا قَالُوا وَکَانَ عِنْدَ اللہِ وَجِیہًا }, he said: They caused him harm in such a way that a group from the Children of Israel said about him, “Moses hides from us because there is some defect in his skin, or he has leucoderma, or some other disease, or he suffers from hernia.” Allah Almighty intended to clear him of what they said, so one day Moses (peace be upon him) went into seclusion and placed his clothes on a stone, then entered to bathe. When he finished and came towards his clothes to take them, the stone began to run away. Moses (peace be upon him) took his staff and ran after it, saying, “O stone! My clothes, O stone! My clothes,” until he reached the assembly of the Children of Israel, and they saw him naked, and he was the best of those in physique. In this way, Allah cleared him of what they said. The stone stopped, and he took his clothes and put them on, and Moses (peace be upon him) began striking the stone with his staff. By Allah, there are still marks of Moses’ (peace be upon him) blows on the stone—three, or four, or five.