Surah Taa-Haa (20) — Ayah 84

(Ayah 84){ قَالَ هُمْ اُولَآءِ عَلٰۤى اَثَرِيْ :} Here, there is a question: Why did Musa (peace be upon him), instead of stating the reason for his haste by saying, "O my Lord! I have come quickly to please You," consider it necessary first to submit that "the people of my nation are coming behind me, following in my footsteps—even before my tracks have faded, they are walking upon them, meaning I have not come much ahead." The answer is that Allah Almighty was not unaware of why he had come quickly; rather, Allah's reproach was for not bringing the nation along, and this question was for the training of the one who spoke to Him, that your coming ahead was not appropriate, but it was necessary to stay with the nation that had just recently been freed from slavery, so that before the Book was given, you could guide them at every step and admonish them for their mistakes. In any case, it is the right of a nation's leader to stay behind and take care of every individual, as Allah Almighty taught this etiquette to Lut (peace be upon him) when commanding him to leave at night with his family: «{ وَ اتَّبِعْ اَدْبَارَهُمْ }» [ الحجر : ۶۵ ] "And you yourself walk behind them." And as Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) mentioned regarding the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): [ كَانَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَتَخَلَّفُ فِي الْمَسِيْرِ فَيُزْجِي الضَّعِيْفَ وَيُرْدِفُ وَيَدْعُوْ لَهُمْ ] [ أبوداوٗد، الجہاد، باب في لزوم الساقۃ : ۲۶۳۹۔ سلسلۃ الأحادیث الصحیحۃ : ۲۱۲۰ ] "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would stay behind during a journey, urge on the weak (their mounts), and take (the one on foot) behind him and pray for them." Although Musa's (peace be upon him) coming quickly out of intense longing was not a bad thing, there are certain etiquettes when appearing before kings, and the etiquette before the King of kings is above all. An example of this is the haste of Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him): when he reached the mosque and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was in bowing (ruku'), he performed ruku' before joining the row. When this was mentioned to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he said: [ زَادَكَ اللّٰهُ حِرْصًا وَلَا تَعُدْ] [ بخاري، الأذان، باب إذا رکع دون الصف : ۷۸۳ ] "May Allah increase your eagerness, but do not do this again." [ قاسمی، بقاعی، ابن عاشور ]