Tarikh (al-Tabari) 202
The story of Moses the one who spoke with Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
مَا جَرَى لَهُ بَعْدَ انْفِصَالِهِ عَنْ مَدْيَنِ لما أَتَمَّ مُوسَى الْأَجَلَيْنِ وَأَكْمَلَهُمَا، سَارَ بِأَهْلِهِ أَيْ مِنْ عِنْدِ صِهْرِهِ ذَاهِبًا، فِيمَا ذَكَرَهُ غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ الْمُفَسِّرِينَ وَغَيْرِهِمْ، أَنَّهُ اشْتَاقَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ، فَقَصَدَ زِيَارَتَهُمْ بِبِلَادِ مِصْرَ، فِي صُورَةِ مُخْتَفٍ، فَلَمَّا سَارَ بِأَهْلِهِ، وَمَعَهُ وِلْدَانٌ مِنْهُمْ، وَغَنَمٌ قَدِ اسْتَفَادَهَا مُدَّةَ مُقَامِهِ. قَالُوا: وَاتَّفَقَ ذَلِكَ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُظْلِمَةٍ بَارِدَةٍ، وَتَاهُوا فِي طَرِيقِهِمْ، فَلَمْ يَهْتَدُوا إِلَى السُّلُوكِ فِي الدَّرْبِ الْمَأْلُوفِ وكَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الَّتِي أَرَادَ اللَّهُ - عَزَّ وَجَلَّ - لِمُوسَى كَرَامَتَهُ، وَابْتِدَاءَهُ فِيهَا بِنُبُوَّتِهِ، وَكَلَامِهِ، وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ حَامِلًا، فَأَخَذَهَا الطَّلْقُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ شَاتِيَةٍ ذَاتِ مَطَرٍ، وَرَعْدٍ، وَبَرْقٍ، فَأَخْرَجَ زَنْدَهُ لِيَقْدَحَ نَارًا لِأَهْلِهِ لِيَصْطَلُوا وَيَبِيتُوا حَتَّى يُصْبِحَ وَيَعْلَمَ وَجْهَ طَرِيقِهِ، فَأَصْلَدَ زَنْدَهُ فَقَدَحَ حَتَّى أَعْيَا، فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ أَبْصَرَ عَنْ بُعْدٍ نَارًا تَأَجَّجُ فِي جَانِبِ الطُّورِ، وَهُوَ الْجَبَلُ الْغَرْبِيُّ مِنْهُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ، فَقَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ: امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا وَكَأَنَّهُ - وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ - رَآهَا دُونَهُمْ; لِأَنَّ هَذِهِ النَّارَ هِيَ نُورٌ فِي الْحَقِيقَةِ، وَلَا تَصْلُحُ رُؤْيَتُهَا لِكُلِّ أَحَدٍ لَعَلِّي آتِيكُمْ مِنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ أَيْ; لَعَلِّي أَسْتَعْلِمُ مِنْ عِنْدِهَا عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ أَوْ جَذْوَةٍ مِنَ النَّارِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ فَدَلَّ عَلَى أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَدْ تَاهُوا عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ فِي لَيْلَةٍ بَارِدَةٍ وَمُظْلِمَةٍ; لِقَوْلِهِ فِي الْآيَةِ الْأُخْرَى: وَهَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَى إِذْ رَأَى نَارًا فَقَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا لَعَلِّي آتِيكُمْ مِنْهَا بِقَبَسٍ أَوْ أَجِدُ عَلَى النَّارِ هُدًى [ طه: 9، 10 ]. فَدَلَّ عَلَى وُجُودِ الظَّلَامِ، وَكَوْنِهِمْ تَاهُوا عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ. وَجَمَعَ الْكُلَّ فِي سُورَةِ " النَّمْلِ " فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: إِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِأَهْلِهِ إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا سَآتِيكُمْ مِنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ أَوْ آتِيكُمْ بِشِهَابٍ قَبَسٍ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ [ النَّمْلِ: 7 ]. وَقَدْ أَتَاهُمْ مِنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ، وَأَيُّ خَبَرٍ؟ وَوَجَدَ عِنْدَهَا هُدًى، وَأَيُّ هُدًى؟ وَاقْتَبَسَ مِنْهَا نُورًا، وَأَيُّ نُورٍ؟. قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِيَ مِنْ شَاطِئِ الْوَادِي الْأَيْمَنِ فِي الْبُقْعَةِ الْمُبَارَكَةِ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ أَنْ يَا مُوسَى إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَقَالَ تَعَالَى فِي " النَّمْلِ ": فَلَمَّا جَاءَهَا نُودِيَ أَنْ بُورِكَ مَنْ فِي النَّارِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ [ النَّمْلِ: 8 ]. أَيْ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ الَّذِي يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ. يَامُوسَى إِنَّهُ أَنَا اللَّهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ [ النَّمْلِ: 9 ]. وَقَالَ فِي سُورَةِ " طه ": فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِيَ يَا مُوسَى إِنِّي أَنَا رَبُّكَ فَاخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ بِالْوَادِي الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى وَأَنَا اخْتَرْتُكَ فَاسْتَمِعْ لِمَا يُوحَى إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي إِنَّ السَّاعَةَ آتِيَةٌ أَكَادُ أُخْفِيهَا لِتُجْزَى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا تَسْعَى فَلَا يَصُدَّنَّكَ عَنْهَا مَنْ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِهَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ فَتَرْدَى [ طه: 11 - 16 ]. قَالَ غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ الْمُفَسِّرِينَ، مِنَ السَّلَفِ وَالْخَلَفِ: لَمَّا قَصَدَ مُوسَى إِلَى تِلْكَ النار الَّتِي رَآهَا، فَانْتَهَى إِلَيْهَا، وَجَدَهَا تَأَجَّجُ فِي شَجَرَةٍ خَضْرَاءَ مِنَ الْعَوْسَجِ، وَكُلُّ مَا لِتِلْكَ النَّارِ فِي اضْطِرَامٍ، وَكُلُّ مَا لِخُضْرَةِ تِلْكَ الشَّجَرَةِ فِي ازْدِيَادٍ، فَوَقَفَ مُتَعَجِّبًا، وَكَانَتْ تِلْكَ الشَّجَرَةُ فِي لِحْفِ جَبَلٍ غَرْبِيٍّ مِنْهُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ; كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى وَمَا كُنْتَ بِجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ إِذْ قَضَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى الْأَمْرَ وَمَا كُنْتَ مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ [ الْقَصَصِ: 44 ]. وَكَانَ مُوسَى فِي وَادٍ اسْمُهُ طُوًى، فَكَانَ مُوسَى مُسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةِ، وَتِلْكَ الشَّجَرَةُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ مِنْ نَاحِيَةِ الْغَرْبِ، فَنَادَاهُ رَبُّهُ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى، فَأُمِرَ أَوَّلًا بِخَلْعِ نَعْلَيْهِ; تَعْظِيمًا وَتَكْرِيمًا وَتَوْقِيرًا لِتِلْكَ الْبُقْعَةِ الْمُبَارَكَةِ، وَلَا سِيَّمَا فِي تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ الْمُبَارَكَةِ. وَعِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أَنَّهُ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ مِنْ شِدَّةِ ذَلِكَ النُّورِ; مَهَابَةً لَهُ وَخَوْفًا عَلَى بَصَرِهِ. ثُمَّ خَاطَبَهُ تَعَالَى كَمَا يَشَاءُ قَائِلًا لَهُ: إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّهُ رَبُ الْعَالَمِينَ إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي أَيْ; أَنَا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ، الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الَّذِي لَا تَصْلُحُ الْعِبَادَةُ وَإِقَامَةُ الصَّلَاةِ إِلَّا لَهُ. ثُمَّ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا لَيْسَتْ بِدَارِ قَرَارٍ، إِنَّمَا الدَّارُ الْبَاقِيَةُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، الَّتِي لَا بُدَّ مِنْ كَوْنِهَا وَوُجُودِهَا لِتُجْزَى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا تَسْعَى أَيْ; مِنْ خَيْرٍ وَشَرٍّ. وَحَضَّهُ وَحَثَّهُ عَلَى الْعَمَلِ لَهَا وَمُجَانَبَةِ مَنْ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِهَا مِمَّنْ عَصَى مَوْلَاهُ، وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ. ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ مُخَاطِبًا وَمُؤَانِسًا، وَمُبَيِّنًا لَهُ أَنَّهُ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءِ الَّذِي يَقُولُ لِلشَّيْءِ: كُنْ. فَيَكُونُ: وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يَامُوسَى [ طه: 17 ]. أَيْ; أَمَّا هَذِهِ عَصَاكَ الَّتِي تَعْرِفُهَا مُنْذُ صَحِبْتَهَا؟ قَالَ هِيَ عَصَايَ أَتَوَكَّأُ عَلَيْهَا وَأَهُشُّ بِهَا عَلَى غَنَمِي وَلِيَ فِيهَا مَئارِبُ أُخْرَى [ طه: 18 ]. أَيْ; بَلْ هَذِهِ عَصَايَ الَّتِي أَعْرِفُهَا وَأَتَحَقَّقُهَا قَالَ أَلْقِهَا يَامُوسَى فَأَلْقَاهَا فَإِذَا هِيَ حَيَّةٌ تَسْعَى [ طه: 19، 20 ]. وَهَذَا خَارِقٌ عَظِيمٌ، وَبُرْهَانٌ قَاطِعٌ عَلَى أَنَّ الَّذِي يُكَلِّمُهُ هُوَ الَّذِي يَقُولُ لِلشَّيْءِ: كُنْ فَيَكُونُ. وَأَنَّهُ الْفَعَّالُ بِالِاخْتِيَارِ. وَعِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ بُرْهَانًا عَلَى صِدْقِهِ عِنْدَ مَنْ يُكَذِّبُهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ مِصْرَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الرَّبُّ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: مَا هَذِهِ الَّتِي فِي يَدِكَ؟ قَالَ: عَصَايَ. قَالَ: أَلْقِهَا إِلَى الْأَرْضِ فَأَلْقَاهَا فَإِذَا هِيَ حَيَّةٌ تَسْعَى فَهَرَبَ مُوسَى مِنْ قُدَّامِهَا، فَأَمَرَهُ الرَّبُّ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، أَنْ يَبْسُطَ يَدَهُ وَيَأْخُذَهَا بِذَنَبِهَا، فَلَمَّا اسْتَمْكَنَ مِنْهَا ارْتَدَّتْ عَصًا فِي يَدِهِ. وَقَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي الْآيَةِ الْأُخْرَى: وَأَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ فَلَمَّا رَآهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَانٌّ وَلَّى مُدْبِرًا وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ أَيْ; صَارَتْ حَيَّةً عَظِيمَةً لَهَا ضَخَامَةٌ هَائِلَةٌ، وَأَنْيَابٌ تَصْطَكُّ، وَهِيَ مَعَ ذَلِكَ فِي سُرْعَةِ حَرَكَةِ الْجَانِّ، وَهُوَ ضَرْبٌ مِنَ الْحَيَّاتِ يُقَالُ لَهُ: الْجَانُّ وَالْجَنَانُ. وَهُوَ لَطِيفٌ، وَلَكِنَّهُ سَرِيعُ الِاضْطِرَابِ وَالْحَرَكَةِ جِدًّا، فَهَذِهِ جَمَعَتِ الضَّخَامَةَ وَالسُّرْعَةَ الشَّدِيدَةَ هروب موسى بعد معاينة العصى فَلَمَّا عَايَنَهَا مُوسَى، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، وَلَّى مُدَبِّرًا أَيْ; هَارِبًا مِنْهَا; لِأَنَّ طَبِيعَتَهُ الْبَشَرِيَّةَ تَقْتَضِي ذَلِكَ وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ أَيْ; وَلَمْ يَلْتَفِتْ فَنَادَاهُ رَبُّهُ قَائِلًا لَهُ: يَامُوسَى أَقْبِلْ وَلَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ مِنَ الْآمِنِينَ فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ أَمَرَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَنْ يُمْسِكَهَا قَالَ خُذْهَا وَلَا تَخَفْ سَنُعِيدُهَا سِيرَتَهَا الْأُولَى فَيُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ هَابَهَا شَدِيدًا، فَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ فِي كُمِّ مِدْرَعَتِهِ، ثُمَّ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ فِي وَسَطِ فَمِهَا - وَعِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ: بِذَنَبِهَا - فَلَمَّا اسْتَمْكَنَ مِنْهَا، إِذَا هِيَ قَدْ عَادَتْ كَمَا كَانَتْ عَصًا ذَاتَ شُعْبَتَيْنِ. فَسُبْحَانُ الْقَدِيرِ الْعَظِيمِ رَبِّ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَالْمَغْرِبَيْنِ. ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُ تَعَالَى بِإِدْخَالِ يَدِهِ فِي جَيْبِهِ، ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُ بِنَزْعِهَا فَإِذَا هِيَ تَتَلَأْلَأُ كَالْقَمَرِ بَيَاضًا مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوءٍ أَيْ; مِنْ غَيْرِ بَرَصٍ وَلَا بَهَقٍ. وَلِهَذَا قَالَ: اسْلُكْ يَدَكَ فِي جَيْبِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَاءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوءٍ وَاضْمُمْ إِلَيْكَ جَنَاحَكَ مِنَ الرَّهْبِ قِيلَ: مَعْنَاهُ إِذَا خِفْتَ فَضَعْ يَدَكَ عَلَى فُؤَادِكَ يَسْكُنْ جَأْشُكَ. وَهَذَا وَإِنْ كَانَ خَاصًّا بِهِ، إِلَّا أَنَّ بِبَرَكَةِ الْإِيمَانِ بِهِ حَقَّ الْإِيمَانِ يَنْتَفِعُ مَنِ اسْتَعْمَلَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الِاقْتِدَاءِ بِالْأَنْبِيَاءِ. وَقَالَ فِي سُورَةِ " النَّمْلِ ": وَأَدْخِلْ يَدَكَ فِي جَيْبِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَاءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوءٍ فِي تِسْعِ آيَاتٍ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَقَوْمِهِ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ [ النَّمْلِ: 12 ]. أَيْ; هَاتَانِ الْآيَتَانِ وَهُمَا الْعَصَا وَالْيَدُ، وَهُمَا الْبُرْهَانَانِ الْمُشَارُ إِلَيْهِمَا فِي قَوْلِهِ: فَذَانِكَ بُرْهَانَانِ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ وَمَعَ ذَلِكَ سَبْعُ آيَاتٍ أُخَرُ فَذَلِكَ تِسْعُ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ وَهِيَ الْمَذْكُورَةُ فِي آخِرِ سُورَةِ " سُبْحَانَ " حَيْثُ يَقُولُ تَعَالَى: وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى تِسْعَ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ فَاسْأَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُ فِرْعَوْنُ إِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَا مُوسَى مَسْحُورًا قَالَ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا أَنْزَلَ هَؤُلَاءِ إِلَّا رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ بَصَائِرَ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَا فِرْعَوْنُ مَثْبُورًا [ الْإِسْرَاءِ: 101، 102 ]. وَهِيَ الْمَبْسُوطَةُ فِي سُورَةِ " الْأَعْرَافِ " فِي قَوْلِهِ: وَلَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ بِالسِّنِينَ وَنَقْصٍ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ فَإِذَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْحَسَنَةُ قَالُوا لَنَا هَذِهِ وَإِنْ تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَطَّيَّرُوا بِمُوسَى وَمَنْ مَعَهُ أَلَا إِنَّمَا طَائِرُهُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ وَقَالُوا مَهْمَا تَأْتِنَا بِهِ مِنْ آيَةٍ لِتَسْحَرَنَا بِهَا فَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ وَالْجَرَادَ وَالْقُمَّلَ وَالضَّفَادِعَ وَالدَّمَ آيَاتٍ مُفَصَّلَاتٍ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا مُجْرِمِينَ [ الْأَعْرَافِ: 130 - 133 ]. وَهَذِهِ التِّسْعُ الْآيَاتِ غَيْرُ الْعَشْرِ كَلِمَاتٍ فَإِنَّ التِّسْعَ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ الْقَدَرِيَّةِ، وَالْعَشْرَ مِنْ كَلِمَاتِهِ الشَّرْعِيَّةِ. وَإِنَّمَا نَبَّهْنَا عَلَى هَذَا; لِأَنَّهُ قَدِ اشْتَبَهَ أَمْرُهَا عَلَى بَعْضِ الرُّوَاةِ فَظَنَّ أَنَّ هَذِهِ هِيَ هَذِهِ.
Translation
✧ What happened to him after his departure from Midian. When Moses completed the two terms and fulfilled them, he journeyed with his family, that is, from the presence of his father-in-law, setting out, as more than one of the commentators and others have mentioned, because he longed for his family, and so he intended to visit them in the lands of Egypt, in the guise of one concealing himself. When he traveled with his family, and with him were children from among them, and sheep that he had acquired during the period of his stay. They said: And that happened on a dark, cold night, and they lost their way and could not find the route along the familiar path. It was the night in which Allah, Mighty and Majestic, willed for Moses His honor, and the beginning of his prophethood and His speech to him. His wife was pregnant, and labor pains seized her on a rainy, wintry night with thunder and lightning. He took out his fire-stick to strike a fire for his family so that they might warm themselves and spend the night until morning and he might know the direction of his path, but his fire-stick failed to produce fire, and he struck it until he was exhausted. While he was in that state, he sighted in the distance a blazing fire on the side of the Mount, which is the western mountain, to his right. So he said to his family: "Stay here; indeed, I perceive a fire" – and it was as though, and Allah knows best, he saw it without them, for this fire is in reality a light, and its vision is not suitable for everyone – "perhaps I can bring you from it some information," that is, perhaps I can learn from it about the way, "or a firebrand from the fire that you may warm yourselves." This indicates that they had lost the way on a cold, dark night, because of His statement in the other verse: "And has the story of Moses reached you? When he saw a fire and said to his family, 'Stay here; indeed, I perceive a fire; perhaps I can bring you from it a burning brand or find at the fire some guidance'" [Ta-Ha: 9-10]. This indicates the existence of darkness and that they had lost their way. And He combined all of it in Surah "An-Naml" in His statement, Exalted be He: "When Moses said to his family, 'Indeed, I perceive a fire; I will bring you from it information or bring you a flaming brand that you may warm yourselves'" [An-Naml: 7]. And He brought them from it information – and what information! – and he found at it guidance – and what guidance! – and he took from it light – and what light! Allah, Exalted be He, said: "And when he came to it, he was called from the right side of the valley, in the blessed spot, from the tree: 'O Moses, indeed I am Allah, Lord of the worlds'" [Al-Qasas: 30]. And He, Exalted be He, said in "An-Naml": "And when he came to it, he was called: 'Blessed is whoever is in the fire and whoever is around it, and exalted is Allah, Lord of the worlds. O Moses, indeed it is I, Allah, the Almighty, the Wise'" [An-Naml: 8-9]. And He said in Surah "Ta-Ha": "And when he came to it, he was called, 'O Moses, 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. 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 who does not believe in it and follows his desire avert you from it, lest you perish'" [Ta-Ha: 11-16]. More than one of the commentators, from the early and later generations, said: When Moses headed toward that fire which he saw and reached it, he found it blazing in a green tree of boxthorn, and the more that fire flamed, the more the greenness of that tree increased. He stood in amazement. That tree was at the foot of a western mountain, to his right; as He, Exalted be He, said: "And you were not on the western side when We decreed to Moses the command, and you were not among the witnesses" [Al-Qasas: 44]. Moses was in a valley called Tuwa, and Moses was facing the qiblah, and that tree was to his right from the western side. His Lord called him in the sacred valley of Tuwa, and he was commanded first to remove his sandals, out of reverence, honor, and veneration for that blessed spot, especially on that blessed night. According to the People of the Book, he placed his hand over his face because of the intensity of that light, in awe of it and out of fear for his eyesight. Then He, Exalted be He, addressed him as He willed, saying to him: "Indeed, I am Allah, Lord of the worlds. Indeed, I am Allah; there is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance" – that is, I am Allah, Lord of the worlds, whom there is no deity except Him, and worship and the establishment of prayer are not proper except for Him. Then He informed him that this world is not an abode of permanence; rather, the lasting abode is the Day of Resurrection, which must come into being and exist so that every soul may be recompensed according to that for which it strives, that is, of good and evil. And He urged and incited him to work for it and to shun those who do not believe in it from among those who disobey their Master and follow their desire. Then He said to him, addressing and comforting him, and making clear to him that He is the One capable over all things, who says to a thing, "Be," and it is: "And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?" [Ta-Ha: 17] – that is, as for this, is this your staff which you have known since you accompanied it? He said: "It is my staff; I lean upon it, and I beat down leaves with it for my sheep, and I have other uses in it" [Ta-Ha: 18] – that is, rather this is my staff which I know and am certain of. He said: "Throw it down, O Moses." So he threw it down, and behold, it was a serpent, moving swiftly [Ta-Ha: 19-20]. This is a great miracle, and a decisive proof that the One who speaks to him is the One who says to a thing, "Be," and it is, and that He is the Doer by choice. According to the People of the Book, he asked for a proof of his truthfulness before those of the people of Egypt who would deny him. The Lord, Mighty and Majestic, said to him: "What is this that is in your hand?" He said: "My staff." He said: "Throw it to the ground." So he threw it, and behold, it was a serpent, moving swiftly, and Moses fled from before it. The Lord, Mighty and Majestic, commanded him to stretch out his hand and seize it by its tail, and when he took hold of it, it returned to being a staff in his hand. And Allah, Exalted be He, said in the other verse: "And [He said], 'Throw down your staff.' But when he saw it quivering as if it were a jinn, he turned and fled and did not return" [An-Naml: 10; Al-Qasas: 31] – that is, it became a great serpent of terrifying bulk, with fangs that clashed, and it had, along with that, the speed of movement of a jinn, which is a kind of serpent called al-jann and al-janan; it is slender but extremely swift in its writhing and movement. Thus this one combined bulk and extreme speed. Moses' flight after seeing the staff. When Moses, ﷺ, saw it, he turned and fled, that is, running away from it, because his human nature required that, and he did not return, that is, he did not look back. His Lord called him, saying to him: "O Moses, come forward and do not fear. Indeed, you are of the secure ones" [Al-Qasas: 31]. When he returned, Allah, Exalted be He, commanded him to seize it. He said: "Take it and do not fear. We will return it to its former state" [Ta-Ha: 21]. It is said that he was greatly afraid of it, so he placed his hand in the sleeve of his woolen garment, then placed his hand in the middle of its mouth – and according to the People of the Book, by its tail – and when he took hold of it, behold, it had returned as it was, a staff with two prongs. So glory to the Almighty, the Magnificent, Lord of the two easts and the two wests. Then He, Exalted be He, commanded him to insert his hand into his bosom, then commanded him to draw it out, and behold, it shone like the moon in whiteness, without any blemish, that is, without leprosy or vitiligo. For this reason He said: "Insert your hand into your bosom; it will come out white without blemish, and draw your hand to your side [to still] from fear" [Al-Qasas: 32]. It is said: Its meaning is that when you fear, place your hand on your heart, and your anxiety will subside. And this, even if it is specific to him, nevertheless, through the blessing of true faith in him, whoever employs that in the manner of following the prophets benefits from it. And He said in Surah "An-Naml": "And insert your hand into your bosom; it will come out white without blemish, among nine signs to Pharaoh and his people. Indeed, they were a defiantly disobedient people" [An-Naml: 12] – that is, these two signs, namely the staff and the hand, are the two proofs referred to in His statement: "So these are two proofs from your Lord to Pharaoh and his chiefs. Indeed, they were a defiantly disobedient people" [Al-Qasas: 32]. And along with that, seven other signs, so that is nine clear signs, which are the ones mentioned at the end of Surah "Subhan" where He, Exalted be He, says: "And We had certainly given Moses nine clear signs, so ask the Children of Israel when he came to them, and Pharaoh said to him, 'Indeed, I think you, O Moses, are affected by magic.' He said, 'You have already known that none has sent these down except the Lord of the heavens and the earth as insight, and indeed, I think you, O Pharaoh, are destroyed'" [Al-Isra': 101-102]. They are the ones set forth in Surah "Al-A'raf" in His statement: "And We certainly seized the people of Pharaoh with years of famine and a deficiency in fruits that perhaps they might remember. But when good came to them, they said, 'This is ours.' And if a bad condition struck them, they saw an evil omen in Moses and those with him. Unquestionably, their omen is with Allah, but most of them do not know. And they said, 'Whatever sign you bring us with which to bewitch us, we will not be believers in you.' So We sent upon them the flood, locusts, lice, frogs, and blood as distinct signs, but they were arrogant and were a criminal people" [Al-A'raf: 130-133]. And these nine signs are other than the ten words, for the nine are from Allah's decreed signs, and the ten are from His legislative words. We have only drawn attention to this because its matter became confused for some of the narrators, so they thought that these are those.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.