Tarikh (al-Tabari) 203
The story of Moses the one who spoke with Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
ثم أَمَرَ الله مُوسَى، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، بِالذَّهَابِ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَلَمْ يَزَلْ أَهْلُهُ مَكَانَهُمْ لَا يَدْرُونَ مَا فَعَلَ حَتَّى مَرَّ رَاعٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ فَعَرَفَهُمْ فَاحْتَمَلَهُمْ إِلَى مَدْيَنَ، فَكَانُوا عِنْدَ شُعَيْبٍ حَتَّى بَلَغَهُمْ خَبَرُ مُوسَى بَعْدَمَا فَلَقَ الْبَحْرَ، فَسَارُوا إِلَيْهِ. وَأَمَّا مُوسَى فَإِنَّهُ سَارَ إِلَى عَدُوِّهِ، الَّذِي خَرَجَ مِنْ دِيَارِ مِصْرَ فِرَارًا مِنْ سَطْوَتِهِ وَظُلْمِهِ، حِينَ كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ مَا كَانَ فِي قَتْلِ ذَلِكَ الْقِبْطِيِّ وَلِهَذَاقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي قَتَلْتُ مِنْهُمْ نَفْسًا فَأَخَافُ أَنْ يَقْتُلُونِ وَأَخِي هَارُونُ هُوَ أَفْصَحُ مِنِّي لِسَانًا فَأَرْسِلْهُ مَعِيَ رِدْءًا يُصَدِّقُنِي إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ يُكَذِّبُونِ أَيْ; اجْعَلْهُ مَعِي مُعِينًا وَرِدْءًا وَوَزِيرًا يُسَاعِدُنِي وَيُعِينُنِي عَلَى أَدَاءِ رِسَالَتِكَ إِلَيْهِمْ فَإِنَّهُ أَفْصَحُ مِنِّي لِسَانًا وَأَبْلَغُ بَيَانًا. قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى، مُجِيبًا لَهُ إِلَى سُؤَالِهِ: سَنَشُدُّ عَضُدَكَ بِأَخِيكَ وَنَجْعَلُ لَكُمَا سُلْطَانًا أَيْ; بُرْهَانًا فَلَا يَصِلُونَ إِلَيْكُمَا بِآيَاتِنَا أَيْ; فَلَا يَنَالُونَ مِنْكُمَا مَكْرُوهًا بِسَبَبِ قِيَامِكُمَا بِآيَاتِنَا. وَقِيلَ بِبَرَكَةِ آيَاتِنَا أَنْتُمَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَكُمَا الْغَالِبُونَ وَقَالَ فِي سُورَةِ " طه ": اذْهَبْ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ طَغَى قَالَ رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِنْ لِسَانِي يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي [ طه: 24 - 28 ]. قِيلَ: إِنَّهُ أَصَابَهُ فِي لِسَانِهِ لُثْغَةٌ; بِسَبَبِ تِلْكَ الْجَمْرَةِ الَّتِي وَضَعَهَا عَلَى لِسَانِهِ، الَّتِي كَانَ فِرْعَوْنُ أَرَادَ اخْتِبَارَ عَقْلِهِ، حِينَ أَخَذَ بِلِحْيَتِهِ وَهُوَ صَغِيرٌ، فَهَمَّ بِقَتْلِهِ، فَخَافَتْ عَلَيْهِ آسِيَةُ، وَقَالَتْ: إِنَّهُ طِفْلٌ. فَاخْتَبَرَهُ بِوَضْعِ تَمْرَةٍ وَجَمْرَةٍ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَهَمَّ بِأَخْذِ التَّمْرَةِ، فَصَرَفَ الْمَلَكُ يَدَهُ إِلَى الْجَمْرَةِ، فَأَخَذَهَا، فَوَضَعَهَا عَلَى لِسَانِهِ، فَأَصَابَهُ لُثْغَةٌ بِسَبَبِهَا، فَسَأَلَ زَوَالَ بَعْضِهَا بِمِقْدَارِ مَا يَفْهَمُونَ قَوْلَهُ، وَلَمْ يَسْأَلْ زَوَالَهَا بِالْكُلِّيَّةِ. قَالَ الْحَسَنُ الْبَصْرِيُّ: وَالرُّسُلُ إِنَّمَا يَسْأَلُونَ بِحَسَبِ الْحَاجَةِ. وَلِهَذَا بَقِيَتْ فِي لِسَانِهِ بَقِيَّةٌ، وَلِهَذَا قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ، قَبَّحَهُ اللَّهُ، فِيمَا زَعَمَ إِنَّهُ يَعِيبُ بِهِ الْكِلِيمَ: وَلَا يَكَادُ يُبِينُ [ الزُّخْرُفِ: 52 ]. أَيْ يُفْصِحُ عَنْ مُرَادِهِ، وَيُعَبِّرُ عَمَّا فِي ضَمِيرِهِ وَفُؤَادِهِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ مُوسَى، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: وَاجْعَلْ لِي وَزِيرًا مِنْ أَهْلِي هَارُونَ أَخِي اشْدُدْ بِهِ أَزْرِي وَأَشْرِكْهُ فِي أَمْرِي كَيْ نُسَبِّحَكَ كَثِيرًا وَنَذْكُرَكَ كَثِيرًا إِنَّكَ كُنْتَ بِنَا بَصِيرًا قَالَ قَدْ أُوتِيتَ سُؤْلَكَ يَا مُوسَى [ طه: 29 - 36 ]. أَيْ; قَدْ أَجَبْنَاكَ إِلَى جَمِيعِ مَا سَأَلْتَ، وَأَعْطَيْنَاكَ الَّذِي طَلَبْتَ. وَهَذَا مِنْ وَجَاهَتِهِ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، حِينَ شَفَعَ أَنْ يُوحِيَ اللَّهُ إِلَى أَخِيهِ فَأَوْحَى إِلَيْهِ، وَهَذَا جَاهٌ عَظِيمٌ، قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: وَكَانَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَجِيهًا [ الْأَحْزَابِ: 69 ]. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ مِنْ رَحْمَتِنَا أَخَاهُ هَارُونَ نَبِيًّا [ مَرْيَمَ: 53 ]. وَقَدْ سَمِعَتْ أُمُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَائِشَةُ رَجُلًا يَقُولُ لِأُنَاسٍ، وَهُمْ سَائِرُونَ فِي طَرِيقِ الْحَجِّ: أَيُّ أَخٍ أَمَنُّ عَلَى أَخِيهِ؟ فَسَكَتَ الْقَوْمُ، فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ لِمَنْ حَوْلَ هَوْدَجِهَا: هُوَ مُوسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ حِينَ شَفَعَ فِي أَخِيهِ أَنْ يَكُونَ نَبِيًّا يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ. قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ مِنْ رَحْمَتِنَا أَخَاهُ هَارُونَ نَبِيًّا. وَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَى هَارُونَ يُعْلِمُهُ بِقُفُولِ مُوسَى وَيَأْمُرُهُ بِتَلَقِّيهِ، فَخَرَجَ مِنْ مِصْرَ فَالْتَقَى بِهِ، ذهاب موسى وهارون إلى فرعون قَالَ مُوسَى: يَا هَارُونُ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى قَدْ أَرْسَلَنَا إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ فَانْطَلِقْ مَعِي إِلَيْهِ. قَالَ: سَمْعًا وَطَاعَةً، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ إِلَى بَيْتِ هَارُونَ وَأَظْهَرَ أَنَّهُمَا يَنْطَلِقَانِ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ سَمِعَتْ ذَلِكَ ابْنَةُ هَارُونَ فَصَاحَتْ أُمُّهُمَا فَقَالَتْ: أُنْشِدُكُمَا اللَّهَ أَنْ لَا تَذْهَبَا إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ فَيَقْتُلَكُمَا جَمِيعًا ! فَأَبَيَا فَانْطَلَقَا إِلَيْهِ لَيْلًا، فَضَرَبَا بَابَهُ، فَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ لِبَوَّابِهِ: مَنْ هَذَا الَّذِي يَضْرِبُ بَابِي هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ ؟ فَأَشْرَفَ عَلَيْهِمْا الْبَوَّابُ فَكَلَّمَهُمَا، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى: إِنَّا رَسُولَا رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، فَأَخْبَرَ فِرْعَوْنَ، فَأُدْخِلَا إِلَيْهِ. وَقِيلَ إِنَّ مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ مَكَثَا سَنَتَيْنِ يَغْدُوَانِ إِلَى بَابِ فِرْعَوْنَ وَيَرُوحَانِ يَلْتَمِسَانِ الدُّخُولَ إِلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَجْسُرْ أَحَدٌ يُخْبِرُهُ بِشَأْنِهِمَا، حَتَّى أَخْبَرَهُ مَسْخَرَةٌ كَانَ يُضْحِكُهُ بِقَوْلِهِ، فَأَمَرَ حِينَئِذٍ فِرْعَوْنُ بِإِدْخَالِهِمَا. وقيل إن الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَالَ لَهُ:ادْنُ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُدْنِيهِ حَتَّى أَسْنَدَ ظَهْرَهُ بِجِذْعِ الشَّجَرَةِ، فَاسْتَقَرَّ وَذَهَبَتْ عَنْهُ الرِّعْدَةُ، وَجَمَعَ يَدَيْهِ فِي الْعَصَا، وَخَضَعَ بِرَأْسِهِ وَعُنُقِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنِّي قَدْ أَتَيْتُكَ الْيَوْمَ مَقَامًا لَا يَنْبَغِي لِبَشَرٍ بَعْدَكَ أَنْ يَقُومَ مَقَامَكَ، أَدْنَيْتُكَ وَقَرَّبْتُكَ حَتَّى سَمِعْتَ كَلَامِي، وَكُنْتَ بِأَقْرَبِ الْأَمْكِنَةِ مِنِّي، فَانْطَلِقْ بِرِسَالَتِي فَإِنَّكَ بِعَيْنِي وَسَمْعِي، فَإِنَّ مَعَكَ يَدِي وَبَصَرِي، وَإِنِّي قَدْ أَلْبَسْتُكَ جُبَّةً مِنْ سُلْطَانِي تَسْتَكْمِلُ بِهَا الْقُوَّةَ فِي أَمْرِي، فَأَنْتَ جُنْدٌ عَظِيمٌ مِنْ جُنُودِي، بَعَثْتُكَ إِلَى خَلْقٍ ضَعِيفٍ مِنْ خَلْقِي بَطَرَ نِعْمَتِي، وَأَمِنَ مَكْرِي، وَغَرَّتْهُ الدُّنْيَا عَنِّي، حَتَّى جَحَدَ حَقِّي وَأَنْكَرَ رُبُوبِيَّتِي، وَعَبَدَ [غَيْرِي]، وَزَعَمَ أَنَّهُ لَا يَعْرِفُنِي، وَإِنِّي أُقْسِمُ بِعِزَّتِي لَوْلَا الْعُذْرُ وَالْحَجَّةُ اللَّذَانِ وَضَعْتُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَلْقِي لَبَطَشْتُ بَطْشَةَ جَبَّارٍ يَغْضَبُ لِغَضَبِهِ السَّمَوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَالْجِبَالُ وَالْبِحَارُ، فَإِنْ أَمَرْتُ السَّمَاءَ حَصَبَتْهُ، وَإِنْ أَمَرْتُ الْأَرْضَ ابْتَلَعَتْهُ، وَإِنْ أَمَرْتُ [الْجِبَالَ] دَمَّرَتْهُ، وَإِنْ أَمَرْتُ الْبِحَارَ غَرَّقَتْهُ، وَلَكِنَّهُ هَانَ عَلَيَّ، وَسَقَطَ مِنْ عَيْنِي، وَوَسِعَهُ حِلْمِي، وَاسْتَغْنَيْتُ بِمَا عِنْدِي، وَحُقَّ لِي أَنِّي أَنَا الْغَنِيُّ لَا غَنِيَّ غَيْرِي. فَبَلِّغْهُ رِسَالَاتِي، وَادْعُهُ إِلَى عِبَادَتِي وَتَوْحِيدِي، وَإِخْلَاصِ اسْمِي، وَذِكِّرْهُ بِآيَاتِي وَحَذِّرْهُ نِقْمَتِي وَبَأْسِي، وَأَخْبِرْهُ أَنِّي إِلَى الْعَفْوِ وَالْمَغْفِرَةِ أَسْرَعُ مِنِّي إِلَى الْغَضَبِ وَالْعُقُوبَةِ، وَلَا يُرْعِبْكَ مَا أُلْبِسَهُ مِنْ لِبَاسِ الدُّنْيَا، فَإِنَّ نَاصِيَتَهُ بِيَدِي لَيْسَ يَطْرِفُ وَلَا يَنْطِقُ وَلَا يَتَنَفَّسُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِي. قُلْ لَهُ: أَجِبْ رَبَّكَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَإِنَّهُ وَاسِعُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ، فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ أَمْهَلَكَ أَرْبَعَمِائَةِ سَنَةٍ، وَفِي كُلِّهَا أَنْتَ مُبَارِزٌ لِمُحَارَبَتِهِ، تُشَبِّهُ وَتُمَثِّلُ وَتَصُدُّ عِبَادَهُ عَنْ سُبُلِهِ، وَهُوَ يُمْطِرُ عَلَيْكَ السَّمَاءَ، وَيُنْبِتُ لَكَ الْأَرْضَ، لَمْ تَسْقَمْ وَلَمْ تَهْرَمْ وَلَمْ تَفْتَقِرْ وَلَمْ تُغْلَبْ. وَلَوْ شَاءَ أَنْ يُعَجِّلَ ذَلِكَ لَكَ أَوْ يَسْلُبَكَهُ فَعَلَ، وَلَكِنَّهُ ذُو أَنَاةٍ، وَحِلْمٍ عَظِيمٍ. وَجَاهِدْهُ بِنَفْسِكَ وَأَخِيكَ، وَأَنْتُمَا مُحْتَسِبَانِ بِجِهَادِهِ، فَإِنِّي لَوْ شِئْتُ أَنْ آتِيَهُ بِجُنُودٍ لَا قِبَلَ لَهُ بِهَا لَفَعَلْتُ، وَلَكِنْ لِيَعْلَمَ هَذَا الْعَبْدُ الضَّعِيفُ الَّذِي قَدْ أَعْجَبَتْهُ نَفْسُهُ وَجُمُوعُهُ أَنَّ الْفِئَةَ الْقَلِيلَةَ -وَلَا قَلِيلَ مِنِّي- تَغْلِبُ الْفِئَةَ الْكَثِيرَةَ بِإِذْنِي. وَلَا تُعْجِبَنَّكُمَا زِينَتُهُ، وَلَا مَا يَتَمَتَّعُ بِهِ، وَلَا تَمُدَّا إِلَى ذَلِكَ أَعْيُنَكُمَا، فَإِنَّهَا زَهْرَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا، وَزِينَةُ الْمُتْرَفِينَ، وَإِنِّي لَوْ شِئْتُ أَنْ أُزَيِّنَكُمَا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا بِزِينَةٍ يَعْلَمُ فِرْعَوْنُ حِينَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهَا أَنَّ مَقْدِرَتَهُ تَعْجِزُ عَنْ مِثْلِ مَا أُوتِيتُمَا فَعَلْتُ، وَلَكِنِّي أَرْغَبُ بِكُمَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَأَزْوِيهِ عَنْكُمَا، وَكَذَلِكَ أَفْعَلُ بِأَوْلِيَائِي قَدِيمًا، فَأَخَّرْتُ لَهُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ، فَإِنِّي لِأَذُودُهُمْ عَنْ نَعِيمِهَا وَرَخَائِهَا كَمَا يَذُودُ الرَّاعِي الشَّفِيقُ غَنَمَهُ مِنْ مَرَاتِعِ الْهَلَكَةِ، وَإِنِّي لَأُجَنِّبَهُمْ سَلْوَتَهَا وَعَيْشَهَا كَمَا يُجَنِّبُ الرَّاعِي الشَّفِيقُ عَنْ مَبَارَكِ الْغِرَّةِ. وَمَا ذَاكَ لِهَوَانِهِمْ عَلَيَّ وَلَكِنْ لِيَسْتَكْمِلُوا نَصِيبَهُمْ مِنْ كَرَامَتِي سَالِمًا مُوَفَّرًا لَمْ تُكَلِّمْهُ الدُّنْيَا وَلَمْ يُطِعِ الْهَوَى. وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَتَزَيَّنِ الْعِبَادُ بِزِينَةٍ هِيَ أَبْلَغُ مِنَ الزُّهْدِ فِي الدُّنْيَا، فَإِنَّهَا زِينَةُ الْمُتَّقِينَ، عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْهَا لِبَاسٌ يُعْرَفُونَ بِهِ مِنَ السَّكِينَةِ وَالْخُشُوعِ، سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِمْ مِنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ [48: 29]. أُولَئِكَ أَوْلِيَائِي حَقًّا حَقًّا، فَإِذَا لَقِيتَهُمْ فَاخْفِضْ لَهُمْ جَنَاحَكَ، وَذَلِّلْ لَهُمْ قَلْبَكَ وَلِسَانَكَ. وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ مَنْ أَهَانَ لِي وَلِيًّا إِذَا خَافَهُ فَقَدْ بَارَزَنِي بِالْمُحَارَبَةِ وَمَا رَآنِي، وَعَرَّضَ نَفْسَهُ [لِلْهَلَكَةِ] وَدَعَانِي إِلَيْهَا، وَأَنَا أَسْرَعُ شَيْءٍ إِلَى نُصْرَةِ أَوْلِيَائِي، أَفَيَظُنُّ الَّذِي يُحَارِبُنِي أَنْ يَقُومَ لِي؟ أَوْ يَظُنُّ الَّذِي يُعَادِينِي أَنْ يُعْجِزَنِي؟ أَمْ يَظُنُّ الَّذِي بَارَزَنِي أَنْ يَسْبِقَنِي أَوْ يَفُوتَنِي؟ فَكَيْفَ وَأَنَا الثَّائِرُ لَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، لَا أَكِلُ نُصْرَتَهُمْ إِلَى غَيْرِي؟! قَالَ: فَأَقْبَلَ مُوسَى ﷺ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ فِي مَدِينَتِهِ، قَدْ جَعَلَ حَوْلَهَا الْأُسْدَ فِي غَيْضَةٍ قَدْ غَرَسَهَا، فَالْأُسْدُ فِيهَا مَعَ سَاسَتِهَا، إِذَا آسَدَتْهَا عَلَى أَحَدٍ أُكِلَ. وَلِلْمَدِينَةِ أَرْبَعَةُ أَبْوَابٍ فِي الْغَيْضَةِ، فَأَقْبَلَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ مِنَ الطَّرِيقِ الْأَعْظَمِ الَّذِي يَرَاهُ مِنْهُ فِرْعَوْنُ، فَلَمَّا رَأَتْهُ الْأُسْدُ صَاحَتْ صِيَاحَ الثَّعَالِبِ، فَأَنْكَرَ ذَلِكَ السَّاسَةُ، وَفَرِقُوا مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ. وَأَقْبَلَ مُوسَى حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى الْبَابِ إِلَى قُبَّةِ فِرْعَوْنَ فَقَرَعَهُ بِعَصَاهُ، وَعَلَيْهِ جُبَّةُ صُوفٍ وَسَرَاوِيلُ صُوفٍ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ الْبَوَّابُ عَجِبَ مِنْ جُرْأَتِهِ فَتَرَكَهُ وَلَمْ يَأْذَنْ لَهُ، وَقَالَ: هَلْ تَدْرِي مَنْ تَضْرِبُ؟ إِنَّمَا تَضْرِبُ بَابَ سَيِّدِكَ، قَالَ: أَنْتَ وَأَنَا وَفِرْعَوْنُ عَبِيدٌ لِرَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، فَأَنَا آمُرُهُ، فَأَخْبَرَ الْبَوَّابَ الَّذِي يَلِيهِ وَالْبَوَّابِينَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَاهُمْ، وَدُونَهُمْ سَبْعُونَ حَاجِبًا، كُلُّ حَاجِبٍ مِنْهُمْ تَحْتَ يَدِهِ مِنَ الْجُنُودِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، كَأَعْظَمِ أَمِيرٍ الْيَوْمَ إِمَارَةً، حَتَّى خَلَصَ الْخَبَرُ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ، فَقَالَ: أَدْخِلُوهُ عَلَيَّ [فَأَدْخَلُوهُ]
Translation
✧ Then Allah commanded Musa, ﷺ, to go to Firʿawn, while his family remained in their place, not knowing what he had done, until a shepherd from the people of Madyan passed by, recognized them, and carried them to Madyan. They stayed with Shuʿayb until news of Musa reached them after he had parted the sea, and they set out toward him. As for Musa, he traveled to his enemy, from whose land of Egypt he had fled in fear of his might and oppression, when the matter of killing that Copt had occurred. For this reason he said: "My Lord, indeed I killed one of them, and I fear that they will kill me. And my brother Harun is more eloquent than I in speech, so send him with me as a support, confirming me. Indeed, I fear that they will deny me." That is: make him with me as a helper, a support, and a minister to assist me and aid me in conveying Your message to them, for he is more eloquent in speech and clearer in expression. Allah, exalted be He, said, answering his request: "We will strengthen your arm through your brother and grant you both an authority"—that is, a proof—"so that they will not reach you. By Our signs"—that is, they will not attain any harm to you because of your upholding Our signs. It is also said: by the blessing of Our signs, "you and those who follow you will be the victors." He said in Surat Ta Ha: "Go to Firʿawn; indeed, he has transgressed. He said: My Lord, expand for me my breast and ease for me my task and untie the knot from my tongue that they may understand my speech" (Ta Ha 24–28). It is said that a lisp afflicted his tongue because of that ember which he placed on his tongue, when Firʿawn wished to test his intelligence while he was small and seized his beard; Firʿawn was about to kill him, but Asiyah feared for him and said: "He is a child." So he tested him by placing a date and an ember before him. He reached for the date, but the angel turned his hand to the ember, and he took it and placed it on his tongue, so a lisp afflicted him because of it. He asked for the removal of some of it, just enough that they would understand his speech, and did not ask for its complete removal. Al-Hasan al-Basri said: "The messengers ask only according to need." For this reason a remnant remained in his tongue, and for this reason Firʿawn, may Allah disfigure him, said in what he claimed to be a defect of the one who spoke with Allah: "and he is hardly able to speak clearly" (al-Zukhruf 52), meaning he cannot clearly express what he intends or convey what is in his mind and heart. Then Musa, ﷺ, said: "And appoint for me a minister from my family, Harun, my brother. Increase through him my strength and let him share my task, so that we may glorify You much and remember You much. Indeed, You are ever Seeing of us." He said: "You have been granted your request, O Musa" (Ta Ha 29–36). That is: We have answered all that you asked and given you what you sought. This is from his high standing with his Lord, Mighty and Majestic, when he interceded that Allah reveal to his brother, and He revealed to him. This is a great honor. Allah, exalted be He, said: "And he was, in the sight of Allah, distinguished" (al-Ahzab 69). And He, exalted be He, said: "And We gave him out of Our mercy his brother Harun as a prophet" (Maryam 53). The Mother of the Believers, ʿAʾishah, heard a man say to some people while they were traveling on the Hajj route: "Which brother is more gracious to his brother?" The people were silent, and ʿAʾishah said to those around her howdah: "It is Musa b. ʿImran, when he interceded for his brother to be a prophet receiving revelation. Allah, exalted be He, said: 'And We gave him out of Our mercy his brother Harun as a prophet.'" Allah revealed to Harun, informing him of Musa's return and commanding him to meet him. So he left Egypt and met him. The going of Musa and Harun to Firʿawn: Musa said: "O Harun, Allah, exalted be He, has sent us to Firʿawn, so come with me to him." He said: "Hearing and obedience." When he came to Harun's house and it became apparent that they were going to Firʿawn, Harun's daughter heard that and cried out to their mother, who said: "I adjure you both by Allah not to go to Firʿawn, lest he kill you both!" They refused and set out to him at night. They knocked on his door, and Firʿawn said to his gatekeeper: "Who is this knocking on my door at this hour?" The gatekeeper looked down at them and spoke to them, and Musa said to him: "We are the messengers of the Lord of the worlds." He informed Firʿawn, and they were admitted to him. It is said that Musa and Harun remained for two years going early to Firʿawn's door and returning in the evening, seeking admission to him, but no one dared inform him of their matter until a jester who made him laugh told him. Then Firʿawn ordered that they be admitted. It is said that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said to him: "Draw near," and He kept drawing him near until he leaned his back against the trunk of a tree, and he became still and the trembling left him. He gathered his hands on the staff and bowed his head and neck, then said: "I have brought you today to a station no human after you should stand in. I drew you near and brought you close until you heard My words, and you were in the nearest of places to Me. So go with My message, for you are under My eye and My hearing, and with you are My hand and My sight. I have clothed you in a robe of My authority by which you may complete strength in My command. You are a mighty host of My hosts. I have sent you to a weak creature of My creation who exulted in My favor, felt secure from My plan, and was deceived by the world away from Me, until he denied My right and rejected My lordship, and worshiped [other than Me], and claimed that he does not know Me. By My might, were it not for the excuse and the proof that I have placed between Me and My creation, I would have seized him with the seizing of a tyrant whose anger makes the heavens, the earth, the mountains, and the seas rage. If I commanded the sky, it would pelt him with stones; if I commanded the earth, it would swallow him; if I commanded [the mountains], they would destroy him; if I commanded the seas, they would drown him. But he became insignificant to Me and fell from My eye, and My forbearance encompassed him. I am sufficient with what I have, and it is My right that I am the Self-Sufficient, there is no self-sufficient one besides Me. So convey to him My messages, call him to My worship and My oneness and the sincere devotion to My name, remind him of My signs, warn him of My vengeance and My might, and inform him that I am swifter to pardon and forgiveness than to anger and punishment. Let not what he is clothed in of the garments of this world frighten you, for his forelock is in My hand; he does not blink, speak, or breathe except by My permission. Say to him: 'Answer your Lord, Mighty and Majestic, for He is vast in forgiveness. He has granted you respite for four hundred years, in all of which you have been challenging Him in combat, likening and representing, and turning His servants away from His paths, while He sends down rain upon you and causes the earth to grow for you. You have not been ill, nor aged, nor become poor, nor been defeated. If He willed to hasten that for you or strip it from you, He would do so, but He is forbearing and of immense clemency.' And strive against him with yourself and your brother, both of you seeking reward in striving against him. For if I willed to come to him with hosts he could not withstand, I would do so, but so that this weak servant who is pleased with himself and his multitudes may know that the small group—and none is small with Me—overcomes the large group by My permission. Let not his adornment or what he enjoys impress you two, and do not stretch your eyes toward that, for it is the flower of the life of this world and the adornment of the luxuriant. If I willed to adorn you two from this world with an adornment by which Firʿawn, when he looked at it, would know that his power is incapable of producing the like of what you two have been given, I would do so. But I desire for you two to refrain from that and turn it away from you. Thus do I deal with My friends of old; I delayed for them in that. Indeed, I keep them away from its ease and comfort as a compassionate shepherd keeps his sheep from pastures of destruction, and I keep them away from its diversion and life as a compassionate shepherd keeps them away from blessed pastures. That is not because they are insignificant to Me, but so that they may complete their share of My honor, safe and full, untouched by the world and unyielding to desire. And know that no adornment with which servants adorn themselves is more far-reaching than renunciation of this world, for it is the adornment of the God-fearing. Upon them is a garment by which they are known, of tranquility and humility; their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration (al-Fath 29). Those are My true friends, truly, truly. When you meet them, lower your wing to them and humble your heart and tongue to them. And know that whoever humiliates a friend of Mine out of fear of him has challenged Me in combat without seeing Me, exposed himself [to destruction], and invited Me to it. I am the swiftest thing to aid My friends. Does he who fights Me think he can stand against Me? Or does he who shows enmity to Me think he can thwart Me? Or does he who challenges Me think he can outstrip Me or escape Me? How could that be, when I am the avenger for them in this world and the Hereafter, and I do not entrust their aid to anyone other than Me?!" He said: Musa ﷺ approached Firʿawn in his city, around which he had placed lions in a thicket he had planted. The lions were there with their keepers; when they set them on anyone, he was devoured. The city had four gates in the thicket. Musa, ﷺ, came by the main road from which Firʿawn could see him. When the lions saw him, they shrieked like foxes, and the keepers denied that and were terrified of Firʿawn. Musa came forward until he reached the gate to Firʿawn's dome and struck it with his staff, wearing a woolen cloak and woolen trousers. When the gatekeeper saw him, he marveled at his boldness, left him without admitting him, and said: "Do you know whom you are striking? You are striking the door of your master." He said: "You, I, and Firʿawn are servants of my Lord, Mighty and Majestic. I command him." He informed the next gatekeeper, and the gatekeepers, until it reached the lowest of them. Below them were seventy chamberlains, each of whom had under his command as many troops as Allah, Mighty and Majestic, willed, like the greatest commander today in command. Then the news reached Firʿawn, and he said: "Admit him to me." So they admitted him.
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