Tarikh (al-Tabari) 239
The story of Moses the one who spoke with Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
وَفَاةِ مُوسَى، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قِيلَ: بَيْنَمَا مُوسَى - عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ - يَمْشِي وَمَعَهُ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ فَتَاهَ إِذْ أَقْبَلَتْ رِيحٌ سَوْدَاءُ، فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا يُوشَعُ ظَنَّ أَنَّهَا السَّاعَةُ، فَالْتَزَمَ مُوسَى، وَقَالَ: لَا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ وَأَنَا مُلْتَزِمٌ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ، فَاسْتُلَّ مُوسَى مِنْ تَحْتِ الْقَمِيصِ وَبَقِيَ الْقَمِيصُ فِي يَدَيْ يُوشَعَ. فَلَمَّا جَاءَ يُوشَعُ بِالْقَمِيصِ أَخَذَهُ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَقَالُوا: قَتَلْتَ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ ! فَقَالَ: مَا قَتَلْتُهُ وَلَكِنَّهُ اسْتُلَّ مِنِّي. فَلَمْ يُصَدِّقُوهُ. قَالَ: فَإِذَا لَمْ تُصَدِّقُونِي فَأَخِّرُونِي ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، فَوَكَّلُوا بِهِ مَنْ يَحْفَظُهُ، فَدَعَا اللَّهَ، فَأَتَى كُلُّ رَجُلٍ كَانَ يَحْرُسُهُ فِي الْمَنَامِ فَأَخْبَرَ أَنَّ يُوشَعَ لَمْ يَقْتُلْ مُوسَى، وَأَنَّا قَدْ رَفَعْنَاهُ إِلَيْنَا، فَتَرَكُوهُ. وَقِيلَ: إِنَّ مُوسَى كَرِهَ الْمَوْتَ فَأَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُحَبِّبَ إِلَيْهِ الْمَوْتَ، فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَى يُوشَعَ بْنِ نُونٍ، وَكَانَ يَغْدُو عَلَيْهِ وَيَرُوحُ، وَيَقُولُ لَهُ مُوسَى: يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ، مَا أَحْدَثَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ ؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ: يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ أَلَمْ أَصْحَبْكَ كَذَا وَكَذَا سَنَةً، فَهَلْ كُنْتُ أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ مِمَّا أَحْدَثَ اللَّهُ لَكَ ؟ وَلَا يَذْكُرُ لَهُ شَيْئًا. فَلَمَّا رَأَى مُوسَى ذَلِكَ كَرِهَ الْحَيَاةَ وَأَحَبَّ الْمَوْتَ. كَذَلِكَ قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَعْبٍ الْقُرَظِيُّ: كَانَ تَحْوِيلُ النُّبُوَّةِ إِلَى يُوشَعَ بْنِ نُونٍ قَبْلَ مَوْتِ مُوسَى، وَكَانَ يَخْتَلِفُ يُوشَعُ إِلَى مُوسَى غَدْوَةً وَعَشِيَّةً، فَيَقُولُ لَهُ مُوسَى: يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ هَلْ أَحْدَثَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ الْيَوْمَ شَيْئًا؟ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ يُوشَعُ: يَا صَفِيَّ اللَّهِ صَحِبْتُكَ مِنْ كَذَا وَكَذَا سَنَةٍ، فَهَلْ سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ يُحْدِثُهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ حَتَّى تَكُونَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي تَبْتَدِئُهُ لِي؟ فَلَمَّا رَأَى مُوسَى الْجَمَاعَةَ عِنْدَ يُوشَعُ أَحَبَّ الْمَوْتَ. قَالَ أَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ بْنُ الْمُنَادِي: هَذِهِ الْعِبَارَةُ تُوهِمُ بَعْضَ الْأَغْبِيَاءِ أَنَّ مُوسَى غَاظَهُ مَا رَأَى، فَأَحَبَّ الْمَوْتَ؛ إِذْ ضَاقَ ذَرْعًا بِالَّذِي أَبْصَرَ مِنْ مَنْزِلَةِ يُوشَعَ حِينَ عَلَتْ. وَلَيْسَ كَذَلِكَ، إِنَّمَا أَحَبَّ مُوسَى الْمَوْتَ لَمَّا رَأَى لَهُ خَلَفًا فِي أُمَّتِهِ كَافِيًا يَقُومُ مَقَامَهُ فِيهِمْ، فَاسْتَطَابَ حِينَئِذٍ الْمَوْتَ لِمَا وَصَفْنَا لَا غَيْرُ. وَأَمَّا اسْتِجَابَةُ يُوشَعُ وَامْتِنَاعُ يُوشَعُ مِنْ إِفْشَائِهِ مَا يَكُونُ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَكُ مِنْ بَابِ التَّعَزُّزِ مِنْ يُوشَعُ وَلَا مِنْ حُبِّهِ الِاقْتِصَارَ مِنْ مُوسَى إِلَيْهِ، بَلْ هُوَ مِنِ اسْتِخْبَارِ مُوسَى يُوشَعَ هَلْ بَلَغَ حَدَّ الْأُمَنَاءِ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا يَجِبُ كَتْمُهُ عَنْ أَقْرَبِ النَّاسِ إِلَيْهِمْ وَأَعَزِّهِمْ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَلَمَّا أَلْفَى يُوشَعَ بَالِغًا هَذِهِ الْمَرْتَبَةَ لَمْ يَشُكَّ فِي نُهُوضِهِ بِالْوَحْيِ وَاسْتِمْكَانِهِ مِنَ الْحَالِ الَّتِي أُهِّلَ لَهَا فَهَذَا الَّذِي أَصَارَ مُوسَى إِلَى السُّؤَالِ. وَيَدُلُّ عَلَى هَذَا مَا رُوِيَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ أَنَّهُ، قَالَ: لَمَّا وَدَّعَ مُوسَى أَهْلَهُ وَوَلَدَهُ أَرْسَلَ إِلَى يُوشَعَ فَاسْتَخْلَفَهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ، قَالَ: وَكَانَ مُوسَى إِنَّمَا يَسْتَظِلُّ فِي عَرِيشٍ وَيَأْكُلُ وَيَشْرَبُ فِي نَقِيرٍ مِنْ حَجَرٍ؛ تَوَاضُعًا لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حِينَ أَكْرَمَهُ بِكَلَامِهِ. قَالَ وَهْبٌ: ذُكِرَ لِي أَنَّهُ كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِ وَفَاتِهِ أَنَّهُ أُخْرِجَ يَوْمًا مِنْ عَرِيشِهِ ذَلِكَ لِبَعْضِ حَاجَتِهِ، فَمَرَّ بِرَهْطٍ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ يَحْفِرُونَ قَبْرًا، فَعَرَفَهُمْ فَأَقْبَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ حَتَّى وَقَفَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَإِذَا هُمْ يَحْفِرُونَ قَبْرًا لَمْ يَرَ شَيْئًا أَحْسَنَ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يَرَ مِثْلَ مَا فِيهِ مِنَ الْخُضْرَةِ وَالنَّضْرَةِ وَالْبَهْجَةِ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: يَا مَلَائِكَةَ اللَّهِ لِمَ تَحْفِرُونَ هَذَا الْقَبْرَ؟ قَالُوا: نَحْفِرُهُ وَاللَّهِ لَعَبْدٍ كَرِيمٍ عَلَى اللَّهِ، قَالَ: إِنَّ هَذَا الْعَبْدَ مِنَ اللَّهِ لَبِمَنْزِلَةٍ، مَا رَأَيْتُ كَالْيَوْمِ مَضْجَعًا، قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ: يَا صَفِيَّ اللَّهِ أَتُحِبُّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَكَ؟ قَالَ: وَدِدْتُ، قَالُوا: فَانْزِلْ فَاضْطَجِعْ فِيهِ وَتَوَجَّهْ إِلَى رَبِّكَ، ثُمَّ تَنَفَّسْ، فَنَزَلَ فَاضْطَجَعَ فِيهِ وَتَوَجَّهَ إِلَى رَبِّهِ ثُمَّ تَنَفَّسَ فَقَبَضَ اللَّهُ رُوحَهُ، ثُمَّ سَوَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ. قَالَ ابن الجوزي: وَفِي هَذَا بُعْدٌ، فَإِنَّ الْحَدِيثَ الصَّحِيحَ يَدُلُّ عَلَى غَيْرِ هَذَا. وعن أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: "جَاءَ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ إِلَى مُوسَى، فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَجِبْ رَبَّكَ، قَالَ: فَلَطَمَ مُوسَى عَيْنَ مَلَكِ الْمَوْتِ فَفَقَأَهَا، فَرَجَعَ الْمَلَكُ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَقَالَ: إِنَّكَ أَرْسَلْتَنِي إِلَى عَبْدٍ لَكَ لَا يُرِيدُ الْمَوْتَ وَقَدْ فَقَأَ عَيْنِي، قَالَ: فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ عَيْنَهُ، وَقَالَ: ارْجِعْ إِلَى عَبْدِي فَقُلْ لَهُ: إِنْ كُنْتَ تُرِيدَ الْحَيَاةَ فَضَعْ يَدَكَ عَلَى مَتْنِ ثَوْرٍ فَمَا تَوَارَيَتْ بِيَدِكَ مِنْ شَعَرَةٍ فَإِنَّكَ تَعِيشُ بِهَا سَنَةً. [فَعَادَ إِلَيْهِ فَأَخْبَرَهُ] فَقَالَ: ثُمَّ مَهْ، قَالَ: ثُمَّ تَمُوتُ، قَالَ: فَالْآنَ مِنْ قَرِيبٍ. قَالَ: يَا رَبِّ أَدْنِنِي مِنَ الْأَرْضِ الْمُقَدَّسَةِ رَمْيَةَ حَجَرٍ". قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: "وَاللَّهِ لَوْ أَنِّي عِنْدَهُ لَأَرَيْتُكُمْ [قَبْرَهُ] إِلَى جَنْبِ الطَّرِيقِ عِنْدَ الْكَثِيبِ الْأَحْمَرِ". ثُمَّ اسْتَشْكَلَهُ ابْنُ حِبَّانَ، وَأَجَابَ عَنْهُ بِمَا حَاصِلُهُ: أَنَّ مَلَكَ الْمَوْتِ، لَمَّا قَالَ لَهُ هَذَا لَمْ يَعْرِفْهُ; لِمَجِيئِهِ لَهُ عَلَى غَيْرِ صُورَةٍ يَعْرِفُهَا مُوسَى، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، كَمَا جَاءَ جِبْرِيلُ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، فِي صُورَةِ أَعْرَابِيٍّ، وَكَمَا وَرَدَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَلَوْ فِي صُورَةِ شَبَابٍ، فَلَمْ يَعْرِفْهُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ وَلَا لُوطٌ أَوَّلًا، وَكَذَلِكَ مُوسَى لَعَلَّهُ لَمْ يَعْرِفْهُ لِذَلِكَ وَلَطَمَهُ فَفَقَأَ عَيْنَهُ; لِأَنَّهُ دَخَلَ دَارَهُ بِغَيْرِ إِذْنِهِ، وَهَذَا مُوَافِقٌ لِشَرِيعَتِنَا فِي جَوَازِ فَقْءِ عَيْنِ مَنْ نَظَرَ إِلَيْكَ فِي دَارِكَ بِغَيْرِ إِذْنٍ. قَالَ أَبُو عِمْرَانَ الْجَوْنِيُّ: لَمَّا مَثُلَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامَ جَعَلَ يَبْكِي وَيَقُولُ: لَسْتُ أَجْزَعُ لِلْمَوْتِ، وَلَكِنِّي أَجْزَعُ أَنْ يَيْبَسَ لِسَانِي عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ. قَالَ: وَكَانَ لِمُوسَى ثَلَاثُ بَنَاتٍ فَدَعَاهُنَّ فَقَالَ: يَا بَنَاتِي، إِنَّ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ سَيَعْرِضُونَ عَلَيْكُنَّ الدُّنْيَا بَعْدِي فَلَا تَقْبَلْنَ مِنْهَا شَيْئًا، تَلْقُطْنَ هَذَا السُّنْبُلَ فَافْرُكْنَهُ ثُمَّ كُلْنَهُ، وَسَتَبْلُغْنَ بِهِ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ. قَالَ عُلَمَاءُ السِّيَرِ: تُوُفِّيَ مُوسَى بَعْدَ هَارُونَ بِثَلَاثِ سِنِينَ، وَأَوْصَى إِلَى يُوشَعُ، وَتُوُفِّيَ بِبَابِ لُدٍّ. قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الطَّبَرِيُّ: كَانَ جَمِيعُ مُدَّةِ عُمُرِ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ مِائَةً وَعِشْرِينَ سَنَةً، عِشْرُونَ مِنْهَا فِي مُلْكِ أَفْرِيدُونَ، وَمِائَةٌ مِنْهَا فِي مُلْكٍ مَنُوشِهْرَ، وَكَانَ ابْتِدَاءُ أَمْرِهِ مُنْذُ بَعَثَهُ اللَّهُ نَبِيًّا إِلَى أَنْ قَبَضَهُ اللَّهُ فِي مُلْكِ مَنُوشِهْرَ. وَاخْتَلَفُوا: هَلْ مَاتَ بِأَرْضِ الشَّامِ أَمْ لَا عَلَى قَوْلَيْنِ: أَحَدُهُمَا: أَنَّهُ تُوُفِّيَ بِأَرْضِ التِّيهِ، وَقَدْ رُوِّينَا عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: مَاتُوا كُلُّهُمْ فِي التِّيهِ وَمُوسَى وَهَارُونُ، وَلَمْ يَدْخُلْ بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ إِلَّا يُوشَعُ، وَكَالِبُ بْنُ يُوفَنَّا، وَالْحَدِيثُ الَّذِي قَدَّمْنَاهُ يَدُلُّ عَلَى هَذَا. وَالْقَوْلُ الْآخَرُ: لَمَّا مَضَتِ الْأَرْبَعُونَ خَرَجَ مُوسَى بِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنَ التِّيهِ، وَقَالَ لَهُمُ: ادْخُلُوا الْقَرْيَةَ فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ. قَالَهُ الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ، وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ زَيْدٍ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ: وَهَذَا هُوَ الصَّحِيحُ، وَإِنَّ مُوسَى هُوَ الَّذِي فَتَحَ قَرْيَةَ الْجَبَّارِينَ مَعَ الصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ؛ لِأَنَّ أَهْلَ السِّيَرِ أَجْمَعُوا أَنَّ مُوسَى هُوَ قَاتِلُ عُوجٍ، وَكَانَ عُوجٌ مَلِكَهُمْ، وَكَانَ بِلْعَامُ فِيمَنْ سَبَاهُ، سَبَاهُ مُوسَى وَقَتَلَهُ. قَالَ أَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ بْنُ الْمُنَادِي: وَقَدْ قِيلَ: إِنَّ الْيَهُودَ لَا تَدْرِي أَيْنَ قَبْرُ مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ، وَلَوْ عَلِمُوا لَاتَّخَذُوهُمَا إِلَهَيْنِ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ.
Translation
✧ The death of Moses (peace and blessings be upon him) It is said: While Moses ﷺ was walking with Joshua b. Nūn, his attendant, a black wind approached. When Joshua saw it, he thought it was the Hour, so he clung to Moses and said: "The Hour will not come while I am clinging to the Prophet of Allah." Then Moses was pulled out from beneath the shirt, and the shirt remained in Joshua's hand. When Joshua brought the shirt, the Children of Israel took it and said: "You have killed the Prophet of Allah!" He said: "I did not kill him, but he was pulled away from me." They did not believe him. He said: "If you do not believe me, give me three days' respite." So they assigned someone to guard him. He called upon Allah, and every man who was guarding him came in his sleep and was told that Joshua did not kill Moses, and that "We have raised him up to Ourselves." So they left him alone. It is also said: Moses disliked death, so Allah willed to make death beloved to him. Allah revealed to Joshua b. Nūn, who used to come to Moses morning and evening, and Moses would say to him: "O Prophet of Allah, what has Allah revealed to you?" Joshua b. Nūn would say to him: "O Prophet of Allah, have I not accompanied you for such-and-such years? Did I ever ask you about anything Allah revealed to you?" And he would not mention anything to him. When Moses saw that, he disliked life and loved death. Likewise, Muḥammad b. Kaʿb al-Quraẓī said: The transfer of prophethood to Joshua b. Nūn was before the death of Moses. Joshua used to come to Moses morning and evening, and Moses would say to him: "O Prophet of Allah, has Allah revealed anything to you today?" Joshua would say to him: "O friend of Allah, I have accompanied you for such-and-such years; did I ever ask you about anything Allah reveals to you, such that you should be the one to begin telling me?" When Moses saw the group around Joshua, he loved death. Abū al-Ḥusayn b. al-Munādī said: This expression makes some foolish people think that Moses was angered by what he saw, and so loved death because he was distressed by the elevated status of Joshua that he witnessed. But it is not so. Rather, Moses loved death only when he saw for his community a sufficient successor who would take his place among them. Then he found death pleasant for the reason we described, nothing else. As for Joshua's response and his refraining from divulging what came to him from Allah, this was not out of pride on Joshua's part, nor out of a desire to withhold matters from Moses. Rather, it was Moses testing Joshua to see whether he had reached the rank of the trustworthy ones who conceal what must be concealed from the closest and dearest of people to them. When Moses found Joshua to have reached this rank, he had no doubt that Joshua was capable of bearing revelation and was firmly established in the state for which he had been qualified. This is what prompted Moses to ask. Indicating this is what is narrated from al-Ḥasan, that he said: When Moses bade farewell to his family and children, he sent for Joshua and appointed him as his successor over the people. He said: Moses used to shade himself only under a booth and eat and drink from a hollowed-out stone, in humility toward Allah, Mighty and Majestic, when He honored him with His speech. Wahb said: It was mentioned to me that concerning his death, he came out one day from his booth for some need, and he passed by a group of angels digging a grave. He recognized them and went to them until he stood over them. They were digging a grave, and he had never seen anything more beautiful than it, nor had he seen the like of the greenness, freshness, and splendor that was in it. He said to them: "O angels of Allah, for whom are you digging this grave?" They said: "By Allah, we are digging it for a servant who is honored by Allah." He said: "This servant has a high station with Allah. I have never seen a resting place like this today." The angels said: "O friend of Allah, would you like it to be yours?" He said: "I would love that." They said: "Then descend, lie down in it, and turn toward your Lord, then breathe." So he descended, lay down in it, turned toward his Lord, then breathed, and Allah took his soul. Then the angels leveled the earth over him. Ibn al-Jawzī said: This is far-fetched, for the authentic ḥadīth indicates something other than this. It is narrated from Abū Hurayrah that he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The Angel of Death came to Moses and said to him: 'Answer your Lord.' He said: Moses struck the eye of the Angel of Death and gouged it out. The angel returned to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and said: 'You sent me to a servant of Yours who does not want death, and he has gouged out my eye.' He said: Allah restored his eye to him and said: 'Return to My servant and say to him: If you want life, put your hand on the back of an ox; for every hair your hand covers, you will live a year.' [So he returned to him and told him.] He said: 'Then what?' He said: 'Then you will die.' He said: 'Now, from near at hand. O Lord, bring me near to the Holy Land within a stone's throw.'" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "By Allah, if I were there, I would show you his grave, beside the road at the red sandhill." Then Ibn Ḥibbān found this problematic and responded as follows: The Angel of Death, when he said this to Moses, Moses did not recognize him, because he came to him in a form Moses did not know, just as Gabriel ﷺ came in the form of a bedouin, and just as the angels came to Abraham and Lot in the form of young men, and Abraham and Lot did not recognize them at first. Likewise, Moses perhaps did not recognize him for that reason, and he struck him and gouged out his eye, because he entered his house without his permission. This is consistent with our law, which permits gouging out the eye of one who looks at you in your house without permission. Abū ʿImrān al-Jawnī said: When Moses ﷺ was dying, he began to weep and say: "I am not grieving for death, but I grieve that my tongue will dry up from remembering Allah at death." He said: Moses had three daughters. He called them and said: "O my daughters, the Children of Israel will offer you the world after me. Accept nothing of it. Gather these ears of grain, rub them, then eat them, and through this you will reach Paradise." The scholars of the Prophet's biography said: Moses died three years after Aaron, and he left a testament to Joshua, and he died at the gate of Ludd. Abū Jaʿfar al-Ṭabarī said: The total lifespan of Moses ﷺ was one hundred and twenty years: twenty of them during the reign of Afrīdūn, and one hundred during the reign of Manūshihr. The beginning of his mission from when Allah sent him as a prophet until Allah took him occurred during the reign of Manūshihr. They differed as to whether he died in the land of Syria or not, with two opinions: One of them is that he died in the land of the wilderness. It has been narrated to us from Ibn ʿAbbās that he said: They all died in the wilderness, including Moses and Aaron, and none entered Jerusalem except Joshua and Caleb b. Jephunneh. The ḥadīth we have presented above indicates this. The other opinion is that when the forty years had passed, Moses led the Children of Israel out of the wilderness and said to them: "Enter the town and eat from it wherever you wish." This was said by al-Rabīʿ b. Anas and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Zayd. Ibn Jarīr said: This is the correct view, and that Moses himself conquered the town of the giants along with the righteous from the Children of Israel, because the scholars of the Prophet's biography agree that Moses killed Og, and Og was their king, and Balaam was among those he captured; Moses captured him and killed him. Abū al-Ḥusayn b. al-Munādī said: It has been said that the Jews do not know where the graves of Moses and Aaron are. If they knew, they would have taken them as two gods besides Allah.
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