Verse:83 Commentary - - - Verse:84 Commentary - - - Verse:85 Commentary - - - Verse:86 Commentary - - - Verse:87 Commentary Commentary

Mentioned in the verses appearing immediately above, there are some circumstantial details along with their corresponding injunctions as they relate to Sayyidna Musa and Sayyidna Harun (علیہما السلام) and the children of Isra'il and the people of the Pharaoh. The first verse (87) carries an injunction pertaining to a particular event. Banu Isra'il (the children of Isra'il) who observed the religious law of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) used to perform their prayers only in their synagogues as customary. Then, the past communities were also bound by this injunction. Their prayers were not valid if performed in their homes. The Muslim Ummah was the special recipient of the convenience that they could, if needed, perform their prayers everywhere as they wished. In a Hadith of Sahih Muslim, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has, out of his six singularities, given one as, ` the whole earth has been made a masjid for me.' It means that Salah performed anywhere remains valid. However, it is something else that the performing of obligatory prayers in congregation only in masjids has been declared as an emphasized Sunnah. Then, saying nafl prayers inside homes is better. This was the usual practice of the Holy Prophet i He would say only the Fard Salah in the Masjid then go home and say his sunnahs and nafls there. As for the Banu Isra'il, they were bound to offer their prayers only in their synagogues in obedience to their religious laws. Realizing this, the Pharaoh who used to oppress them in all sorts of ways had all synagogues demolished so that they could be deprived of offering their prayers in accordance with their religious laws. Thereupon, Allah Ta` ala sent to the two prophets of Banu Isra'il, Sayyidna Musa and Harun, may peace be on them both, the injunction mentioned in verse 87. It was said there that new houses should be built in Egypt for Bani Isra'il and that their orientation should be towards the Qiblah so that prayers could be offered in those very residential houses.

This tells us that the religious law of past communities demanded that prayers should be offered in houses of worship specifically built for this purpose. But it was because of a particular incident that the Bani Isra'il were temporarily allowed to offer their prayers at home and, for this purpose, they were to have houses oriented towards the Qiblah. And it can also be said that even at this time of emergency they were allowed to offer their prayers in particular houses that were oriented towards the Qiblah. Praying in common homes and public places was still not permitted even at that time. It was unlike the Muslim community that has the convenience of offering their prayers anywhere, be it a city or wilderness. (Ruh al-Ma'ani)

It will be good to answer another question at this point. In this verse, the Bani Isra'il have been commanded to orient themselves towards the Qiblah. Which Qiblah is this? The Ka'bah or the Baytu 'l-Maqdis? Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ says, It means the Ka'bah and the Ka'bah alone was the Qiblah of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) and his people.' (al-Qurtubi and Ruh al-Ma` ani)

In fact, some religious scholars say that the real Qiblah of all past prophets was no other but the Ka'bah.

As for the Hadith where it is said that the Jews turn their faces towards the Sakhrah (the Rock) of Baytu 'l-Maqdis during their prayers, it will be applied to the time when Sayyidna Musa left Egypt and headed towards Baytu 'l-Maqdis. This is not contrary to his Qiblah being the Baytullah during the period of his stay in Egypt.

It is also proved from this verse that the condition of facing to-wards the Qiblah was operative also during the period of past prophets. Similarly, it also stands proved from authentic reports that purity (taharah) and body cover (satr al-'aurah) were conditions of Salah even in the religious laws of all past prophets.

Since the very purpose of making houses Qiblah oriented was to pray in there, therefore, by giving the command: ` Establish Salah' (اَقِیمُوا الصَّلٰوۃَ ) after that, the instruction given was: If the Pharaoh stops you from making prayers in places reserved for worship, prayers do not stand dropped. Make these in your homes.

At the end of the verse, Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) has been asked to convey the good news to believers that their mission will be successful. They will overpower the enemy and they will go to Paradise in the Hereafter. (Ruh al-Ma` ani)

It will be noted that, at the beginning of the verse, Sayyidna Musa and Harun (علیہما السلام) may peace be upon them both, were addressed in the dual form because they both were charged with the responsibility of having houses made Qiblah oriented and allowing occupants to pray in there. After that, by using the plural form which included all Bani Isra'il, command was given to establish Salah - because, this law included all, the prophet and his community. At the end, the command to convey the good news was given particularly to Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) - because, it was he, as the law-giving prophet, who had the right to give out the good news of Paradise. Verse:88 Commentary Mentioned in the second verse (88), there is a curse which Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) invoked after having lost all hopes of reforming the people of the Pharaoh. At its beginning, he submitted before his Lord that He had given the Pharaoh and his group glamour and riches in their worldly life (mines of gold, silver and precious stones in Egypt and Ethiopia - al-Qurtubi). As a result, they misled people from His way. Because, common-people, when they looked at their bulging affluence, they started doubting - had they been in error, why would they have been so blessed? Again, because common-people were unable to see through the reality that material affluence without good deeds cannot be the sign of a person being right and true. It was only after having been disappointed with his efforts to correct the people of the Pharaoh, and having realized the danger it posed for other people who were being misled by the glamour and wealth of the Pharaoh's group that he invoked the curse: رَ‌بَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَىٰ أَمْوَالِهِمْ (Our Lord, obliterate their riches).

According to the statement of Sayyidna Qatadah ؓ ، such was the effect of this invocation that all gold, precious coins, stones, land produce belonging to Pharaoh's people were transformed into bland rocks. In a bag found during the period of the pious Khalifah Sayyidna ` Umar ibn ` Abd al-` Aziz (رح) ، there were things dating back to the time of the Pharaoh. Seen in it, there were eggs and almonds of solid rock. Leading commentators say that Allah Ta` ala had turned all fruits, vegetables and grains they had into rocks. This is among the nine ayat (signs or miracles) mentioned in the Qur'an as in: وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ تِسْعَ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ رَ‌بَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَىٰ أَمْوَالِهِمْ (and We gave Musa [ Moses ] nine clear signs - 17:101).

The second curse invoked by Sayyidna Musa علیہ السلام for them appears in the words: وَاشْدُدْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّىٰ يَرَ‌وُا الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ (and harden their hearts, so that [ they are deprived of the very ability to receive any good and ] they may not come to believe until they witness the painful punishment - 88).

The invocation of this curse obviously appears to be something far out as coming through the speech of an apostle or prophet, because the sole mission of a prophet's life is nothing but to invite people to believe and act right and make efforts towards that end.

But, in terms of the hard facts of the situation here, Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) has already made whatever efforts he could. He was to-tally disappointed. Now he wanted that they better learn through the punishment for their deeds. In doing so, it was probable that these people, once they see the punishment coming, may make a confession and declare that they now believed, whereby the punishment could stand warded off. Therefore, what became the cause of this invocation from him was his hatred for kufr (disbelief, infidelity). This is similar to what happened to the Pharaoh. When he started to announce his belief at the time he was drowning, the angel, Jibra'il shut his mouth lest Divine mercy turns to him and he stands delivered from the punishment. Verse:89 Commentary In the third verse (89), it was said that the prayer of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) has been accepted. But, by taking Sayyidna Harun (علیہ السلام) as associated with the act of prayer, the actual address was made in the words: قَدْ أُجِيبَت دَّعْوَتُكُمَا (The prayer of you both has been granted). There was a reason for it. When Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) السلام was making this prayer, Sayyidna Harun (علیہ السلام) kept saying Amin (Amen). This tells us that the saying of Amin آمِین (so be it) is also a part of the prayer itself. And since the masnun method of du` a or prayer given in the Holy Qur'an is that of making it in a lowered voice, the saying of آمِین Amin too in a lowered mode seems to be preferable.

As for the acceptance of prayer, the information was given to the two prophets as it appears in this verse. But, even they were some-what tested in that the effect of the prayer, according to al-Baghawi, unfolded after forty years. For this reason, soon after the mention of the acceptance of their prayer in this verse, they both were given the instruction: فَاسْتَقِيمَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعَانِّ سَبِيلَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (so stand firm, and never follow the way of those who do not know). It means that they should go on carrying the mission of calling people to the true faith and do not get embarrassed, disappointed or hasty like the ignorant when the effects of the acceptance of some prayer takes its due time. Verse:90 Commentary Mentioned in the fourth verse (90) was the famous miracle of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) - the crossing of the sea and the drowning of Pharaoh. There it was said:

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَدْرَ‌كَهُ الْغَرَ‌قُ قَالَ آمَنتُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا الَّذِي آمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرَ‌ائِيلَ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

Until when he was about to drown, he said, "I believe that there is no god but the One in Whom the children of Isra'il believe, and I am among those who submit". Verse:91 Commentary The answer to this appearing in the fifth verse (91) came from Allah Almighty Himself. It says:

آلْآنَ وَقَدْ عَصَيْتَ قَبْلُ وَكُنتَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ ﴿91﴾

Is it now [ that you come to believe ] while you were rebellious before and you were among the mischief-makers?

This proves that the profession of faith exactly at the time of death is not legally trustworthy. It is further clarified by the Hadith in which the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, 'Allah Ta'ala keeps accepting the Taubah (repentance) of a servant until comes the time of the ghargharah of death. (Tirmidhi)

The ghargharah of death means the time the soul or spirit is drawn out or extracted from the body and it is a time when angels appear face to face. At that time, life in this world, the home of deeds, is all over and the laws of the Hereafter come into force. Therefore, nothing done at that time is acceptable, neither belief, nor disbelief. Whoever believes at such a time will not be called a believer. He will not be treated as a believer while shrouding and burying him. This stands proved from the fate of Pharaoh. There is a consensus that he died a disbeliever. This is also what the text of the Qur'an says. In case, someone is reported to have called the belief of the Pharaoh as valid, it will either be suitably interpreted, otherwise the statement would be considered false. (Ruh al-Ma` ani)

Similarly, if someone were to utter (God forbid) a word of disbelief (kufr) in a state when the soul is being drawn out of the body, he will not be called a kafir (disbeliever). Instead, a Salah of Janazah (Muslim funeral prayers) will be offered for him and he would be buried like Muslims, and the word of disbelief uttered by him would be interpreted (in his favor). This finds confirmation in what happened in the case of some Auliya' of Allah, specially when that which they uttered bothered people as if what they were uttering was nothing short of kufr (disbelief). However, when they became conscious and explained, it gave relief to everyone and they realized that it was nothing but a declaration of true belief.

In short, when the soul is being drawn out and the certain knock of death is on, that time is not counted in the life one lives in this world. Nothing done at that time is valid in terms of the Shari'ah. However, everything is, if done before that. But, those who see this transition from one world to the other have to be very cautious. It is possible to make a mistake in determining the correct situation. Is this the time of the drawing of the soul from the body (naz'atu'r-ruh)? Or, is it the last rattle of death (ghargharatu 'l-maut)? Or, is it that which prevails earlier (usually referred to in English as being in the throes of death or the agony of death or, uncharitably enough, giving up the ghost)? Verse:92 Commentary Commentary

Addressing Pharaoh in the first verse (92), it was said that Allah will take his body out of the waters after he is drowned so that his body becomes a sign of Divine power, and a lesson for people after him.

It happened when, after having crossed the sea, Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) told Bani Isra'il about the drowning of the Pharaoh, they were so overawed and subdued by him that they refused to believe the news and said that the Pharaoh was not drowned. To guide them right and to teach others a lesson, Allah Ta'ala had the dead body of Pharaoh thrown ashore by a wave of the sea. Everyone saw it and believed that he had died and then, this corpse became a sort of moral deterrent for everyone. After that, it is not known as to what happened to this corpse ultimately. The place where the dead body of the Pharaoh was found is still known as the mount of Pharaoh.

Some time back, newspaper reports indicated that the dead body of Pharaoh was found intact and was seen by the public at large and that it was deposited safely in the Cairo Museum. But, it cannot be said with certainty that this is the same Pharaoh who confronted Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) or is some other Pharaoh because names of Pharaohs differ. Every ruler of Egypt in that period of history had the title of Pharaoh.

But, no wonder, the Divine power had thrown a drowned dead body ashore. Very similarly, it may have kept it even preserved against spoilage so that it could become a lesson for future generations. And it may still be there! (However it remains essential to learn a lesson from it as compared to becoming excited about its discovery as an archeological triumph).

At the end of the verse, it was said that many people pay no heed to the verses and signs of Allah. They do not ponder over them and fail to learn their essential lesson in living a better life. Otherwise, signs abound. They are everywhere, in every particle of this universe. A look at them would help one recognize Allah and His perfect power.