Be not like those who annoyed Musa (Surah Al-Ahzab 33: 69)

The Fabrications of the Jews against Musa

Al-Bukhari recorded in the Book of Hadiths about the Prophets, that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said:

Musa, peace be upon him, was a shy and modest man who would never show anything of his skin because of his shyness. Some of the Children of Israel annoyed him by saying: "He only keeps himself covered because of some defect in his skin, either leprosy or scrotal hernia or some other defect.'' Allah, may He be glorified, wanted to clear Musa, peace be upon him, of what they were saying.

One day Musa was alone, so he took off his garment and put it on a rock, then he took a bath. When he had finished, he turned back to pick up his garment, but the rock moved away, taking his garment with it. Musa picked up his stick and chased the rock, saying, "My garment, O rock! My garment, O rock!'' Until he reached a group of the Children of Israel, who saw him naked and found that he was the best of those whom Allah had created. Thus he was cleared of what they had said about him.

Then the rock stood still, so he took his garment and put it on. He started hitting the rock with his stick, and by Allah, the marks of that beating were left on the rock, three or four or five. This is what is referred to in the Ayah:

O you who believe! Be not like those who annoyed Musa, but Allah cleared him of that which they alleged, and he was honorable before Allah. This Hadith is one of those which were recorded by Al-Bukhari but not Muslim. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah (bin Mas`ud) said: "One day, the Messenger of Allah distributed some booty and a man among the Ansar said, `This division was not done for the sake of Allah.' I said, `O enemy of Allah! I am going to tell the Messenger of Allah what you have said.' So, I told the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) about it. His face reddened and he (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said,

May Allah have mercy on Musa. He was annoyed with worse than this, yet he remained patient.'' This was recorded in the Two Sahihs.

and he was honorable before Allah, means, he had a position of status and honor before his Lord, may He be exalted and glorified. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: "His supplications would be answered by Allah.'' Some of them said that part of his great standing before Allah was that he interceded for his brother Harun, asking Allah to send him with him as a Messenger, and Allah granted his request and said:

And We granted him his brother Harun, (also) a Prophet, out of Our mercy. (Surah Maryam 19: 53)



Source: Tafsir ibn Kathir (Abridged)