Before we move on
to the story of Moses, let us think back on Joseph’s attitude in dealing with
the intense passion of his master’s wife. How could Joseph constantly reject
her several advances? Was it because she was not alluring enough? Or was it
because he might not be a normal man and has no desire or passion towards women?
The Qur’an clearly explained this point, telling us that in fact Joseph, as a
young man, had also a strong desire towards her, because apparently she was
quite an attractive woman too. However, the reason of the constant rejection
was his sincerity in his devotion to God. As a devout, he has a covenant with
God to be honest and not to follow his passion: he would be steadfast in
keeping his virtue.
All this is
clearly stated in the following verse of the Qur’an: “And indeed, she desired him, and
he desired her, had he not understood the evidence of his Lord’s truth: thus We (= God) willed it
to be in order that We might avert him all evil and all deeds of abomination –
for, behold, he was truly one of Our devoted servants” (12:24).
Abu Hurairah (one of the Prophet’s companions)
narrated that the Prophet (peace and God’s blessings be upon him) said: “Seven
kinds of people will be shaded by God under His shade on the Day when there
will be no shade except His. They are: (1) a just Ruler; (2) a young person who
has been brought up in an environment of God’s devotion and is sincere; (3) a
person whose heart is constantly attached to the mosque; (4) two persons who
like each other only for God’s cause; (5)
a man who refuses the call of a charming woman, from a well known family, for
an illegal sexual intercourse with her, yet he refuses and says to her: I do
fear of God (and cannot do illegal action); (6) a person who practices
charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has
given; (7) a person who remembers God in seclusion and his eyes flood with
tears”
Now we will trace a
fragment of the story of Moses.
The Qur’an has narrated
several stories about Moses, more than about any other character in history. And
only Almighty God, the Creator, knows and decides to whom He bestows some
wisdom and the ability to judge (between right and wrong), and to whom He
bestows the innate knowledge.
And as God has
given Joseph the wisdom and the innate knowledge, as soon as he reached full manhood
and became mature, the same God has given Moses a strong virtue and wisdom
after he was so anxious and repented to God, for he made a considerable mistake
in striking an Egyptian with his fist and thus causing his death.
Then “he
said (to himself): This is of Satan’s doing. Verily, he is an open foe, leading
(man) astray!” (28:15) and “he prayed: O my Lord, verily, I have sinned
against myself; grant me, then, Your forgiveness! And (God) forgave him – for,
verily, He alone is truly-Forgiving, a Dispenser of grace” (28:16).
Moses continued his prayer: “O my Lord, I vow by all the blessings which
You had bestowed on me: Never more shall I aid such as are lost in sin!” (28:17).
It was undoubtedly
the oppression and the cruelty against the Israelites in Egypt at that time,
which agitated Moses and motivated him to act in order to change the situation
and to free them from slavery. But now how could he do this, when he became the
most wanted by the authority, for killing that Egyptian. He was then advised by
a
sympathiser to flee Egypt.
So he did and
headed to Madyan (*), supplicant to
God: “O
my Lord, save me from all evildoing folk!” (28:21).
And as Moses
turned his face towards Madyan, for never having travelled in that direction,
he prayed to God, and said to himself: “I hope my Lord will show me the right way” (28:22).
It was no easy
experience, especially as he left abruptly and did not take anything for the
travel, passing through a desert with its scorching sun, and probably rarely coming
across anyone on his way. As he finally reached the land of Madyan, he came to
a watering place where he found shepherds watering their flocks. He first went,
however, to the shade of a tree.
There he noticed
two young women waiting with their flock, to water them. He felt sympathy and
concern for these two women. He went towards them and said: What is the matter
with you? They answered briefly: We cannot water our flocks until the herdsmen
drive their flocks home – for we are weak, and our father is a very old man.
Here, Moses’ compassion towards them rose. He took upon himself to water their
flocks for them. He did, and let them go with their flocks, without saying
anything. He went back to the shade murmuring a prayer saying: “O my Lord, indeed I am in utter need of
whatever good You send down to me!” (28:24).
A little later
came one of the two girls towards Moses “walking shyly” and told him that her father invites him to reward him for
the service he had done for them. The Qur’an stresses here, that both the girl
and Moses were modest in their behavior, because in such circumstances it is
important for youth of different sexes to keep their modesty.
The indication
that the young girl came to Moses “walking shyly”, is to point out the
importance of shyness, as Prophet Muhammad once said: “Modesty is a branch of Faith” (Narrated by Abu Hurairah, and recorded by
Nasai).
Arrived at the
house of the two girls, Moses was welcomed by their father. After listening to
the story of Moses, which was so impressive, the old man said to him: Do not
worry young man, you have now escaped from the evildoing people.
While hosting the
new comer, there was a discussion within the family: one of the two girls said
to her father that this man is strong and seems trustworthy. Moses would be a
qualified man for the services they need in this period, as he had both
qualities needed for such an employment. So she suggested to her father to employ him. The
father, having the same good impression about Moses, thought thoroughly and
told the girl he intended to propose to marry her to him, with the condition
that he gives eight or ten years of service to them. When the old man saw his
daughter’s silence, he understood her accord.
“(The old man) said (to
Moses): I desire to marry you to one of these two daughters of mine, on
condition that you hire yourself to me for eight years. And if you complete
ten, that shall be of your own accord. I do not want to be hard on you. God
willing you shall find me to be one of the righteous. Moses said: That is
(settled then) between me and you; whichever of the two terms I complete, there
shall be no injustice (done) to me, and God is Guardian over what we say” (28:27-28).
I think, among
others, the Qur’an recounts this
specific story to give lesson to young people in every time and in any country,
not to get married on the basis of temptation. The important thing in marriage is
the understanding and the support between the spouses.
This conduct of
Moses, which has shown his virtue, was before he even became a messenger of
God, who received revelation from on high. He was bestowed with his duty as a
Prophet and a messenger of God only ten years after his marriage to that woman
of Madyan, just as he finished and fulfilled the terms of his contract.
(*) Madyan is an
area extended from the present-day Gulf of Aqabah westwards deep into Sinai and
to the mountains of Moab east of the Dead Sea.
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