“We have destroyed many towns that exulted in their means of livelihood …”
[Part 20, from Surah An Naml, ayah: 60 to Surah Al Ankabut, ayah: 44]
By: Mufti Jaseemuddin Qasmi
Coordinator Online Darul Ifta & Lecturer at MMERC, Mumbai
Allah says in the first ayah of Part-20 of the Qur’an, “Is He who created the heavens and the earth and sent down for you rain from the sky, by which causing to grow gardens of joyful beauty which you could not otherwise have grown the trees in them? Is there a deity with Allah? No indeed, but they are a people who equate others with Him.”
Message of the above ayah is that, Allah alone created the heavens, earth, and life-giving rain that produces beautiful gardens, yet people still associate others with Him.
Among the final signs of the Day of Judgment, one sign that will appear just before it is that Allah Almighty will bring forth from the earth a strange animal that will speak to human beings. According to some narrations, the Day of Judgment will come immediately after the appearance of this creature, and once it emerges, the door of repentance will be closed. This is mentioned in ayah 82. In ayah 88, it is stated that the mountains, which firmly stand in their places today, will be moving like clouds on that Day.
Surah Al-Qasas
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Here begins Surah Al-Qasas. This Surah is Makki and consists of 88 ayahs. Various narrations indicate that it was the last Surah revealed in Makkah.
The Early Life of Prophet Musa (as)
In the first 43 ayahs of this Surah, details of the early life of Prophet Musa (as) are mentioned. Such details are not found in any other Surah. A fortuneteller had told Pharaoh that a man from the Children of Israel would bring an end to his kingdom. Therefore, Pharaoh issued an order that every male child born among the Israelites should be killed. When Prophet Musa (as) was born, his mother became anxious, fearing that Pharaoh’s men would kill him as well.
At that moment, Allah Almighty instructed her with a revelation, as the ayah 7 states,
“And We inspired to the mother of Mosa, “Suckle him; but when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear and do not grieve. Indeed, We will return him to you and will make him one of the messengers.”
So, when the mother of prophet Mosa (sa) put him in a basket and cast it into the river, the basked floated by the river flowing near the castle of Pharaoh. So, the wife of pharaoh Asiya saw the child and picked him up. Furthermore, the Qur’an says in ayah 8 to 11:
“And the family of Pharaoh picked him up,(out of the river) so that he would become to them an enemy and a cause of grief. Indeed, Pharaoh and Haman and their soldiers were deliberate sinners. And the wife of Pharaoh said, “(He will be) a comfort of the eye for me and for you. Do not kill him; perhaps he may benefit us, or we may adopt him as a son.” While they were not aware. And the heart of Mosa’s mother became restless. She was about to disclose the secret about him if We had not fortified her heart so that she would remain a firm believer (in Our promise).And she said to his sister, “Follow him”; so she watched him from a distance while they were not aware.”
Ayah 12 of Surah Al Qasas states, “And We had prevented from him all wet nurses before, so she (Musa’s sister) said, “Shall I direct you to a household that will take care of him for you and they will be his well-wishers?”
When Pharaoh’s wife decided to raise the baby Musa, she began searching for a wet nurse to feed him. However, Musa (as) would not accept milk from any woman. Lady Asiya then sent her maidservants to find a woman whose milk the baby would accept.
Meanwhile, after placing her baby in the river, the mother of Prophet Musa (as) was restless and anxious. So she sent Musa’s sister to see what had happened to the child. While searching, she reached the very place where Pharaoh’s maidservants were desperately looking for a woman to nurse the baby.
This was her chance — she suggested a woman, her own mother, who could feed the baby, and brought her there. When the mother of Musa (as) offered her milk, the baby drank peacefully. Thus, in fulfillment of Allah’s promise, the child was returned to his mother once again.
Thus the ayah 13 says, “So, We retuned him to his mother, so that she might be comforted and not sorrow, and that she might know that the promise of Allah is true. Yet most of them do not know.”
After that, when Prophet Musa (as) grew up into manhood, the following events took place. Ayah 14, states, “And when he attained his full strength and was mentally mature, We bestowed upon him wisdom and knowledge. And this is how We reward the doers of good.”
Killing an innocent non-Muslim is illegal in normal situation
When prophet Musa (as) was a young man, by mistake an incident of killing took place by his hands. Ayah 15 mentions this incident, “And he entered the city at a time of unawareness of its people and found two men fighting there: one from his community and one from among his enemy. And the one from his community called him for help against the one from his enemy, so Musa struck him and (unintentionally) killed him. (Musa repented and) said, “This is from the work of Satan. Indeed, he is an open, misleading enemy.”
This ayah also makes it clear that in any place where Muslims and non-Muslims live together peacefully — even if the government there belongs to non-Muslims — it is not lawful for a Muslim to kill any non-Muslim or cause harm to his life or property in any way.
Until this time, Prophet Musa (as) had been living with the family of Pharaoh and would come and go freely in his company. However, this incident totally changed his mind. He realized that the entire conflict was, in fact, the result of Pharaoh’s tyrannical rule, which had encouraged the Egyptians to oppress the Israelites.
Therefore, after this event, he resolved to separate himself completely from Pharaoh and his officials, so that, he would not, even indirectly, be a helper in their sins. He also prayed to Allah for this purpose.
While investigation was going on the murder case, what happened, the ayahs 18 and 19 describe, “And he (Musa) became inside the city fearful and watchful, when suddenly the one who sought his help the previous day cried out to him again. Musa said to him, “Indeed, you are an evident quarrelsome man. And when he wanted to seize the one who was an enemy to both of them (Egyptian), he (Israelite) said, “O Musa, do you intend to kill me as you killed someone yesterday? You only want to be a tyrant in the land and do not want to be of the reconcilers.”
Prophet Musa (as) had stretched out his hand toward the Egyptian only with the intention of stopping him from fighting. However, when the Israelite heard Musa say, “You are indeed a quarrelsome man,” he misunderstood and thought that Musa was about to strike him. Because of this misunderstanding, he uttered certain words that made the Egyptian realize that it was Musa who had killed the man the previous day. Later, the Egyptian informed Pharaoh about it. Consequently, Pharaoh’s government convened a meeting to decide on the punishment for Prophet Musa (as). What happened after that, the ayahs 20 to 22state:
“And a man came from the farthest end of the city, running. He said, “O Musa, indeed the eminent ones are discussing over you to kill you, so go away; indeed, I am the sincere advisor for you.”
“So he left it (the city), fearful and vigilant. He said, “My Lord, save me from the wrongdoing people.” And when he headed towards Madyan (Median), he said, “Perhaps my Lord will guide me to the sound way.”
Madyan is the area around modern-day Al-Badʿ, in the Tabuk Province of Saudi Arabia, close to the border with Jordan.
Helping Girls and Marriage of Prophet Musa (as) in Madyan
Madyan was the town of Prophet Shu‘aib (as), and that region was outside the rule of Pharaoh. Therefore, Prophet Musa (as) decided to go there. Ayah 23 states ahead:
“And when he came to the well of Madyan, he found there a crowd of people watering (their animals), and he found besides them two women holding back (their flocks). He said, “What is the matter with you?” They said, “We do not water until the shepherds depart; and our father is an old man.”
The father of those girls was Prophet Shuʿaib (as). From this incident, it is understood that it is permissible for women to go out for work when there is a need. However, if men are available to carry out the task, then it should be done by men. That is why they explained the reason for their coming — that their father was old. It is also learned from this that speaking to women is permissible in times of necessity, provided there is no fear of temptation (fitnah).
Ayahs from 24 to 26 state the next part of the incident, “So he watered (their animals) for them; then he went back to the shade and said, “My Lord, indeed I am in need for whatever good You would send down to me.”
“Then one of the two women came to him walking with shyness. She said, “Indeed, my father invites you that he may reward you for having watered for us.” So when he came to him and told him the whole story, he said, “Fear not. You have escaped from the wrongdoing people.”
“One of the women said, “O my father, hire him. Indeed, the best one you can hire is the strong and the trustworthy.”
The girl who requested his father for hiring prophet Musa (as), her name was Safura, and Prophet Musa (as) later married her.
From this ayah, we also learn the qualities of an ideal employee: first, that he should possess the physical and mental ability to fulfill the duties assigned to him; and second, that he should be trustworthy.
After that, Prophet Shuʿaib (as) proposed the marriage of his daughter to Prophet Musa (as) and made an agreement that he would work for him for eight years. The marriage took place, and Prophet Musa (as) completed the term of service as agreed.
Appearance of Miracles while Returning to Egypt
Later, Prophet Musa (as) decided to return to his homeland, Egypt, to meet his mother. On the way, when he reached near Mount Ṭūr, it was nighttime and the weather was cold. There, he saw a fire from some distance and said to his family, “Wait here; I will go and see if someone is there so that we may ask about the way, or perhaps I can bring back a burning ember for warmth.”
When he reached the spot, a voice called out: “O Musa! Indeed, I am Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.”
Then Allah granted him two miracles — first, when he threw down his stick, it turned into a snake; and second, when he placed his hand inside his cloak and drew it out, the hand shone brightly.
The events that followed are mentioned in several places in the Qur’an. When Prophet Musa (as) reached Egypt and presented the true message of Allah before Pharaoh, he mocked him and said to his minister Haman, “Build me a tower so that I may look and see who this ‘Allah’ really is.”
The Prophet (saws) made great efforts for his uncle Abu Talib to recite the kalimahof Islam at the time of his death, but he did not accept it. At that time ayah 56 was revealed:“(O Prophet!) Surely, you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills, and He knows best those who are rightly guided.”
Qarun – Intoxicated by the Wealth
In ayah 58, Allah says: “We have destroyed many towns that exulted in its means of livelihood …”
The proud chiefs of the Quraysh also refused to accept the Prophet’s message out of arrogance over their wealth. As a lesson for them, the story of Qarun (Korah) is mentioned in ayahs 76 to 82. Qarun was the wealthiest man during the time of Prophet Musa (sa), yet his immense wealth could not save him from destruction. Because of his arrogance and stubbornness, ruin and devastation ultimately befell him—Allah caused him and his house to sink into the earth.
At the end of the Surah, Allah promises the Prophet (saws) that although he was, at that time, being forced to leave Makkah in a state of helplessness, He would soon grant him the opportunity to return to Makkah as a victorious conqueror.
Surah Al-‘Ankabut
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Here begins Surah Al-‘Ankabut. This is a Makki Surah consisting of 69 ayahs. In this Surah, Allah the Almighty has granted valuable guidance to the Muslims who were being persecuted in Makkah.
First, at the very beginning of the Surah, it is stated that the Paradise Allah has prepared for the believers is not so cheap or easy to attain that one may obtain it without any hardship. After accepting faith, a person must unavoidably pass through various trials and tests.
Secondly, believers are also comforted that all these hardships are temporary, and a time will surely come when the oppressors will lose their power, and the dominance and supremacy will belong to Islam and the Muslims.
In this context, Allah has narrated in this Surah the stories of the previous Prophets (as), as examples and lessons.
Muslim Children and Non-Muslim Parents
During the Makkan period, several incidents occurred in which the children accepted Islam, but their parents remained firm in disbelief arrogantly and tried to force their children to return to their former religion. They argued that, as parents, their children were obligated to obey them even in matters of faith and religion.
In ayah 8 of this Surah, Allah the Almighty revealed a balanced and just principle, that is, showing kindness and good conduct toward one’s parents is indeed a duty, but obedience to them is not permitted if they command disbelief or disobedience to Allah.
For those Muslims who could no longer bear the persecution of the disbelievers in Makkah, this Surah not only granted permission but also encouraged them to migrate to a place where they could practice their faith in peace and security.
Some of the disbelievers used to pressure the Muslims to abandon Islam, saying: “If any punishment from Allah comes upon you because of this, we will bear it on your behalf.” In ayahs 12 and 13, Allah exposed the falsehood of this claim, making it clear that no soul will bear the burden of another’s sins in the Hereafter.
The word ‘Ankabut’ in Arabic means “spider.” In ayah 41 of this Surah, Allah presents a striking parable, comparing the idolaters to a person who relies on a spider’s web for support — the weakest and most fragile of homes. For this reason, the Surah is named Surah Al-‘Ankabut.
