When Prophet Musa^-AS grew up, he^-AS was a man of wisdom and knowledge, for Allah^-SWT conferred upon him^-AS both knowledge and understanding as is granted to a Prophet^-AS even prior to his formal raising. And this is a reward given to those who are sincere and act righteously.

 

Piety Also Augments The Capacity To Understand Mundane Affairs

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This brings out the fact that because of virtuous conduct motivated by sincerity, a better understanding of mundane affairs is bestowed. In our society the prevailing concept of taking virtuous people as simpletons is probably because we consider worship as the only virtue, whereas virtue actually denotes worship complemented by full participation in all spheres of practical life. May Allaah^-SWT make our devoted worshippers pragmatic in life so that piety may prevail in its genuine form.

 

One day, Prophet Musa^-AS entered the town at a time when people were resting. He^-AS found two men engaged in a scuffle. One of them was an Israili while the other was from the enemy group, a Qibti.

 

Musa^-AS had not yet been formally raised as a Prophet, nor the Israilis were acquainted with their religion. They were merely his^-AS clan and Musa^-AS supported them. The word Shi'a has been used here too, whereas they have never been termed as such by the Quran once they became believers.

 

So the Israili who was being thrashed by the Qibti called out to Musa^-AS for help, who intervened to prevent the scuffle. In the process the latter received a punch from him^-AS that proved fatal. Musa^-AS instantly realized that it was work of Satan who had put him^-AS into a difficult situation by initiating the row. He^-AS begged Allah^-SWT to forgive him^-AS and was readily forgiven by the Most Forgiving and the Most Merciful.

 

Musa^-AS’s Repentance

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Here the scholars refer to the repentance by Musa^-AS for the murder of the Qibti. They explain that it was not an intentional murder to be taken as a crime but clearly accidental, yet the Prophetic grace demands repentance even under such circumstances. Another aspect in this situation is that Satan engaged the Israili and the Qibti into a brawl and dragged Musa^-AS into embarrassment before his^-AS formal raising. So he^-AS declared it as a doing of Satan, sought Allah^-SWT’s forgiveness and resolved not to support any culprit in future. The Israili was a quarrelsome person, who had proved an easy prey for Satan. But Allah^-SWT being the Best of Planners, the animosity of Satan drove him^-AS out of town into the blessed company of Prophet Shu'aib^-AS and his^-AS household. Thus he^-AS rose from a shepherd to an interlocutor with the Almighty Allah^-SWT .

 

The next morning, he^-AS again passed through the town apprehensive. He^-AS feared that the incident might have become known and he^-AS might face the repercussions. He^-AS found the same Israili involved in yet another brawl with a Qibti. He^-AS was again being thrashed and was yelling for help. Musa^-AS told him that he was a vile person, and as he stepped forward to disengage the two, the Israili thought that he^-AS was going to punch him. So he cried out: “Do you^-AS wish to kill me too just as you^-AS killed a Qibti a day before?”

 

A Liar Resorts To Accusation

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He accused Musa^-AS that he wanted to establish his^-AS own superiority without any intentions of reformation or piety. Since he was a liar he resorted to accusations. However, the news of the murder of the Qibti had reached the Royal Court. The Pharaoh, who was already not too pleased with Musa^-AS decreed a death sentence for him^-AS. Of those present in the Court, a well wisher of Musa^-AS hastened to warn him^-AS of the chieftains' designs in executing the sentence and advised him^-AS to flee immediately beyond the jurisdiction of the Government of Egypt. So Musa^-AS left in panic with great caution, praying to Allah^-SWT to protect him^-AS and spare him^-AS from the oppressors.