Moses chose 70 men, the most pious and honourable among his people, to accompany him to Tur. He ordered them to purify their clothes and to be very clean in both body and raiment; he also told them to fast. Their mission to Tur was a token of penance for the fools among their people who took the calf for worship in Musa’s absence. So, they travelled with Musa so that he could have his usual conference with Allah. They also requested Musa to make them hear Allah’s speech. Musa asked Allah to let these people listen to Him speak.
When they reached the appointed place, heavy clouds descended all around the vicinity of Mount Tur, and these people heard Allah enjoining Musa and commanding him.
Now, the Qur’an tells us what happened after those chosen people heard Allah speaking; a scarce privilege!
55 And remember ye said: “O Moses! We shall never believe in thee until we see Allah manifestly,” but ye were dazed with thunder and lighting even as ye looked on.
Manifestly means in the open, as we read in the Hadeeth:
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Every one of my followers will be forgiven except those who expose (openly) their wrongdoings. An example of this is that of a man who sins at night, which Allah has covered for him, and in the morning, he would say (to people): “I committed such and such sin last night,’ while Allah had kept it a secret. During the night, Allah has covered it up, but in the morning, he tears up the cover provided by Allah Himself.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
We hear these words and don’t think you can deceive us. If the words we heard were truly Allah’s, we want to see him manifestly with our own eyes.
As-Sa’iqah (thunder and lightning) with which they were dazed is a raging fire descending from heaven and devouring whatever it meets on its way. It could also mean a shout from ArchAngel Gabriel that renders all that will hear it dead.
Why did this As-Sa’iqah strike them?
Was it because they wanted to see Allah or because they asked to see Allah through Musa? It was like they asked Musa to show them Allah manifestly as if he had control over the matter. They asked Musa, a mortal without any control over his affairs. Or were they punished because they asked what was not right openly? Or was it because they attributed anthropomorphic concepts to Allah as if He was a man in body and stature to appear in a specific direction? The scholars disagreed on the reason.
They Were Brought Back To Life
56 Then We raised you up after your death: Ye had the chance to be grateful.
So, they were indeed dead before Allah raised them to life a second time. Some said no; they only lost consciousness for some time before Allah raised them again. They were not wholly dead. A third group said death and rising from it refers to ignorance and knowledge, as another verse in the Qur’an explains this:
- Is he who was dead and We have raised him unto life, and set for him a light wherein he walketh among men, as him whose similitude is in utter darkness whence he cannot emerge? Thus is their conduct made fair seeming for the disbelievers. (Al-An’aam)
56 Then We raised you up after your death: Ye had the chance to be grateful.
The opinions, the most authentic of which is that these 70 people were actually dead, not unconscious. For how long were they dead? It was said that the period of death lasted for one day and one night. In the state of their death, Musa humbly turned to Allah, crying, ‘O Allah, these are the chosen ones from my people; what story will I relate to their families when they confront me about them? You would have killed them if you so wished before this time. O Allah!’
So, Allah brought them back to life due to Musa’s intervention. They returned to their people.
Go Into Jerusalem
Then, according to some scholars, Allah commanded them to go into a town – Jerusalem – the inhabitants of which were giant folks. They said:
- They said: O Moses! We will never enter (the land) while they are in it. So go thou and thy Lord and fight! We will sit here. (Al-Maa’idah)
So, Allah caused them to wander for 40 years in the wilderness.
- (Their Lord) said: For this the land will surely be forbidden them for forty years that they will wander in the earth, bewildered. So grieve not over the wrongdoing folk. (Al-Maa’idah)
They kept moving continuously without a definite destination. They virtually stayed in one place and kept moving to and fro for 40 years as a punishment for not entering the town.
During this period of 40 years, they asked Musa to make Allah give them food. He did. Allah sent down Manna and quails. They asked for water, and Allah ordered Musa to strike the rock with his staff, and twelve springs gushed forth. For they needed shade and protection against the sun’s heat, Allah caused clouds to give them shade from dawn to dusk. They sought illumination in the night, and Allah provided them with a bright column that illuminated the entire area throughout the night. Also, Allah made their clothes anti-dirt and anti-dust; they will never have to wash them for 40 years. The clothes will not be worn out and will grow with one who wears them; that is, if a one-year-old girl wears her dress, it will continue to grow with her for 40 years. She will never have to change it. Its size will continue to enlarge according to the growth of the child. The same applied to all.
57 And We gave you the shade of clouds and sent down to you Manna and quails, saying: “Eat of the good things We have provided for you:” (But they rebelled); to us they did no harm, but they harmed their own souls.
Manna is a divine nourishment, a miraculous food to sustain them in their wilderness.
58 And remember We said: “Enter this town, and eat of the plenty therein as ye wish; but enter the gate with humility, in posture and in words, and We shall forgive you your faults and increase (the portion of) those who do good.”
The town may be Acacias east of Jordan, but Yahud, it was said, did not enter Jerusalem during Moses’ lifetime. After years in the wilderness, they were to enter the city out of Allah’s mercy.
Entry Condition
What was required of them after all the wrong they did was to say Hittah, forgiveness (which they changed to Hintah wheat) in humility, in such a way that they were to lower the upper parts of their bodies, as if in Sujud, while entering the gates of the town. They vowed never to lower their heads for anything. To compel them to do so, Allah shortened the height of the gate so that no one could pass through without bending. When they saw that, they sat on the ground and moved their bodies with their heads erect to avoid lowering their bodies as commanded by Allah.
