28:21 Al-Qasas (The Stories)

{ فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ } أن يوقع به القتل، ودعا اللّه، و { قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ } فإنه قد تاب من ذنبه وفعله غضبا من غير قصد منه للقتل، فَتَوعُّدُهُمْ له ظلم منهم وجراءة.

لما أخبره ذلك الرجل بما تمالأ عليه فرعون دولته في أمره خرج من مصر وحده ولم يألف ذلك قبله بل كان في رفاهية ونعمة ورياسة "فخرج منها خائفا يترقب" أي يتلفت "قال رب نجني من القوم الظالمين" أي من فرعون وملئه فذكروا أن الله سبحانه وتعالى بعث إليه ملكا على فرس فأرشده إلى الطريق فالله أعلم.

Musa, peace be upon him, in Madyan, and how He watered the Flocks of the Two Women

When the man told Musa about how Fir`awn and his chiefs were conspiring against him, he left Egypt on his own. He was not used to being alone, because before that he had been living a life of luxury and ease, in a position of leadership.

فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَآئِفاً يَتَرَقَّبُ

(So he escaped from there, looking about in a state of fear.) meaning, turning around and watching.

قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِى مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّـلِمِينَ

(My Lord! Save me from the people who are wrongdoers!) means, from Fir`awn and his chiefs. It was mentioned that Allah sent to him an angel riding a horse, who showed him the way. And Allah knows best.

وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَآءَ مَدْيَنَ

(And when he went towards (the land of) Madyan,) means, he took a smooth and easy route -- and he rejoiced because of that.

قَالَ عَسَى رَبِّى أَن يَهْدِيَنِى سَوَآءَ السَّبِيلِ

(he said: "It may be that my Lord guides me to the right way.") meaning, the most straight route. And Allah did indeed do that, for He guided him to the straight path in this world and the Hereafter, and caused him to be guided and to guide others.

وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَآءَ مَدْيَنَ

(And when he arrived at the water (a well) of Madyan,) means, when he reached Madyan and went to drink from its water, for it had a well where shepherds used to water their flocks,

وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَأَتَينِ تَذُودَانِ

(he found there a group of men watering, and besides them he found two women who were keeping back.) means, they were stopping their sheep from drinking with the sheep of those shepherds, lest some harm come to them. When Musa, peace be upon him, saw them, he felt sorry for them and took pity on them.

قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا

(He said: "What is the matter with you") meaning, `why do you not water your flocks with these people'

قَالَتَا لاَ نَسْقِى حَتَّى يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَآءُ

(They said: "We cannot water until the shepherds take...") meaning, `we cannot water our flocks until they finish.'

وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ

(And our father is a very old man.) means, `this is what has driven us to what you see.'

فَسَقَى لَهُمَا

(So he watered (their flocks) for them, )

ثُمَّ تَوَلَّى إِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

(then he turned back to shade, and said: "My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!")

إِلَى الظِّلِّ

(to shade,) Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Mas`ud and As-Suddi said: "He sat beneath a tree." `Ata' bin As-Sa'ib said: "When Musa said:

رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

("My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!") the women heard him."

So he departed from it fearful vigilant lest any of the pursuers catch up with him or in the hope that God might rescue him. He said ‘My Lord deliver me from the evildoing people’ Pharaoh’s people.

قَالَ رَ‌بِّ بِمَا أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ فَلَنْ أَكُونَ ظَهِيرً‌ا لِّلْمُجْرِ‌مِينَ (He [ Musa ] said, "0 my Lord, since You have favoured me, I will never be a supporter to the sinners." -28:17). When Allah Ta’ ala pardoned this slip of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) he said in gratitude to Allah Ta` ala that he would never again help a criminal. The second incident of the quarrel had proved that the Isra'ili in whose defense Musa (علیہ السلام) had involved himself in the brawl was quarrelsome. Therefore, by declaring him a criminal he vowed not to help such a person again. Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ while explaining this verse, has maintained that the word 'criminals' stands here for infidels. Qatadah has also interpreted the verse in almost the same way. On the basis of these commentaries it seems that actually the Isra'ili, whom Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) had defended, was not a Muslim but he helped him considering that he was an oppressed person.

Rulings

It is worth noting here that this saying of Musa (علیہ السلام) has established two rulings about two issues. One, that even if an oppressed person is a sinner or infidel, he should be helped. The second ruling is that it is not permitted to help any criminal or oppressor. Scholars have argued on the basis of this verse that working in the employment of cruel rulers is also not permitted, for they too would be regarded as their associates. Many citations from the righteous salaf (elders) have also been quoted in support of this argument. (Ruh u1-Ma’ ani) To provide support to the oppressors or to the infidels may take different forms. The different rulings about these forms are laid down in the books of fiqh in detail. This humble writer has also dealt with the subject in his Arabic book Ahkamul-Qur'an with greater elaboration. The scholars interested in the subject may consult it.