HISTORY OF TABARI VOLUME 3 PART 3

HISTORY OF TABARI
VOLUME 2

The Children of Israel

Manushihr


The Genealogy of Musa b. Amram, His History, and the Events That Took Place in His Era and That of Manushihr b. Manushkharnar


   
  When Musa ala’s set out on the side roads , an angel came to him on a horse, with a javelin in his hand . When   Musa ala’s saw him, he bowed down to him in fear. The angel said, "Do not bow down to me, but follow me instead ." So Musa ala’s followed as the angel guided him to Midian. Musa ala’s said, turning his face toward Midian , "Perhaps my Lord will guide me in the right road." [198. Qur’an  28:22.] The angel went with him until he brought him to Midian.

  Al `Abbas b. al-Walid related to me - al – Qasim [199. Probably al-Qasim b. Abi Ayyub ( for hill name, see n . 242 below, called a reliable transmitter of a few traditions by Ibn Sa`d, op. cit., ViI, 2, 59] "-Sa’ad b. Jubayr -Ibn `Abbas : Pharaoh and his counselors conferred about what God had promised Ibrahim ala’s : that He would appoint among his descendants prophets and kings. Some of them said that the Israelites were awaiting that, not doubting it. They had thought that it might be Yusuf b. Yakub , but when he died they said, " God would not have promised Ibrahim ala’s that ." So Pharaoh said, "What do you think [we should do]? " Ibn `Abbas continued : They deliberated together and reached a common conclusion: Pharaoh would send men carrying knives to circulate among the Israelites ; wherever they found a male infant , they would kill him.

  When they saw that the old Israelites were dying at their appointed times and the infants were being killed, they said: "You are about to wipe out the Israelites , and you will reach the point where you will have to carry out the tasks and perform the services that they performed for you . So during one year kill every newborn male, and their sons will decrease in number. During the next year do not kill any of them, and let the little ones grow up in place of the old ones who die . They will not become numerous from those whom you let live so that you would have to be afraid of their becoming more numerous than you ; nor will they become fewer in number through those whom you kill ." On that they agreed.

  The mother of Musa ala’s became pregnant with Harun ala’s in the year during which they did not kill male newborns, and she gave birth to him openly and safely. In the following year she became pregnant with Musa ala’s, with distress and sadness falling on her heart . That was one of the trials , 0 Ibn Jubayr !  [299. The phrase wa-dhalika min al-futun ya ibna jubayr recurs four more times. It is an exclamation by the narrator, Ibn `Abbas, addressed to the transmitter of his account, Said b. Jubayr , and is connected with Qur'an 20: 40-(41 ) ... " We delivered you from great distress and tried you with heavy trials" (wa-fatannaka futanan). Ibn `Abbas thus points to five trials futon ) in his account to Ibn Jubayr. See Glossarium, cccxcviii, s.v. ftn.] that entered him [already while still] in the womb of his mother , that was intended for him. So God inspired her: "Fear not nor grieve ! Lo! We shall bring him back to you and shall make him one of Our messengers ." [201. Qur'an 28 :7; cf n. 183, above.] When she gave birth to him, He commanded her to place him in a chest and to cast it into the sea. After she gave birth , she did what she was commanded. But then, in the time when her son was concealed from her, Iblis came to her , and she said to herself , "What have I done with my son? If he were slain while he was with me, I would conceal and bury him. I would prefer that to throwing him with my own hands to the fish and beasts of the sea."

  The water carried the chest until it brought it ashore at a harbor of the watering place of the slave girls belonging to the family of Pharaoh. They saw it and took it, and they were about to open the chest. But then they said to one another, "There must be treasure in this, and, if we were to open it, the wife of Pharaoh would not believe us when we told her what we found in it." So they carried it just as they found it, not moving anything in it until they presented it to her.

  When she opened it, she saw the boy. She cast her love onto him, the like of which had never been cast by her on any other person. And the heart of the mother of Musa ala’s became empty [202. Qur’an 28: 10.] of the memory of everything except the memory of Musa ala’s . When the executioners heard about him, they approached the wife of the Pharaoh with their knives, wishing to kill him - and that was one of the trials , 0 Ibn Jubayr. She said to the executioners : "Be gone! This single one will not increase the Israelites . I shall go to Pharaoh and ask the lad of him as a gift . If he gives him to me, you have been kind and done well. If he orders him slain, I will not blame you." When she took him to Pharaoh, she said, "(He will be! a consolation for me and for you. Do not kill him." [203. Qur’an 28:9.] Pharaoh said : "He may be that for you, but as for me, I have no need for him."

  The Messenger of God said , "By the One by Whom one swears! Had Pharaoh admitted that Musa ala’s would be a consolation to him as she had admitted, God would have guided Pharaoh on his account, as He guided his wife on his account . But God forbade him that." Then she sent to all the females around her who had milk, in order to choose a wet nurse . As each woman would take him to nurse, he would not accept her, breast . The wife of Pharaoh worried that he would refuse milk and die, and that saddened her. She gave orders regarding him, for a group of people were in the marketplace, to find a wet nurse from whom he would accept [milk ], but they did not find anyone.

  The mother of Musa ala’s awakened in the morning, and she said to his sister; "Follow him, and seek him out. Will you hear anything about him ? Is my son alive, or did the beasts and fish of the river eat him? " She had forgotten what God had promised her. His sister observed him from afar, but they did not notice. [204. Both italicized passages are from Qur 'an 28: 11.] She said, out of joy when the wet nurses failed them, "Shall I show you a household who will rear him for you and show good will to him? " [205. Qur'an 28: 12] They seized her, and they said: "How do you know what their good will to him is? Do you know him? " Therefore they had doubts about that, and that was one of the trials, 0 Ibn Jubayr! She said, "Their good will is toward him, and their worry is about him; their desire is for nursing for the king, [206. Raghbatuhum fi zu' urat al-malik. Lane, op. cit., has for zu' urah "inclination to, or affection for, the young one of another," or "the relation in which one stands by being a ... nurse."] and their wish to be of use to him." So they left her alone, and she returned to her mother, relating the story to her. Musa ala’s' mother came, and when she placed Musa ala’s in her bosom, he leaped [207. Nazd, but other MSS (BM, Ca) have nazala "he settled down."] to her breasts until both sides of him were filled. The messengers went to the wife of Pharaoh to give her the good news:  "We have found a wet nurse for your son!" She sent for her, and Musa ala’s ' mother was brought together with him. When Pharaoh's wife saw how he behaved with her, she said, "Stay with me, and nurse this son of mine, for I have never loved anything as I love him."

  Musa ala’s' mother said: "I cannot leave my house and my child, for he will perish. If it pleases you to give him to me, I will take him to my house, and he will be with me. I will not neglect anything good for him that you have done. Otherwise, I am unable to leave my house and my child." The mother of Musa ala’s remembered what God had promised her, so she treated the wife of Pharaoh harshly and verified that God carries out His promise. Thus she returned to her house with her son that very day.

  God made him grow up a strong child and preserved him for what He had predestined for him. Meanwhile, the Israelites, who were gathered in the vicinity of the city, continued to be secure through him from the injustice and forced labor that was upon them. When Musa ala’s grew up, the wife of Pharaoh said to his mother, "I want you to show me Musa ala’s . [208. MS Ca: "my son"; MSS C and Tn: "Show me my son!"; al-Tha'labi, op. cit., 151 : "I should like you to show me my son.] She promised Pharaoh's wife a day on which she would show him. Pharaoh's wife said to her nursemaids, wet nurses, and stewards: "None of you is to refrain from receiving my son with a gift and respect, so that he may see it. Meanwhile, I am sending a reliable woman to count what each of you does." He continued to be met by gifts, generosity, and treasures from the time he left his mother's house until he entered to see Pharaoh's wife. When he came, she treated him with respect, honored him, and rejoiced in him. What she saw of his mother's good influence on him pleased her, and she said Ito her womenj, "Take him to Pharaoh so that he may respect and honor him." But when they took him to Pharaoh, placing him on his lap, Musa ala’s took hold of Pharaoh's beard and pulled it. One of the enemies of God said, "Do you not see what God promised to Ibrahim ala’s, that He would cast you down and raise you up? " Pharaoh sent for the executioners to kill him, and that was one of the trials, 0 Ibn Jubayr! after all the trials with which he was tried and enticed.

  Then Pharaoh's wife came hurrying to Pharaoh and said to him, "What happened to you with this boy whom you gave to me? " He said, "Did you not see him claim that he would cast me down and raise me up ? " She replied: "Let us set between us something by which the truth will become known. Bring two glowing coals and two pearls, and set them near him. If he falls upon the pearls and avoids the coals, you will know that he is sensible. But, if he takes the coals and does not want the pearls, then realize that no one will prefer glowing coals over pearls if he is sensible." Pharaoh brought these close to him, and took the glowing coals. They were removed from him, for fear that they would burn his hand, but the woman said, "Do you not see? " Thus God turned [Pharaoh] away from [Musa ala’s] after what he had intended to do to him. And God attains His purpose through him. [209. Qur'an 65:2]

  When he matured and became a man, he did not permit anyone of Pharaoh's people to treat the Israelites with injustice or forced labor, so they were completely secure from these. However, while he was walking one day in the vicinity of the town, suddenly he came across two men fighting: one of them an Israelite and the other a Pharaonite. The Israelite asked Musa ala’s for help against the Pharaonite, and Musa ala;s became extremely angry. His anger grew because the man had reached out to him, knowing Musa ala’s' standing with the  Israelites [201. MS BM has, instead of "with the Israelites," "with pharaoh . For what Musa ala’s did in advising the Israelites sincerely, his responding to them.... "] and his protection of them [211. MS'BM adds here "without knowing that he was an Israelite."] " Except for the mother of  Musa ala’s, no one knew that that was because of anything but his nursing, unless God told Musa ala’s [himself] about that what He had told no one else . Musa ala’s struck the Pharaonite with his fist and killed him, but no one saw them except God and the Israelite. When he killed the man, Musa ala’s said: "This is Satan's doing. He is an enemy, a clear misleader." Then he said: "My Lord, I have wronged my soul. Forgive me." Then He forgave him, for He is the Forgiving, Merciful One. [212. Qur’an 28 : 15-16.]

  The next morning he arose in the city afraid, waiting for the news to spread. People came to Pharaoh, and he was told that the Israelites had killed a man from the people of Pharaoh, "So demand our due, and do not permit them to take liberties regarding that." He replied, "Seek his killer for me and whoever witnessed it, for it is not right for us to pass judgment without evidence or someone trustworthy." They sought that for him, and, while they were searching and not finding any evidence, Musa ala’s passed by the very same Israelite the next day, fighting with a Pharaonite, and the Israelite again asked him for help against the Pharaonite. By chance he had encountered Musa ala’s, who had regretted what he had done the previous day and hated what he had seen . Musa ala’s became angry and reached out his hand, wanting to strike the Pharaonite. Instead he said to the Israelite, because of what the man had done yesterday and today, "Verily you are clearly a hothead! " [213. Qur'an 28:15.] The Israelite looked at Musa ala’s after he had spoken and saw that Musa ala’s was as angry as he had been the day before, when he had killed the Pharaonite, and the Israelite fearedafter his saying "Verily, you are clearly a hothead!" [214. Qur'an 28:18.] that [his anger] would be intended for him. But it was not intended for him, only for the Pharaonite. However, the Israelite was afraid and held off the Pharaonite. The Israelite said, "Would you kill me as you killed  a person yesterday? " [215. Qur'an 28:19.] He said that only because he feared it was he that Musa ala’s had in mind to kill . The two stopped fighting, and the Pharaonite went off to his people , relating to them the report he had heard from the Israelite when the latter said , "Would you kill me as you killed a person yesterday? "

  Musa ala’s took the mail road when Pharaoh sent out the executioners in search of him , certain that he would not escape them. A man from the party of Musa ala’s who lived in the farthest part of the city took a shortcut nearby and got to Musa ala’s first, informing him of this. And that was one of the trials , 0 Ibn Jubayr! The account now returns to that of al-Suddi, who said: When [Musa ala’s] reached Midian, he found there a tribe of men watering [216. Qur an 28:23.] [their flocks ] - meaning: a great many of the people watering [their flocks].

  Abu `Ammar al-Marwazi [217. Abu `Ammar al- Marwazi. Index. 404. Not further identified.]- al-Fadl b . Musa [218. Possibly a]-Fadl b . Musa al-Sinan, ifrom the region of Marv Ibn Sa`d, op. cit., V11, 2,1104.]- al-A`mash [219. Sulayman b. Mihran al-Asadi, nicknamed aI-A`mash, 61-148 / 681- 765. A traditionist and Qur an "reader" from al -Kufah, following the system of Ibn Mass d. EP, s.v "al-A`mash "; Ibn Sa`d, op. cit., VI, 238 ; al-Zirikli, op. cit., III, 198; GAS, I, 9, 81, 310-11, 560.] -al-Minhal b. `Amr [220. Al- Minhal b. ` Amt; cf. Index, 574. Not further identified.] Sa id b. jubayr: Musa ala’s left Egypt for Midian, between which lay a journey of eight nights . Said commented: "It is said to be like [the distance ( from al - Kufah to al- Basrah." He had no food except leaves of trees . He had left barefoot and did not reach Midian until the soles fell off his feet. Abu Kurayb - `Aththam [221. `Aththam b. `Ali, Abu `Ali, d. 195 / 811, a reliable Kufan traditonist . Ibn Sad, op. cit., VI, 173.]-al-A mash - al-Minhal - Said b.Jubayr-Ibn Abbas , who said something similar.

  The account returns to that of al-Suddi: He found apart from them two women keeping back - meaning, holding back their flocks of sheep. He asked them, "What ails you? " The two said,"We cannot give our flocks anything to drink until the shepherds go away, and our father is a very old man." [222. Qur'an 28:23] Musa ala’s had pity on them and went to the well . He took away a stone that was on the well, which it took a group from the people of Midian together to lift up. Musa ala’s drew water for them with a bucket, and they gave their flocks water and returned [home] quickly, for usually they watered only from the overflow of the troughs. Then Musa ala’s turned aside to the shade of an acacia tree and said, "My Lord! I am in need of whatever good You send down to me." [223. Qur'an 28:24.]

  Ibn Abbas said: As Musa ala’s  spoke, if a man wanted he could see the greenness of his entrails from his intense hunger. He was only asking God for food. Ibn Humayd - Hakkam b. Salm [224. Hakkam b. Salm al-Razi . Ibn Sa`d, op. cit., VII/2, 110] - `Anbasah [225. `Anbasah b. Said al- Kafi, of Umayyad descent, he transmitted from Abu Hurayrah . Ibn Sa`d, op. cit., V, 177.] – Abu Husayn [226. Abu Husayn al -Riwi. Index, 169. Not further identified. Possibly the man mentioned by Ibn Sa'd, op. Cit., IV, 2, 19.]-Said b. Jubayr-Ibn `Abbas, about His words: when he came to the water of Midian [227. Qur'an 2.8:23.] said: He came to the water, and the greenness of plants appeared in his stomach because of his emaciation. Then he said, "My Lord! I am in need of whatever good You send down for me." [228. Qur an 28:24.] [Ibn Abbas interpreted this as] sufficient food.

  The account returns to that of al-Suddi: When the two maidens returned quickly to their father, he asked them about the watering. They told him the story of Musa ala’s,so he sent one of them to him, and she came to him walking shyly. She said, "Lo! my father bids you, that he may reward you with a payment for your having watered  the flock for us." [229. Qur'an 28:25.] So he arose with her and said, "Go." So she walked before him, and the winds blew on her so he could look at her buttocks. Musa ala’s said to her, "Walk behind me, and guide me on the way [from there ] if I make a mistake ." When he came to the old man and told him the story, he said: "Fear not! You have escaped from the wrongdoing folk." One of the two women said: "0 my father! Hire him! For the best one you can hire is the strong, the trustworthy one. [230. Qur'an 28:25-26.] She was the maiden who had invited him. The old an said: "I had already seen his strength when he took away the stone, but did you see his trustworthiness? What do you know of that? " She said, " I was walking in front of him, and he did not wish to wrong me, so he ordered me to walk behind him." The old man said to him ; "I would like to marry you to one of my two daughters, on the condition that you hire yourself to me [for (the term of) eight pilgrimages . Then, if you complete ten, it will be of your own accord, for I would not make it hard for you. God willing, you will find me of the righteous ." He said, " That is between you and me], whichever of the two terms I fulfill - whether eight or ten. God is Guarantor over what we say."   [231. Qur’an 28:27-28. The section in brackets is omitted in al-'Tabari and replaced by "to where He says.,' In what seems almost a reflex of the story of Yakub's a.s serving Laban for the right to marry his daughter, Shu`ayb ala’s has imposed a term of eight to ten years of service in these verse.] lbn `Abbas said : The maiden who invited him was the one he married.

  Then he ordered one of his daughters to bring him a staff, and she brought it to him. That was the staff that an angel in the form of a man had given to the old man . The maiden entered and got the staff and brought it out to him. When the old man saw it , he said to her, "No! Bring another one ." So she threw it down and tried to grab another one, but only that one came to her hand. He kept sending her back, but every time she would come back with that one in her hand.

 When [Musa ala’s] saw this, he approached the staff, took it out, and herded the flocks with it. The old man regretted this , saying, "This was entrusted ( to meJ ." So he went out to meet Musa ala’s, and when he met him he said, "Give me the staff !" Musa ala’s replied, "It is my staff" and refused to give it to him . They argued over it, until they came to an agreement that they would appoint the first man who would meet them as an arbitrator. An angel came walking and judged between them, saying , " Place the staff on the ground, and whoever can lift it , it is his." The old man tried but could not lift it. Musa ala’s took it in his hand and lifted it up . So the old man left it to Musa ala’s, and he herded for the old man for ten years. `Abdallih b . `Abbas said: Musa ala’s was more worthy of discharging the obligation.

  Ahmad b . Muhammad al-Tusi [232. Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Habib al-Tusi . Index, 18. Not further identified.] related to me - al-Humaydi Ibn `Abdallah b. al-Zubayr [233. Al-Humaydi (Ibn)`Abdallah b. al-Zubayr b. `Isa, Abu Bakr, d. 219/834, a leading Meccan tradition authori ty, cited by al -Bukhari and Muslim . Al-Zirikli, op. cit., W, 2119; Ibn Hajar , op. cit., V, 215; Ibn Sad, ap. cit., V, 368]-Sufyan - Ibrahim b. Yahya  b. Abi Ya`qub [234. Ibrahim b. Yahya b. Abi Ya`qub. Index, io. Not further identified.] - al-Hakam b. Aban [235. Al- Hakam b. Aban, d. 154 /770. Anative of Aden . Ibn Sa` d, op. cit., V, 397.] -`Ikrimah - Ibn `Abbas that the Messenger of God said: "I asked Jibril ala’s which of the two terms [eight or ten years) did Musa ala’s serve, and he replied, 'The fuller and more complete of them."'

  Ibn Humayd related to us - Salamah - Ibn Ishaq - Hakim b. Jubayr [236. Hakim b. Jubayr al-Asadi. Ibn Sa` d, op. cit., VI, 228 . No further information.] - Said b. Jubayr, who said: A Jew said to me in al-Kufah, while I was preparing for the pilgrimage : "Verily, I consider you to be a man who pursues knowledge. Tell me, which of the two terms did Musa ala’s complete? " I said : " I do not know. But I am now going to the'rabbi of the Arabs' [237. Habr/hibr al-`arab. Usually used for a non-Muslim religious authority, habr is derived from Hebrew haber , a title of respect for outstanding rabbinic authorities. Among Arabic-speaking Jews it became a synonym for educated men and scholars, see El VII, 1491- 92. See also EP 1, s.v. "Ibn `Abbas," where Ibn `Abbas was called hibr/habr and al-bahr "the sea " because of the breadth of his learning.] meaning Ibn Abbas -and I will ask him about that." When I reached Mecca, I asked Ibn `Abbas about that, telling him what the Jew had said. Ibn `Abbas said: "He completed the greater of the two and the better of them . When a prophet promises something, he does not contradict it." Said said : I returned to Iraq and met the Jew , telling him about that , and he said, "He is right, but God did not reveal that to Musa ala’s." [238. Perhaps implying that none of this is included in the biblical account.]

  Ibn Waki [239. Sufyan b. Waki -`, d. 247/ 86 1. Mentioned in Yaqut, op. cit ., 111, 276 . Not further identified.] related to us – Yazid [240. L e., Yazid b. Hirim . Seen. 99, above. And God is the One who knows best.] - al-Asbagh b. Zayd [241. AI-asbagh b. Zayd aI- Warriq al- Juhani (client of al-Juhaynah), d. 159/776, a bookseller who copied Qur'an texts and a weak transmitter of tradition , according to Ibn Sa` d, op. Cit., VII/2, 61.] - alQasim b. Abi Ayyub [242. Al- Qisim b. Abi Ayyub. Seen. 199, above] - Said b. Jubayr, who said: A man from the Christian community asked me which of the two terms Musa ala’s completed , and I said, " I do not know," for at that time I did not know. Then I met with Ibn `Abbas and mentioned to him what the Christian had asked me, and he said: "Didn't you know that eight were obligatory for him ? A prophet cannot decrease this required number Know that God made Musa ala’s keep his promise that he had made, so he completed ten years."

  Al-Qasim b. al-Hasan [243. Probably al-Qasim b . al-Hasan, al-Hamadan, d . 272/885, as given in the chain of transmitters in GAS, I, 31.] related to us-al-Husayn [244. Al-Husayn b. Dawud al-Massifi, d. 226/840. See GAS, I, 31.] – Hajjaj [245. AI- Hajjaj b. Muhammad al-A`war Abu Muhammad, d. 206/ 821 in Baghdad. A reliable transmitter. GAS, I, 1; Ibn Said, op. cit., VII, 2, 75, 286.]- Ibn Jurayj-Wahb b. Sulayman al-Dhimari [246. Wahb b. Sulayman al -Dhimari, a scholar from Yemen. Ibn Sa d, OP. cit., V, 391; Dodge, op. cit., II, 1121; Yaqut, op. cit., 11, 129.] - Shu`ayb al-Jaba'i, [247. Shu`ayb al -Jabai, a scholar from Yemen and contemporary of Tawns b. Kaysan, who died in 106 /724. Yaqut, op. cit., II, 12, s . v. "Jaba'i."] who said: The names of the two maidens were Liya and Zipporah, and the wife of Musa ala’s was Zipporah bt. Jethro, [248. $afurah bt. Yathra in Arabic . Seen. 166, above, where the question of the identity of Shu` ayb and Jethro is discussed ; and see the continued discussion in the text. Liya ( not mentioned in the Bible) may be a reflex of Leah, the first wife of Yakub ala’s. See n. 231, above.] the priest of Midian; and a priest (kahin) is a rabbi (habr) [249. The Arabic kdhin is used for Hebrew kohen, with which it is etymologically connected, although the kdhin was a diviner or soothsayer rather than a priest. For habr, see n. 237, above.] Abu al-Sa'ib [250. Abu al-Si'ib Salm b. Junidah . Index, 221. Not further identified.] related to me-Abu Mu`awiyah [251. Abu Mu`awiyah al-Qarii Muhammad b. Khazim, 113-94/ 731-810. A blind memorizer and reliable transmitter of many traditions, who died in al-Kufah . Ibn Hajar, op. cit., IX,137; Ibn Sa `d, op. Cit., VI, 273; al-Zirikli, op. cit.. VI, 345.] - al-A`mash-`Amr b. Murrah [252. `Amr b. Murrah al-Jamali, d. 116 or 1 18/734 or 736. From Madhhij in Yemen. Ibn Sa d, op. Cit., VI, 220]-Abu `Ubaydah, [253. Abu `Ubaydah Ma`mar b. al-Muthanna, 110-209 / 718-824 . A Barran noted for his learning, brought to Baghdad by Harun al - Rashid; an author of numerous works. Ibn Hajar, Op. Cit., X, 246; Yaqut, op. cit ., many citations.] who said: The one who hired Musa ala’s was Jethro, the nephew of Shu`ayb the prophet.

  Ibn Waki’ related to us-al-`Ala' b. `Abd al-Jabbar [254. Al-`Ala' b. `Abd al- Jabbar al-`AID a Baran who settled in Mecca and transmitted many traditions . Ibn Sa d, op. cit., V, 367] - Hammad b. Salamah [255. I: iammid b . Salamah b. Dinar, Abu Salamah, d. 164 or 166/781 or 783, at alBasrah. A noted multi and scholar who transmitted many traditions, often ones that were disapproved . Ibn Sa d, op. cit., VII/z, 39; Dodge, op. cit., II , 993; al-Zirikli, op. cit., II, 302.] - Abu Hamzah [256. So also in al-Tha9abi, op. cit., 1 54, but Ibrahim, op. cit.. I, 400, has Abu Jamrah instead of Ab6 I:iamzah . If the former, he is Abu Jamrah al-QubaS, Nagr b. `Imran, d. 127/745. A noted trusted transmitter of tradition from al -Basrah, later Khurisan. Ibn Sa d, op. Cit., VII/2, 6; Ibn Hajar, op. cit., X, 431; al -Zirikil, op. Cit., VII, 348.] - Ibn `Abbas, who said: The one who hired Musa ala’s was named Jethro (Yathra), the ruler of Midian.

  Ismail b. al-Haytham Abu al-`Aliyah [257. Ismail b. al-Haytham , Abu al-` Aliyah. Index, 39. Not further identified.] related to me – Abu Qutaybah [258. Abu Qutaybah. Index, 460. Not further identified.] - Hammad b. Salamah - Abu Hamzah [259. Abu Jamrah (?). Seen. 2.56, above.] -Ibn Abbas, who said: The name of the father of Musa ala’s' wife was Jethro (Yathra).

  The account returns to that of al-Suddi : Then, when Musa ala’s had fulfilled his term and was journeying with his family , [260. Qur'an 28:29.] he erred in the way. `Abdallah b. `Abbas said: " It was winter. A fire became visible to him and he thought that it was fire, but it was the light of God. He said to his family, 'Stay here. Lo! I see in the distance a fire; perhaps I may bring you tidings from it. [261. Qur'an 28:29.] And if I do not find any tidings I shall bring you a borrowed flame so that you may warm yourselves." [262. Qur'an 27:7.] [Ibn `Abbas) said: "(That was) because of the cold. But, when he reached the flame, he was called from the right side of the valley from the tree in the blessed field. [263. Qur'an 18:30.] 'Blessed is whoever is in the fire and whoever is around it. [264. Qur'an 27:8.] And, when Musa ala’s heard the call, he was startled and said , ' Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds!' And there was proclaimed : '0 Musa al’s! lo! 1, verily I, am God, the Lord of the Worlds. [265. Qur'an 28:30.] What is that in your right hand, 0 Musa ala’s ?' He said, 'This is my staff, on which I lean and with which I beat down leaves for my sheep." [266. Qur'an 20 : 17-18.] He is saying: ' I would beat the leaves of the trees with it, and they would fall down for the sheep. 'And I have other uses. [267. Qur'an 20: 17-18] He means to say, ' Other needs.' 'I carry on the staff the provision bag and the waterskin .' God said to him , 'Cast it down, 0 Musa ala’s! ' So he cast it down, and lo! it was a serpent gliding. [268. Qur'an 20:19-20.] But, when Musa ala’s saw it writhing as though it were a demon, he turned to flee and did not wait. [269. Qur'an 27 : 10; 28:31.] He means to say: 'He did not wait.'[270. Qur'an has yu`aqqib, which al-Tabari glosses by yantasir.] It was said to him, '0 Musa ala’s! Do not fear! The messengers do not fearin Mypresence [271. Qur’an 27:10.] Drawnear, and do not fear. Verily! You are one of those who are secure. Thrust your hand into the bosom of your robe;  [it will come forth white without hurt. And guard your heart from fear.] Then there shall be two proofs from your Lord, [272. Qur'an 28:31-32. The omitted portion of the verse is given here in brackets.] In other words, the staff and the hand are [the] two signs because Musa ala’s had prayed to his Lord and said, 'My Lord! Lo! I killed a man among them, and I fear that they will kill me. My brother Harun ala’a is more eloquent than I in speech. Therefore send him with me as a helper to confirm me-he is saying, 'In order that he confirm me.' - `for I fear that they will consider me a liar. [273. Qur'an 28 :33-34] He had said to them, 'I have committed a crime,' and I fear that they will kill me, [274. Qur’an 26:14.] meaning, for the slain man. He said, 'We will strengthen your arm with your brother, and We will give both of you power'-and the power is the proof-'so that they cannot reach you because of our signs. You two, and those who follow you, will be the victors. [275. Qur'an 28:35.] Musa ala’s and Harun ala’s, come [both of you] to [Pharaoh] and say, "Verily, we are messengers of the Lord of the Worlds." [276. Qur'an 26:16]

  Ibn Humayd related to us-Salamah: When Musa ala’s completed his term, [277. Qur'an 28:29.]  he went out -according to what was mentioned to me by Ibn Ishaq- Wahb b. Munabbih the Yemenite [278. Wahb b. Munabbih, Abu `Abdallih, ca. 17- 110 Or 114, 638-728 or 732. A Yemenite Muslim scholar of Jewish origin who was noted for his acquaintance with pre-Muslim traditions, especially from Jewish sources . Ibn Sa ‘ad, op. cit., V, 395; Ibn Hajaj; op. cit., XI: 166; GAS, 1, 305-7; E!, 16, 341-42; al-Zarikli, op. cit., IX, 150; Dodge, W. cit., II, 1121.] according to what was mentioned to him about Musa ala’s -with his flocks, his fire drill, and in his hand his staff, with which he beat leaves down for his flocks in the daytime. When night fell, he struck a fire with his fire drill and slept near it with his family and flocks. When morning came, he set out with his family and flocks , leaning on his staff, which had, according to what was described to me from Wahb b. Munabbih, two prongs at its top and a hook at its end. Ibn Humayd related to us - Salamah - Ibn Ishaq - one of his friends who could not be doubted [as to veracity] -that Ka’b al – Ahbar [279. Ka`b al-Abbir b. Mati`, Abu lshaq, d. 32/652. A Yemenite Jew who converted to Islam under `Umar r.a, he emigrated to Medina, then to Syria, and became a noted source, often quoted, for Jewish and Yemenite traditions. Ibn Sa'd, op. cit., VII, 2, 156; Er, s.v "Ka`b al-Abbir." 17; Ibn Hajar, op. cit., VIII, 438-40; E!, 10:488; I . Ben Zeev, Ka'b a1-ahbar; GAS, I, `304-5.] came to Mecca where `Abdallih b. `Amr b. al 'As [280. `Abdallah b. Amr b. Al ‘As 65/616-84. An early convert to Islam and source of many traditions from the Prophet, he served as governor of al-Kufah briefly under Mu`awiyah. Ibn Sa'd, op. cit., IV, 2, 8-13; GAS, I, 84; al-Zirikli, op. cit., IV, 250.] was, and Ka'b said: "Ask him about three things, and, if he tells you, then he is learned. Ask him about something that God placed on earth for mankind from Paradise; and ask him what was the first thing placed on the earth; and what was the first tree planted in the earth? " 'Abdallah was asked about them, and he said: "The first thing God placed on earth for mankind from Paradise was this Black Comer. [281. Al rukn al-aswad, i.e., the comer of the Ka`bah in which the Black Stone is embedded.] As for the first thing placed on earth, it was Barahut [282. MS C has Barahud. Yaqut, op. cit., 1, 598: a valley in Yemen in which the Prophet said the souls of the unbelievers and hypocrites will be placed.] in Yemen, where the corpses of the unbelievers will come. As for the first tree that God planted on earth, it was the boxthom from which Musa ala’s cut his staff." When this reached Ka`b, he said: "The man is right, a scholar, by God!"

  The narrator continued: When the night came on which God wished to show His favor upon Musa ala’s and on which He started him on his prophethood and His speaking to him, Musa ala’s took the wrong road, so that he did not know where he was going. He took out his fire drill to kindle a fire for his family so that they might sleep around it and in the morning they would awaken and he could determine his path's direction. However, his fire drill became inert and would not strike a fire for him. He continued to strike it until, [when] [283. The insertion of idha "when" is suggested by the editor of the Arabic text, alTabari, I, 465 n. f, and appears in Ibrahim, op. Cit., I, 402.] it tired him, a fire glowed. When he saw it, he said to his family: "Wait! Lo! I discern a fire. Perhaps I may bring you a brand from it or may find guidance at the fire" [284. Qur’an 20:10.] with a brand, so they might warm themselves, and guidance about knowledge of the path on which we were misled by the description of a knowledgeable one. [285. Text has khabir, instead of khayr "goodness." See al-Tabari, I, 465 n. h; lbrihim, op. cit., I, 402.] So he moved toward it, and behold! it was in a creeping bush - although some among the scriptuaries say it was in a boxthom. When he came near, it drew back from him. When he saw it draw back, he retreated from it, feeling a sense of fear. When he wanted to leave, it drew near him. Then something was spoken from the bush. When he heard the voice, he listened, and God said to him, "Take off f your shoes, for lo! you are in the holy valley of Tuwa,'[286. Qur’an 20:22.] and he threw them down. Then He said, "What is that in your right hand, O Musa ala’s! "[ 287. Qur'an 20: 17] [Musa ala’s] replied, "This is my staff on which Ilean, and with which I beat down branches for my sheep, and wherein I find other uses'- that is, other benefits. He said, "Cast it down, 0 Musa ala’s! " So he cast it down, and lo! it was a serpent gliding. [288. Qur'an 20: 18-20.] Its two prongs became the serpent 's mouth ; its hook became a crest on its back, which shook, and it had fangs . It was as God wished it to be. Musa ala’s saw this fearful thing and turned to flee , and he did not wait.

  His Lord called to him: "0 Musa ala’s! Approach, and fear not. We shall return it to its former state "- that is, its state as a staff, as it had been . When he approached, He said : " Grasp it and do not fear. [289. Qur'an 20:22.] Put your hand into its mouth." Musa ala’s was wearing a long garment of wool, so he wrapped his hand in his sleeve, because he was terrified of the serpent . It was proclaimed : " Cast your sleeve from your hand!" and he cast it off. Then he placed his hand between the serpent 's jaws . When he did so, he seized it, and lo! It became his staff, with his hand between its two forks , where he usually grasped it, and its hook in its place. There was nothing of it he did not recognize.

  Then it was said to him : " Thrust your hand into your bosom; it Will come forth white without injury' [290. Qur'an 22:22; cf. 27:12, 28:32] that is, without leprosy -for Musa ala’s was a ruddy man , hook-nosed, curly -haired, and tall. So he placed his hand into his bosom and then brought it out, white as snow. He returned it to his bosom, and it came out as it had previously been in color. Then He said: "These shall be two proofs from your Lord to Pharaoh and his chiefs. Lo! They are evil-living people." He said. "My Lord! I killed one of their men, and I fear that they will kill me. My brother Harun ala’s is more eloquent than I in speech. So send him with me as a helper to confirm me"-that is, to explain to them what I say, for he will clarify what they do not understand. He said: "We will strengthen your arm with your brother, and We will give to you both power, so that they cannot reach you for Our signs. You two, and those who follow you, will be the winners." [291. Qur'an 28 :32-35.]

 The account returns to that of al-Suddi: Musa ala’s returned to his family, and together they journeyed toward Egypt until they arrived during the night. He was given hospitality by his mother, but he did not recognize them . [292. Ya`rifuhum or yu`rifuhum "he had not informed them." But Ibn al -Athir op. cit., I, 18o, has wa-la ya`rifnnahu "and they did not recognize him." See the very different account in al-Thaqabi, op. cit., 160] He came to them on a night during which they were eating tifshil, [293. A dish of grains . See the note in Glossanum, cccxu, s.v lafshil. See al-Tabari, trans . Perlmann, 66 n. 171, where it is related to the Aramaic tabshila, a kind of broth.] and he camped beside the house. Then Harun ala’s came and noticed his guest . He asked his mother about him, and she told him that he was a guest . He invited Musa ala’s and ate with him. While they were sitting and conversing, Harun ala’s asked him: "Who are you ? " He replied : " I am Musa ala’s ." So both stood up, and each embraced the other.

  When they had become familiar with each other, Musa ala’s said to him: "0 Harun ala’s! Go to Pharaoh with me, for God has sent us to him." Harun ala’s responded: "I hear and obey!" But their mother arose and shouted , saying, "I beg you by God not to go to Pharaoh, for he will kill you." But they refused and went off to him during the night. They arrived at the gate and knocked . Pharaoh was startled, as was the gatekeeper , and Pharaoh said: "Who is that knocking at my gate at this hour? " The gatekeeper looked down upon them and spoke to them. Musa ala’s said to him: "I am the messenger of the Lord of the Worlds!" [294. Qur'an 43:46] The gatekeeper was frightened, and he went to Pharaoh and informed him, saying : " Here is a madman who claims that he is the Messenger of the Lord of the Worlds." Pharaoh said, "Let him enter." Musa ala’s entered and said, "Verily, I am the Messenger of the Lord of the Worlds," and you must send with me the Children of Israel." Pharaoh recognized him and said, "Did we not rear you among us as a child ? And you spent many years of your life among us, and you did your deed that you did. You are one of the unbelievers together with us in our religion , which you denounce !" Musa ala’s said : "1 did it then when I was one who is astray. Then I fled from you when I feared you. My Lord gave me rule ( and this rule is prophecy) and appointed me one of the messengers . And this is a favor with which you reproach me, that you have enslaved the Israelites [295. Qur'an 26 : 17-22.] and you reared me previously as a child."

  Pharaoh said : "What is the Lord of the Worlds? [296. Qur'an 26:23.] And who is your Lord, 0 Musa ala’s? " He replied : " Our Lord is He who gave everything its nature, then guided it."  [297. Qur'an 20:50] He means to say: He gave every beast its mate, then guided it to mate . Pharaoh said to him : "If you have brought a sign , then bring it forth, if you are one of the truthful." [298. Qur'an 7: 106.] This was after he had said to him some words that God had mentioned . Musa ala’s said : "Even though I bring you something plain? " Pharaoh said : "Bring it, if you are one of the truthful." Then he flung down his staff, and it became clearly a serpent [299. Qur’an 26:30-32.] ( the serpent is a male snake ), which opened its mouth and placed its lower jaw on the ground and its upper on the walls of the palace . It then turned toward Pharaoh to seize him . When Pharaoh saw it, he was terrified and jumped up, voiding excrement , although he had not previously done so. [300. This was supposedly a sign of Pharaoh's superhuman nature . See p. 55 and nn. 314-16, below] He screamed, " 0 Musa ala’s! Seize it and I will believe in you. I will send the Israelites with you." So Musa ala’s grabbed the serpent, and it became a staff once more. And he drew forth his hand -bringing it out of his bosom - and lo! It was white to the beholders. [301. Qur'an x6 : 33, 7:106.] Musa ala’s left his presence after that, and Pharaoh refused to believe in him or to send the Israelites with him . Instead, he said to his people : "0 Chiefs! I do not know that you have a god other than me, so kindle a fire for me, 0 Haman, [302.One of the prototypical figures of evil in the Qur'an and Islamic lore, Haman is transferred from his biblical locale in Persia to the palace of Pharaoh. See El', s.¢ "Haman.] to bake the mud; and set up a lofty tower so that I maylook at thegod of Musa ala’s." [303. Qur'an 28:38.] When the  lofty edifice was built for him, he climbed to the top of it, called for an arrow, and shot it toward heaven. It returned to him, stained with blood. So he said, "I have killed the God of Musa ala’s." [304. See the story of Nimrod, who also wanted to reach God in heaven . Al-Tabari, 1, 321 - 23 (trans . Brinner, 107-91]

  Bishr b. Mu adh-Yazd b. Zuray [305. Yazid b. Zuray`, Abu Mu` awiyah, 102-82 / 720-98 . A Baran considered a trustworthy transmitter of Hadith. lbn Sa`d, op. cit., V11/2, 44; Ibn Hajar , op. cit., XI, 325-28 ; al-Zirikli, op. Cit., IX, 235.] - Said-Qatadah: So kindle a fire for me, 0 Haman, to bake the mud; [306. Qur'an 28:38] he said (this means) he was the first to bake the bricks with which to build a tower.

  As for Ibn Ishaq, he said what Ibn Humayd related-SalamahIbn Ishaq: Musa ala’s went out when God sent him until he reached Egypt and Pharaoh, both he and his brother Aaron, until they stood at Pharaoh's gate, requesting to enter, saying: "We are two Messengers of the Lord of the Worlds, so permit us to see this man." According to what we have heard, they remained for two years, spending mornings and evenings at his gate, while Pharaoh knew nothing of this, for no one had the audacity to inform him. This continued until a jester of his, one who amused him and made him laugh, entered to him and said: "0 King! At the gate there is a man who says something strange, claiming that be has a god other than you." Pharaoh said: "Let him be brought in!" So Musa ala’s entered, with his brother Harun ala’s; and in his hand was his staff. When he stood before Pharaoh, he said to him: "I am the Messenger of the Lord of the Worlds." [307. Qur'an 7:104.] But Pharaoh recognized him and said, "Did we not rear you among us as a child? And you dwelt many years of your life among us. And you did your deed that you did, and you are one of the unbelievers." He replied: "I did it then when I was one [who is] astray." [308. Qur'an 26 : 18-20.] that is, erring-"I did not wish to do that." Then Musa ala’s approached him, denying to Pharaoh what he mentioned of his favor to Musa ala’s while he was with him, and said: "And this is a favor with which you reproved me, that you have enslaved the Israelites" [309. Qur'an 26:22. Probably to be understood as "and this is a 'favor ' you granted me? That you enslaved.... "] that is, you regarded them as slaves, taking their sons from them, stealing from whomever you wished , and killing whomever you wished. Indeed, only this brought me to your house and to you." Pharaoh said: "And what is the Lord of the Worlds? " [310. Qur'an 26:23.] That is, he asked him to describe his God Who sent him, or "What is this God of yours?" Musa ala’s said: "Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, if only you had sure belief." Pharaoh said to those around him of his chiefs, "Do you not hear? [311. Qur'an 26 :24-25.] namely, disputing what he had said - "He has no god but me . " Musa ala’s said: "Your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers [312. Qur'an 26:26] Who created your forefathers and created you from your fathers." Pharaoh said: "Lo! Your messenger, who has been sent to you, is indeed a madman "-that is, this is not true when he claims that you have a god other than me. Musa ala’s said: "Lord of the East and the West and all that is between them , if you would only understand"- that is, He is creator of the East and the West and all created things between them, if you would only understand. Pharaoh said: "If you choose a god other than me - to worship other than me and abandon my worship – I shall certainly place you among the prisoners." He replied: "Even if I show you something plain? "-that is, by which you will acknowledge my truth and your falsehood. Pharaoh said: "Produce it then, if you are truthful!" Then he flung down his staff, and it became a serpent manifest, [313. Qur'an 26 :27-32.] and filled all that was between the two ranks of Pharaoh's men, its mouth open. The crook of the staff had become a crest on its back , and the people scattered before it . Pharaoh left his throne, adjuring Musa ala’s by his Lord . Then Musa ala’s placed his hand in his bosom and withdrew it white as snow. Then he returned it to its condition. Musa ala’s placed his hand between the serpent 's jaws, and it became a staff in his hand , the latter being between its prongs and its crook at the bottom as it had been . Pharaoh was unable to control his bowels, although they claim he used to remain for five or six days not seeking the privy - meaning the latrine - as other people do, and that was one of the things that induced him to say that there was not like him anyone among the people. [314. For other references to Pharaoh 's bowels and his reactions to these events, see P. 53 and n . 300, above.]

  Ibn Humayd related to us - Salamah - Ibn Ishaq: I was told by Wahb b. Munabbih the Yemenite that [Pharaoh[ had diarrhea [315. Fa masha ( Ms Tn adds batnuhu(. See Glossanum, cnixxvi, s.v mshy: alvi profluvio laboravit ; Dozy, op. cit., II, 604, aller a selle.] for twenty-odd nights until he almost expired ; then it ceased . [316. Istamsaka. See Glossanum, coi.xxxiv, s . v msk: se sustinurt, se cohibuit. MS C has istaballa "was cured."] He said to his chiefs: "Lo! This is verily a sage wizard"- that is, there is no wizard more competent at magic than Musa ala’s - [who would drive you out of your land by his magic.] "Now what do you counsel? [317. Qur'an 26 :34-35. Words in brackets omitted in text.] I Shall I kill him? " And a believer of Pharaoh's family (who hid his  faith) said - a pious servant whose name was, as they assert, Habrak - "Would you kill a man because he said: 'My Lord is Allah,' and has brought you clear proofs from His Lord [318. Qur'an 40: 28. Words in brackets omitted in text.] with his staff and his hand ? " Then he made them afraid of God' s punishment and warned them of what had happened to peoples before them, saying: "0 my people! Your dominion is today the uppermost in the land. But who would save us from the wrath of God should it reach us? " Pharaoh said: "I only show you what I think, and I only guide you to a wise policy" [319. Qur an 40:2.9.] The chiefs of his people said, the power of God having disenchanted them, "Put him off, him and his brother, and send into the cities summoners, who will bring to you every knowing wizard " [320. Qur'an 26 :36-37.] - that is, outnumber him with wizards. "Perhaps you may find among the wizards someone who can perform what he does."

  Musa ala’s and Harun ala’s had left Pharaoh after Musa ala’s had shown them some of God's powers. Pharaoh immediately [321. Makanahu. See Glossarium , CDLX, s.v kwn : illico.] sent throughout his domain and did not leave a single sorcerer under his rule whom he did not have brought. I have been told, but God knows best, that he gathered fifteen thousand sorcerers , and when they assembled before him he gave them his command, saying : "A sorcerer has come to us unlike any we have seen before. If you are able to outdo him, I shall honor you and prefer you and bring you nearer than all the people of my kingdom." They said : "Will all that indeed be ours if we outdo him ? " He replied, "Yes." They said, "Then set a date for us to come together , the sorcerer and us."