Page 118 - The Prophet Moses (pbuh)

THE PROPHET MOSES (PBUH)

They continued until they boarded a boat and he scuppered it. Then
Moses said, "Did you scupper it so that those in it would be
drowned? This is truly a dreadful thing that you have done!"
He said, "Did I not say that you would not be able to bear with me?"
Moses said, "Do not take me to task because I forgot. Do not demand
of me something which is too difficult."
So they went on until they met a youngster whom he killed. Moses
said, "Have you killed a boy who has done no wrong, without it be-
ing in retaliation for someone else? This is truly an appalling thing
that you have done!"
He said, "Did I not tell you that you would not be able to bear with
me?"
Moses said, "If I ask you about anything after this, then you should
no longer keep me company. I will have given you excuse enough."
So they went on until they reached the inhabitants of a town. They
asked them for food but they refused them hospitality. They found
there a wall about to fall down and he built it up. Moses said, "If you
had wanted, you could have taken a wage for doing that."
He said, "This is where you and I part company. I will let you know
the explanation of those things about which you were not able to
restrain yourself. As for the boat, it belonged to some poor people
who worked on the sea. I wanted to damage it because a king was
coming behind them, commandeering every boat. As for the boy,
his parents were believers and we feared that he would darken
their days with excessive insolence and transgression. We wanted
their Lord to give them in exchange a purer son than him, one
more compassionate. As for the wall, it belonged to two young or-
phans in the town and there was a treasure underneath it, belong-
ing to them. Their father was one of the pious and your Lord want-
ed them to come of age and then to unearth their treasure as a mer-
cy from Him. I did not do it of my own volition. That is the expla-
nation of the things about which you were not able to restrain your-
self." (Surat al-Kahf: 65-82)
The lesson presented here deserves special attention: It may well be

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