Surah As-Sajdah 32:23

The Book of Musa and the Leadership of the Children of Israel

Allah tells us that He gave the Book -- the Tawrah -- to His servant and Messenger Musa, peace be upon him.

فَلاَ تَكُن فِى مِرْيَةٍ مِّن لِّقَآئِهِ

(So, be not you in doubt of meeting him.) Qatadah said, "This refers to the Night of Isra'," then he narrated that Abu Al-`Aliyah Ar-Riyahi said, "The cousin of your Prophet, meaning Ibn `Abbas, told me that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«أُرِيتُ لَيْلَةَ أُسْرِيَ بِي مُوسى بْنَ عِمْرَانَ رَجُلًا آدَمَ طِوَالًا جَعْدًا كَأَنَّهُ مِنْ رِجَالِ شَنُوءَةَ، وَرَأَيْتُ عِيسى رَجُلًا مَرْبُوعَ الْخَلْقِ إِلَى الْحُمْرَةِ وَالْبَيَاضِ، سَبْط الرَّأْسِ، وَرَأَيْتُ مَالِكًا خَازِنَ النَّارِ وَالدَّجَّال»

(On the night of Isra', I saw Musa bin `Imran, a tall, brown-skinned man with curly hair, looking like the men of Shanu'ah; and I saw `Isa, a man of medium stature and ruddy white skin, and with lank hair. And I saw Malik the Keeper of Hell, and the Dajjal.) Among the signs which Allah showed him were:

فَلاَ تَكُن فِى مِرْيَةٍ مِّن لِّقَآئِهِ

(So, be not you in doubt of meeting him.) i.e., he saw Musa and met with him on the Night of Isra'."

وَجَعَلْنَـهُ

(And We made it) means, `the Book which We gave to him, '

هُدًى لِّبَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ

(a guide to the Children of Israel.) This is similar to what Allah says in Surat Al-Isra':

وَءَاتَيْنَآ مُوسَى الْكِتَـبَ وَجَعَلْنَاهُ هُدًى لِّبَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ أَلاَّ تَتَّخِذُواْ مِن دُونِى وَكِيلاً

(And We gave Musa the Scripture and made it a guidance for the Children of Israel (saying): "Take none other than Me as Trustee.") (17:2)

وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُواْ وَكَانُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ

(And We made from among them, leaders, giving guidance under Our command, when they were patient and used to believe with certainty in Our Ayat.) means, because they were patient in adhering to the commands of Allah and avoiding what He prohibited, and they believed in His Messengers and followed what they brought, there were among them leaders who guided others to the truth by the command of Allah, calling for goodness, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. Then when they changed the Words of Allah, twisting and distorting them, they lost that position and their hearts became hard. They change the words from their places, so they do no righteous deeds and have no correct beliefs. Allah says:

وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُواْ

(And We made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our command, when they were patient) Qatadah and Sufyan said: "When they patiently shunned the temptations of this world." This was also the view of Al-Hasan bin Salih. Sufyan said, "This is how these people were. A man cannot be an example to be followed unless he shuns the temptation of this world." Allah says:

وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا بَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ الْكِتَـبَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ وَرَزَقْنَـهُمْ مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَـتِ وَفَضَّلْنَـهُمْ عَلَى الْعَـلَمينَ وَءاتَيْنَـهُم بَيِّنَـتٍ مِّنَ الاٌّمْرِ

(And indeed We gave the Children of Israel the Scripture, and the understanding of the Scripture and its laws, and the prophethood; and provided them with good things, and preferred them above the nations. And We gave them clear proofs in matters.) (45:16-17). And He says here:

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقَيَـمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُواْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ

(Verily, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection, concerning that wherein they used to differ.) meaning, with regard to beliefs and actions.

Ayat ini menerangkan bahwa Allah telah menurunkan kitab Taurat kepada Nabi Musa sebagaimana Dia telah menurunkan Al-Qur'an kepada Nabi Muhammad. Namun demikian, wahyu yang diturunkan kepada Nabi Musa itu didustakan oleh kaumnya. Musa bersama pengikutnya disiksa oleh Fir'aun dan kaumnya, sehingga mereka lari ke daerah Palestina. Demikian pula Muhammad saw telah didustakan pula oleh kaumnya, disakiti, dan ditentang sehingga beliau dan para sahabatnya hijrah ke Medinah. Itulah sunatullah yang berlaku di alam ini, selalu terjadi pertarungan antara yang hak dengan yang batil, dan antara kebaikan dan kejahatan. Semua itu merupakan cobaan bagi orang-orang yang beriman.

Dalam ayat ini disebut-sebut nama Musa di antara para nabi dan rasul Allah adalah karena banyak persamaan perjuangannya dengan Nabi Muhammad.

Ayat ini diturunkan untuk hiburan bagi Nabi Muhammad dan para sahabat yang sedang menyampaikan agama Allah kepada manusia. Dalam menyampaikan risalah itu, dia mendapat ancaman dan penganiayaan dari kaumnya. Seakan-akan dikatakan kepada mereka, "Hai Muhammad, janganlah kamu dan pengikut-pengikutmu bersedih hati menghadapi sikap dan tindakan orang-orang musyrik itu. Hal yang demikian itu adalah wajar dan merupakan sunatullah. Ingatlah Musa dan pengikut-pengikutnya. Mereka dianiaya dan diburu oleh Fir'aun dan kaumnya, sampai mereka lari menyeberangi Laut Merah, dan mengarungi padang pasir yang tandus dan panas. Dalam keadaan demikian, banyak pula di antara pengikut-pengikutnya yang berkhianat, tetapi ia tetap tabah dan sabar. Semakin kuat tantangan dan penganiayaan yang diterimanya, semakin kuat pula usaha dan kesabarannya. Aku pasti menyayangimu dan para pengikutmu sebagaimana Aku telah menjaga pula Musa dan para pengikutnya."