Tooth for a tooth

“Tooth for a tooth. 

An eye for an eye. And a life for a life.”

This is the Mosaic Law, and yet in his youth Musa (as) [Moses] killed a man in anger and in defence of another. 

We should then contemplate his life, in the light of our revelation. 

The birth and subsequent protection of Musa (as) in the household of Pharaoh was indeed preparation for who he was destined to become. 

And yet the choices that he made, and that we make, are always our own and belong to us. It is what we take from them that defines who we are to become. 

When Musa (as) killed in anger one of the Egyptians in defence of one of Bani Israel, he knew that he had committed a hated crime and fled from the city. 

He was one of the household of Pharoah and we can see that he was clearly recognised as such on his return, out of the wilderness, to confront his step brother. 

We know that Pharoah’s wife was barren, and unable to conceive, and it is for this reason that his cries in the Ark drew her to him. And their bond was one of compassion and love. 

In so many like cases it is the Barakah of looking after, and loving, someone else’s child that brings the fruit of the womb to the normally barren woman. 

And so a son must have been born. 

It is this son, the heir of Pharoah, who himself then became Pharoah in his own stead, that Musa (as) was sent to confront. 

This is then his younger step brother. 

And this explains why Musa (as) was allowed an audience with Pharoah, and then the whole conversation of what took place between them, that we have clearly delineated in our own revelation. 

After fleeing from all of the strappings of power, that being of the Pharoah’s household meant, he went into the dessert. 

He must have been full of regret, and rightly so. And so he wandered in the dessert for long. 

We must then ask ourselves what is it that caused for God to look again with favour upon him?

For whilst it is clear that he was chosen to be the one to confront Pharoah and then lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt. 

God chooses His people because of the quality that He knows is latent within them. 

There is a circularity here that we find within the revelation itself, and it is apparent within the cosmos and our destinies that are written and yet to be fulfilled. 

That we each have a choice. 

That much is apparent even within the Seerah, which God calls the wisdom and that which He sent down alongside the revelation. What is the wisdom then, if it’s not how we seek to interpret the greater book of our lives? And those who are best, are those with the best interpretation. 

So what is this latent quality that we find within the life of Musa (as) for which God forgave him and then raised him as one of the five greatest Prophets sent to mankind. 

We know the story of how he came to a well, and there helped two unwed sisters to the water. How he came to their father, and how the father contracted for him to work for him for a number of years after which he would wed one of his daughters to him. 

Here we find the quality of Musa (as), for he fulfilled the contract and then some too. That is that he went further than what was asked from him. 

The Messenger of God (saw) was known as al-Amin, the trustworthy, before revelation descended upon him. 

Our religion is unique in its appreciation of the importance of keeping trusts and contracts, so much so that even our marriages are at core simply a contract between a man and a woman. 

And when we enter into a treaty of Peace with an adversary we will not break the treaty even when we suspect foul play. 

For that is not our way. 

I recall a former member of staff of mine who in his year of contractual employment with me took his Hajj. I impressed on him the need to fulfil the contract he had with me, but he thought the religion more important than the contract he had entered into Little did he understand the importance of fulfilling your contract, for he left on bad terms probably feeling hard done by. 

That the religion is for us, and for our benefit. But when you enter into a contract with another, you fulfil your trust first and then look after your fardh next. 

This may sound controversial to most. 

But ponder then the story of Musa (as) and what turned God to favour him, if it was not in his scrupulously fulfilling his contract. 

These are my opinions and I write to stimulate for you to contemplate and think. 

For knowledge is sought through study and contemplation. 

Not lectures and talks, nor this above.