On the Speech of Allah. Allah Spoke to Moses: Kitab al-Tawhid (The Book on Monotheism) by Abu Bakr b. Khuzaymah

On the Speech of Allah
Allah Spoke to Moses

It is an exclusive quality of Moses that he is the only Prophet with whom Allah spoke. The Qurᵓān mentions this fact in brief statements which have later been detailed in some other verses.

Abū Bakr said: We start with a mention of the mujmal (brief) divine statements. Then we will present, with the help of Allah, the verses which explain and detail these mujmal verses.

Proofs from the Book

Allāh says:

Those apostles We endowed with gifts, some above others: To one of them Allah spoke; others He raised to degrees (of honour); to Jesus the son of Mary, We gave clear (signs), and strengthened him with the holy spirit. If Allah had so willed, succeeding generations would not have fought among each other, after clear (signs) had come to them, but they (chose) to wrangle, some believing and others rejecting. If Allah had so willed, they would not have fought each other; but Allah fulfills His plan (Q 02:253).

We see that in this verse Allāh has briefly referred to the Prophets to whom He spoke. He has not mentioned the name, distinctive attributes or family and origin of the one with whom He spoke. The audience could not know who among the Prophets have been addressed by Allah. Similarly, He has not explained in what mode and ways He spoke to the Prophets who were blessed with an opportunity of being addressed by Allah. He has, however, in the following verse provided all the possible ways He addresses some of the humans. Allah says:

It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by the sending of a messenger to reveal, with Allāh’s permission, what Allah wills (Q 42:51).

This verse states that He spoke to some through revelation, or from behind a drapery, or through a messenger who reveals whatever Allah wanted. Allah has, however, explained clearly in the following verses that it was Moses who was directly spoken to. Allah says:

And to Moses Allah spoke direct.” (Q 04:164)

Therefore, what was briefly and compactly referred to in the verse: “To one of them Allah spoke” (Q 02:253), has been made conspicuous and clear in Q 04:164. Thus, in this verse, He has named His addressee. We know that it is Moses whom Allāh exclusively selected to speak to. Similarly, the following verse also explains and explicates Q 4:164. Allah says:

When Moses came to the place appointed by Us, and his Lord addressed him (Q 07:143).

Allāh has named His addressee in this verse as well. Now we know that he is Moses whom Allāh chose among all the Prophets to speak to.

Allah has also told us that it was Moses’ Lord (rabb) who spoke to him. Allāh has informed that He chose Moses as His Messenger and His addressee. Allāh says:

O Moses! I have chosen you above (other) men, by the mission I (have given you) and the words I (have spoken to you): take then the (revelation) which I give you, and be of those who give thanks (Q 07:144).

This verse states even more clearly about what Allāh spoke when He talked to Moses. Consider the following Divine statement: “I have chosen you above (other) men, by the Prophetic mission I (have given you) and the words I (have spoken to you) […] and be of those who give thanks” (Q 07:144). It is clear from many other verses what He said to Moses. In this regard the holy Qurᵓān says:

But when he came to the fire, a voice was heard: “O Moses! Verily I am your Lord! Therefore (in My presence) put off thy shoes: you are in the sacred valley Ṭuwā. I have chosen you: listen, then, to the inspiration (sent to you). Verily, I am Allah. There is no god but I: So serve you Me (only), and establish regular prayer for celebrating My praise” (Q 20:10-4).

One may refer to the end of the story. Allāh says in Sūrah al-Naml:

Behold! Moses said to his family: “I perceive a fire; soon will I bring you from there some information, or I will bring you a burning brand to light our fuel, that you may warn yourselves.” But when he came to the (fire), a voice was heard: “Blessed are those in the fire and those around: and glory to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. O Moses! Verily, I am Allah, the exalted in might, the wise. Verily, I am Allah. There is no god but I: So serve you Me (only), and establish regular prayer for celebrating My praise.” (Q 27:07-9)

Allah says in Sūrah al-Qaṣaṣ:

But when he came to the (fire), a voice was heard from the right bank of the valley, from a tree in hallowed ground: “O Moses! Verily I am Allah, the Lord of the Worlds” (Q 28:30 read to the end of the story).

Allāh has clarified, in these three verses, parts of what He spoke to Moses. This is not allowable to ascribe these words to a graceful angel or any ordinary angel. It is also not possible to hold that a graceful angle addresses Moses and says: “Verily I am Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.” Or He says: “Verily I am your Lord! Therefore (in My presence) put off your shoes” (Q 20:10-2).

Allāh says: “The fair promise of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel, because they had patience and constancy” (Q 07:137). We know from this verse that Allāh speaks and there are words uttered by Him.

Proofs from the Sunnah

Now I refer you to the clear ḥadīth narratives directly traced back to the Prophet by reliable and trustworthy narrators without a break in the chain. These narratives clearly explain that Allah exclusively chose Moses to address him directly. This quality of Moses is not shared by any of the Messengers.

201. (1) Yaḥyā b. Ḥabīb al-Ḥārithī and Bishr b. Maᶜādh al-ᶜAqdī and Abū al-Khaṭṭāb and al-Ziyādī → Bishr (Ibn Mufaḍḍil → Dāwūd → al-Shaᶜbī → Abū Hurayrah → the Prophet:

“Adam met Moses…..”

They all related the complete narrative. The report contains the words: “Adam said to Moses. Are not you Moses whom Allāh chose for a Messenger and to speak to (bikalāmihī)..........”?

….. (2) Yaḥyā b. Ḥabīb → Dāwūd → ᶜĀmir …..

….. (3) ᶜAbd al-Jabbār b. Al-ᶜUlāᵓ → Sufyān b. ᶜAmr (Ibn Dīnār) → Ṭāᵓūs → Abū Hurayrah → the Prophet:

He related the whole narrative which included the following words:

O Moses! Allāh chose you to speak to and wrote for you with His hands.

Al-Zaᶜfarānī too narrated to me this ḥadīth on the authority of Sufyān b. ᶜUyaynah in which he said: “He wrote the Torah for you with His hand.”

He reported the same narrative on the authority of Tāᵓūs as well. He said that he heard Abū Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said:…..

….. (4) Yūsuf b. Mūsā → Jarīr → al-Aᶜmash → Abū Ṣāliḥ → Abū Hurayrah → the Prophet:

He related the narrative which includes the following:

Adam said: “You are Moses whom Allāh chose to speak to. He chose you as His Messenger and spoke to you.”

….. (5) Muḥamad b. Bashshār → Yaḥyā b. Ḥammād → Abū ᶜAwānah → Salīm:

Using the same isnād he said:

Adam Said: “You are Moses whom Allāh chose for His speech and as His Messenger.”

….. (6) Al-Rabīᶜ b. Sulaymān al-Murādī → Ibn Wahb → Sulaymān b. Bilāl:

….. (7) Muhammad b. Yaḥyā → Ismāᶜīl b. Abī Uways → his brother → Sulaymān b. Bilāl → Sharīk b. ᶜAbd Allāh b. Abī Namr:

I heard Anas b. Mālik narrating the incidents of the night the Prophet was taken on the night journey from the Kaᶜbah. He narrated the whole incident in which he narrated the ḥadīth starting from the words “he reached at” through to the following (last) part where he said: “In every heaven there was a Messenger.” Anas named them all. (Sharīk says): “I have received the names of all of them from these authorities. Idrīs was on the second heaven. Hārūn was on the fourth heaven. I do not remember the name of the one on the fifth heaven. On the sixth heaven there was Abraham. Moses was on the seventh heaven blessed by the direct address of Allah to him. Moses said, “O my Lord! I never thought any of them would overtake me. Then he (the Prophet Muhammad) mounted on what nobody knew except Allāh until he reached sidrah al-muntahā. Then he approached the Lord, the Sovereign and came nearer to Him to the point that He was at distance of but a bow-length or (even) nearer. Then he revealed to His servant whatever He liked, and He gave the command of the fifty daily Prayers for his ummah. Then he came down heaven by heaven till he reached Moses.” And the narrator related the rest of the ḥadīth.

203. (8) Alī b. al-Mundhir → Muhammad b. Fuḍayl → Abū Mālik (Saᶜd b. Ṭāriq) → Abū Ḥāzim → Abū Hurayrah and Ribī b. Ḥirāsh → Ḥudhayfah → the Prophet:

Allah will gather the people. The believers will stand up when Paradise will be brought nearer. They will approach Adam and say: “O Father! Get Paradise opened for us.” Adam will say: “Did anyone get you out of Paradise except the mistake of your father (hal akhrajakum min al-jannati illā khatīᵓatu abīkum)?” He will say: “I am not the person to do it. Go to my son Abraham who is the friend of Allāh.” Abraham will say: “I am not the person to do it. I was a friend put at a distance. Go to my son Moses to whom Allāh spoke.” They will come to Moses…..

They related the whole narrative. I have included this ḥadīth in Kitāb Dkhikr Naᶜīm al-Ᾱkhirah (Chapter on the Blessings of the Day of Judgment).

Abū Bakr said: In the words “hal akhrajakum min al-jannati illā khatīᵓatu abīkum (did anything get you out of Paradise other than the error of your father?” is a particular style of attributing the verb to the doer of the action. I have explained in many places in my books that the Arabs conventionally use this style of attributing the action to the agent to indicate that the agent is the cause of the action.

204. (9) Yaᶜqūb b. Ibrāhīm al-Dawraqī → Ibn Abī ᶜAdī → Ibn ᶜAwn → ᶜUmayr b. Isḥāq:

Jaᶜfar (Ibn Abī Ṭālib) said to the Prophet: “O Prophet of Allah, allow me to go somewhere where I could serve Allah without fearing anyone.” The Prophet allowed him, and he migrated to Abyssinia. (ᶜUmayr b. Isḥāq) said that ᶜUmar b. al-ᶜᾹṣ or ᶜAmr b. al-ᶜᾹṣ narrated to him: “When I saw that Jaᶜfar and his companions are safe and peaceful in Abyssinia I became jealous of him.” He continued: “I thought I would get this man and his companion there.” He added that he went to Negus (Najāshī) and said to him: “There is a man taking shelter in your country. His cousin who lives in our city thinks that there is no god except one. I swear if you do not kill him and his companions, I will not present you with such gifts neither will any of my companions.” The king said: “Go and call him in.” ᶜAmr said: “I said that he will not come with me. Send a messenger with me. Then I went to him and found him addressing his companions while sitting among them. I said to him: Let us go.” ᶜAmr said: “We came to the door (of the court) and I called out: “Let ᶜAmr b. al-ᶜĀṣ enter.” He (Jaᶜfar) said in a louder voice: “Let the army of Allāh enter.” ᶜAmr said: “The king heard his voice and allowed him before me. He (ᶜUmary b. Ishāq) said that ᶜAmr described the throne of the king for him and said: “Jaᶜfar sat right in front of the throne while his companions took their seats around him reclining on the pillows. (ᶜUmayr b. Ishāq) said that ᶜAmr said: “I came and observed the court, I sat between Jaᶜfar and the throne. This way I put my back to Jaᶜfar.” ᶜAmr said that he saw to it that he had sat one of his companions in front of the companions of Jaᶜfar [blocking them from the sight of the throne.]” Najāshī said: “Speak O ᶜAmr b. al-ᶜĀṣ.” I said to the king: “The cousin of this man in our country thinks that there is no god except One. I swear to Allah that if you do not kill him, neither I nor any of my companions would present such gifts to you.” The king said: “Speak O army of Allāh, speak.” Jaᶜfar thanked Allāh, said His praises and declared that there is no god but Allāh and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh.” He said: “This man has told the truth. He is my cousin. I follow his religion.” ᶜAmr said: “By Allah, I had never heard this declaration of faith ever before.” He said this pointing with his hands. Ibn ᶜAdī put his hand on his forehead to demonstrate the action of ᶜAmr. He sighed. Then I said in my heart that this Negro is cursed if he does not speak. He said: “Then he raised his hand and said: “O Jaᶜfar what does he say about Jesus Christ?” He said: “He says that he is the Rūḥ of Allah (Spirit of Allah) and His word.” He said: “The king took a small thing from the ground and said: “He is not mistaken even to such a small scale.” Then he said: “O people of Allāh! You are safe in my land. Whoever kills you, I will kill him. Whoever abuses you, I will put him in prison.” The narrator says that he also said: “If it were not for my nation and country, I would have followed your religion. Now you may go.” He said to his doorkeeper: “Remember this man. Do not stop him from coming to me except when I am with my family. If he insists even then to come to me, let him come in.” [To ᶜAmr] he said: “Get up O ᶜAmr b. al-ᶜĀṣ, by Allah I do not care whether you offer me these gifts or not, either you or any of your companions.” ᶜAmr said: “We did not return until we got off from his sight. From that time on, I did not wish to meet anyone alone more than I desired to meet Jaᶜfar in seclusion. Then one day I met him in on the way. I found nobody behind me. He too was alone. I took his hand and said to him: “Do you know that I have witnessed that there is no god but Allāh and that Muhammad is His messenger.” He rubbed my hand and said: “Allāh has shown you the right path and gave you the power to preserve [in it].” He said: “I came to my companions. By Allah, it seemed as if they had seen me and Jaᶜfar.” He said: “They seized me and put a shawl on my face. They wanted to cover me, and I tried to ward it off. I ran naked not even covered by a peel.” He said: “I came across a Negro woman, and I snatched her shawl from her head.” He said: “The woman argued with me and rebuked me in the Abyssinian language while I retorted the same words.” He said: “Later on I went to Jaᶜfar whom I found talking to his companions sitting among them.” He said: “I said: “As soon as I left you, I was overtaken by my companions who took every worldly asset from me. What you see on me belongs to a Negro woman”.” He said: “He said: “Let us go”.” ᶜAmr says: “He came to the door (of the court) and said: “Let the army of Allāh enter.” ᶜAmr says: “Then the doorkeeper came out and told us that the king was with his family. He Jaᶜfar insisted to be let in. At this the doorkeeper allowed him to enter.” Jaᶜfar told the king: ᶜAmr b. al-ᶜĀṣ has renounced his religion and embraced my religion.” The king said: “Never.” ᶜAmr says: “I said, “yes”.” He said again: “Never.” I said: “Yes (indeed).” He (the king) said: “Never.” I said: “yes”. Then he (the king) said to his doorkeeper: “You may let him enter. If he is telling the truth, then whatever he writes to you give it to him.” ᶜAmr says: “I wrote everything including even the handkerchief and the bowl.” He also says: “I could even take from their property and include in mine if I so desired. Then he (the king) put his (ᶜAmr’s) name among the party of the Muslims.

Abū Bakr said: There is a sperate chapter in this book dealing with meaning and explanation of the words “rūhullāhi wa kalimatuhū [Allah’s Spirit and His Word]”.

As for the reports that mention the first intercession which says: “they will come to Moses and say to him that he is the one Allāh spoke directly to,” they been included in the chapters on intercession. That chapter fulfills our purpose and suffices for our discussion. We do not, therefore, feel a need to repeat the whole discussion here.