Tafsir

Musa, peace be upon him, in Madyan, and how He watered the Flocks of the Two Women

When the man told Musa about how Fir`awn and his chiefs were conspiring against him, he left Egypt on his own. He was not used to being alone, because before that he had been living a life of luxury and ease, in a position of leadership.فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَآئِفاً يَتَرَقَّبُ(So he escaped from there, looking about in a state of fear.) meaning, turning around and watching.قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِى مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّـلِمِينَ(My Lord! Save me from the people who are wrongdoers!) means, from Fir`awn and his chiefs. It was mentioned that Allah sent to him an angel riding a horse, who showed him the way. And Allah knows best.وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَآءَ مَدْيَنَ(And when he went towards (the land of) Madyan,) means, he took a smooth and easy route -- and he rejoiced because of that.قَالَ عَسَى رَبِّى أَن يَهْدِيَنِى سَوَآءَ السَّبِيلِ(he said: "It may be that my Lord guides me to the right way.") meaning, the most straight route.

And Allah did indeed do that, for He guided him to the straight path in this world and the Hereafter, and caused him to be guided and to guide others.وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَآءَ مَدْيَنَ(And when he arrived at the water (a well) of Madyan,) means, when he reached Madyan and went to drink from its water, for it had a well where shepherds used to water their flocks,وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَأَتَينِ تَذُودَانِ(he found there a group of men watering, and besides them he found two women who were keeping back.) means, they were stopping their sheep from drinking with the sheep of those shepherds, lest some harm come to them.

When Musa, peace be upon him, saw them, he felt sorry for them and took pity on them.قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا(He said: "What is the matter with you") meaning, `why do you not water your flocks with these people'قَالَتَا لاَ نَسْقِى حَتَّى يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَآءُ(They said: "We cannot water until the shepherds take...") meaning, `we cannot water our flocks until they finish.'وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ(And our father is a very old man.) means, `this is what has driven us to what you see.'فَسَقَى لَهُمَا(So he watered (their flocks) for them, )ثُمَّ تَوَلَّى إِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ(then he turned back to shade, and said: "My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!")إِلَى الظِّلِّ(to shade,) Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Mas`ud and As-Suddi said: "He sat beneath a tree." `Ata' bin As-Sa'ib said: "When Musa said:رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ("My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!") the women heard him."

Commentaryوَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَاءَ مَدْيَنَ (And when he set out towards Madyan - 28:22). Madyan (مَدْيَنَ ) is the name of a city in Sham (a large territory now consisting of Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine) which was named after Madyan, the son of Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . This area was outside the empire of the Pharaoh. It was eight days journey from Egypt. When Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) was taken over by the natural fright of the pursuing army of the Pharaoh, which was not in conflict either with the prophethood or with trust in Allah, he resolved to leave Egypt. Perhaps he decided to proceed toward Madyan because it was a habitation of the descendants of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) and he was also his progeny.

When Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) left Egypt, he was in a condition that he had neither any provisions for the journey nor any baggage, and also he did not know the route. In this state of helplessness he turned to Allah Ta` ala and asked عَسَىٰ رَ‌بِّي أَن يَهْدِيَنِي سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ (I hope my Lord will guide me to the straight path - 28:22), Allah Ta` ala accepted this prayer. Scholars have observed that the only food Musa علیہ السلام had during this journey was the leaves of trees. Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has said that this was the first trial and test of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) . Details of trials and tests of Musa (علیہ السلام) have already been described under Surah Taha while quoting a lengthy hadith.

ولما قصد موسى بلاد «مدين» وخرج من سلطان فرعون قال: عسى ربي أن يرشدني خير طريق إلى «مدين» .

( ولما توجه تلقاء مدين ) أي : أخذ طريقا سالكا مهيعا فرح بذلك ، ( قال عسى ربي أن يهديني سواء السبيل ) أي : إلى الطريق الأقوم . ففعل الله به ذلك ، وهداه إلى الصراط المستقيم في الدنيا والآخرة ، فجعل هاديا مهديا .