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."

وَلَمَّا وَرَ‌دَ مَاءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَفَسَقَىٰ لَهُمَا (So he (Musa) watered (their animal) for their sake - 28:24). That is Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) took pity on the girls and drew out 'water from the well and satiated their goats. It is reported in some narrations that the shepherds after making their cattle drink water used to place a very heavy stone on the mouth of the well to make it unusable, and hence these girls would have only the left over water for their herd. The stone was so heavy that ten men together could move it, but Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) removed it all by himself, and drew water from the well. Perhaps for this reason one of the two girls reported to her father that Sayyidna Musa was very strong. (Qurtubi)ثُمَّ تَوَلَّىٰ إِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَ‌بِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ‌ فَقِيرٌ‌ (Then he turned to a shade and said, "0 my Lord, I am in need of whatever good you send down to me." - 28:24). Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) did not have any food for the last seven days.

He came under the shade of a tree and prayed to Allah describing his condition and need in an exquisite manner. The word Khair is sometimes used for wealth as in the case of إِن تَرَ‌كَ خَيْرً‌ا الْوَصِيَّةُ (he leaves some wealth - 2:180). Sometimes it is used for strength like أَهُمْ خَيْرٌ‌ أَمْ قَوْمُ تُبَّعٍ they better, or the people of Tubba - 44:37) and sometimes for food as in the verse under reference. (Qurtubi)

فسقى موسى للمرأتين ماشيتهما، ثم تولى إلى ظل شجرة فاستظلَّ بها وقال: رب إني مفتقر إلى ما تسوقه إليَّ مِن أي خير كان، كالطعام. وكان قد اشتد به الجوع.

قال الله تعالى : ( فسقى لهما ) قال أبو بكر بن أبي شيبة : حدثنا عبد الله ، أنبأنا إسرائيل ، عن أبى إسحاق ، عن عمرو بن ميمون الأودي ، عن عمر بن الخطاب ، رضي الله عنه ، أن موسى ، عليه السلام ، لما ورد ماء مدين ، وجد عليه أمة من الناس يسقون ، قال : فلما فرغوا أعادوا الصخرة على البئر ، ولا يطيق رفعها إلا عشرة رجال ، فإذا هو بامرأتين تذودان ، قال : ما خطبكما ؟ فحدثتاه ، فأتى الحجر فرفعه ، ثم لم يستق إلا ذنوبا واحدا حتى رويت الغنم . إسناد صحيح .وقوله : ( ثم تولى إلى الظل فقال رب إني لما أنزلت إلي من خير فقير ) قال ابن عباس : سار موسى من مصر إلى مدين ، ليس له طعام إلا البقل وورق الشجر ، وكان حافيا فما وصل مدين حتى سقطت نعل قدمه .

وجلس في الظل وهو صفوة الله من خلقه ، وإن بطنه لاصق بظهره من الجوع ، وإن خضرة البقل لترى من داخل جوفه وإنه لمحتاج إلى شق تمرة .وقوله : ( إلى الظل ) قال ابن عباس ، وابن مسعود ، والسدي : جلس تحت شجرة .وقال ابن جرير : حدثني الحسين بن عمرو العنقزي ، حدثنا أبي ، حدثنا إسرائيل ، عن أبي إسحاق ، عن عمرو بن ميمون ، عن عبد الله - هو ابن مسعود - قال : حثثت على جمل ليلتين ، حتى صبحت مدين ، فسألت عن الشجرة التي أوى إليها موسى ، فإذا شجرة خضراء ترف ، فأهوى إليها جملي - وكان جائعا - فأخذها جملي فعالجها ساعة ، ثم لفظها ، فدعوت الله لموسى ، عليه السلام ، ثم انصرفت .وفي رواية عن ابن مسعود : أنه ذهب إلى الشجرة التي كلم الله منها لموسى ، كما سيأتي والله أعلم .وقال السدي : كانت من شجر السمر .وقال عطاء بن السائب : لما قال موسى ( رب إني لما أنزلت إلي من خير فقير ) ، أسمع المرأة .