Did the Qur’an Contradict Itself About Allah Speaking to Moses?
Did the Qur’an Contradict Itself About Allah Speaking to Moses?
Some skeptics imagine that there is a contradiction between the words of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, in Surah Al-Qasas, Surah An-Naml, and Surah Taha regarding the moment when Moses, peace be upon him, was called near the fire.
“So when he came to it, he was called from the right side of the valley in the blessed spot from the tree, ‘O Moses, indeed I am Allah, Lord of the worlds.’”
“So when he came to it, he was called, ‘Blessed are those in the Fire and those around it. Glory be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. O Moses, indeed I am Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.’”
“So when he came to it, he was called, ‘O Moses. Indeed, I am your Lord, so remove your sandals. Indeed, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa. And I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed. Indeed, I am Allah. There is no god except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.’”
Their aim behind this is to say that the Qur’an is not from Allah.
The Face of Invalidating the Doubt
The statements are multiple because the situation itself contained many scenes. It cannot be narrated or expressed through only one statement.
These scenes are as follows:
- Allah, the Almighty, reassures Moses and informs him that the speaker is Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
- Allah Almighty qualifies Moses, peace be upon him, to receive great news.
- Allah, the Almighty, informs Moses of his prophethood and orders him to worship and pray.
The Multiplicity of Qur’anic Contexts
The multiplicity of context in the Holy Qur’an is due to the multiplicity of the situation itself.
When Moses, peace be upon him, came to the fire, his Lord Almighty spoke to him in several different contexts. This is because each verse that speaks about this situation focuses on a particular scene within the event.
First Scene: Allah Reassures Moses
Allah Almighty reassures Moses, peace be upon him, that the speaker is Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
So Moses felt fear and was terrified by the sight of the light that he saw. Allah Almighty wanted to reassure him, so He called him by his name, then informed him that the one speaking to him was Allah Almighty.
When Moses, peace be upon him, heard this, he was not surprised by what he saw of the light and greenery, nor was he surprised by hearing speech without seeing the one speaking to him. This was because the matter was from Allah Almighty, and it cannot be compared to the events of human beings.
So Moses was reassured that he was in the presence of his Lord, Almighty and Majestic. This is the scene emphasized in Surah Al-Qasas.
Second Scene: Allah Qualifies Moses to Receive Great News
Allah, Glory be to Him, qualifies Moses, peace be upon him, to receive great news.
“Blessed are those in the Fire and those around it.”
Here, Allah, Glory be to Him, blesses the place where the fire is. He blesses those in it and those around it, including the angels and Moses as well, because Moses is one of those around it.
After that, Allah clears Himself of any partner and of everything that is not befitting of Him, Glory be to Him, Lord of the Worlds. He then informs Moses that He, Glory be to Him, is the Possessor of all glory and the wisest of judges.
Through this, Moses, peace be upon him, is prepared and qualified spiritually and doctrinally to receive a great matter.
This is the scene emphasized in Surah An-Naml.
Third Scene: Allah Informs Moses of His Prophethood
Allah, Glory be to Him, informs Moses of his prophethood and commands him to worship and pray.
“Indeed, I am your Lord, so remove your sandals. Indeed, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa.”
Allah, the Almighty, addressed Moses with the words:
“I am your Lord.”
This indicates familiarity, because the word “Allah” is required for worship and assignment, since Allah is obeyed in what He commands. But “Lord” indicates giving and nurturing, even for the disbeliever.
So Allah, the Almighty, addressed Moses with lordship and giving. He said:
“Indeed, I am your Lord, so remove your sandals. Indeed, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa.”
He did not say, “I am the absolute Lord,” as mentioned previously. Rather, He said:
“I am your Lord.”
That is because the messengers have a special upbringing, different from the rest of creation. Allah, the Almighty, gives from His upbringing what suits the mission of the servant with Him.
The Command to Remove the Sandals
The first command that Allah, the Almighty, directed to Moses in this situation was to take off his sandals.
The reason for this was that Moses was in the sacred valley called Tuwa.
After that, Allah informed him of his selection for prophethood and ordered him to listen carefully to what was revealed to him.
“Indeed, I am Allah. There is no god except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.”
Conclusion
The first scene is that Allah reassures Moses and informs him that the speaker is Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
The second scene is that Allah qualifies Moses to receive great news by blessing him, confirming that Allah is free from everything unbefitting of His majesty, and informing him that all glory belongs to Allah and that He is the wisest of judges.
The third scene is that Allah orders Moses to take off his sandals because he is in the sacred valley called Tuwa. Then Allah informs him of His choosing him for prophethood and His charging him with worship and prayer, which is the remembrance of Allah on His earth.
This is a compilation of a great story through scenes that indicate it, and signs that everyone who has a heart or listens attentively can understand.
Source
Adapted fromStories of the Prophets by Sheikh Muhammad Metwally Al-Shaarawy, Dar Al-Quds, Cairo, 1st edition, 1426 AH / 2006 CE, pp. 267-268, with some modifications.