STORIES OF THE PROPHETS PART 8
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Stories Of The Prophets
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CLASS 8 – STORIES OF PROPHETS YUNUS AND MUSA
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PROPHET YUNUS (Jonah)
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Description of Yunus’s People
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Prophet Yunus (Jonah) (pbuh) also known as Dhan-Nun. About his people Almighty Allah said: “Was there any town community that believed after seeing the punishment, and its Faith at thatmoment, saved it from the punishment? (the answer is none)–except the people of Yunus; when they believed, We removed from them the torment of disgrace in the life of the present world, and permitted them to enjoy for a while. (10:98)
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Never did a town to which I sent messengers to believe in faith validly and beneficially and before seeing the punishment, except the people of Jonah. When they truly accepted faith, I removed the punishment of disgrace and humiliation from them in the worldly life, and I let them have enjoyment until the end of their lives.
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If your Lord, O Messenger, had willed for everyone on earth to believe, they would have done so. However, He did not will it to be so for a wise reason. He misguides whomever He wills through His justice; and He guides whomever He wills through His grace. You do not have the ability to force people to become believers: their guidance to faith lies only in Allah’s Hands.
(Surah Yunus:98-99)
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The inhabitants of the town of Nineveh were idolaters who did not pay heed to Yunus’s teachings, so they argued. “We and our forefathers have worshipped these gods for many years and no harm has come to us.”
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Yunus Leaves His People
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He warned them that if they kept on with their foolishness, Allah’s punishment would soon follow. They told Yunus that they were not afraid of his threats. “Let it happen,” they told him. Yunus was disheartened. “in that case, I will leave you to your misery!” so saying, he left Nineveh, fearing that Allah’s anger would soon follow.
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The People are Forgiven
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Hardly had he left the city when the skies began to change color and looked as if they were on fire. The people were filled with fear by this sight. They recalled the destruction of the people of ‘Ad, Thamud and Noah. Was theirs to be a similar fate? Slowly faith penetrated their hearts. They all gathered on the mountain and started to beseech Allah for His mercy and forgiveness. The mountains echoed with their cries. It was a momentous hour, filled with sincere repentance.
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Allah removed His wrath and showered His blessings upon them once again. When the threatening storm was lifted, they prayed for the return of Yunus so that he could guide them.
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The Storm at Sea
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Meanwhile, Yunus had boarded a small. When night came, a horrible storm started. Allah commanded a whale to start following the ship.
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The storm continued and they had to lighten the ship’s heavy load. They threw their baggage overboard, but this was not enough, so they decided among themselves to lighten their load by removing at least one person.
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Yunus Jumps into the Sea
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They made lots which names of all passengers. The one whose name is drawn will be thrown into the sea.” The lot was drawn and “Yunus” appeared. Since he was a honourable man, they decided to draw a second lot. Again Yunus’s name was drawn. They gave him a final chance and drew a third lot. Unfortunately for Yunus, his name came up again.
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Yunus realized that Allah’s hand was in all this, for he had abandoned his mission without Allah’s consent. The matter was over, and it was decided that Yunus should throw himself into the water.
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The Whale Swallows Yunus
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The whale found Yunus floating on the waves before it. It swallowed Yunus into its furious Stomach. His heart was moved by remembering Allah. His tongue released soon after saying:
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لَّا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
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la ilaha illa anta subhanaka innee kuntu mina alththalimeen
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“La ilaha illa Anta [none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allah)], Glorified (and Exalted) are You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]. Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers.” Al-Qur’an, 021.087 (Al-Anbiya [The Prophets])
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O Messenger! Also mention the story of the Companion of the Whale: Jonah (peace be upon him), when he went away without the permission of his Lord, angry with his people for their insistence on sin. He thought I would not constrain him by punishing him for his hurrying away; and so he was afflicted with a severe form of constraint and imprisonment when the Whale swallowed him. He then called out in the darknesses of the belly of the Whale, the ocean and the night, acknowledging his error and repenting to Allah for it, saying, “There is no true deity except You, You are glorified of all faults and sanctified. Indeed, I was one of the wrongdoers.”
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So I accepted his call and saved him from that severe distress by taking him out from all the darknesses including from the belly of the Whale. Just like I saved Jonah from this distress of his, I also save the believers when they fall into distress and call out to Me for help.
(al-Anbiya:87-88)
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Allah Forgives Yunus
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Allah Almighty saw the sincere repentance of Yunus and heard his invocation in the whale’s stomach. Allah commanded the whale to surface and eject Yunus onto an island. Allah told Yunus that if it had not been for his praying to Him, he would have stayed in the whale’s stomach till the Day of Judgment.
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Yunus’s People – Changed
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When he returned, he was pleasantly surprised to notice the change that had taken place there. The entire population turned out to welcome him. They informed him that they had turned to believe in Allah. Together they led a prayer of thanksgiving to their Merciful Lord.
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LESSONS
There is Allah’s wisdom behind every problem so do not hasten for the results.
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Repentance will change our circumstances and fate.
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Allah grants hidaya to those he wills so do not give up on the cause of calling people towards Allah.
PROPHET MUSA (Moses)
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Description of the Pharaoh
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The pharaoh who ruled Egypt was a tyrant who oppressed the descendants of Jacob (pbuh), known as the children of Israel (Bani Israel). He used every means to demean and disgrace them. They were kept in bondage and forced to work for him for small wages or nothing. Under this system the people obeyed and worshipped the pharaoh.
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Visions of Dethroning the Pharaoh
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Ibn ‘Abbas narrated “Pharaoh saw in his vision a fire, which came from Jerusalem and burned the houses of the Egyptians, and all Copts, and did not do harm to the children of Israel. When he woke up, he was horrified. He then gathered his priests and magicians and asked them about this vision. They said: “This means a boy will be born of them and the Egyptian people will perish at his hands.’ That is why Pharaoh commanded that all male children of the children of Israel be killed.”
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The Killing of the Children of Israel
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The killing of the children of Israel was carried out until the experts of economics said to Pharaoh: “The aged of the children of Israel die and the young are slaughtered. This will lead to their annihilation. As a result, Pharaoh will lose the manpower of those who work for him, those whom he enslaves, and their women whom he exploits. It is better to regulate this procedure by initiating the following policy: males should be slaughtered in one year but spared to live the next year.” Pharaoh found that solution to be safer economically.
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The Birth of Aaron and Musa
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Musa’s mother was pregnant with Aaron in a year that boys were spared; thus she gave birth to the child publicly and safely. During a year in which boys were to be slain, she gave birth to Musa; thus his birth caused her much terror. She was afraid he would be slain, so she nursed him secretly.
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Musa Thrown into the Nile
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She was commanded to make a basket for Musa. She nursed him, put him into the basket, then went to the shore of the Nile and threw it into the water
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Hardly had the basket touched the water of the Nile than Allah issued His command to the waves to be calm and gentle while carrying the child would one day be a prophet. She instructed her daughter to follow the course of the basket and to report back to her. As the daughter followed the floating basket along the riverbank, she found herself right in the palace.
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The basket came to rest at the riverbank, which skirted the king’s palace. The palace servants found the basket with the baby and took it to the Pharaoh and his queen. When the queen beheld the lovely infant, Allah instilled in her a strong love for this baby. Pharaoh’s wife was very different from Pharaoh. He was a disbeliever; she was a believer. He was cruel; she was merciful. He was a tyrant; she was delicate and goodhearted. She was sad because she was infertile and had hoped to have a son. She requested her husband: “Let me keep the baby and let him be a son to us.”
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Musa and His Mother Reunited
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The queen summoned a few wet nurses to suckle the baby Musa, but he would not take any of their breasts. The queen was distressed and sent for more wet nurses. Seeing the queen’s anxiety, Musa’ sister blurted that she knew just the mother who would suckle the child affectionately. Musa’s mother rushed to the palace. As the child was put to her breast, he immediately started suckling.
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From that day onward, she was appointed as Musa’s wet nurse. She continued to breast-feed him for a long time. When he was bigger and was weaned, she was allowed the privilege of visiting him. Musa was raised in the palace as a prince.
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Musa Kills an Egyptian
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Allah had granted Musa good health, strength, knowledge, and wisdom. The weak and oppressed turned to him for protection and justice.
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One day in the main city, he saw two men fighting. One was an Israelite, who was being beaten by the other, an Egyptian. On seeing Musa, the Israelite begged him for help. Musa became involved in the dispute and, in a state of anger, struck a heavy blow on the Egyptian, who died on the spot.
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The next day he saw the same Israelite involved in another fight. Musa went to him and said: “You seem to be a quarrelsome fellow. You have a new quarrel with one person or another each day.” Fearing that Musa might strike him, the Israelite warned Musa: “Would you kill me as you killed the wretch yesterday?”
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The Egyptian with whom the Israelite was fighting overheard this remark and reported Musa to the authorities. Soon thereafter, as Musa was passing through the city, a man approached and alerted him: “O Musa, the chiefs have taken counsel against you. You are to be tried and killed. I would advise you to escape.”
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Musa Leaves Egypt
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Musa left Egypt in a hurry without going to Pharaoh’s palace or changing his clothes. He traveled in the direction of the country of Midian, which was the nearest inhabited land between Syria and Egypt.
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Musa Helps Women Shepherds
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He traveled for eight nights, hiding during the day. After crossing the main desert, he reached a watering hole outside Midian where shepherds were watering their flocks.
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Musa noticed a band of shepherds watering their sheep. He went to the spring, where he saw two young women preventing their sheep from mixing with the others. Musa sensed that the women were in need of help. He asked if he could help them in any way.
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The older sister said: “We are waiting until the shepherds finish watering their sheep, then we will water ours.” Musa asked: “Why are you shepherding?” The younger sister said: “Our father is an old man; his health is too poor for him to go outdoors for pasturing sheep.” Musa said: “I will water the sheep for you.”
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Musa Finds a Home Among Shepherds
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The young ladies returned home and related the incident at the spring. Their father sent one of his daughters to invite the stranger to his home.
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Musa welcomed this invitation and accompanied the maiden to her father. Musa could see that they lived comfortably as a happy and peaceful household. He introduced himself and told the old man about the misfortune that he had befallen him and had compelled him to flee from Egypt. The old man comforted him: “Fear not, you have escaped from the wrong-doers.”
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Musa’s gentle behavior was noticed by the father and his daughters. The kind man invited him to stay with them. Musa felt at home with this happy household, for they were friendly and feared Allah.
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Musa Becomes a Shepherd
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One of the daughters suggested to her father that he employ Musa, as he was strong and trustworthy. They needed someone like him, especially at the water hole, which was visited by ruffians. The father asked her how she could be sure of his trustworthiness in such a short time. She replied: “When I bade him to follow me to our home, he insisted that I walk behind him so he would not observe my form (to avoid sexual attraction).”
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The old man was pleased to hear this. He approached Musa and said: “I wish to marry you to one of my daughters on condition that you agree to work for me for a period of eight years.”
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This offer suited Musa well, for being a stranger in this country, he would soon have to search for shelter, and work. Musa married the Midianite’s daughter and looked after the old man’s animals for ten long years.
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Musa Decides to Return to Egypt
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One day, a vague homesickness arose in Musa’s heart. He wanted to return to Egypt. He was fast and firm in making his decision, telling his wife: “Tomorrow we shall leave for Egypt.” His wife said to herself. “There are a thousand dangers in departing that have not yet been revealed.” However, she obeyed her husband.
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Musa Begins His Prophethood
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Musa left Midian with his family and traveled through the desert until he reached Mount Sinai. There Musa discovered that he had lost his way. He sought Allah’s direction and was shown the right course. At nightfall they reached Mount Tur. Musa noticed a fire in the distance. “I shall fetch a firebrand to warm us.”
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As he neared the fire, he heard a sonorous voice calling him: “O Musa, I am Allah, the Lord of the Universe.” Musa was bewildered and looked around. He again heard the strange voice. “And what is in you right hand, O Musa?”
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Shivering, Musa answered: “This is my staff on which I lean, and with which I beat down branches for my sheep, and for which I find other uses.”
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The same voice commanded him: “Throw down your staff!” He did so, and at once the staff became a wriggling snake. Musa turned to run, but the voice again addressed him: “Fear not and grasp it; We shall return it to its former state.” The snake changed back into his staff. Musa’s fear subsided and was replaced by peace, for he realized that he was witnessing the Truth. Next, Allah commanded him to thrust his hand into his robe at the armpit. When he pulled it out, the hand had a brilliant shine. Allah then commanded Musa; “You have two signs from Your Lord; go to Pharaoh and his chiefs, for they are an evil gang and have transgressed all bounds.