Abstract
The hadith about Prophet Moses and the stone rolling away with his clothes highlights divine intervention and prophetic dignity. It dispels false accusations against Moses, illustrating how Allah shields His prophets from distractions that could undermine their appeal. Through authentic narrations, the account offers profound insights into divine wisdom, the challenges faced by prophets, and their protection through miracles. Scholars have examined the story, making detailed observations and uncovering deeper lessons.
1. Introduction
The story of a stone rolling away with Prophet Moses’ clothes, leading to a chase that vindicates his honour, is both intriguing and puzzling at first encounter. Preserved through multiple authentic narrations from Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), this seemingly simple account raises more profound questions about its purpose and meaning. What appears as an unusual incident reveals, upon careful examination, profound implications about prophetic dignity and divine wisdom. Through various companion accounts and scholarly interpretations across generations, the narrative invites us to understand both its historical significance and relevance.
2. Narrative forms
The report has multiple narrations, each adding unique elements to the account.
عن الحسن، ومحمد، وخلاس، عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ” إن موسى كان رجلا حييا ستيرا، لا يرى من جلده شيء استحياء منه، فآذاه من آذاه من بني إسرائيل فقالوا: ما يستتر هذا التستر، إلا من عيب بجلده: إما برص وإما أدرة: وإما آفة، وإن الله أراد أن يبرئه مما قالوا لموسى، فخلا يوما وحده، فوضع ثيابه على الحجر، ثم اغتسل، فلما فرغ أقبل إلى ثيابه ليأخذها، وإن الحجر عدا بثوبه، فأخذ موسى عصاه وطلب الحجر، فجعل يقول: ثوبي حجر، ثوبي حجر، حتى انتهى إلى ملإ من بني إسرائيل، فرأوه عريانا أحسن ما خلق الله، وأبرأه مما يقولون، وقام الحجر، فأخذ ثوبه فلبسه، وطفق بالحجر ضربا بعصاه، فوالله إن بالحجر لندبا من أثر ضربه، ثلاثا أو أربعا أو خمسا، فذلك قوله: يا أيها الذين آمنوا [ص:157] لا تكونوا كالذين آذوا موسى فبرأه الله مما قالوا وكان عند الله وجيها “
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Al-Hasan [al-Basri], Muhammad [Ibn Sirin], and Khallas related that Abu Huraira said: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “(The Prophet) Moses was a shy person and used to cover his body completely because of his extensive shyness. One of the children of Israel hurt him by saying, ‘He covers his body in this way only because of some defect in his skin, either leprosy or scrotal hernia, or he has some other defect.’ Allah wished to clear Moses of what they said about him, so one day while Moses was in seclusion, he took off his clothes and put them on a stone, and started bathing. When he had finished the bath, he moved towards his clothes so as to take them, but the stone took his clothes and fled; Moses picked up his stick and ran after the stone saying, ‘O stone! Give me my garment!’ Till he reached a group of Bani Israel who saw him naked then, and found him the best of what Allah had created, and Allah cleared him of what they had accused him of. The stone stopped there and Moses took and put his garment on and started hitting the stone with his stick. [Abu Huraira added] By Allah, the stone still has some traces of the hitting, three, four or five marks. This was what Allah refers to in His Saying:– “O you who believe! Be you not like those Who annoyed Moses, But Allah proved his innocence of that which they alleged, And he was honourable In Allah’s Sight.” (33.69)[1]
Another narration goes as:
عن همام بن منبه، عن أبي هريرة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: ” كانت بنو إسرائيل يغتسلون عراة، ينظر بعضهم إلى بعض، وكان موسى صلى الله عليه وسلم يغتسل وحده، فقالوا: والله ما يمنع موسى أن يغتسل معنا إلا أنه آدر، فذهب مرة يغتسل، فوضع ثوبه على حجر، ففر الحجر بثوبه، فخرج موسى في إثره، يقول: ثوبي يا حجر، حتى نظرت بنو إسرائيل إلى موسى، فقالوا: والله ما بموسى من بأس، وأخذ ثوبه، فطفق بالحجر ضربا ” فقال أبو هريرة: والله إنه لندب بالحجر، ستة أو سبعة، ضربا بالحجر
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Hammam b. Munabbih related from Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “‘The (people of) Bani Israel used to take bath naked (all together) looking at each other. The Prophet Moses used to take a bath alone. They said, ‘By Allah! Nothing prevents Moses from taking a bath with us except that he has a scrotal hernia.’ So once Moses went out to take a bath and put his clothes over a stone and then that stone ran away with his clothes. Moses followed that stone saying, ‘My clothes, O stone! My clothes, O stone!’ till the people of Bani Israel saw him and said, ‘By Allah, Moses has got no defect in his body.’ Moses took his clothes and began to beat the stone.” Abu Huraira added, “By Allah! There are still six or seven marks present on the stone from that excessive beating.”[2]
Others who narrated from Abu Huraira include ‘Abdullah b. Shaqiq,[3] Habib b. Salim,[4] and also Ikrima, whose narration has a vital addition that Abu Huraira said, “It is as though I am looking at the Prophet (ﷺ) imitating Musa, moving his hands and saying, ‘My clothes, O stone!’”[5]
This would refute the suggestion that Abu Huraira narrated anyone else’s words as those of the Prophet (ﷺ).
One narration has that when a group of Israelites saw Musa and found him without any defect, as had been alleged by some, they said:
May Allah destroy the liars among the Children of Israel.[6]
Anas bin Malik has also reported this incident, and his narrations are significant as they add essential nuances. One of his accounts includes the words “tadahdahat as-sakhrah” (the stone rolled),[7] presenting the episode as incidental yet providential in its precise timing.[8] Another narration emphasises that Musa was extraordinarily modest, noting “his private parts were hardly ever exposed.”[9] One particularly vivid account describes how “when he wanted to enter the water, he would not remove his garment until his private parts were concealed in the water.”[10]
Ibn ‘Abbas also reported it, albeit without quoting it from the Prophet (ﷺ).[11]
3. Cultural context and divine wisdom
The reports indicate that the men of Israel would bathe naked in each other’s presence. Scholars suggest this behaviour stemmed from either the absence of a legal prohibition in their religious law or a general tendency to treat the matter with undue casualness.[12] However, the former appears more plausible,[13] given the reports’ emphasis on Musa’s shyness as the defining reason for his reluctance to bathe publicly.
These accounts indicate Musa’s bathing at a distance from the people, [14], and stress that he did not fully undress until submerged in the water.
This detail is noteworthy, as it has been argued that “Allah does not decree for His Prophet anything that is not permissible in His law.” [15]
Since Allah created Prophets in the best form, [16] ensuring that no physical imperfection would detract and repel people from their mission, it was fitting for this to be made evident—especially to the Israelites of that era, who were known for their critical and skeptical nature, often leading them to say things that annoyed Musa. And the purpose was achieved as conveyed by the remark of the people who saw Musa chasing the stone sans clothes, “By Allah, Moses has got no defect in his body,” and “May Allah destroy the liars among the Children of Israel.”
4. Divine intervention and human nature
Stone rolling with Musa’s clothes to the presence of a group of Israelites was a divine intervention intended to vindicate him against accusations of a physical defect. Musa’s act of chasing the stone and striking it with his staff, however, was a spontaneous, natural human reaction, unaware of Allah’s plan for his vindication.[17] Such impulsive reactions from Musa are noted in both the Qur’an and the Bible in other contexts. Examples include his breaking of the tablets and seizing his brother Harun (Aaron) by the beard, as mentioned in Qur’an 7:150, 20:94, and Exodus 32:19.
5. Historical and scriptural context
As for the marks of Musa’s strikes on the stone, which Abu Huraira mentioned seeing, it seems likely that during his time in the Levant,[18] Abu Huraira came across a stone bearing such marks and was informed that it was the very stone associated with Musa. [19] However, these marks were not mentioned by the Prophet (ﷺ); rather, Abu Huraira’s reference to them may have been influenced by the folklore of that era.[20]
While other accusations of Israelites against Musa are also seen as relatable to Qur’an 33:69,[21] there is no contradiction, and they all might well fall under it. [22] Nevertheless, several prominent exegetes have deemed this account as squarely related to the verse.[23] They include Al-Qurtubi,[24] Ibn Juzayy,[25] and Ibn Kathir.[26].
6. Conclusion
The narrative of Moses and the stone, preserved through multiple authentic chains, reveals deeper meanings beneath its simple surface. Through divine intervention, it addressed the false accusations against Moses and demonstrated his exemplary character – particularly his modesty in contrast to prevalent customs. His human reaction of chasing and striking the stone adds authenticity to the account, aligning with other recorded instances of his spontaneous responses in sacred texts.
Though unique to Islamic sources, the incident perfectly illustrates how divine wisdom operates through seemingly ordinary events to achieve profound purposes. It proved Moses’ physical perfection while affirming his characteristic modesty, simultaneously silencing critics and preserving prophetic dignity in a way that left no room for doubt. The multiple supporting narrations and generations of scholarly analysis help us appreciate its authenticity and timeless significance in understanding the divine protection of prophetic missions.
Notes & References:
[1] Al-Bukhari, al-Sahih, Hadith 3404
[2] Al-Bukhari, al-Sahih, Hadith 278; Muslim b. Hajjaj, al-Sahih, Hadith 339-75; 2372-155
[3] Muslim b. Hajjaj, al-Sahih, Hadith 2372-156
[4] al-‘Asqalani, Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, (Beirut: Dar al-Ma’rifa, 1379 AH) Vol.6, 437 citing Ibn Marduwayh.
[5] Mujahid b. Jabr, Tafsir Mujahid, Ed. ‘Abdul Rahman al-Tahir b. Muhammad al-Surati (Islamabad: Majm‘ al-Buhuth al-Islamiyya, 1977) Vol.2, 521 /(Cairo: Dar al-Fekr al-Islami, 1989) 552; Ibn ‘Asakir, Abu al-Qasim, Tarikh al-Damishq, (Beirut: Dar al-Fekr, 1995) Vol.61, 171. Also see, al-Tabari, Abu Ja ‘far Muhammad ibn Jarir, Jami‘ al-Bayan ‘an Ta’wil ay al-Qur’an, Ed. Ahmad Shakir / Mahmud Shakir (Beirut: al-Resalah Publishers, 2000) Vol.20, 332; al-‘Asqalani, Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, Vol.6, 437-8 citing Ibn Marduwayh.
[6] Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, Hadith 9091, 10914; al-Tabari, Jami‘ al-Bayan, Vol.20, 334.
[7] Yahya b. Sallam, Tafsir Yahya bin Sallam, (Beirut: DKI, 2004) Vol.2, 741. Narrations from Anas all come through ‘Ali b. Zaid b. Jud‘an (d. 131/749), who has been criticised by many, but the most plausible and balanced conclusion appears to be the one reached by al-‘Awni that, except when at odds with a narrator more reliable, his reports are worthy of being considered hasan. See al-‘Awni, Hatem Sharif, al-Mursal al-Khafi wa ‘Ilaqatuhu bi al-Tadlis, (Riyadh: Dar al-Hijra, 1997) 306-322..
[8] Cf. James Hastings, A Dictionary of the Bible, 1st ed. (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1909), 179, where he notes that the quails were brought by a sea-wind into the camp of the Israelites, with the miracle lying in their arrival at just the right time and place: “The miracle consisted in their being directed to the right time and place.”
[9] Al-Bazzar, Abu Bakr, al-Musnad, (Madina: Maktaba al-‘Ulum wa al-Hikam, 1997) Hadith 7421;
[10] Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, Hadith 13764. See note 7 and cf. Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, (Cairo: Dar al-Hadith, 1995) Vol.11, 266 Hadith 13699; classified as sahih by Hamza Ahmad al-Zain.
[11] Ibn Abi Shaiba, al-Musannaf, Hadith 32509; al-Tabari, Jami‘ al-Bayan, Vol.20, 332-333
[12] Al-Nawawi, Yahya b. Zakariyya, al-Minhaj Sharh Sahih Muslim b. al-Hajjaj, (Beirut: Dar Ihya’ al-Turath al-‘Arabi, 1392 AH) Vol.4, 32-33
[13] al-‘Asqalani, Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, Vol.1, 386
[14] Mughaltai b. Qalij, Abu ‘Abdullah, Sharh Sunan Ibn Majah, (Makkah: Nezar Mustafa al-Baz, 1999) Vol.1, 826. The narration from ‘Abdullah b. Shaqiq mentions that Moses bathed in a small pond (muwaih), whereas a narration from ‘Ikrima, recorded by Ibn Marduwayh, states that he went to bathe in a stream (nahr).
[15] Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Fath al-Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, (Madina: Maktaba al-Ghuraba al-Athariyya, 1996) Vol.1, 330
[16] Al-Yahsubi, Qadi ‘Iyad bin Musa, Ikmal al-Mu’lim bi Fawa’id Muslim, (Cairo: Dar al-Wafa, 1998) Vol.7, 349; al-‘Asqalani, Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, Vol.6, 438; Shafi‘, Muhammad, Ma‘arif al-Qur’an, (Karachi: Makataba Ma‘arif al-Qur’an, 2008) Vol.7, 240
[17] Ibn Hubaira, Abu al-Muzaffar, al-Ifsah ‘an Ma‘ani al-Sihah, (Riyadh: Dar al-Watan, 1417 AH) Vol.7, 210; Also, Zeriouh, Muhammad b. Farid, Al-Ma‘aradat al-Fikriyah al-Mu‘asirah li-Ahadith al-Sahihain, (London: Takween, 2020) Vol.3, 1467-8
[18] Abu Huraira had participated in the Battle of Yarmuk and also spent time in al-Sham during the reign of Mu‘awiya. And it was there he met Ka‘b al-Ahbar who shared with him things from the Jewish tradition. See, Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, Hadith 23791; Ibn ‘Asakir, Abu al-Qasim, Tarikh al-Damishq, Vol.67, 296-7; al-Dhahabi, Shams al-Din, Siyar al-A‘lam al-Nubala, (Beirut: al-Resalah Publishers, 1985) Vol.2, 586
[19] Al-Tha‘labi, Abu Ishaq, al-Kashf wa al-Bayan ‘an Tafsir al-Qur’an, (Beirut: Dar Ihya’ al-Turath al-‘Arabi, 2002) Vol.1, 204. See also, Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, Hadith 8301
[20] al-‘Asqalani, Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, Vol.6, 437
[21] See Qur’an 61:5 ; 2:55; 2:61; 2:67; 5:24. Also see the Bible, Exodus 14:11-12; 16:2-3
[22] Al-Bukhari, al-Sahih, Hadith 3405; al-Tabari, Jami‘ al-Bayan, Vol.20, 335; al-Tahawi, Abu Ja‘far, Sharh Mushkil al-Athar, (Beirut: Al-Resalah Publishers, 1994) Vol.1, 67-69; al-‘Asqalani, Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, Vol.6, 438
[23] Al-Sam‘ani, Abu al-Muzaffar, Tafsir al-Qur’an, (Riyadh: Dar al-Watan, 1998) Vol.4, 309
[24] Al-Qurtubi, Shams al-Din, al-Jami‘ li Ahkam al-Qur’an, (Cairo: Dar al-Kutab al-Misriyya, 1964) Vol.14, 251
[25] Ibn al-Juzayy, Abu al-Qasim, al-Tas-hil li ‘Ulum al-Tanzil, (Beirur: Shirkat Dar al-Arqam, 1416 AH) Vol.2, 160
[26] Ibn Kathir, ‘Imad al-Din, Tafsir al-Qur’an al-A‘zim, (Riyadh: Dar al-Taiba, 1999) Vol.6, 485
