Surah Al-Isra · 17:2

Musa and how He was given the Tawrah

When Allah mentions how He took His servant Muhammad ﷺ, on the Journey by Night, He follows it by mentioning Musa, His servant and Messenger who also spoke with Him. Allah often mentions Muhammad ﷺ and Musa (AH.) together, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon them both, and he mentions the Tawrah and the Qur'an together. So after mentioning the Isra', He says:

وَءَاتَيْنَآ مُوسَى الْكِتَـبَ

(And We gave Musa the Scripture), meaning the Tawrah.

وَجَعَلْنَاهُ

(and made it), meaning the Scripture,

هُدًى

(a guidance), meaning a guide,

لِّبَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ أَلاَّ تَتَّخِذُواْ

(for the Children of Israel (saying): "Take none...") means, lest they should take,

مِن دُونِى وَكِيلاً

("... other than Me as (your) Wakil") means, `you have no protector, supporter or god besides Me,' because Allah revealed to every Prophet that he should worship Him alone with no partner or associate. Then Allah says:

ذُرِّيَّةَ مَنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوحٍ

(O offspring of those whom We carried (in the ship) with Nuh) by addressing the descendants of those who were carried in the ship with Nuh there is a reminder of the blessings, as if Allah is saying: `O descendants of those whom We saved and carried in the ship with Nuh, follow in the footsteps of your father,

إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا

(Verily, he was a grateful servant). `Remember the blessing I have granted you by sending Muhammad ﷺ.' Imam Ahmad reported that Anas bin Malik said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«إِنَّ اللهَ لَيَرْضَى عَنِ الْعَبْدِ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ الْأَكْلَةَ أَوْ يَشْرَبَ الشَّرْبَةَ فَيَحْمَدَ اللهَ عَلَيْهَا»

(Allah will be pleased with His servant if, when he eats something or drinks something, he praises Allah for it.)" This was also recorded by Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i. Malik said about Zayd bin Aslam: "He used to praise Allah in all circumstances." In this context, Al-Bukhari mentioned the Hadith of Abu Zar`ah narrating from Abu Hurayrah, who said that the Prophet said:

«أَنَا سَيِّدُ وَلَدِ آدَمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة»

(I will be the leader of the sons of Adam on the Day of Resurrection...) He quoted the Hadith at length, and in the Hadith, the Prophet said:

«فَيَأْتُونَ نُوحًا فَيَقُولُونَ: يَا نُوحُ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ أَوَّلُ الرُّسُلِ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ، وَقَدْ سَمَّاكَ اللهُ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا، فَاشْفَعْ لَنَا إِلَى رَبِّك»

(They will come to Nuh and will say, `O Nuh, you were the first of the Messengers sent to the people of earth, and Allah called you grateful servant, so intercede for us with your Lord.') And he quoted the Hadith in full.