When Musa went away
Mountains call you differently than caves do, if they do at all. Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – chose to retreat inside of a cave, which was on top of a mountain but we seldom talk about the mountain. And not without a reason. The cave for the prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – is a reclusive retreat from the paganistic practices that are ubiquitous in Arabia. He is 40 years old. It’s a time of introspection and deep contemplation with a tenacious desire for clarity and answers. While Musa is asked directly by God to seclude himself and make the journey on top of the mountain for 40 days for worship, solitude and physical endeavoring, Muhammad eagerly waits in the cave of Hira until he is visited by Angel Gabriel who presents him the invitation from God. Musa becomes the guest of God in his journey while Muhammad yearns the visit from the Divine, like a fervent host awaiting the most beloved guest. Different experiences. Yet, same purpose, same message, same mission.
Human Beings are like that though. Even if each of us walked the same path, climbed the same mountain or swam in the same sea, our experiences would be very different. However, there is something that can unite us in these moments and that’s our purpose. If you’ve ever traveled to a region surrounded by mountains, you know the feeling of benevolence. As grand and magnanimous their presence, you feel something that’s bigger. You feel small yet are awestruck by your mind’s capacity to grasp and take in all that is around, not just of the terrain but everything the vision meets over the horizon, or wondering about that which it cannot.
In the story of Musa, the mountain he climbs to be with Allah for 40 days and receive the 10 commandments for his nation certainly stands atop. It happens soon after Musa leads the tribe of Israel into safety from the oppression of Pharaoh. One of the most phenomenal aspects of Musa’s journey for 40 days is what transpires amongst his people during his departure away from them. His people begin to worship a statue of a calf while he is away. This is despite his leaving his brother Haroon with the responsibility of keeping them steadfast. The nation proves to be difficult with Haroon and ignores him. When Musa returns from the mountain with the clear message of guidance for the people, he is astonished and infuriated by their turning away from Allah and worshiping the calf. Even after witnessing Musa’s staff turning into a miracle that swallows everything around to the parting of the sea, as well as their deliverance from misery and oppression to safety and peace, it takes 40 days for the message to fade and most of them fall prey to a trap. In this is a great lesson, as Allah often repeats this verse for people of intellect and understanding.
So what is that lesson for us in this day and age and what is our responsibility if we understand it?
This 40 day gap between the guidance of Musa and his people was enough for them to be distracted and turn defiance. Can we assume though that it was an unexpected anomaly. Despite having witnessed the truth and living it through oppression and then freedom, the people just forget and turn away from God. It takes just 40 days. How would we fare? What about our children?
Answering these questions require deliberation, active contemplation and curiosity to understand something beyond face value. A deep perspective. A real education in the making. These questions and striving to answer them motivate us and are at the core of what it means to “educate” Sanad Prep Learning Center.
Sanad Trust Foundation is ensuring that our children do not fall into these gaps. What questions do we need to be asking to ensure that their intellect is being called to think and understand realities at this level? Although it feels impossible to get through some days, Sanad’s team is committed to stand tall amidst all trials for the sake of our students, so that no gap is between them and knowledge Allah and His beloved Prophet peace be upon him, and themselves.
We invite you to join the 40 and close the gap.
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