43/42. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2372b — Musa’s Choice
The Virtues Of Musa, Peace Be Upon Him
Hadith About Musa Choosing Death Now
Sahih Muslim : 2372b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2372b
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، قَالَ هَذَا مَا حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم . فَذَكَرَ أَحَادِيثَ مِنْهَا وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " جَاءَ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ إِلَى مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَجِبْ رَبَّكَ - قَالَ - فَلَطَمَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ عَيْنَ مَلَكِ الْمَوْتِ فَفَقَأَهَا - قَالَ - فَرَجَعَ الْمَلَكُ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَقَالَ إِنَّكَ أَرْسَلْتَنِي إِلَى عَبْدٍ لَكَ لاَ يُرِيدُ الْمَوْتَ وَقَدْ فَقَأَ عَيْنِي - قَالَ - فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ عَيْنَهُ وَقَالَ ارْجِعْ إِلَى عَبْدِي فَقُلِ الْحَيَاةَ تُرِيدُ فَإِنْ كُنْتَ تُرِيدُ الْحَيَاةَ فَضَعْ يَدَكَ عَلَى مَتْنِ ثَوْرٍ فَمَا تَوَارَتْ يَدُكَ مِنْ شَعْرَةٍ فَإِنَّكَ تَعِيشُ بِهَا سَنَةً قَالَ ثُمَّ مَهْ قَالَ ثُمَّ تَمُوتُ . قَالَ فَالآنَ مِنْ قَرِيبٍ رَبِّ أَمِتْنِي مِنَ الأَرْضِ الْمُقَدَّسَةِ رَمْيَةً بِحَجَرٍ . قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " وَاللَّهِ لَوْ أَنِّي عِنْدَهُ لأَرَيْتُكُمْ قَبْرَهُ إِلَى جَانِبِ الطَّرِيقِ عِنْدَ الْكَثِيبِ الأَحْمَرِ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Angel of Death came to Moses and said: Respond (to the call) of Allah (i. e. be prepared for death). Moses (peace be upon him) gave a blow at the eye of the Angel of Death and knocked it out. The Angel went back to Allah (the Exalted) and said: You sent me to your servant who does not like to die and he knocked out my eye.Allah restored his eye to its proper place (and revived his eyesight) and said: Go to My servant and say: Do you want life? And in case you want life, keep your hand on the body of the ox and you would live such number of years as the (number of) hair your hand covers.He (Moses) said: What, then? He said: Then you would die, whereupon he (Moses) said: Then why not now? (He then prayed): Allah, cause me to die close to the sacred land. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Had I been near that place I would have shown his grave by the side of the path at the red mound.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2372bIn-book reference : Book 43, Hadith 207USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 30, Hadith 5852
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2372b
This hadith about Musa choosing death now repeats the report of the Angel of Death coming to Musa. The wording says the angel told him to respond to the call of Allah. After the first meeting, Allah restored the angel’s eye and told him to ask Musa whether he wanted life. Musa was told that if he wanted life, the number of hairs his hand covered on an ox would equal years of life. Musa then asked what would come after that, and the answer was death. He said, “Then why not now?” and prayed to die close to the sacred land. The focus is clear: life may be extended, but death still comes.
What we learn from this hadith
- The narration presents life as something that could be extended by Allah’s permission.
- Musa asked about the end result before making his choice.
- The answer given was that death would still follow.
- Musa prayed to die close to the sacred land.
