43/42. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 339b — Musa’s Modesty
The Virtues Of Musa, Peace Be Upon Him
Hadith About Musa Bathing Alone and Modesty
Sahih Muslim : 339b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 339b
حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا 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 " كَانَتْ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ يَغْتَسِلُونَ عُرَاةً يَنْظُرُ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى سَوْأَةِ بَعْضٍ وَكَانَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ يَغْتَسِلُ وَحْدَهُ فَقَالُوا وَاللَّهِ مَا يَمْنَعُ مُوسَى أَنْ يَغْتَسِلَ مَعَنَا إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ آدَرُ . قَالَ فَذَهَبَ مَرَّةً يَغْتَسِلُ فَوَضَعَ ثَوْبَهُ عَلَى حَجَرٍ فَفَرَّ الْحَجَرُ بِثَوْبِهِ - قَالَ - فَجَمَحَ مُوسَى بِأَثَرِهِ يَقُولُ ثَوْبِي حَجَرُ ثَوْبِي حَجَرُ . حَتَّى نَظَرَتْ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ إِلَى سَوْأَةِ مُوسَى فَقَالُوا وَاللَّهِ مَا بِمُوسَى مِنْ بَأْسٍ . فَقَامَ الْحَجَرُ بَعْدُ حَتَّى نُظِرَ إِلَيْهِ - قَالَ - فَأَخَذَ ثَوْبَهُ فَطَفِقَ بِالْحَجَرِ ضَرْبًا " . قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ بِالْحَجَرِ نَدَبٌ سِتَّةٌ أَوْ سَبْعَةٌ ضَرْبُ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ بِالْحَجَرِ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Hammam b. Munabbih reported that Abu Huraira reported many ahadith from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and one, of them speaks that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) is reported to have said: Banu Isra'il used to take bath (together) naked and thus saw private parts of one another, but Moses (peace be upon him) used to take bath alone (in privacy), and they said: By Allah, nothing prevents Moses to take bath along with us; but scrotal hernia.One day when he (Moses) was taking bath (alone) he placed his clothes upon a stone, but the stone began to move along with his clothes. Moses raced after it saying: My garment, stone; until (some of the people) of Banu Isra'il looked at the private parts of Moses, and they said: By Allah, there is no trouble with Moses. The stone stopped after he (Moses) had been seen. He took hold of his garments and struck the stone.Abu Huraira said: I swear by Allah that there were six or seven scars on the stone because of the striking of stone by Moses (peace be upon him).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 339bIn-book reference : Book 43, Hadith 204USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 30, Hadith 5849
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 339b
This hadith about Musa bathing alone highlights modesty and the clearing of a false claim. The narration says Banu Isra’il used to bathe naked together and saw one another’s private parts, while Musa took bath alone in privacy. Some of them wrongly said that he avoided bathing with them because of a bodily defect. One day, Musa placed his clothes on a stone, and the stone moved away with them. Musa followed it, calling for his garment, until some of Banu Isra’il saw that there was no such defect. The hadith then says Musa took his garment and struck the stone. The explanation should stay simple: this report shows Musa’s modesty and how a false statement about him was removed.
What we learn from this hadith
- Musa is described as bathing alone rather than exposing himself publicly.
- Banu Isra’il made a claim about Musa without proper knowledge.
- The narration shows that the false claim about Musa was cleared.
- The report teaches care before speaking about someone’s body or honor.
