Friday Quotes From The Quran (26/8/2022) : How Many Audiences Did Moses Have?

Non Muslims may find this difficult to follow so you may skip reading this. 

The Quran quotes Moses as having audiences with Allah swt. How many times did Moses have audiences with Allah swt? A lot of people may say twice. Here are some verses from the Quran about those audiences.

1st Audience 

Surah 28:29     When he had fulfilled his obligation, he traveled with his family. He saw from the slope of the mountain a fire. He said to his family, "Stay here. I have seen a fire. Maybe I can bring to you news, or a portion of the fire to warm you."

Surah 28:30     When he reached it, he was called from the edge of the right side of the valley, in the blessed spot where the burning bush was located: "O Moses, this is Me. Allah; Lord of the universe. 

OSTB : That was the first time that Allah swt spoke to Moses. In the Quran there are duplicate mentions of this first meeting for example at Surah  20: 40 - 48 and others. 

In this first audience Moses receives the order from Allah swt to go and speak to Pharaoh (Firaun) and to rescue the Children of Israel from the Pharaoh's cruel slavery. 

79:15     Have you known about the history of Moses?
79:16     His Lord called him at the holy valley of Tuwaa.
79:17     "Go to Pharaoh; he has transgressed."

Amma ba'ad (thereafter) Moses together with his brother Aaron (Harun) go to Pharaoh, live among the Pharaoh for years, and eventually manage to free the Children of Israel and escape with them across the sea.

After that Moses and Aaron lead them to safety. Moses then leaves the Children of Israel under the care of Aaron and goes for his second audience with Allah swt that lasted 40 nights. Here it is: 

2nd Audience 

 7:142     We summoned Moses for thirty* nights, and completed them by adding ten.* Thus, the audience with his Lord lasted forty* nights. Moses said to his brother Aaron, "Stay here with my people, maintain righteousness, and do not follow the ways of the corruptors."
7:143     When Moses came at our appointed time, and his Lord spoke with him, he said, "My Lord, let me look and see You." He said, "You cannot see Me. Look at that mountain; if it stays in its place, then you can see Me." Then, his Lord manifested Himself to the mountain, and this caused it to crumble. Moses fell unconscious. When he came to, he said, "Be You glorified. I repent to You, and I am the most convinced believer."
7:144     He said, "O Moses, I have chosen you, out of all the people, with My messages and by speaking to you. Therefore, take what I have given you and be appreciative."
7:145     We wrote for him on the tablets all kinds of enlightenments and details of everything: "You shall uphold these teachings strongly, and exhort your people to uphold them - these are the best teachings. I will point out for you the fate of the wicked."
7:146     I will divert from My revelations those who are arrogant on earth, without justification. Consequently, when they see every kind of proof they will not believe. And when they see the path of guidance they will not adopt it as their path, but when they see the path of straying they will adopt it as their path. This is the consequence of their rejecting our proofs, and being totally heedless thereof.
7:147     Those who reject our revelations and the meeting of the Hereafter, their works are nullified. Are they requited only for what they committed?
7:148     During his absence, Moses' people made from their jewelry the statue of a calf, complete with the sound of a calf.* Did they not see that it could not speak to them, or guide them in any path? They worshiped it, and thus turned wicked.
7:149     Finally, when they regretted their action, and realized that they had gone astray, they said, "Unless our Lord redeems us with His mercy, and forgives us, we will be losers."
7:150     When Moses returned to his people, angry and disappointed, he said, "What a terrible thing you have done in my absence! Could you not wait for the commandments of your Lord?" He threw down the tablets, and took hold of his brother's head, pulling him towards himself. (Aaron) said, "Son of my mother, the people took advantage of my weakness, and almost killed me. Let not my enemies rejoice, and do not count me with the transgressing people." 

OSTB : It was at this 2nd Audience with Allah swt which lasted 40 nights that Moses was given the commandments which were written down on the tablets. (7:145  We wrote for him on the tablets all kinds of enlightenments and details of everything). And it was also during this time, while Moses was away that the Children of Israel began worshipping the statue of a calf (made with their jewellery) - refer 7:148 above.

These events including parts of the 2nd Audience are repeated in the following verses as well:

20:80     O Children of Israel, we delivered you from your enemy, summoned you to the right side of the mountain, and we sent down to you manna and quails.
20:81     Eat from the good things we provided for you, and do not transgress, lest you incur My wrath. Whoever incurs My wrath has fallen.
20:82     I am surely Forgiving for those who repent, believe, lead a righteous life, and steadfastly remain guided.
20:83     "Why did you rush away from your people, O Moses?"
20:84     He said, "They are close behind me. I have rushed to You my Lord, that You may be pleased."
20:85     He said, "We have put your people to the test after you left, but the Samarian misled them."
20:86     Moses returned to his people, angry and disappointed, saying, "O my people, did your Lord not promise you a good promise? Could you not wait? Did you want to incur wrath from your Lord? Is this why you broke your agreement with me?"
20:87     They said, "We did not break our agreement with you on purpose. But we were loaded down with jewelry, and decided to throw our loads in. This is what the Samarian suggested."
20:88     He produced for them a sculpted calf, complete with a calf's sound.* They said, "This is your god, and the god of Moses." Thus, he forgot.
20:89     Could they not see that it neither responded to them, nor possessed any power to harm them, or benefit them?
20:90     And Aaron had told them, "O my people, this is a test for you. Your only Lord is the Most Gracious, so follow me, and obey my commands."

OSTB : You will see in 20:85 above that during this 2nd Audience, Allah swt already informs Moses that during his absence from his people, the Samarian (Samiri) had misled the Children of Israel. So Moses returned in anger to his people because he already had foreknowledge that they had been misled by Samiri (the Samarian).

3rd Audience 

 7:150     When Moses returned to his people, angry and disappointed, he said, "What a terrible thing you have done in my absence! Could you not wait for the commandments of your Lord?" He threw down the tablets, and took hold of his brother's head, pulling him towards himself. (Aaron) said, "Son of my mother, the people took advantage of my weakness, and almost killed me. Let not my enemies rejoice, and do not count me with the transgressing people."
7:151     (Moses) said, "My Lord, forgive me and my brother, and admit us into Your mercy. Of all the merciful ones, You are the Most Merciful."
7:152     Surely, those who idolized the calf have incurred wrath from their Lord, and humiliation in this life. We thus requite the innovators.
7:153     As for those who committed sins, then repented thereafter and believed, your Lord - after this - is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
7:154     When Moses' anger subsided, he picked up the tablets, containing guidance and mercy for those who reverence their Lord.
*** 7:155     Moses then selected seventy men from among his people, to come to our appointed audience. When the quake shook them, he said, "My Lord, You could have annihilated them in the past, together with me, if You so willed. Would You annihilate us for the deeds of those among us who are foolish? This must be the test that You have instituted for us. With it, You condemn whomever You will, and guide whomever You will. You are our Lord and Master, so forgive us, shower us with Your mercy; You are the best Forgiver.

OSTB :  So after his 2nd Audience with Allah swt,  Moses returns in anger to his people because they worshipped the calf. Moses grabbed his brother Aaron by the hair (and also the beard, in another verse) and scolds Aaron for not looking over the Children of Israel.

Moses was so angry that he threw down the tablets (7:150) on which the Commandments had been written down during that 2nd Audience with Allah swt.  

Finally after his anger had cooled down, Moses picked up the tablets again. After that event, Moses selected 70 men from among his people (see 7:155 above) to accompany him for yet another 'audience' with Allah swt. 

This would be the 3rd Audience. If you are interested you can read beyond 7:155 until 7:169 where the narrative is still about the Children of Israel.

So these are the THREE Audiences that Moses had with Allah swt that are mentioned in the Quran. 

For my brothers and sisters who study the Quran these verses about Moses' THREE Audiences with Allah swt are important when you read Surah 17 which is called Bani Israel or The Children of Israel. And also Surah 53 (Al Najm) including 53:13.

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