After pharaoh drowned into the River Nile and all the Bani Israel became Muslim, and when Sayyiduna Musa علیہ السلام was blessed with tranquillity and peace, Allah عزوجل ordered him to enter the Holy Land (Bayt-ul-Muqaddas) with the Bani Israel. At that time, Bayt-ul-Muqaddas was under the domination of the people of ‘Amaliqah who were the worst of unbelievers, very sturdy warriors and very cruel. Therefore, Sayyiduna Musa علیہ السلام left for Jihad against the people of’ Amaliqah with six hundred thousand people of the Bani Israel but the moment the Bani Israel reached in the vicinity of Bayt-ul-Muqaddas, they became coward and started exclaiming that there are Jabbareen (‘ Amaliqah) in this city, who are very strong and powerful, therefore, we will not enter the city at all until these people are inside the city.
The Bani Israel said to Sayyiduna Musa علیہ السلام even up to this extent, ‘O Musa علیہ السلام, you and your Rab should go and fight with such powerful people; we will stay here.’ Such comments from the Bani Israel made Sayyiduna Musa very much grieved and he requested to Allah as:
O My Lord! I have no control except upon myself and my brother (Haroon ), so keep us separate from these disobedient ones.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)] (Part 6, Surah Al-Mai’dah, Ayah 25)
In response of this supplication of Sayyiduna Musa , Allah exposed His wrath saying:
So, that (holy) land is forbidden for them for forty years, let them wander on the earth, so you (0 Musa) do not grievefor these disobedient people.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)] (Part 6, Surah Al-Mai’dah, Ayah 26)
As a result, these six hundred thousand Bani Israel wandered in the field for forty years, but could not get out of it. This field is called the ‘field of Teeh’. ‘Mann and Salwa’ was also descended in the same field for the Bani Israel and when Sayyiduna Musa علیہ السلام struck his staff over the stone, twelve springs of water gushed out of it. This event has been narrated in the Holy Quran with different contexts time and againi among which, in Surah AlMai’ dah, this event has a comparatively full description which undoubtedly is an excellent event that consists of the descriptions of the deviation and disobedience of the Bani Israel. But despite all this, Sayyiduna Musa علیہ السلام always remained affectionate towards the Bani Israel that when these people exhausted due to extreme hunger and thirst in the field of Teeh, Sayyiduna Musa علیہ السلامprayed for them and got the Mann and Salwa descended for them. Afterwards, he علیہ السلام also made twelve springs of water emerge by striking his staff on the stone. From this event, we can have an idea of how patient, placid and tolerant Sayyiduna Musa علیہ السلامwas.
