Commentary

That causing pain to Allah and His Messenger brings fatal consequences was the subject of the previous verse. The present verse instructs Muslims that they should particularly guard against falling into any stance of hostility to Allah and His Messenger because it causes pain to them.

In the first verse (69), by mentioning an event relating to Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) an event in which his people had caused pain to him, Muslims have been warned that they should never do something like that. From this, it does not necessarily follow that Muslims may have actually done so. Instead of that, by relating this incident, they have been forewarned as a matter of precaution. As for the incident of some Sahabah ؓ reported in a narration, it is likely that they would have not realized at that time that the word being said would cause pain to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . That a Sahabi would intentionally cause pain to the Holy Prophet ﷺ is not possible. Whatever incidents of intentional causing of pain there are, they all relate to hypocrites. Then, by citing the incident relating to Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ has himself explained the meaning of this verse as it has been reported by Imam al-Bukhari from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ in Kitabut-Tafsir and Kitabul-Anbiya'. There it is said that Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) was a man of modesty and very particular in keeping his body properly covered. No one had the occasion to see his body uncovered. Whenever he needed a bath, he would take it inside a screened place. Conversely, his people, the Bani Isra'il, had a common custom of their own. Among them, men would bathe naked before everybody. So, some of them started saying that the reason why Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) would not take a bath before anyone is that he had some defect in his body, either leprosy or enlarged testicles or some other evil-fated deformity because of which he preferred to remain hidden. Allah Ta’ ala willed that Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) be cleared from the attribution of such defects. On a certain day, Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) went in for a bath in private while he put off his clothes and placed these on a rock. When done with his bath, he moved to pick up his clothes from the rock. At that time, this rock (moving under Divine command) started running away. Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) with his staff in hand, went after the rock saying: ثَوبِی حَجَرُ ثَوبِٰ حَضَرُ (0 rock, my clothes! 0 rock, my clothes! ). But the rock kept moving until it stopped at a place crowded with the people of Bani Isra'il. At that time, when the Bani Isra'il saw Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) undressed from the head to the feet, they saw a body that was perfect (having no defect attributed by them). Thus, Allah Ta’ ala made it clear before everyone that Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) was free from these supposed defects. The rock had stopped at this place. Once Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) had picked up his clothes and put these on, he started beating up the rock with his staff. "By Allah," said the Holy Prophet ﷺ "the strikes of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) against the rock left some three or four or five traces on it!"

After having recounted this event, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: This is what this verse of the Qur'an means, that is, the verse under study: كَالَّذِينَ آذَوْا مُوسَىٰ (Like those who caused pain to Musa (علیہ السلام) . - 33:69). The explanation of the pain caused to Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) in this incident has been reported from the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself. There is yet another story relating to the pain caused to Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) reported from the noble Sahabah ؓ which is also necessarily appended to it. But, the weightier Tafsir or explanation is the one that is present in the Hadith reported from the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself.

At the end of verse 69, it was said: وَكَانَ عِندَ اللَّـهِ وَجِيهًا (And he was honorable in the sight of Allah). The Arabic word used for Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) wajih denotes the honor and elegance of someone who deserves regard and consideration. When used with: عِندَ اللَّـهِ ` indallah: in the sight of Allah), it would mean a person whose prayer is answered by Allah Ta’ ala and whose wish He does not turn down. Hence, the station of Sayyidna Musa علیہ السلام as a person whose prayers were answered (popularly known as: mustajab-ud-da’ awat) is proved from many events mentioned in the Qur'an where he prayed to Allah for something and He answered it the way he wanted it to be. Most unique of these is the prayer he made about Sayyidna Harun (Aaron) (علیہ السلام) where he wished that he be made a prophet. Allah Ta'ala accepted his prayer and made him a co-prophet with Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) - although, the high office of prophethood is not given to someone on someone's recommendation. (Ibn Kathir)