On the Occultation of Musa عليه السلام

Aban b. Uthman narrated from Abu al-Husayn, from Abu Basir, from Abu Ja'far عليه السلام that he said: Musa did not emerge until fifty liars from among Banu Isra'il had come forth before him, each claiming that he was Musa b. Imran. News reached Fir'awn that people were stirring about him and searching for this child. His priests and magicians said to him, "The destruction of your religion and people will be at the hands of a boy born this year from among Banu Isra'il." So he placed midwives over the women and said, "No child born this year shall live unless he is slaughtered." A midwife was appointed to the mother of Musa. 
When Banu Isra'il saw this, they said, "If the boys are slaughtered and the girls spared, we will perish. Let us then not approach our women." But Imran, the father of Musa عليه السلام, said, "Rather, approach them, for the command of Allah will come to pass even if the polytheists dislike it. O Allah, whoever refrains, I will not refrain; whoever abandons, I will not abandon." So he was intimate with the mother of Musa and she conceived. A midwife was placed over her to guard her; when she stood, the midwife stood, and when she sat, she sat. When she became pregnant, love was cast into her heart for him—just as Allah does with His proofs over His creation. 
The midwife said to her, "What is wrong with you, O girl? You look pale and are wasting away." She replied, "Do not blame me—for if I give birth, my child will be taken and slaughtered." The midwife said, "Do not shame me—I will keep your secret." But she did not believe her. When she gave birth, the midwife looked at the child and said, "What Allah wills!" The mother said, "Did I not tell you that you would keep my secret?" She then took him and placed him in a chamber and tended to him. She then went out to the guards and said, "Go away"—and they were at the door—"it was only menstrual blood." So they left. 
She nursed him, but when she feared for him from the noise, Allah revealed to her, "Make a chest, place him in it, and take him out at night, and cast him into the Nile of Egypt." So she placed him in the chest and cast it into the river. It would return to her, and she would push it again into the water. The wind struck it and carried it off. When she saw that the water had taken him, she nearly cried out, but Allah steadied her heart.

He said: The righteous woman was the wife of Pharaoh, and she was from Banu Isra'il. She said to Pharaoh, “These are the days of spring, so take me out and set up a pavilion for me on the bank of the Nile so I may enjoy myself during these days.” So a pavilion was set up for her on the Nile’s bank. Then the chest came floating toward her. She said, “Do you see what I see on the water?” They said, “Yes, by Allah, our lady, we surely see something.” When it came near her, she rushed to the water and reached out with her hand to take it, and the water nearly submerged her so that they cried out in alarm. She pulled it and took it out of the water and held it in her lap. Inside was a boy, the most beautiful and modest of people, and love for him fell into her heart. She placed him in her lap and said, “This is my son.” They said, “Yes, by Allah, our lady, by Allah you have no children, nor does the king, so take him as a son.” 
She went to Pharaoh and said, “I have found a good, sweet child. Let us take him as a son so that he may be a delight to my eyes and yours. Do not kill him.” He said, “And where did this child come from?” She said, “By Allah, I do not know—only that the water brought him.” She continued to speak with him until he was satisfied. When people heard that the king had adopted a son, no prominent woman from Pharaoh’s court remained but that she sent her servant to nurse the child or raise him. But he refused to take the breast of any of them. 
The wife of Pharaoh said, “Seek a wet nurse for my son, and do not dismiss anyone.” Yet he did not accept any of them. So the mother of Musa said to his sister, “Follow him and see if you can find a trace of him.” She went until she reached the gate of the palace and said, “I’ve heard you are looking for a wet nurse. There is a righteous woman who will take your child and care for him.” Pharaoh’s wife said, “Let her in.” When she entered, she asked, “Who are you from?” She replied, “From Banu Isra'il.” Pharaoh’s wife said, “Leave, young woman, we have no need of you.” But the women around her said, “Wait—may Allah bless you—see if he will accept or not.” 
Pharaoh’s wife said, “Do you think, if he accepts from her, Pharaoh would be pleased that the boy is from Banu Isra'il and the wet nurse is also from Banu Isra'il?” They said, “Just see if he accepts from her or not.” Pharaoh’s wife said, “Go and call her.” So she went to her mother and said, “The king’s wife is calling you.” She entered, and they handed Musa to her. She placed him in her lap and put her breast to his mouth, and milk filled his throat. 
When Pharaoh’s wife saw that her son had accepted her, she went to Pharaoh and said, “I have found a wet nurse for my son, and he has accepted her.” He said, “Who is she from?” She said, “From Banu Isra'il.” Pharaoh said, “This is impossible—the child from Banu Isra'il and the wet nurse from Banu Isra'il? Never.” She continued to plead with him and said, “What do you fear from this child? He is only your son, growing up in your house.” She kept persuading him until she changed his mind and he agreed. 
So Musa عليه السلام grew up in the household of Pharaoh. His mother, sister, and the midwife all concealed his identity, until both his mother and the midwife who had accepted him passed away. Musa عليه السلام grew up while Banu Isra'il remained unaware of him.

He said: Banu Isra'il were searching for him and inquiring about him, but his whereabouts remained hidden from them. News of this reached Fir'awn, that they were searching for him and asking about him, so he sent for them and increased the punishment upon them, scattered them, and forbade them from speaking about him or asking about him. 
One moonlit night, Banu Isra'il went out to an elder among them who possessed knowledge, and they said, “We used to find comfort in conversation—how long will this affliction last for us?” He said, “By Allah, you will remain in it until Allah, exalted be His remembrance, brings forth a boy from the descendants of Lawi b. Ya'qub. His name is Musa b. Imran, a tall youth with curly hair.” While they were in that state, Musa came riding on a mule and stopped before them. The elder raised his head and recognized him by the description and said to him, “What is your name? May Allah have mercy on you.” He replied, “Musa.” He said, “Son of whom?” He replied, “Son of Imran.” So the elder leapt up to him, grabbed his hand, and kissed it. The people rushed to his feet and kissed them. He recognized them, and they recognized him. He gathered followers for himself and remained for as long as Allah willed. 
Then he went forth and entered a city of Fir'awn in which there was a man from his followers fighting with a man from the people of Fir'awn among the Copts. The one from his followers sought his help against his enemy, the Copt. So Musa struck him and killed him. Musa عليه السلام had been granted physical strength and great might. People began talking about him and the matter spread. They said, “Musa has killed a man from among the people of Fir'awn.” The next morning, he was in the city, fearful and watchful. 
The following morning, the same man who had asked for help the day before cried out to him again for assistance against another. Musa said to him, “Indeed, you are clearly quarrelsome. Yesterday it was a man, and today another man?” When Musa intended to strike the one who was their enemy, the man said, “O Musa, do you want to kill me as you killed a soul yesterday? You only want to become a tyrant in the land, and you do not want to be among the righteous!” 
Then a man came from the farthest part of the city, running. He said, “O Musa, the chiefs are deliberating about you to kill you. So leave. I am truly one of your sincere advisers.” So he left it, fearful and watchful. He departed from Egypt without a mount, without a riding animal, and without a servant. One land lowered him while another raised him, until he reached the land of Madyan. He came to the base of a tree and sat beneath it. Beneath the tree was a well, and there were people there drawing water, and two weak young women with a small flock of sheep. 
He said to them, “What is your situation?” They said, “Our father is an old man, and we are weak women. We are not able to crowd among the men. So when the people finish watering, we water our flock.” Musa عليه السلام had mercy on them. He took their bucket and said, “Bring your flock forward.” He watered for them, and they returned early before the other people. Then Musa turned to the tree, sat beneath it, and said, “My Lord, truly I am in need of whatever good You send down to me.” It is reported that he said this while in need of even half a date.
When they returned to their father, he said, “What brought you back so early today?” They said, “We found a righteous man who had mercy on us and watered for us.” He said to one of them, “Go and call him for me so I may reward him for having watered our flock.” She came to him, walking modestly, and said, “My father invites you so he may reward you for watering our flock.” It is reported that Musa عليه السلام said to her, “Guide me to the path and walk behind me, for we are the children of Ya'qub and do not look at the backs of women.”
When he came to him and told him his story, the man said, “Do not fear, you have been saved from the wrongdoing people.” One of the daughters said, “O my father, hire him. The best of those whom you can hire is the strong and trustworthy.” He said, “I want to marry you to one of these two daughters of mine on condition that you work for me for eight years. If you complete ten, it will be of your own accord.”

According to traditions, Musa عليه السلام completed ten years in his employment because apostles of Allah do not take anything without favor. After completing the period Musa عليه السلام took his family and set out towards Jerusalem. One night he lost his way. At that time he saw a fire at a distance. He told his wife: Wait here. I have seen fire at a distance. I’ll go and see if I can get some of it for you or get some direction to find the way. When he reached the fire, he saw a green tree lit up as on fire. When he neared, it moved away from its place. Musa عليه السلام turned in fear but the tree moved near Musa عليه السلام and he heard a voice from the right side of the valley. “O, Musa! I am Allah, the Creator of the worlds. Cast your staff on the ground.” Musa عليه السلام cast his staff down. When he saw that the staff was undulating like a python he was shocked and he began to run away without looking behind. It changed into a serpent whose fangs were calling and flames were leaping out of its mouth. So Musa عليه السلام fled from there but his Lord asked him to return. Musa عليه السلام came back and was shivering all over. Musa عليه السلام asked, “O Allah! Is it Your voice that I hear?” “Yes, do not be afraid,” replied the Lord. Musa عليه السلام came back. He stepped on the tail of the serpent and put his hand into his mouth, it changed into its original form. Allah told him: Remove your shoes as you are in the sacred valley. It is narrated that he was ordered to remove them, as they were from the carrion of a donkey. According to another tradition ‘take off your shoes’ means give up your two fears: One that your family members will be lost and another of Firon. After that Allah, the Mighty and Sublime sent him to Firon and his people with two signs: The first was a luminous hand and second his staff. It is narrated from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq عليه السلام that he told his companions: You should be such that you are more hopeful for something about which you don’t have hope. Musa عليه السلام went to get fire for his wife and he returned as a Messenger Prophet. Thus Allah reformed the condition of His servant and Prophet in a single night. He shall do the same in the case of His second Qaim; that is the twelfth of the Imams. And He shall reform his affairs in a single night as He reformed the affair of His Prophet Musa عليه السلام and brought him out from confusion and occultation into the light of deliverance and reappearance.