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Sahih al-BukhariProphets

Mūsa (peace be upon him) was a bashful man who used to cover his skin completely out of extreme bashfulness. So some of the children of Israel abused him

Authentic hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 3404

Narrator:Abu Hurayrah

حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَوْفٌ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، وَمُحَمَّدٍ، وَخِلاَسٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏

إِنَّ مُوسَى كَانَ رَجُلاً حَيِيًّا سِتِّيرًا، لاَ يُرَى مِنْ جِلْدِهِ شَىْءٌ، اسْتِحْيَاءً مِنْهُ، فَآذَاهُ مَنْ آذَاهُ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، فَقَالُوا مَا يَسْتَتِرُ هَذَا التَّسَتُّرَ إِلاَّ مِنْ عَيْبٍ بِجِلْدِهِ، إِمَّا بَرَصٌ وَإِمَّا أُدْرَةٌ وَإِمَّا آفَةٌ‏.‏ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُبَرِّئَهُ مِمَّا قَالُوا لِمُوسَى فَخَلاَ يَوْمًا وَحْدَهُ فَوَضَعَ ثِيَابَهُ عَلَى الْحَجَرِ ثُمَّ اغْتَسَلَ، فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ أَقْبَلَ إِلَى ثِيَابِهِ لِيَأْخُذَهَا، وَإِنَّ الْحَجَرَ عَدَا بِثَوْبِهِ، فَأَخَذَ مُوسَى عَصَاهُ وَطَلَبَ الْحَجَرَ، فَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ ثَوْبِي حَجَرُ، ثَوْبِي حَجَرُ، حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى مَلإٍ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، فَرَأَوْهُ عُرْيَانًا أَحْسَنَ مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ، وَأَبْرَأَهُ مِمَّا يَقُولُونَ، وَقَامَ الْحَجَرُ فَأَخَذَ ثَوْبَهُ فَلَبِسَهُ، وَطَفِقَ بِالْحَجَرِ ضَرْبًا بِعَصَاهُ، فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّ بِالْحَجَرِ لَنَدَبًا مِنْ أَثَرِ ضَرْبِهِ ثَلاَثًا أَوْ أَرْبَعًا أَوْ خَمْسًا، فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ ‏‏{‏يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ آذَوْا مُوسَى فَبَرَّأَهُ اللَّهُ مِمَّا قَالُوا وَكَانَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَجِيهًا‏}‏‏.‏‏"

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Mūsa was a bashful man who used to cover his skin completely out of extreme bashfulness. So some of the children of Israel abused him, saying: 'His keenness on covering his body in this way is only because of some defect in his skin, either leprosy or scrotal hernia, or he has some other defect.' Allah wished to clear Mūsa of what they said about him. So, one day, while Mūsa was alone, he took off his clothes and put them on a stone and started bathing. When he finished, he went to get his clothes but the stone ran away with them. Mūsa picked up his stick and ran after the stone saying: 'My garment, O stone! My garment, O stone!' He ran behind it until he reached a group of the Children of Israel who saw him naked then, and found him the best of what Allah had created, and thus Allah cleared him of what they had accused him of. The stone stopped there and Mūsa took his garment, put it on and struck the stone repeatedly with his stick. By Allah, the effect of the strikes was visible on the stone; three, four, or five marks. This was what Allah refers to in His Saying: {O you who have believed, be not like those who abused Moses; then Allah cleared him of what they said. And he, in the sight of Allah , was distinguished.} [Sūrat al-Ahzāb: 69]"

Reported by Al-Bukhari (No. 3404, 4799), Muslim (No. 339c), At-Tirmidhi (No. 3221) and Ahmad (No. 10262).

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Explanation

Prophet Mūsa (Moses)(peace be upon him) was a man of abundant bashfulness. He always loved to cover himself so that his skin would not be seen out of bashfulness. The Children of Israel verbally abused him. They said that he covered himself as such because he had a skin defect like leprosy or scrotal hernia (i.e. a bulging groin), or some other defect or disease. So, Allah wanted to prove to them that Mūsa was not suffering any of that. One day, he was alone, so he put his clothes on a stone and bathed. After the bath, he went to take his clothes but the stone ran with the clothes on it. Mūsa took his staff and ran naked after the stone, asking it to give him his clothes back. While running, he passed by a group of the Children of Israel who saw him naked and saw that he had perfect skin. They knew then that he had no skin defects. Mūsa caught up with the stone and took his clothes and put them on. He then hit the stone with his staff, leaving on it three, four, or five marks. Allah, the Exalted, referred to this incident in the Qur'an, in the following verse: {O you who have believed, be not like those who abused Moses; then Allah cleared him of what they said. And he, in the sight of Allah, was distinguished} [Sūrat al-Ahzāb: 69]. It warns the believers not to abuse Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as the Children of Israel abused Mūsa, who had an honorable status with Allah, the Almighty, and so Allah cleared him of what they had falsely attributed to him.

Explanation in Arabic

كان نبي الله موسى -عليه السلام- رجلًا كثير الحياء، يحب الستر والصون، لا يجعل أحدًا يرى شيئا من جلده استحياء منه، فآذاه بنو إسرائيل فقالوا: ما يستتر هذا التستُّر، إلا من عيب بجلده: إما بَرَص، وهو بياض يظهر في الجلد، وإما أُدْرة، وهي نفخة في الخصية، وإما عيب آخر، أو من مرض، وإنَّ الله أراد أن يُبرئه وينزهه مما قالوا، فانفرد موسى يومًا وحده، فوضع ثيابه على حجر، ثم اغتسل، فلما انتهى من اغتساله أقبل إلى ثيابه ليأخذها، فوجد الحجر قد جرى بثوبه، فأخذ موسى عصاه وجرى عريانًا وراء الحجر ليأخذ ثيابه، وجعل يقول: رد إليَّ ثوبي يا حجر. حتى مر على جماعة من بني إسرائيل، فرأوه عريانا أحسن ما خلق الله، وعلموا أنه ليس به مرض ولا عيب، وبرأه الله مما يقولون، وأدرك موسى الحجر، فأخذ ثوبه فلبسه، وجعل يضرب الحجر بعصاه، حتى إن بالحجر آثارًا باقية من ضرب موسى له إما ثلاثة آثار أو أربعة أو خمسة، وهذا الأذى الذي آذاه بنو إسرائيل لنبي الله موسى نزل فيه قوله تعالى : {يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ آذَوْا مُوسَى فَبَرَّأَهُ اللَّهُ مِمَّا قَالُوا وَكَانَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَجِيهًا} [الأحزاب: 69]. أي: احذروا أن تكونوا مؤذين للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كما آذى بنو إسرائيل موسى صلى الله عليه وسلم فأظهر الله براءته مما قالوه فيه، وكان موسى صاحب جاه ومنزلة عند الله تعالى .

  • الأنبياء -صلى الله تعالى عليهم وسلم- منزهون عن النقائص والعيوب الظاهرة والباطنة.
  • من نسب نبيًّا من الأنبياء إلى نقص في خلقه فقد آذاه ويخشى عليه الكفر.
  • في الحديث بيان بيان لفضل لموسى -عليه الصلاة والسلام- كما أن فيه معجزة ظاهرة له.
  • من صفات المؤمن أنه حيي، وأنه يستتر عند اغتساله.
  • جواز الاغتسال في الخلوة عرياناً.
  • جواز المشي عريانا للضرورة.
  • جواز النظر إلى العورة عند الضرورة للمداواة ونحوها.

Classical commentary

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani — Fath al-Bari

حَدَيثُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ " إِنَّ مُوسَى كَانَ رَجُلًا حَيِيًّا " بِفَتْحِ الْمُهْمَلَةِ وَكَسْرِ التَّحْتَانِيَّةِ الْخَفِيفَةِ بَعْدَهَا أُخْرَى مُثَقَّلَةٌ بِوَزْنِ فَعِيلٍ مِنْ الْحَيَاءِ وَقَوْلُهُ : " سَتِيرًا " بِوَزْنِهِ مِنْ السِّتْرِ , وَيُقَالُ سِتِّيرًا بِالتَّشْدِيدِ. قَوْلُهُ فِي الْإِسْنَادِ ( حَدَّثَنَا عَوْفٌ ) هُوَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ. قَوْلُهُ : ( عَنْ الْحَسَنِ وَمُحَمَّدٍ وَخَلَّاسٍ ) أَمَّا الْحَسَنُ فَهُوَ الْبَصْرِيُّ وَأَمَّا مُحَمَّدٌ فَهُوَ اِبْنُ سِيرِينَ وَسَمَاعُهُ مِنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ثَابِتٌ , فَقَدْ أَخْرَجَ أَحْمَدُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ رَوْحٍ عَنْ عَوْفٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ وَحْدَهُ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ. وَأَمَّا خِلَاسُ فَبِكَسْرِ الْمُعْجَمَةِ وَتَخْفِيفِ اللَّا…

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Scholars’ grades

ScholarGradeApplies toWork
Al-Bukharid. 256 AH Authenticصحيح The hadith صحيح البخاري No. 3404
Grades of other versions (3)
  • AuthenticAl-Albani صحيح — صحيح الترمذي (3221)
  • AuthenticAl-Albani صحيح — صحيح الجامع (2239)
  • WeakIbn Hajar al-Asqalani مرسل — تهذيب التهذيب (3/177)

Other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 4799

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Moses was a shy man, and that is what the Statement of Allah means: 'O you who believe Be not like those who annoyed Moses, but Allah proved his innocence of that which they alleged and he was honorable in Allah's Sight.' (33.69)

إِنَّ مُوسَى كَانَ رَجُلاً حَيِيًّا، وَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى ‏‏{‏يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ آذَوْا مُوسَى فَبَرَّأَهُ اللَّهُ مِمَّا قَالُوا وَكَانَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَجِيهًا‏}‏‏"‏

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 339c

(He was afraid to expose his private part) because he had been suffering from scrotal hernia. He (one day) took bath in water and placed his garments upon a stone. The stone began to move on quickly. He followed that and struck it with the help of a stone (saying): O stone, my garment; O stone, my…

مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ رَجُلاً حَيِيًّا - قَالَ - فَكَانَ لاَ يُرَى مُتَجَرِّدًا - قَالَ - فَقَالَ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ إِنَّهُ آدَرُ - قَالَ - فَاغْتَسَلَ عِنْدَ مُوَيْهٍ فَوَضَعَ ثَوْبَهُ عَلَى حَجَرٍ فَانْطَلَقَ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3221

that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Verily Musa, peace be upon him, was a shy and modest man, who would never show anything of his skin out of modesty. Some of the Children of Isra'il annoyed him by saying: 'He only keeps himself covered because of some defect in his skin, either leprosy, a scrotal hernia…

"‏ أَنَّ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ كَانَ رَجُلاً حَيِيًّا سِتِّيرًا مَا يُرَى مِنْ جِلْدِهِ شَيْءٌ اسْتِحْيَاءً مِنْهُ فَآذَاهُ مَنْ آذَاهُ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَقَالُوا مَا يَسْتَتِرُ هَذَا السِّتْرَ إِلاَّ مِنْ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Musnad Ahmad 10262

حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحٌ حَدَّثَنَا عَوْفٌ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَخِلَاسٌ وَمُحَمَّدٌ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ فِي هَذِهِ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah Arabic only

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Mishkat al-Masabih 5706

He reported God's messenger as saying, "Moses was a modest man who kept himself covered, none of his skin being seen because pf modesty. Some of the B. Isra'il annoyed him by saying that he concealed himself to this extent only because of some skin trouble such as leprosy or a scrotal hernia, but…

" إِنَّ مُوسَى كَانَ رَجُلًا حَيِيًّا سِتِّيرًا لَا يُرَى مِنْ جِلْدِهِ شَيْءٌ اسْتِحْيَاءً فَآذَاهُ مَنْ آذَاهُ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَقَالُوا: مَا تَسَتَّرَ هَذَا التَّسَتُّرَ إِلَّا مِنْ عَيْبٍ بِجِلْدِهِ: إِمَّا…

Also reported by… (2)
  • تاريخ دمشق لابن عساكر (66407)مُوسَى كَانَ رَجُلا حَيِيًّا سِتِّيرًا , لا يَكَادُ يُرَى مِنْ جِلْدِهِ شَيْءٌ اسْتِحْيَاءً , فَآذَاهُ مَنْ آذَاهُ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ , قَالُوا : مَا سَتَرَ هَذَا السِّتْرَ إِلا مِنْ عَيْبٍ بِجِلْدِهِ , إِمَّا بَرَصٌ , وَإِمَّا أُدْرَةٌ , وَإِمَّا آفَةٌ , وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُبَرِّئَه
  • معالم التنزيل تفسير البغوي (977)إِنَّ مُوسَى كَانَ رَجُلا حَيِيًّا سَتِيرًا لا يُرَى مِنْ جِلْدِهِ شَيْءٌ ، اسْتِحْيَاءً مِنْهُ ، فَآذَاهُ مَنْ آذَاهُ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ ، فَقَالُوا : مَا يَتَسَتَّرُ هَذَا التَّسَتُّرَ إِلا مِنْ عَيْبٍ بِجِلْدِهِ ، إِمَّا بَرَصٌ ، أَوْ أُدْرَةٌ ، وِإِمَّا آفَةٌ ، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَرَادَ أَنْ

On the same subject

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 278

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'The (people of) Bani Israel used to take bath naked (all together) looking at each other. The Prophet (ﷺ) Moses used to take a bath alone. They said, 'By Allah! Nothing prevents Moses from taking a bath with us except that he has a scrotal hernia.' So once Moses went out to…

كَانَتْ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ يَغْتَسِلُونَ عُرَاةً، يَنْظُرُ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ، وَكَانَ مُوسَى يَغْتَسِلُ وَحْدَهُ، فَقَالُوا وَاللَّهِ مَا يَمْنَعُ مُوسَى أَنْ يَغْتَسِلَ مَعَنَا إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ آدَرُ، فَذَهَبَ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 3 other versions

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