33:69
O ye who believe! Be ye not like those who vexed and insulted Moses, but Allah cleared him of the
(calumnies) they had uttered: and he was honourable in Allah’s sight.
The Israelites are described in Islamic tradition as having shown repeated disobedience to the Prophet Moses, a tendency attributed partly to their long residence in Egypt, where they had adopted certain negative habits and attitudes, including skepticism and resistance to authority. Over generations, the monotheistic faith associated with their forefathers, such as Jacob and Isaac, had weakened. After leading them out of Egypt, Moses was therefore faced not only with guiding them to freedom but also with the challenge of re-educating them in obedience and devotion to God.
A ḥadīth reported in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī illustrates the difficulties Moses encountered among his people. According to the report, the Israelites commonly bathed together in public while unclothed, whereas Moses preferred to bathe privately due to his modest and reserved nature. Some members of the community began spreading rumors that Moses avoided communal bathing because he allegedly had a physical defect. On one occasion, when Moses placed his clothes on a stone before bathing, the stone miraculously moved away with the garments still upon it. Moses pursued the stone while calling out for his clothes, and in doing so passed by members of the Israelite community, who saw that the rumor about his supposed defect was unfounded. When the stone finally stopped, Moses retrieved his clothing and, according to the narration, struck the stone with a staff, leaving visible marks upon it (al-Bukhārī).
Emerick, Yahiya. The Meaning of the Holy Qur’an in Today’s English (p. 829). Unknown. Kindle Edition