There are many lessons to be gained from the amazing story of how Musa peace be upon him was led to and had a conversation with Allah (swt).  I’m just going to share a part of the story here.

Musa (as) had been freaked out initially but by now he’s realised he is in a conversation with Allah (swt) but to make him feel calm Allah swt asks Musa (as) about something he is very familiar with

Quote:

And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?" (Q 20:17)

Musa (as) replies

Quote:

He said, "It is my staff; I lean upon it, and I bring down leaves for my sheep and I have therein other uses." (Q 20:17)

After answering the question (his staff) he goes on to say what it’s for and its benefits, and then he stops himself as he realises he’s saying more than he asked.  He doesn’t want this special (understatement) conversation with the Lord to end so that’s why he’s adding irrelevant details to his answer but then he doesn’t want to ruin the conversation either so he stops himself. Pretty cute

Quote:

[ Allah ] said, "Throw it down, O Moses." (Q 20:18)

So Musa (as) has just explained how useful and great his staff is and now Allah is telling him to throw it on the ground. Sh. Abdul Nasir Jangda likens the staff to our smart phones – we always have them with us and they’re used for both personal and work stuff. So he described it like as if we would explain to someone how great our phone is and then they tell us to smash it on the ground.

Quote:

So he threw it down, and thereupon it was a snake, moving swiftly. (Q 20:19)

Musa (as) obeyed.

Then Musa (as) saw the staff that [i]belonged to him, something he was comfortable with, something he thought he knew, something  he thought was of great benefit to him[/i] [b] turn into a snake.  A very frightening and dangerous snake. [/b]  

Quote:

[ Allah ] said, "Seize it and fear not; We will return it to its former condition. (Q 20:20)

I.e. pick it up and it will turn back into the staff. Others surahs have mentioned the fear that Musa (as) felt when he saw it though it’s not really mentioned here. But you can just imagine how frightening it would be to first have this very personal object be transformed into something harmful and to be told everything will be fine.

Of course, Musa (as) trusted Allah and did pick it up and it did turn back into a staff.

This was Allah (swt) just showing one of His signs to Musa (as).

The explanations are based on the tafseer of Surah Taha by Sh. Abdul Nasir Jangda. He said we should recognise that like Musa (as) had his staff which he thought he knew well, we have the Quran. We think we know the Quran is a guidance, how beneficial it is but really we don’t know and we need to use it to recognise it. (I’m writing in my own words)

However, besides that I was just thinking about this story, from how Musa (as) was talking about his staff to Allah giving the command for it to become a snake, to Musa (as)  being scared to then trusting when Allah said he will be fine when he picks it up.

It made me think we can be in good (or bad?) situations in life, we think we know our situations very well. We think we know what’s good and what’s bad about our situation and our life. Then something happens- there’s a twist to the story, some turmoil and we’re left thinking, questioning.  We think it shouldn’t have happened. We think it was bad, wrong, an injustice. We’re left confused, sad, hurt or angry.

We don’t realise the command of Allah has changed our situation. Just like the command changed the staff into the snake.

And therefore the [i] situation [/i] has changed. It is no longer the same situation that we were dealing with. We no longer know it. So we cannot be sure of what is right or wrong, good or bad.

Instead of being stuck in the thought of “I was better off before” we have to look at this new situation, understand it, re-evaluate our thoughts and act accordingly. We have to ask ourselves what does Allah (swt) want us to do in *this* situation and what guidance does the Quran and sunnah have for *this* situation, because continuing to act as if we’re still in the old situation is pointless and of no benefit. That situation no longer exists and this situation is the one Allah says is best for you. It may be a sign, like the snake, reminding you of Allah; your Lord, Creator, Provider, The Exceedingly Merciful, All-knowing, All-seeing, All-Hearing, All-Loving, All-wise, The Just, The Guider to the Right Path, The Grateful (...),  or it may be a test.

It is natural to feel those negative emotions when we’re thrown out of our comfort zone or when our lives completely change but we do not need to continue having those feelings, nor do we necessarily need to remain in those situations.

Quote:

Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. (Q 13:11)

So, like Musa (as) picked up his staff, we can pick up our Qur’an. We can choose to not be afraid of the snakes in our lives and change our situations. If we trust in Allah; The guide, The Light, the Forgiving, The One Who Rewards Bounteously, The Giver of life, The Giver of Death.

EDIT: Here's the tafseer of the quoted ayaat from surah Taha

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