Allah the Exalted said: << When Moses had completed the term and traveled with his family, he perceived a fire from the side of the mountain. He said to his family: "Stay here. I have perceived a fire; perhaps I will bring you

The author said: "meaning his tending of the flock" because the term itself, which is the time, was not in Moses's control; rather, what was in his control was the tending. He tended until the shepherd said... his term. And means to finish. Allah the Exalted said: meaning He finished them This refers to the covenant, meaning the term between him and the man of Madyan. We know that there were two terms between them: an obligatory term of eight years, and a voluntary term from Moses of ten years. So which of the two terms did he complete? Which one? Was it the obligatory one or the voluntary one? The author (may Allah have mercy on him) said:"So when Moses had completed the term, whether eight or ten years, which is what is presumed" The pronoun in his statement:"which is what is presumed" refers to the ten years, meaning it is presumed that Moses completed ten years. However, the verse is ambiguous, so preferring the ten years is based on what is known of Moses (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding his generosity and faithfulness. Preferring that it was eight years is because that was his obligation, and Moses was longing for his homeland in Egypt. He had previously said, as an excuse: This sentence may indicate that he wanted to limit himself to the obligatory term. Otherwise, it is known that if he completed the first term, no one would blame him or transgress against him. So each view has a basis. Our position regarding this story is to leave ambiguous what Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) left ambiguous, so we say: He completed the term, and Allah knows best which one he completed .
The student: It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that Moses (peace and blessings be upon him) completed ...?

The Shaykh : Yes, it is narrated from Ibn Abbas and most of the exegetes, but there is nothing that prefers one over the other.
The student: ...

The Shaykh : It is true that the interpretation of a Companion does not have ... absolute authority, especially if the Companion is known for taking from the Isra'iliyyat, such as Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him).
His statement: Traveling means walking. He traveled with his family from the man of Madyan. His family, he says:"his wife, with her father's permission, toward Egypt" As for his statement:"his wife" this is correct, that a wife is called family. As for his statement: "with her father's permission" there is no evidence for this, and a husband does not need his wife's father's permission if he wants to travel with her. Why? Because when he marries a woman, she becomes his property, and he travels with her wherever he wishes, except if he travels with her to something that is not permissible in the Shari'ah, then she may refuse, and her father may also prevent her. Otherwise, the right is his. If it was stipulated that he not travel with her, is he obligated to fulfill it? He is obligated to fulfill it. But if she permitted it and her father refused, and it had been stipulated, is the right hers so she travels, or her father's so she does not? The right is hers, because it concerns her personally, and she may see that it is better for her to travel with her husband. Now, He perceived from afar The root of is derived from 'anasa, which is the removal of estrangement, but it comes to mean seeing something, because when you see something and know it, what you feared is removed from you. So the meaning of 'anasa is to see The mountain is a mountain, and the side of a thing, what does it mean?
The student: Its edge.

The Shaykh : Its direction, meaning from the direction of the mountain he perceived a fire. And this fire was not a real fire, but a light that resembled fire. When he saw this fire, and the time was winter, and it appears, and Allah knows best, that the night was foggy, and Moses (peace and blessings be upon him) had some confusion about the road, as the story indicates, he perceived a fire and said to his family: "Stay here." To his family: "Stay." The author recently established that the intended meaning of "family" is the wife. Here he said: And "Stay" is an address to a group or to one person?
The student: To a group.

The Shaykh : Because if he said it to one person, he would say: "Stay" (feminine singular). So it is for a group. What is the way out of this problem if we say that "family" is only the wife? Some exegetes said that he accompanied a servant. And some also said that she bore him a child, based on the fact that she was delivered to him from the beginning of the contract and remained with him for how long? Eight or ten years, so she gave birth. On this view, the address "Stay" to a group matches reality. Yes, because he had a wife, a servant, and a child, right? Because they are a group. And this is not far-fetched, as it is customary for a person, especially in such a situation, to accompany someone to serve him. And his statement: "Stay here" Where do we take from that it is meaning in the place