He said: "By Allah, I have not lied, nor have I been lied to," twice. Then Moses said to the sea: "Do you recognize me?" It replied: "You have become arrogant, O Moses! I have not parted for anyone from the Children of Israel except for you." Then Allah inspired to him: "Strike the sea with your staff," so it parted, and each portion was like a great mountain.
15668 - My father narrated to us, Mu'ammal ibn Hisham reported to us, Isma'il ibn 'Ulayyah reported to us, from al-Jurayri, from Abu al-Salil, from Qays ibn 'Ubadah who said: When Moses—peace be upon him—reached the sea with the Children of Israel, the Children of Israel said: "Where is what you promised us? This is the sea before us and this is Pharaoh and his troops who have overtaken us from behind." So Moses said to the sea: "Part, O Abu Khalid!" It said: "I will not part for you, O Moses; I am older than you and stronger in creation." He said: "Then he was called to: 'Strike the sea with your staff.'"
15669 - Abu Zur'ah narrated to us, 'Amr ibn Hammad reported to us, Asbat reported to us, from al-Suddi who said: Aaron stepped forward and struck the sea, but the sea refused to open and said: "Who is this tyrant who strikes me?" until Moses came to it, called it by its kunya 'Abu Khalid', and struck it, whereupon it parted.
15670 - Muhammad ibn al-'Abbas narrated to us, 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Salamah reported to us, Salamah reported to us, Muhammad ibn Ishaq said: Allah the Almighty and Majestic inspired to the sea—as has been mentioned to me—that when Moses strikes you with his staff, part for him. He said: The sea spent the night crashing against itself out of fear of Allah, awaiting what Allah had commanded it to do. Then Allah inspired to Moses to strike the sea. He struck it with it, with the authority of Allah that He had given him, and it parted.
His saying: "Then it parted"
15671 - 'Ammar ibn Khalid al-Wasiti narrated to us, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Wasiti and Yazid ibn Harun reported to us (the phrasing belongs to Muhammad), from Asbagh ibn Zayd al-Warraq, from al-Qasim ibn Abi Ayyub, Sa'id ibn Jubayr reported to us, from Ibn 'Abbas who said: Allah the Almighty and Majestic inspired to the sea: "When My servant strikes you, part for him into twelve portions so that Moses and those with him may pass, then close upon those who remain from Pharaoh and his followers." Moses forgot to strike the sea, so he was pushed toward the sea while it was roaring out of fear that Moses might strike it with his staff while he was oblivious, and thus it would become disobedient to Him. When the two groups saw each other and drew close, the people of Moses said: "Indeed, we are to be overtaken! Do what your Lord has commanded you, for you have not lied and have not been lied to." He said: "He promised me that when I reach the sea, it would part for me until I crossed it." Then he remembered the staff after that and struck the sea.
