A Firebrand, and Light for Humanity

Now let us go back a little. What did Mūsā want from this fire? He wanted two things. He wanted light, to light up the small area in which he, his wife and his sheep were sitting — but he came back with light for humanity. And he went to that fire because he wanted guidance, so that someone would tell him the direction to Egypt — but he came back with guidance for mankind.

Allah (swt) told him: I am Allah, so worship Me. Tawḥīd is number one: the Oneness of Allah (swt). And what was the next order after tawḥīd? Wa aqimi al-ṣalāta li-dhikrī — establish prayer for My remembrance. Ṣalāh was prescribed on Mūsā in a direct conversation between him and Allah. And how was ṣalāh prescribed on Muhammad (peace be upon him)? It was prescribed on him in the journey of al-Miʿrāj, without anyone in between. That is the importance of ṣalāh.

And then Allah (swt) told him what He has told every prophet: that people need to believe in the ākhirah, in the afterlife. Inna al-sāʿata ātiyah — the Hour will come. Akādu ukhfīhā — I am hiding it: it is so close, as if it is already there, and Allah (swt) is just hiding it away from the people.