Not a Matter of a Leader

We learn something interesting from this. There is no doubt — there is no doubt — that Mūsā is the greatest nabī of Banū Isrāʾīl. So how come the victory happened in the time of Yūshaʿ ibn Nūn? It tells us that it is not enough to have a leader. Mūsā is the best that Banū Isrāʾīl have seen, and he is the founder of this nation; nevertheless, victory did not happen at his hands, even though he desired it so greatly.

He wanted to enter the Holy Land, and we know how much he desired that: when the angel of death came to take his soul, he struck him. And then, when he knew that this was his appointed time, he said: I will die now — but O Allah, make me die as close to Jerusalem as possible. Ramyata ḥajar — a throw of a stone. He said: if I cannot enter Jerusalem alive, at least bury me as close as possible to Jerusalem. But that did not happen in the time of Mūsā, because the generation that was with Mūsā did not deserve it.

So when we keep thinking that — I mean, we are waiting for al-Mahdī; everyone is waiting for al-Mahdī. It is not an issue of al-Mahdī. If you are not ready, al-Mahdī cannot do anything for you. The generation has to be ready and prepared for victory. It is not an issue of a leader; the generation has to be ready and prepared. And that is why Banū Isrāʾīl were not able to enter Jerusalem until there was a generation suitable for victory, and these were the ones who entered with Yūshaʿ ibn Nūn.