We Are Sitting Right Here

What was the response of Banū Isrāʾīl after they heard the order from Mūsā, and heard the advice from these two men?

They said: O Mūsā, we shall never enter it as long as they are there. We are not going in. Period. Do not try. Neither will your order work, nor will the advice do any good; we are not going in. And then look at what they said: go, you and your Lord, and fight; we are sitting right here. Qāʿidūn means sitting down. Look at the passiveness: sitting down. That is the state of many of us.

I want you, throughout the story of Mūsā and Banū Isrāʾīl — now we are finished with Mūsā and Firʿawn; we are done with Mūsā and Firʿawn; we are not going to hear about Firʿawn anymore; now we are talking about Mūsā and Banū Isrāʾīl — from now on, I want you always to think about our situation, comparing it with the story of Banū Isrāʾīl. Because Allah (swt) did not mention these stories to us in the Qur'an for historical purposes. Allah (swt) mentions these stories for us because we are going to fall into the same traps, but we have the guidance that will save us from them. That is why Allah (swt) told us these stories. Banū Isrāʾīl fell into those traps and could not get out, and they became al-maghḍūbi ʿalayhim.

But this ummah will commit the same mistakes; yet, because of the blessing of Allah (swt), a group of them will always be on the right path. So we want to learn about this for our own benefit.

They said: we are going to sit down; we are not going to do anything. We are going to sit down here, and Palestine is going to be freed; the problems of the Muslims around the world are going to be taken care of. As if we are saying that the problems we are living through now were caused by our fathers, and our children are going to solve them, and we do not want to do anything. Or waiting for the Mahdī to come. This is a state of passiveness. Qāʿidūn means sitting down: they are not doing anything. But they want Mūsā to go and fight with his Lord: He is your Lord; He has promised you; He is going to do you good; go with Him and fight.