Sa‘id ibn Jubayr said: “It was fire in the fullest sense, and it is one of the veils of Allah, Most High.” This is indicated by what we narrated from Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari, from the Prophet, who said: “His veil is fire. Were He to remove it, the splendors of His Face would burn up all of His creation that His sight reaches.” (1)
It is related in the account that Moses took some dry grass and approached the tree. Yet whenever he drew near, the fire moved away from him; and whenever he moved away, it drew near. He stood bewildered, heard the glorification of the angels, and was filled with tranquility. (2)
“Indeed, I am your Lord, so take off your sandals. You are in the sacred valley of Tuwa.” (12)
“[He was called:] ‘O Moses, indeed, I am your Lord.’” Abu Ja‘far, Ibn Kathir, and Abu ‘Amr recited “that I” with the alif in the accusative form, meaning: he was called with the words, “that I am your Lord.” The others recited it with the alif in the nominative form, meaning: he was called, and it was said, “Indeed, I am your Lord.”
Wahb said: He was called from the tree, and it was said, “O Moses!” He immediately replied, not knowing who had called him, saying: “I hear Your voice, but I do not see Your place. Where are You?” 11/a He said: “I am above you and with you, before you and behind you, and nearer to you than your own self.” Moses then knew that this could befit none but Allah, and so he became certain of Him. (3)
His saying, Exalted is He: “So take off your sandals.” The reason for this was what is narrated from Ibn Mas‘ud in a report traced back to the Prophet concerning His words, “So take off your sandals.” He said: “They were made from the hide of a dead donkey.” Another version says: “from untanned hide.” (4)
‘Ikrimah and Mujahid said: He was commanded to remove his sandals so that his feet would touch the soil of the sacred land and thereby receive its blessing, for it had been sanctified twice. Thus Moses removed them and cast them beyond the valley. (5)
(1) Muslim, Kitab al-Iman (Book of Faith), chapter on the statement, “Allah does not sleep,” no. 179, 1:161-162.
(2) See al-Bahr al-Muhit, 6:230.
(3) Al-Suyuti, 5:554-555, attributed it to Imam Ahmad in al-Zuhd, Abd ibn Humayd, Ibn al-Mundhir, and Ibn Abi Hatim.
(4) Al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Libas (Book of Dress), chapter on wearing wool, 5:410. He said: “This is a rare hadith; we know it only through the narration of Humayd al-A'raj. Humayd is Humayd ibn Ali al-A'raj, an unacceptable hadith narrator.” Al-Hakim also narrated it in al-Mustadrak, 2:379, and declared it authentic according to al-Bukhari's criteria. Al-Dhahabi criticized this, saying: “Rather, it does not meet al-Bukhari's criteria. He was only misled by the appearance of Humayd ibn Qays in the chain of transmission, which is an error. It is actually Humayd al-A'raj al-Kufi, ibn Ali or ibn Ammar, one of the abandoned narrators; he mistook him for the trustworthy Meccan narrator.”
(5) Al-Tabari, preferring one of the two views, said: “The sounder of the two views is that Allah—exalted is His mention—commanded him to remove his sandals so that his feet might directly touch the blessing of the valley, since it was a sacred valley. We consider this interpretation sounder because the apparent wording of the revelation contains no indication that he was commanded to remove them because they were made of donkey skin or because they were impure; nor has any authoritative report to that effect been transmitted. Moreover, His statement immediately afterward, ‘Indeed, you are in the sacred valley,’ is clear evidence that He commanded him to remove them for the reason we have mentioned.” See al-Tabari, 16:144. See the same meaning in Abu Hayyan, 16:231. Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir, 3:144, related from Said ibn Jubayr that Allah commanded him to remove his sandals just as a man is commanded to remove his sandals when he wishes to enter the Kaaba. Al-Shanqiti, 4:292, mentioned another wisdom: “The strongest view—and Allah knows best—is that Allah commanded him to remove his sandals in order to teach him humility before his Lord when He called him. For Allah's calling His servant is a momentous matter, requiring the servant to show complete humility and reverent awe. And Allah knows best.”