He Moses said ‘That which you have said is settled then between me and you. Whichever of the two terms the eight or the ten the mā in ayyamā ‘whichever of the two’ is extra in other words the tending thereof I complete there shall be no injustice done to me by demanding of me to do more tending. And God is Guardian Keeper or Witness over what we you and I say’. The contract was agreed in this way. Shu‘ayb bid his daughter to give Moses a staff with which to beat off predatory beasts from his sheep — the staffs of the prophets were in his keeping. It was Adam’s staff made from the myrtle of Paradise that fell into her hands and so Moses took it with Shu‘ayb’s knowledge.
