The Old Life
An idol worshipper. A highway robber. A thief, a murderer.
A lover of this passing world.
The Thirst
Is there a God, great and awesome?
“My heart yearns for Him.”
Moses the thirsty heard of our fathers the monks, the dwellers of Shiheet.
Abba Isidore
He took the form of man; all heads bow to Him.
Our God is merciful — He accepts the repentant.
Give your life to Him. Abandon your past; at His gracious hands, repent.
The Confession
With tears and joy, with groaning and delight.
He offered a true repentance, revealing all his sins — openly, without turning back.
Entirely White
Axios — Worthy
He received the first mystery — by water, Spirit, and fire — removing all impurities.
Robed in white, he was told: you are white now, inside and out.
The Bag of Sand
My sins run behind me
A torn sack of sand upon his back — “my sins pour out behind me, and still I come to judge another?”
From Darkness to Light
The robber among the chosen ones
The murderer became righteous; the sinner, a chosen vessel.
A slave of desires became a father, teacher, comforter, and priest who wrote rules for the monks.
The Life · c. 332 – 407 AD
The Life of Anba Moses the Black
Anba Musa Baƙar Fata (wajen 332–407 Miladiyya): bawa kuma shugaban 'yan fashi wanda ya tuba a hannun tsarkaka Isidorus da Makariyus Babba a hamadar Shihit, ya zama sufi da firist da uba ga 'yan'uwa ɗari biyar, ɗaya kuma daga cikin fitattun alamomin tuba a tarihin Ikilisiya. Barbarawa sun kashe shi tare da 'yan'uwa bakwai a matsayin shahidi, jikinsa kuwa yana yanzu a gidan sufaye na El-Baramous.
Babban tsarkaka Anba Musa Baƙar Fata, wanda aka fi sani da Anba Musa Mai Ƙarfi, yana ɗaya daga cikin fitattun alamomin tuba a tarihin Ikilisiya duka; ya kasance mai ƙarfi cikin muguntarsa kafin tubansa, sa'an nan ya zama mafi ƙarfi cikin zuhudunsa da tsarkinsa, har aka ce game da shi cewa hakika ya ƙwace mulkin sama kamar yadda Linjila ta faɗa: «ana ƙwace mulkin sama, masu ƙwace kuwa sukan ƙwace shi da ƙarfi» (Matthew 11:12).
Haihuwarsa da rayuwarsa ta farko
An haife shi a wajen shekara ta 332 Miladiyya, kuma mafi kusantar gaskiya shi ne ya fito daga ƙasar Nubiya a can kudancin Masar, aka kuma kira shi Baƙi saboda baƙin fatarsa. A farkon rayuwarsa ya kasance bawan wani shugaban ƙabila mai bautar wuta, amma ubangidansa ya kore shi saboda yawan muguntarsa da zaluncinsa, don tsoron kada halayensa su bazu cikin sauran bayi. Sai ya koma yin aiki wurin wani ubangida dabam wanda yake shugaban wata ƙabila mai bautar rana; da wannan ya hore shi da tsanani, sai ya gudu, ya shiga ɗaukar fansa a kan kowane ubangida da mawadaci, zuciyarsa kuwa ta ƙara taurarewa.
Musa ya shiga cikin 'yan fashin hanya, su kuwa suka zaɓe shi baki ɗaya ya zama shugabansu saboda tsananin ƙarfinsa da ƙarfin ikonsa, har aka yi masa laƙabi da «Dabbar Dutse» da «Abin Tsoron Yankin». Ya kasance ƙaton mutum mai ƙarfi, mai wuce gona da iri cikin ci da shan giya, yana kisankai, yana sata, yana aikata mugunta, ba kuwa wanda ya iya tsayawa a gabansa ko ya yi masa turjiya. Ana ba da labari cewa wata rana ya so ya kusaci wani garken tumaki, sai makiyayin ya sako masa karnukansa; sai ya yi tsalle cikin kogi da takobinsa a bakinsa, ya yi iyo nesa mai nisa har makiyayin ya sheƙa da gudu; sa'an nan ya zaɓi tumaki huɗu mafi kyau, ya yanka su, ya ɗauke su, ya koma yana iyo kamar yadda ya zo.
Yadda ya komo ga Allah
Duk da haka, muryar alheri takan yi kira a cikinsa lokaci zuwa lokaci, domin shi ba mugu ba ne bisa halittarsa. A mafi yawan lokutansa yakan kalli rana wadda yake bautawa, ya yi mata magana yana cewa: «Ke rana, in ke ce Allah, ki sanar da ni», sa'an nan ya ce: «Kai kuma, ya Allahn nan da ban san ka ba, ka sanar da ni kanka». Sai wata rana ya ji wani yana ce masa: «Sufayen Wadi el-Natrun sun san Allah; je ka wurinsu, za su kuwa sanar da kai». Nan take ya tashi, ya rataya takobinsa, ya zo hamadar Shihit.
Sai ya sadu da Mai Tsarki Isidorus, firist na Isƙit (Scetis), almajirin Mai Tsarki Makariyus Babba. Da Isidorus ya gan shi, sai ya ji tsoron kamanninsa, amma Musa ya kwantar masa da hankali yana cewa ya zo wurinsu ne kawai don su sanar da shi Allah, ya kuma yi ta roƙo da nacewa da tawali'u: «Na ji labari cewa kai mutumin kirki ne, shi ya sa na zo wurinka don ka bishe ni yadda zan zama nagari kamarka. Ina so in kasance tare da kai ko da yake na aikata manyan muguntai». Sai ya kai shi wurin Mai Tsarki Makariyus Babba, wanda ya yi masa wa'azi, ya koya masa gaskiyar bangaskiya, ya yi masa baftisma, ya karɓe shi ya zama sufi, ya kuma zaunar da shi a hamada.
Tubansa da famarsa
Musa ya furta zunubansa da matuƙar karyewar zuciya da hawaye masu yawa. An kuma ce yayin da Musa yake furcin zunubansa, Mai Tsarki Makariyus ya ga wani baƙin allo wanda ake shafe kowane zunubin da ya furta daga kansa, har da ya gama furcinsa sai allon duka ya zama fari. Sa'an nan Mai Tsarki Musa ya kutsa cikin ibadu masu yawa da suka zarce ibadar tsarkaka da yawa; Shaiɗan kuwa yakan yaƙe shi da abubuwan da yake a ciki a dā — wato son ci da sha da sha'awoyin jiki — sai ya rika gaya wa Mai Tsarki Isidorus wannan, shi kuma ya ta'azantar da shi, ya koya masa yadda zai rinjayi dabarun Shaiɗan.
An kuma yaƙe shi da mugayen tunani yaƙi mai zafi a shekarunsa na farko, domin laifuffukansa da munanan ayyukansa na dā sukan wuce a zuciyarsa yayin da yake tsaye yana addu'a; sai ya faɗa ƙasa ya yi kuka a gaban Allah yana ɗaga muryarsa da sanannen kukan nan nasa: «Ya Ubangiji, ka sani ina so in sami ceto, amma tunane-tunanen nan ba sa barina». Da kaɗan-kaɗan waɗannan yaƙe-yaƙe suka lafa daga gare shi ta wurin alherin Almasihu.
Daga cikin tsananin zuhudunsa da ƙaunarsa ta hidima, in dattawan gidan sufayen sun yi barci, yakan zaga ɗakunansu da dare, ya ɗauki tulunansu ya cika su da ruwan da yake ɗauko daga wata rijiya mai nisa da gidan sufayen. Bayan shekaru masu yawa cikin fama, Shaiɗan ya yi masa hassada, ya buge shi da gyambo a ƙafarsa wanda ya kwantar da shi cikin rashin lafiya. Da ya sani cewa daga yaƙin Shaiɗan ne, sai ya ƙara zuhudu da ibada har jikinsa ya zama kamar ƙonanniyar itace. Ubangiji kuwa ya dubi haƙurinsa, ya warkar da shi daga cutarsa, ya kawar masa da azabobin, alherin Allah kuma ya sauka a kansa.
Tawali'unsa
Kuma da yake ya ɗanɗani tsawon haƙurin Allah a kansa, shi kansa ya zama abin koyi cikin tawali'u da tsawon haƙuri da tausasawa ga masu zunubi. Wata rana aka yi taron ubanni a Isƙit; da Anba Musa ya shiga ya zauna a tsakaninsu, sai ɗayansu ya fara masa magana yana cewa: «Don me wannan mutumin Nubiya zai zo ya zauna a tsakiyarmu?» Sai ya yi shiru bai amsa ba. Da suka tambaye shi bayan taron ya ƙare ko ya yi fushi, sai ya ce: «Gaskiya ne na damu, amma ban faɗi kome ba».
Ana kuma ba da labari a cikin Aljannar Ubannin Hamada (Bustan al-Ruhban) cewa wani ɗan'uwa ya yi laifi a Isƙit, sai dattawa suka kira taro domin su shari'anta shi, suka kuma aika wa Anba Musa amma ya ƙi zuwa. Da suka nace masa, sai ya tashi ya ɗauki kwando huda-huda, ya cika shi da yashi, ya ɗauka a bayansa ya zo. Da suka fito domin su tarye shi, suka tambaye shi ma'anar wannan, sai ya ce musu: «Waɗannan zunubaina ne suna gudana a bayana, ba na kuwa ganinsu; ga shi kuwa yau na zo in shari'anta zunuban wani». Da suka ji haka, ba su ce wa ɗan'uwan nan kome ba, sai dai suka yafe masa.
Naɗinsa firist da ubancinsa
Bayan wani lokaci, 'yan'uwa ɗari biyar suka taru wurinsa, ya zama uba a gare su, suka kuma zaɓe shi domin a naɗa shi firist. Da ya bayyana a gaban Batrik domin naɗinsa, sai Batrik ɗin ya so ya jarraba shi, ya ce wa dattawan: «Wane ne ya kawo wannan baƙin mutum nan? Ku kore shi». Sai ya yi biyayya ya fita yana ce wa kansa: «Sun yi maka daidai, kai mai baƙin fata». Amma Batrik ya sāke kiransa, ya naɗa shi firist, sa'an nan ya ce masa: «Ya Musa, ga shi yanzu duka-duka ka zama fari». Wannan tsarkakan kuma ya kafa ƙa'idodi domin sufaye, ya kuma bar almajirai saba'in waɗanda suka azurta rayuwa da tunanin sufanci a bayansa. Da wani ɗan'uwa ya tambaye shi abin da yake taimakon sufi cikin tsanane-tsananen da suke same shi, sai ya amsa: «A rubuce yake: Allah ne mafakarmu da ƙarfinmu, mataimaki wanda ake samunsa nan da nan a lokacin wahala (Psalms 46:1)».
Shahadarsa
Wata rana ya tafi tare da waɗansu dattawa wurin Mai Tsarki Makariyus Babba, sai wannan ya ce musu: «Ina ganin a cikinku akwai wani wanda yake da kambin shahada». Sai Mai Tsarki Musa ya amsa masa yana cewa: «Wataƙila ni ne, domin a rubuce yake: duk waɗanda suka ɗauki takobi, da takobi za su hallaka (Matthew 26:52)». Shi kansa yakan gargaɗi sufaye sau da yawa yana cewa: «In mun kiyaye dokokin ubanninmu, ina gaya muku da sunan Ubangiji, Barbarawa ba za su zo nan ba; in kuwa ba mu kiyaye dokokin Allah ba, wannan wurin zai lalace».
A shekara ta 407 Miladiyya, lokacin farmakin farko na Barbarawa a kan hamadar Shihit, wannan tsarkakan yana cikin ɗakinsa tare da waɗansu 'yan'uwa, sai ya ce musu: «Ga shi, yau Barbarawa sun zo Isƙit; duk wanda yake so ya gudu daga cikinku, to, ya gudu». Suka tambaye shi: «Kai fa, ya ubanmu, don me kai ma ba za ka gudu ba?» Sai ya ce: «Ina jiran wannan rana tun shekaru da dama, domin maganar Mai Ceto ta cika». Barbarawa suka shiga gidan sufayen, suka kashe shi tare da 'yan'uwa bakwai da suke tare da shi; shekarunsa kuwa sun kai wajen saba'in da biyar.
Wani daga cikin 'yan'uwan yana ɓoye a bayan tabarma, sai ya ga mala'iku suna saukowa daga sama da kambuna a hannuwansu, suna sa wa shahidan a kawunansu; sa'an nan ya ga mala'ikan Ubangiji tsaye da kambi a hannunsa yana jiransa, sai ya fito da sauri daga maɓoyarsa, ya miƙa kansa ga Barbarawa, suka kashe shi shi ma, ya kuwa sami kambin shahada tare da 'yan'uwansa.
Jikinsa mai tsarki
Bayan Barbarawa sun bar gidan sufayen, ubanni suka ɗauki jikin tsarkakan nan da jikunan shahidan da suke tare da shi, suka yi musu likkafani, suka ajiye su a cikin cocin gidan sufayen. Jikinsa yana nan yanzu tare da jikin malaminsa Mai Tsarki Isidorus a wuri ɗaya a gidan sufaye na Uwargida Budurwa Maryamu wato «El-Baramous» a Wadi el-Natrun, kuma har yanzu ana samun mu'ujizai masu yawa daga wurinsu. Ikilisiyar Kofttawa ta Orthodox tana yin bikinsa a rana ta ashirin da huɗu ga watan Ba'unah na ƙidayar Kofttawa.
To, ku yi tunani fa, ya ku ƙaunatattu, a kan ƙarfin tuba da abin da ta aikata: ta mai da wani bawa marar bangaskiya, wanda ya kasance mai kisankai da mazinaci da ɓarawo, ya zama babban uba da malami da mai ta'aziyya da firist wanda ya kafa ƙa'idodi domin sufaye, tsarkaka kuma wanda ake ambaton sunansa a bagadi cikin addu'o'inmu. Albarkar addu'o'insa ta kasance tare da mu; ɗaukaka kuma ta tabbata ga Ubangijinmu har abada abadin. Amin.
The Doxology
Pijwri abba Mwcy
O champion, Abba Moses — the refrain that carries his story.
A cikin cocin 'yan fari
A cikin taron tsarkaka
Yana zama cikin kowace ibada
Ya kasance mai bautar gunki
Ɓarawo a kan hanya
Ya yi tambaya game da alƙali
Musa ɗan iska ne
Rayuwarsa cike take da zunubi
Ya yi marmarin a tsarkake shi
Ɓarawo, mai kisankai, da mazinaci
Mai ƙaunar wannan duniya mai shuɗewa
Jini mai daraja ya wanke shi
Musa mai ƙishirwa ya ji
Labarin ubanninmu sufaye
Mazaunan Shihit
Ya tambaya, "Akwai Allah
Mai girma da ban tsoro?
Zuciyata tana marmarinSa"
Abba Isidoros ya amsa,
"Ya ɗauki kamannin mutum
Dukan kawuna suna rusunawa gare Shi"
Allahnmu mai jinƙai ne
Yana karɓar masu tuba
Ta wurin ƙauna, ya karɓi kunya
Ka ba shi rayuwarka
Ka bar abin da ya wuce a gare shi
A hannuwansa masu alheri, ka tuba daga zunubi
Musa ya tashi ya ce,
"Ka karɓe ni kamar ɗa ɓatacce
Ka taimake ni in tuba yanzu!"
Da hawaye da farin ciki
Da nishi da murna
Ya tuba daga abin da ya wuce
Ya kusaci Almasihu da ƙauna
Da zuciya ɓatacciya da rauni
Ya yi marmarin samun hutu
Ya miƙa tuba ta gaskiya
A fili ba tare da juyawa baya ba
Yana bayyana dukan zunubansa
Ga shi, mala'ikan haske
Ya share zunubansa baƙaƙe
Allon ya zama fari fat
Abba Makariyus ya shaida
Cewa Ubangijinsa ya gafarta masa ya cece shi
Aka ba shi sabuwar rayuwa
Ya karɓi asiri na fari
Ta wurin ruwa, Ruhu da wuta
Yana kawar da dukan ƙazanta
Tuba abu ce mai ban mamaki
Tana ƙuna wuta a cikin zuciya
Baƙo ya zama abokin tafiya
Mai kisankai ya zama mai adalci
Mai zunubi, kwano zaɓaɓɓe
Ɓarawo a cikin zaɓaɓɓu
Tuba tana da ƙarfi
Tana mai da mazinaci budurwa
Mai shakka kuma a karɓa
Bawan sha'awoyi da kunya
Ya karɓi mutunci ta wurin alheri
Yana zama mafi ƙarfi cikin 'yantattu
Ruhu ya bishe azzalumi
Daga duhu zuwa haske
Yana ba da 'ya'ya ga ƙaunataccensa
Ya yi marmarin rayuwar sufanci
Ya yi alkawari ya yi tafiya cikin nagarta
Allah ya nuna masa hanya
Nasrarsa ta zarce ta sauransu
Ya yi wa sauran sufaye hidima
Da tawali'u da farke da dare
Da jimiri, ya gajiyar da kansa
Yana tafiya dubban mita
Domin ya cika musu tuluna da ruwa
Yana ci gaba a kan hanya
Cikin tsayuwar daka da himma
Da ƙaruwa cikin adalci
Cikin nagartu da addu'o'i
Cikin azumi da nasara
Cikin tsoron Allah da rusunawa
Mai bautar Allah mai aminci
Da bangaskiya mai ƙarfi / tsayayyiya
Yana razana aljanu
Ya ƙaunaci 'yan'uwa suka kuma ƙaunace shi
Suka zaɓe shi domin firist
Suka bayyana sha'awarsu
Sa'ad da suka gwada shi
Firistoci suka tashi suka kore shi
Ya yarda da umarninsu
Ya ce, "Ban cancanta ba
Sun kore ka, ya kai baƙar fata
Kai mai duhun fata!"
Shugaban coci ya ji maganarsa
Ya san ayyukansa na adalci
Ransa mai tawali'u da cikakke
Ya naɗa shi cikin sunan mai tsarki
Wata murya ta ce axioc
Dukan rayuka suka ji ta
Mai albarka ne kai, ya Musa!
Ka karɓi yabon Sarkinka
Ubangijin gonar inabi ya tsare ka
Wata rana suka neme ka
Domin lamarin wani sufi mai zunubi
A cikin taron za su yi masa shari'a
Mai Tsarki Musa ya zo musu
Da buhun yashi a bayansa
Ya shiga cikin baƙin ciki da damuwa
Suka tambaye shi abin da ya ɗauka
Mene ne abin da ya kawo
Ya ce yana ɗauke da zunubansa
Darasi sananne mai amfani
Sufaye suka karɓa da farin ciki
Suka gafarta wa matalauci mai zunubi
Muna so mu rayu rayuwarmu
Muna so mu zama kamar kai
Ka tuna da mu cikin addu'o'inka
A gaban kursiyin maɗaukaki
A gaban Allah mai girma
Ka tuna da mu, ya ubanmu ƙaunataccen
Paparoma Abba Tawadros babba
Bari ya ba shi tsawon rai
Domin ya yi wa'azin bishara
Abba Dawuda bishofinmu
Ka kiyaye shi da mu, ya Ubangiji
Da addu'o'insa, ka tsare mu
Bishofai da limamai
Ka tsare su, ya Mai Tsarki
Da darajojin niaggeloc
Dikinoni da sufaye
Masu hidima a kowane wuri
Ya Ubangiji ka cika su da bangaskiya
Abba Musa mai albarka ne kai
Ka karɓi yabon Sarkinka
Ubangijin gonar inabi ya tsare ka
Ambaton sunanka
Yana cikin bakunan dukan masu bi
Duk suna cewa "Ya Allah na Abba Musa
Ka taimaki dukanmu!"
From the sixty verses of the doxology