It is mentioned in some reliable and authentic hadiths that Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq said that when the end of Musa’s life approached and the angel of death came and said, ‘O Kalimullah (the one with whom Allah conversed)! Assalaamo A’laikum’, Musa responded, “Wa a’laikas salaam! Who are you?” The angel replied, “I am the angel of death.” He asked, “Why have you come?” He replied, “To take your soul.” Musa asked, “From where will you seize it?” He replied, “From your mouth.” Musa asked, “How will you seize it from the mouth when I have conversed with the Almighty with it?” The angel replied, “All right! I will seize it from your hands.” Musa exclaimed, “How will you seize it from my hands when these hands have held the Torah?” The angel said, “I will seize it from your feet.” Musa said,”I have gone to Mount Toor on these very feet to talk with My Lord.” The angel said, “Then I will take it from your eyes.” Musa said, “I have always looked with these eyes hopefully towards my Lord’s Mercy.” The angel said, “Then from your ear.” Musa said, “I have heard my Lord’s Words with these very ears.” Then Almighty Allah revealed to the angel, “Do not seize his soul until he himself desires it.” So the angel of death went back and Musa lived for quite a long time thereafter. Then one day he called Yusha‘, gave his will to him, made him his legatee and asked him to keep the will a secret until the time of his (Musa’s) death. He also asked Yusha‘ to pass on the Wasiyyah (Will) at the time of his (Yusha‘’s) death to someone else as desired by Allah. Saying this Musa disappeared from his people.
During these days of his absence, he once met a man digging a grave. Musa told him that he would like to help him in digging that grave. He said, ‘That is good.’ Musa engaged himself in the digging. Soon the grave was completed by them. The man intended to go and lie in that grave to ascertain whether it was properly dug or not.
But Musa said, Wait! let me do it. Saying this Musa entered the grave and slept therein. Allah removed the curtain from his eyes and he saw his place in Paradise. He said, My Lord Call me back to You. So the angel of death seized his holy soul then and there. That person buried him in the same grave and closed it by filling it with earth. That man digging the grave was an angel in the shape of a man. Musa died in Tiyah. An announcer announced from the heavens that Musa Kalimullah has died and who is he who will not die? (The Imam) said, This is why Musa’s grave is not known to people and The Israelites do not know its location. People asked the Prophet of Allah about the location of the grave of Musa. He replied, “Near the highway adjacent to the red hillock.” After Musa, Yusha‘ became the leader of The Israelites. He was always busy in their affairs and was bearing all kinds of difficulties caused to him by the kings of those days. Three of those kings died. Thereafter the condition of Yusha‘ became strong and be became independent in the matter of law and order (giving orders to do or to refrain from doing things). Then two hypocrites of the community of Musa conspired and took Safra daughter of Shu‘ayb, the wife of Musa with them and revolted against Yusha‘ with 100000 men. Yusha‘ overpowered them. Many groups of them were killed and those who remained alive fled by the Divine Order and Safra daughter of Shu‘ayb became the captive of Yusha‘. Yusha‘ told her, “I am leaving you in this world so that in the other world when I meet Musa the Prophet of Allah, I may complain to him about you and your community about what I have suffered due to you.” Safra said, “By Allah! If Paradise is made open to me so that I can enter it I will feel ashamed of seeing there Musa the Prophet of Allah, as I have torn his veil and thereafter I revolted against his legatee.”