الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
In the last session, we came to the point in the story of Musa (A) that on Allah’s instruction, both he and Harun (A) go together to Pharaoh to deliver Allah’s message to him to worship Allah alone and to release the children of Israel from the bondage of slavery that he had subjected them to.
The Qur’an narrates several conversations between Musa and Pharaoh. One of the most detailed accounts is in chapter 26, which is entitled: ash-Shu’ara (‘The Poets’). Musa speaks kindly to Pharaoh about Allah and His Mercy, but Pharaoh reacts mockingly and arrogantly. He reminds Musa of his past crime and asks Musa to be grateful that he was raised in the palace amongst luxuries and wealth. Musa excuses himself by saying he committed the crime of killing an innocent man when he was ignorant and points out that he was raised in the palace only because he was unable to live with his own family due to Pharaoh’s indiscriminate killing of baby boys.
Pharaoh began by mocking Musa, then accusing him of being ungrateful and finally he threatened him. During this historical period, many people in Egypt practiced magic. There were even schools teaching classes in magic and illusion. Pharaoh jumped to the wrong conclusion, he thought that the manifest signs Musa was able to show by the permission of Allah were magic tricks and illusions.
When Musa threw his staff and it became a serpent, and when he withdrew his hand from his cloak and it shone bright and white, Pharaoh presumed that Musa has learned the art of illusion. Pharaoh detained Musa and Harun while he dispatched couriers throughout Egypt to summon all the magicians to the palace. Pharaoh promised the magicians prestige and money in return for their tricks. A contest was set up between Musa and the Egyptian magicians.
Pharaoh was confident that his magicians were unbeatable. He had long been using them to influence the hearts and minds of the people. Musa was able to set the day for the contest and he chose a day of festival. The streets would be crowded with people and the power and strength of Allah would be visible to all. There would be maximum exposure to the truth of the words that there is none worthy of worship except Allah alone.
Musa asked the magicians to perform first. It is narrated that there were up to 70 magicians lined up in a row. The magicians threw their sticks and ropes in the name of the Pharaoh and the ground became a sea of serpents, moving and shaking. The crowd looked on in amazement. Musa was afraid, but he was steadfast, secure in the knowledge that Allah would protect him and make his task easy. Allah covered him with tranquility and directed Musa to throw his staff.
Musa’s staff transformed into a huge serpent and quickly devoured all the illusionary serpents that covered the ground. The crowd rose up like a great wave, cheering and shouting for Musa. The magicians were astounded. They were well skilled in the art of magic and illusion, for they were the best magicians in the world at the time, but their magic was nothing but a trick. The magicians knew that Musa’s serpent was real. They collectively fell in prostration declaring their belief in the Lord of Musa and Harun.
The magicians began that day as disbelievers, corrupt and interested only in riches and fame; however, within a short time, they had recognized the truth. They saw with their own eyes the omnipotence of Allah and repented for their sinful ways. Allah is the most merciful, and He will forgive those who turn to Him with sincere and humble repentance.
Musa and Harun left the contest field. The magicians, as it is told, were put to death, their bodies hung in the squares and market places to teach the people a lesson. Pharaoh returned to his palace and his rage magnified. He quarreled with his ministers and advisors. He called them into his presence. He had built his kingdom on the basis that he was a god. What was he to do now that Musa had revealed that there is no god but the one and only one – Allah (SWT).
Pharaoh’s kingdom was built by oppressing the people and holding their hearts and minds captive. All the people of Egypt from the ministers and magicians to the lowly slaves and servants were afraid of Pharaoh’s power and anger but Musa had exposed a weak spot. Pharaoh worried that his kingdom was about to crumble. However he was surrounded by mean and wicked sycophants who urged him on to greater tyranny.
Pharaoh’s security and intelligence officers began to spread rumors. They said Musa and some magicians had secretly organized for Musa to win the competition. Due to their association with Musa the children of Israel became the scapegoats. They complained to Musa that they were ill treated when he was born and now he had caused them to be oppressed once again.
Pharaoh ordered more killing, pillaging and raping. He imprisoned anyone who spoke out against this oppression, and Musa was powerless. He could not interfere. He advised the children of Israel to remain patient, and watched silently. The children of Israel complained to Musa, and he was put into a very difficult situation. His people were turning against him and one of his own by the name of Qarun was working with the Egyptian powerbrokers.
Qarun was a man from the children of Israel blessed with wealth and status, while all around him were poor and deprived. He did not acknowledge the blessings of Allah and treated the poor with contempt. When Musa reminded him that it was his duty, as one who worshipped the One God, to pay zakah, he refused and began to spread a rumor that Musa had invented the tax to make him rich. Allah’s anger fell upon Qarun and the earth opened up and swallowed him as if he had never existed.
Pharaoh summoned Musa to the palace. It is narrated that Pharaoh wanted Musa killed and that he was supported by all his ministers and government officials, except one. This man, believed to be a relative of Pharaoh was a believer in the Oneness of Allah, although until this moment he had kept his belief secret.
The believing man spoke eloquently; he warned his people that they would suffer a day of disaster like those days that had afflicted people in the past. He reminded them that Allah had sent clear signs with Musa, but his words fell on deaf ears. Pharaoh and many of his ministers threatened to kill the believing man but Allah kept him safe, and under His protection. This story appears in the Qur’an in Surat Ghafir (Surah # 40).
Allah commanded Musa to warn the Pharaoh that he and the Egyptians would suffer a severe punishment if the children of Israel were not set free. If the torture, oppression, and harassment did not stop, the signs of Allah’s wrath would descend upon them. Pharaoh’s response was to call all the people of Egypt including the children of Israel to a large gathering. He informed them that he was their Lord, he pointed out that Musa was no more than a lowly slave with no power or strength.
The people believed and obeyed Pharaoh, and consequently, the signs of Allah’s power began to descend. Allah afflicted Egypt with a severe drought. The lush, green, and fertile Nile valleys began to wither and die. The crops failed and the people began to suffer but Pharaoh remained arrogant. Therefore, Allah sent a huge flood to devastate the land. The people, including the officials appealed to Musa. “O Musa! Invoke your Lord for us because of His promise to you. If you will remove the punishment from us, we indeed shall believe in you, and we shall let the children of Israel go with you.” (al-A’raf, 7:134)
The land returned to normal and the crops once again began to grow, but still the children of Israel were enslaved. Allah sent a plague of locusts that swallowed up everything in their path. The people rushed to Musa begging for his help. The locusts departed but still the children of Israel remained enslaved. Next came a plague of lice, spreading disease amongst the people, followed by a plague of frogs that harassed and terrified the people in their homes and beds. Each time one of Allah’s punishments descended the people begged Musa to implore his Lord for relief; each time they promised to free the enslaved children of Israel and each time, they failed to fulfill that promise.
Then the final sign of Allah’s anger was revealed when the water of the Nile river turned to blood. Even after this devastating sign of Allah’s displeasure, the children of Israel remained enslaved. Finally, Allah withdrew His mercy and gave the order for Musa to lead his people out of Egypt. They left under the cover of darkness, carrying their meager possessions, and headed across the desert towards the Red Sea.
Pharaoh’s spies knew immediately that something crucial was happening and Pharaoh called a meeting of his most trusted advisors. They decided to gather the entire armed forces to pursue the fleeing slaves. Pharaoh’s army did not leave the borders of the city until dawn. And when it marched into the desert, it was not long before the children of Israel could look back into the distance and see the dust raised by the approaching army. It was also not long before those in the front ranks of the children of Israel had reached the edge of the Red Sea.
The Children of Israel were trapped. In front of them was the Red Sea, and to their back was Pharaoh’s army. Fear and panic began to spread through their ranks. They appealed to Musa who had been walking at the back of his fleeing people, He could see the army getting closer and closer. He made his way through the ranks to the edge of the sea. He walked amongst his people calming their fears and reminding them to keep the faith to continue trusting that Allah would not let them down, and would save them.
Musa stood at the edge of the Red Sea and looked out toward the horizon. He did not panic. He stood silently and waited for Allah to keep His promise, to free the children of Israel. At that moment, as panic swept over the children of Israel, Allah inspired Musa to strike the sea with his stick. He did as he was commanded. A fierce wind began to blow, the sea began to toss and spin, and suddenly it parted to reveal a pathway. The bottom of the sea became dry enough for the people to walk across it.
Musa began to direct the people across the dry path in the middle of the sea. He waited until the last person had started to walk across the sea before he turned back to look at the approaching army and then followed his people across the seabed. When the last person had safely crossed, the sea fell back into place and drowned the army of Egypt including the tyrannical Pharaoh. While drowning, Pharaoh cried out that he believed whom the children of Israel believed, but it was too late. Allah told him that He would deliver his dead body out from the sea so that he may be a sign to those who came after him.
It is reported that the waves carried Pharaoh’s corpse up to the western seashore. The Egyptians saw him and knew that the god whom they worshipped was merely a man who could not keep death away from his own neck. When Pharaoh had power, wealth, good health and strength he refused to acknowledge Allah but when he saw death approaching he cried out to Allah with fear and horror. If humankind remembers Allah in times of ease, Allah will remember them in times of distress.
Generations of oppression had left an indelible mark on the Children of Israel. Years of humiliation and constant fear had left them ignorant and obstinate. Most of them had been deprived of comforts and luxuries for all of their lives. They longed for anything that was a sign of wealth or materialism. They had just witnessed the most amazing miracles and signs of Allah’s power but still they were anxious to worship an idol they saw on their journey out of Egypt. Musa angrily said to them: “Shall I seek for you a god other than Allah, while He has given you superiority over the mankind and jinn of your time.”
Allah had favored the Children of Israel. They were led safely out of Egypt and they had witnessed the drowning of Pharaoh.
When they needed water, Allah commanded Musa to strike a rock, which sent forth twelve springs of water for the twelve different tribes so that they would not dispute with each other. Allah also sent clouds to protect them from the scorching sun and to relieve their hunger, He sent a special delicious food called manna, and quail (salwa). Sadly, despite Allah’s generosity many of the children of Israel complained and wanted the food they were used to eating in Egypt: onions, garlic, beans and lentils.
Musa admonished his people and reminded them that they had just left a life of degradation and humiliation. He asked why they wished for something inferior while Allah was providing them with the best.
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Resources and References:
Imam Ibn Kathir – Stories of the Prophets
Mufti Menk – Lessons from the Stories of the Prophets in the Qur’an (https://muslimahlifestyle.com/lessons-stories-prophets-quraan-mufti-menk-creation-of-aadam-as/)
Anwar Al-Awlaki – The Lives of the Prophets (https://www.kalamullah.com/anwar-alawlaki.html)
Aisha Stacey – The Religion of Islam (islamreligion.com)
